To all Dungarvan Gaa Club past and present members , Before it all starts to go mad and the phones go down 🎉🎉 We would like to wish u all a happy and peaceful 2018

Club players Gavin Crotty, Michael Kiely and Kieran Power were on the Waterford senior football team that played Clare in the McGrath Cup in Meelick on Saturday December 30th.

This is the first time since 1995 that we had three players on a Waterford senior football team when Pepe Ferncombe Darrell Donnelly and Dermot O Callaghan lined out in the Deise colours for a National Football League game.

Chairman Bobby Lyons presided at our 132nd AGM in our clubhouse tonight Saturday. Special guests were the Western and County Intermediate football cups while a healthy bank balance for our 2017 activities was announced and development plans at our grounds in 2018 were unveiled.

Officers Elected :

Chairman : Bobby Lyons. Vice Chair : Paddy Fitzgerald, Secretary : Tony Ryan, Treasurer : Keeley Hallahan, PRO : Pat Kiely, Membership Officers : Mary Fitzgerald and Eileen Murphy,  Insurance Officer : Francis Barry, Childrens’ Officer : Imelda Killigrew,  Juvenile Rep. : Eleanor O Dwyer, Deise Draw Co-Ordinator : Catherine Lyons, Lotto Co- Ordinator : Ann Curran.

  JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Intermediate Football Final

                                    Dungarvan Footballers Return to Senior Ranks

                                                  Dungarvan 1-9 St. Saviours 0-8

Five to One outsiders Dungarvan created one of the few shocks of the Deise championship year at the Fraher Field last Friday evening when they overcame 2016 senior championship outfit St. Saviours to win the County Intermediate Football Championship.

In retrospect, Dungarvan should have won this game more comfortably, relying on a 58^th minute Ryan Donnolly goal to kill off the St, Saviours challenge but they scored just 0-3 in a first half where they squandered a number of match winning scores including two goals from efforts by Mick Devine and Ryan Donnolly.

The attendance paid £2,300 to view this encounter with Dungarvan starting without the injured Darragh Lyons and St. Saviours minus their long serving influential John Paul Jacob while former County player Dean Crowley was out of the country.

A nasty head injury to Dungarvan’s Darren Duggan in the 20^th minute highlighted the requirement for a professional assessment of safety standards inside the railings at the Shandon venue as this incident could have concluded far more serious than it did.

When keeping a ball in play on the bank side of the field, the Dungarvan full forward was nudged in the back and the momentum brought his head down on an old iron stay close to a cement block connected to the original railing and the collision opened his head which required an ambulance to attend the scene.

The final itself was an interesting encounter with Dungarvan’s tactic of closing down Saviour’s usual short kickouts upsetting the favourites style of play and all around the field the locals intensity and physical domination  kept the favourites challenge on the backfoot.

Darragh Corcoran opened the game’s scoring in the 2^nd minute for the Ballybeg outfit and Gavin Crotty replied four minutes later with his first of his five pointed frees.  Full forward Garrett Duffey was Saviours key first half player, recording 0-4 from play, and his first minor was replied to by Patrick Curran in the 9^th minute with a contender for score of the match.

Gavin Crotty (f) gave the Blues the lead for the first time in the 16^th minute as they took control of the game and in a good move involving Darren Duggan and Devine, the latter ‘s pile driver tested the quality of the town end crossbar in the same minute with no score resulting.

Dungarvan were in complete control up to Darren Duggan’s injury but seven wides  nurtured the opinion that they might pay the cost at a later stage. Garreth Duffy levelled proceedings at 0-3 a piece in the 20^th minute before Ryan Donnolly, was untypically wide with a goal effort one minute later.

The winners were not to score from the 16^th minute to the short whistle and, in between,  Garrett Duffy kicked three top class scores from play to leave his team, on meagre possession, ahead at the break on a score of 0-5 to 0-3.

The Eastern champions restarted well with a pointed free  by Shaun Corcoran, but it proved to be one of only their three second half flags, another pointed free by Darragh Corcoran in the 54^th minute and their third and last, a point from play by the same player in the 63^rd minute.

This meagure second half return demonstrates better than anything, Dungarvan’s spirited recovery and though 0-3 in arrears at the interval, the teams were level by the 42^nd minute courtesy of scores by Gavin Crotty  (2f) and a brilliant left legged curling effort by midfielder Joe Allen.

The Western championships secured a firm hold on proceedings and three further minors by Gavin Crotty(f), Ryan Donnolly and Gavin Power  had the locals smelling the winners’ enclosure with 53 minutes on the clock, 0-9 to 0-6.

The game was still in the melting pot though when Darragh Corcoran pointed his 54^th minute free but lady luck visited the Dungarvan camp for the first time  when Gavin Crotty’s 58^th minute mishit pointed free attempt came in low in front of the country end goal  and Ryan Donnolly was fastest to react as he steered the ball low across the line a little faster than a trickle, 1-9 to 0-7 and time running out for Saviours.

Naturally, the kitchen sink was thrown at the Dungarvan defence in the remaining five minutes of play, but as the Blues rearguard did all evening, they were very much up to the task and they conceded but a point from play per Darragh Corcoran in the 63^rd minute.

Thus, the Michael Dunne Memorial Cup returned to the Old Borough club for the first time since 2011 and in total this was the club’s third County title in the grade following on from their first win in 1985 against City side Killure.

PRESENTATION

Chairman of the County Board Paddy Joe Ryan presented the Michael Dunne Cup to Dungarvan captain Aaron Donnolly, whose acceptance speech fittingly matched the occasion and remembered recently deceased club members. Gavin Crotty was selected as the JJ Kavanagh Man of the Match  and the presentation was made by County PRO and Dungarvan club member Taylor Murray with Ken Begley representing sponsors JJ Kavanagh Buses.  

Dungarvan’s Top Three : John Curran, Mike Kiely, Darragh Fitzgerald.

St, Saviours Top Three : Garreth Duffy, Michael Merrigan,  Martin Holohan.

Observer’s Man of the Match ; John Curran.

Number of Scorers : Dungarvan : 6. St. Saviours ; 3.

Scores From Play : Dungarvan : 1-4. St. Saviours : 0-6.

Frees For : Dungarvan : 15. St. Saviourd : 23.

Wides ; Dungarvan : 9. St. Saviours : 7.

Score of the Match : Joe Allen’s 42^nd minute point for Dungarvan.

Scorers :      Gavin Crotty 0-5f, Ryan Donnolly 1-1, Patrick Curran, Joe Allen, Ryan Donnolly and Gavin Power 0-1 each.

St. Saviours ; Garreth Duffy 0-4, Darragh Corcoran 0-3(1f), Shaun Corcoran 0-1f.

Teams :

Dungarvan : Michael Walsh; Darragh Fitzgerald, Aaron Donnolly, Conor Sheridan; John Curran, Jamie Nagle, Gavin Power; Mike Kiely, Joe Allen; Gavin Crotty, Patrick Curran, Mick Devine; Ryan Donnolly. Subs : Liam Ryan for Darren Duggan (inj.), Cormac Curran for Luke O Callaghan, Jack Lacey for Ryan Donnolly.

St. Saviours : Paul Holohan; Joey Phelan, Kevin Boland, Michael Merrigan; Brian Quinn, Peter Crowley, Jack Brophy; Kieran Murphy, Kieran Burns; Brian Power, Martin Holohan,  Keylan Cassidy;

Shaun Corcoran, Garrety Duffy, Darragh Corcoran. David Griffin for Martin Holohan, Jack Flavin for Jack Brophy.

Referee : Pat Casey (Affane).

FOTO OF THE WEEK

Western Intermediate Hurling Finalists 1965

Geraldines 2-5 Dungarvan 0-9

Ref. : Club History Book, Ag Feachaint Siar, pg.125.

Back Row : Right to Left : Michael Lewis, Eamonn Kiely, Tom Crowley, Jim Byrne, Michael Fitzgerald, Pat Walsh, John Moylan, Tolly Queally, Liam Dromey, Michael Donnelly, Johnny Murphy.

Front Row : Right to Left  : Micheal O Faolain, Jim Walsh, Mick Bowen, Sean Power, Ray Lannon, Tony Mountain, Sean McGrath, Conor Curran, Michael Norris, Tom Cunningham.

All looking forward to our annual St. Stephen’s Day Charity Fundraiser at the Club Grounds beginning at 11am. Walk or run 2 miles or 5 mile route.

This year’s event benefits the West Waterford Hospice. Refreshments will be served.

• Country Store
• Albert McGraths Newsagents
• David Walsh Bookshop
• Hallahans Chemist.
• Topaz
• Paddy Foleys Bar
• Shalloes
• The Greenhouse, Johnny Lynch’s.
• Willow and Oak.
• Internet Café.

CHRISTMAS DRAW(picture 1 shows members of the finance committee with Liam Power manager of Garvey’s.picture 2 shows Don Nix receiving his from Paddy Fitzgerald and Liam Power. Picture 3 shows Craig Kiely receiving his prize from Liam Power. )
Last Saturday we met up in Garvey’s Super Valu to have our Christmas Draw, with the help of Garvey’s Manager Liam Power. When the draw was made, these were the results.

1st Prize – Don Nix € 5000 Voucher Coolnasmear
2nd Prize – Craig Kiely €250 shopping Voucher Rita Cottage, Coolnagour
3rd Prize – Catherine Kavanagh €100 voucher Cappagh.

The members of the Finance committee would like to thank all the people who helped out in any way in the promoting or the selling of tickets in this draw. We would like to thank Liam Power and the staff of Garvey’s Super Valu for all their help during the lead up to the draw and the draw being made.

TOM CUNNINGHAM
Well done to Tom on being inducted into the Waterford GAA Hall Of Fame along with the surviving members of 1957 Waterford Football team who defeated Kerry in the Walsh Park, 2 5 to 10pts was the historic score.

ACADEMY
Dungarvan GAA Club training Academy for boys and girls aged 5/12 years – Football, Hurling Monday Evenings – time 5-6 pm for 8,9 and 10s and 6-7pm for 10,11 and 12 year old in the Sport Centre.The small people will be on Friday at 5-6 pm. Parents and guardians of the children are fundamental to the successful running of the Academy. Each year we invite parents to volunteer to become coaches/helpers in the Academy.No previous experience is required as the club provides resources, training courses and support through its (Games Promotions Officer)All the Coaches and Kids have been very busy with the past few weeks with training and games.

LOTTO
The club Lotto can now be bought online and also at the following outlets, The Country Store, Hallahans Chemists, Paddy Foley’s Bar, Queallys Bar, John Walsh’s Spar, Johnny Lynch’s Fruit and Veg and Graham Nagles Golf Shop. This weeks LOTTO NUMBERS are 1,9,18 and 29 .NO WINNER, Next weeks JACKPOT is €7300 . 3 winners of Match 3 €35 each Mary Earley, Elaine Shanahan and Monica Cuddihy. There will be no draw next week .There will be a LOTTO Draw on New Years Night. Last Monday night we had a Christmas Draw for Deise Draw ticket holders and LOTTO Members, and the winners were for the Deise Draw were Pat Curran, Ann Marie Howard, Dan Mc Carthy and Billy Coleman who won €50 each, while the Lotto winners were Shirley O Donnell, Sean Power c/o Peter Ferncombe, Sean Murphy and Pat Curran who also won €50.

FIRST AID
The club is actively looking for volunteers to take first aid courses for 2018, this is a vital roll for all our teams with an emphasis on the juvenile section of our club.

ST STEPHAN’S DAY RUN
The club are happy to announce that the Charity for this event is the West Waterford Hospice.

FIELD
The field is now closed for all training sessions.

AGM
The clubs AGM will take place on Sat 30th of December at 7.00pm. Doors will be open at 6.15 and reports will be able to be reviewed from 6.30pm. The Financial Report will be available for review on Saturday 23rd of December from 10-12am at the Club House.

QUIZ ANSWERS
1. Where would you find the Fulham Irish Club.(LONDON)
2. What former Down All Ireland Medallist manages the above club.(GREGORY MC CARTAIN)
3. What Tyrone All Star is one of the main players on the Fulham Irish team.( OWEN MULLIGAN)
4. What age will Kieran Donaghy be when he lines out for Kerry in 2018.(35)
5. How many Senior Football Connaucht Medals has Mayo Star Alan Dillon. (8)

QUIZ
1. What year did Jason Sherlock win his first All Ireland Medal.
2. Who are the authors of the Book A Land of Men and Giants.
3. What famous Dublin Footballer is the author of the book The Choice.
4. Of the 19 games Dublin played this year in Football how many did they lose.
5. What year did Croke Park open to other sports.

BOOK LAUNCH
A big well done to Tony Ryan on the launch of the Clubs History Ag Feachaint Siar last weekend. This volume is a real stocking filler and i am sure that the topics covered will be the cause of much debate for a long time to come. It must be said that this is a real labour of love and harthist congratulations to the author.