Kildare Ladies Football News

The Under 11 games on Saturday morning in St Laurence’s were played in sunshine and there were great wins for Two Mile House and Milltown.

The third game, due to be played did not despite both teams arriving and taking the field. Each side raised had difficultuy, one to the size of the pitch and the other to the number of players each team could or would play. So Ballykelly & Ellistown now head to a County Board meeting and with none scheduled a special meeting will have to be called.

There were 2 Under 15 Finals in Ballykelly in the afternoon and were the first games played on the so called back pitch. This is a full size, carpet like, fully enclosed brand new pitch, Croke Park standard or even better. The Division 2 Final started in sunshine but the dark clouds soon poured rain by the bucketful on every player, spectator and every inch and thunder & lightning hoverer but thankfully passed by. The rain continued but neither the pitch or players seemed to be effected.
Celbridge & Suncroft fought a titanic battle with the lead changing hands and only in the last 5 minutes did Celbridge retook the lead with their third goal and then closed out the game.

The Division 4 Final was ready to start when a hail storm struck and the Referee, Shaun Duane, took the teams off the field until it had abated. The rain returned soon after the game started and your correspondent soon found his phone & camera had both given up the ghost. Neither team did and while Robert Emmett’s dominated most of the first half the sides had only a point each after 25 minutes. Then Rathangan kicked 5 points in 5 minutes and they stretched the lead in the third quarter. Emmett’s did find their scoring touch in the final 5 minutes but it was too little, too late and County Chairperson Deirdre Kearney was able to present the Cup to a team from her own Club which included her daughter at centre half forward.
The Under 15 Division 3 Final will be played in Ballykelly on Wednesday night and this will be on their “Front Pitch” under their fantastic new lights. It’s an opportunity to see the brilliant new facilities in their full glory and of course two outstanding Under 15 teams, Na Fianna & the hosts, Ballykelly. I, for one, have no intention of missing the opportunity.

Then on Saturday the premier Under 11 Final takes place, featuring St Laurence’s and Maynooth. St Laurence’s were runners up last term having won it for the first time the previous year while in 2008 Maynooth won Div 2 and prior to that a Division 3 title in 2005 was their claim to fame at this level. Both these Clubs are fully behind Ladies Football with plenty of mentors and volunteers assisting the work at official level of Ladies Football Chairperson Anto Mooney who has a brilliant Secretary in Gerry Egan to back her up as they both do more than their fair share in the Team Management/Coaching area while this team is in the capable control of John Kelly.
Of course St Laurence’s wont be outshone in any phase of Club work or development. Under 11 Manager, Pamela (Donovan) Grufferty, a former County Under Age player is the very efficient Manager and hubby. County Senior Championship winner, Dom, assists when available. Dom has been a massive influence, managing the Club’s Senior Ladies team, assisting with various Under Age teams, all the while playing a prominent role in the Club’s journey to where they are now in Kildare GAA, Senior County Champions. Now this should be a humdinger and you would have to be very brave or very foolish to forecast the result.

With so many pitches under water on Sunday morning the Under 13 semi finals were badly hit some the schedule of finals for Saturday is probably a goner. The Juvenile Committee, headed by Joe O’Donoghue, are likely to have a few late nights before the damage is repaired.

What will go ahead at the week-end is the Preliminary Round of the Minor Championship. A novel idea for which this writer cannot claim any credit, sees all the teams graded at A & B, given an opportunity to show their worth with all the A teams facing B grade teams in a fight for their right to an A grading. Balyna are going for an amazing Minor4-in-a-row while the best previous run was by Confey who starting in 2000, won 3 in succession and guess who meet first time around , yea it has to be Balyna and Confey with the Champions having to travel to Creighton Park. The Leixlip/Naas clash should also be close while Clane , at home to St Laurence’s would love to knock out last year’s Runners Up and 2009 B Winners, Eadestown entertain a Moorefield team who have County Minors Dearbhail Kelly, Amber Masterson and Rachel Burke to lead their effort.

County Convention is on Thursday 3rd December and Nominations are open at present for all positions on the County Board. Clubs are invited and indeed are encouraged to put forward candidates. There is likely to be a few vacancies as long serving officials look for a rest and new blood would be most welcome. Nominations, from Club Secretaries, should be sent to County Runai, Ber O’Hara, by post, by hand or by email. Motions, on matters on policy and the Rules, can also be sent to Ber. Closing date is Thursday, 12th November.

With the National Fixtures Committee having handed out documentation on next year at Tuesday’s Central Council meeting and things to be finalised at Central Council on November 24th this is another reason for a Special County Board meeting.