Minor Update...

The Minor Team has reached that time in the year when all football is suspended due to exams. The year has gone quite well so far, on a playing front we have played six games and won six. We have the usual problems that all minor teams have to cope with, mainly lads away in school or college and exams.

What has been a major encouragement to us, has been the display of the non county lads. Players such as Andy Dolan, Pierce Beirne and James Filan have developed their game and are now playing as well as their county buddies.

Other lads such as Rory O Donnell and Mark O Dowd have now got a much more physical and determined aspect to their game and this has added so much to their all round ability. We are very fortunate to have a very solid goalkeeper in Chris Jordan and we were also delighted to uncover a new talent recently when Chris was not available and Adam Fennell took over in goal. In the forwards we have Daniel Morris who has the ability to score some spectacular goals. At the moment we are only scratching the surface with what Daniel has to offer and I hope that one day we will really see Daniels true potential.

Damien Mc Keon is another young lad who is a key part of our panel this year and his renewed enthuasiasm is great to see. Shane O Dowd, Dara O Carroll and Kealan Loftus are also showing great determination and a willingness to get involved and be a part of this minor team. We also have two players, Fergal Harmon and Ryan Dempsey, who were unavailable in the early part of the year and will make a major impact when they return. Daniel Marron although too young for this years panel, is learning what it takes to be involved and is as committed to training as any of the minor panel.

As a club we are very fortunate to have five young lads involved with Roscommon County under age teams. Shane Leydon with the minors and Liam Murtagh, Luke O Dowd, David O Dowd and Fintan Sweeney with the under 16s. These lads give a huge commitment both to their club and county and with regard to our own minor team are instrumental along with the rest of the panel in having us top of the league at the moment.


(Shane Loftus)

U14 Progress

The Gaels U-14 team are up and running this year in the Division 3 County U-14 League. The team have got off to an encouraging start with victories against Elphin by (3-10 to 3-5) and St. Michaels (6-17 to 0-4). They also had a narrow one point defeat to Kilbride when a draw would have been the better result (4-14 to 3-16).

There is one complaint about this league - managers James Deane and Cathal Sweeney have had tough decisions to make as the three teams they have played can/will only play 11-a-side. It means that the managers had to drop two players after analysing their 13 a-side game plan five minutes previously. Compliants a-side, this is a well balanced team. Their effort cannot be questioned and when the players click they can be devastatingly good.

Jimmy Burke is a rock in the goals. Drew Bell and Jonathan Beirne always have the situation in control in the full-back line.

David Mc Donnell, Matty Mulvey and Keelan O'Dowd control the half-back line and can turn defence into attack instantly.

The work rate of Daniel Marron and Conor O'Dowd is encouraging with Daniel a very able captain of the team.

The half-forward line players of Matthew Mc Dermott, Mickey Murtagh and Cian Harmon fight for every ball and can hit some pinpoint accurate scores. The full-forward players of Niall Morohan and Morgan Conway have become more than capable of chipping in some crucial scores.

In the recent St.Michaels game the management decided to use their bench and none could have predicted what damage these boys did.

Shane Mc Donnell, Morgan Quinn, Dara O Dowd and Matthew Burke were introduced to the field and their work rate and effort was outstanding. They fought for every ball and the fact that the four boys each got a score shows their true effort.

One of the most heart warming plays during the game was near the end when Dara O'Dowd had a chance to kick his own score from a free but seen Shane Mc Donnell free. A simple pass by Dara ensured Shane got his name on the scoresheet.

Credit must be given to the older players for giving the boys these chances. What this means now is the bench has options and Gay Dowd will have some tough choices where to play these four lads at u-12 level.

The team have three remaining games in the league:
V Kilglass(A) 21st May
V Kilmore(H) 28th May
V St. Faithleachs (A) 4th June.

(James Deane)