Gaelic4Girls National Blitz Croke Park

06 July 2015

Gaelic4Girls National Blitz Croke Park July 6th At the early hour of 6.45am, on a wet and miserable July morning two buses carrying almost 100 people, including 39 players, left the pitch in Dunnamaggin to make their way to Croke Park. The day marked the culmination of the Gaelic4Girls programme in which almost 50 clubs from around Ireland and Britain (including Dunnamaggin) had participated. The grand finale of the programme was the opportunity for the girls to play at Croke Park in the National Blitz. On arrival in Croke Park the players and mentors were met by the LGFA co-ordinators and brought through the dressing room before preparing to take the field. The weather gods looked down and the rain stopped! As a result of the phenomenal success of the Gaelic4Girls initiative in the club, the LGFA had permitted Dunnamaggin to bring 2 panels to participate. The panels (Team Dunnamaggin and Team Dún Iomgáin) consisted of 19 and 20 players, with each player given the opportunity to play at least two 15 minute matches. Matches began at 10am with Team Dunnamaggin facing Rathnew (Wicklow), St. Patricks Stramullen (Meath), Shercock (Cavan) and St. Patrick’s Dromintee (Armagh). Team Dún Iomgáin tackled Star of the Sea (Dublin), Shercock (Cavan) and Kilbride (Roscommon). While official scores were not kept, it is fair to say the girls in green and gold had a very successful morning! Each panel comprised a mixture of age groups ranging from under 8s to under 14 players. It was great to see players from such a varied age group gel so well and work together as a team. Following the matches, the girls had a meet and greet session with county stars who presented them with medals to commemorate the occasion. At one o’clock the buses departed Croke Park and a pit stop at the girls favourite fast food haunt ensued, before arriving back in Dunnamaggin at 5pm. It was a very tired, but happy and content group of children and adults that descended the bus at the end of an unforgettable day. As song says, ‘Memories are made of this……’ Team Dunnamaggin: Sarah Davis, Ellen O’ Neill, Ellen Burke, Emer Dunphy, Laura Davis, Níamh Walsh, Aideen Hickey, Katie Burke, Órla Buckley, Lauren Walsh, Aoife Delaney, Sarah Deegan, Ellen Lahart, Ava O’ Neill, Marissa Dunne, Órla Walsh, Sophie McMahon, Emma Lahart, Mia O’ Connell. Team Dún Iomgáin: Jessica Ryan, Emily Cody, Ciara Farrell, Amy Kinsella, Keelagh Sheridan, Isobel Johnston, Amy Fennelly, Aoibhinn Malzard, Caoimhe Malzard, Megan Fallon, Hannah Persse, Faye Lanigan, Clara Whelan Foxe, Ava Sheridan, Kayla Hickey, Caitlin Fallon, Blaithín Holden, Ellie Moran, Roisín Malzard, Martha Nesbitt.