Photo of the Week

1990 County U16 'B' Hurling Champions

Back Row (L to R): Brian Beatty, Damien Cliffe, Dermot Ryan, Patrick Veale, Eoin Murray, John Clancy, Dermot Walsh, Johnny Shields.
Front Row (L to R): Dwaine Moore, Michael Enright, Brendan Landers, Jimmy Stacey, Gavin Breen, Kieran Cunningham, Alan Landers.

This week's photo shows the Abbeyside U16 hurling team that won the County 'B' title at Fraher Field in 1990.

Club Notes - 12th June

Jack The Joker

No. Drawn - 43

Our popular Jack the Joker Fundraiser will continue this Sunday night in Kennedy’s Live where the Jackpot will be €13,002 as on Sunday night Carmel Power was drawn out of the drum but did not find the Joker, however she did win €50, while John Keane and Breda Egan won €25. The following are the numbers that haven’t been turned yet 3, 11, 18, 30, 40, 41, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52.

Senior Hurling

On Saturday evening last we played Ballygunner in the County Championship in Walsh Park and recorded a very good win.

TEAM: S. ENRIGHT, J. POWER, S. O’HARE, E. COLLNS, J. HURNEY, J. GORMAN, C. HICKEY, D. COLLINS, R. FOLEY, T. HANRAHAN, G. HURNEY, M. FIVES, M. GORMAN, P. HURNEY, M. FRENCOMBE.

SUBS: M. O’HALLORAN, S. O’DONOVAN, E. ENRIGHT, S. CROTTY.

Intermediate Hurling

We played Clashmore/Kinsalebeg in the Western Championship on Sunday last and despite an improved performance by the team we were defeated 1-15 to 0-08.

TEAM: L. POWER, P. COLLINS, J. MOORE, S. O’CONNOR, E. BERGIN, P. LYNCH, J. DUGGAN, C. MOLONEY, J. O’MAHONY, N. DEE, L. HURNEY, D. HICKEY, E. CROTTY, J. O’BRIEN, T. MURRAY.

SUBS: J. FOLEY, D. SWEENEY, T. McGRATH.

Junior Hurling

Our Junior hurling team recorded their second win in the Western Championship on Friday night last thanks to very good display against Ballysaggart in Bushy Park.

TEAM: J.P. McGRATH, S. CLIFFE, P. BREEN, J. WALSH, D. FERNCOMBE, L. BERESFORD, C. ENRIGHT, B. WALSH, B. HENLEY, E. YOUNG, R. RYAN, S. FLYNN, K. KELLEHER, I. KIELY, G. FLYNN.

SUBS: M. RAHER, S. KEARNEY, P. BERGIN, A. O’RAGHNAIGH, G. MORRISSEY.

Club Bingo

Our Bingo continues this Sunday night and please note that it will be in The Park Hotel this week, where the jackpot is €850.

Juvenile Notes - 12th June

Juvenile Cake Sale

We would like to express our thanks to Sharon Kiely and Michelle Treen for their work organising a cake sale last Sunday morning in both Ballinroad and Abbeyside masses. We would also like to thank the parents that both helped at the masses and baked the lovely array of food, well done.

Under 12

We played the final game of the Under 12 Town and Country Hurling League last Friday evening. Great to see all of our players back. This was a great game with our boys playing some of the best hurling they have played this year, and came out on top. There are a number of games planned in the coming weeks for this age group. It is important that you come to as many training sessions as possible.

Under 14

Our Division 1 team played their final game of the league part of the county championship. This was against De Le Salle. This game was always going to be a very close game based on our last encounter in the Féile final where we won by a point. This time around there was again one score between us where the city team got a goal in the last few minutes to win by that margin. We have now qualified for the semi finals of this championship where hopefully the finishing position will be decided this week.

Our second team played An Gaeltacht in Old Parish last week. Our lads played well but could not match the very strong opposition. The final score 6 – 8 to 2 – 6. There are still 3 games left to the league part of this championship.

Under 10

A big word of congratulations must go out to our under 10 hurling team who last Saturday week won the prestigious Ballyduff tournament. A great day out was had by everyone involved and a special word of thanks must go to the mentors involved. Hopefully in years to come these young lads will be the future of our club.

Féile Bus

A limited number of seats are available on the bus to Derry for the Féile football competition. If you wish to go on this bus please contact Carmel Power on (087) 2598923 as soon as possible because spaces are limited.

Minor Football

Our minor football team had a good win over Stradbally in the western semi final last week. We now qualify for the western final which will be played after the exams. Minor hurling will also commence after the exams.

Best of Luck

On behalf of the club we would like to send best wishes to all those in the club who are presently sitting exams.

Cúl Camps

The Kellogg's Cúl camp takes place from July 1st to 5th this year for boys and girls from age 6 and up. Registration can be done on line at Kellogg's Cúl Camps or by contacting your club coordinator Carmel on (087) 2598923.

Outdoor Hurling

Outdoor hurling continues every Saturday morning from 10.30 for boys aged five and up. Helmets and hurleys can be purchased through the club at a discounted price.

Senior Hurling Championship Group 2 Table

This is the league table after the third round of games in Abbeyside’s County Senior Hurling Championship Group.

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	SD	Pts
1	Mount Sion	3	3	0	0	2-54	1-48	+1-6	6
2	Passage	2	2	0	0	7-28	4-23	+3-5	4
3	Dungarvan	2	1	0	1	5-31	2-25	+3-6	2
4	Abbeyside	3	1	0	2	3-50	9-39	-0-7	2
5	Ballygunner	3	1	0	2	5-43	1-52	+0-3	2
6	Roanmore	3	0	0	3	4-29	9-48	-5-19	0

Round 2 – Passage v Dungarvan – Postponed

The first four teams qualify for the quarter finals. The league position of teams on equal points is determined by the result between both teams.

Photo of the Week

1951 County Minor Football Champions

Back Row (L to R): J. Flynn, M. Power, J. Fraher, A. Flynn, L. O'Donnell, J. Crotty, L. Dower, P. Feeney.

Front Row (L to R): T. Greaney, J. Hogan (Capt.), P. Shanahan, A. Hayes, T. Collender, S. Ormonde, J. Clancy.

This week's photo brings us back to 1951 and the Abbeyside Minor Football team (known as St. Augustine's Rovers at the time) that won the second of three consecutive County titles. En route to the final the boys beat Sliabh gCua, Dungarvan, Brickey Rangers and Kinsalebeg-Ardmore before a 1-5 to 1-0 victory over Na Brianaigh at Fraher Field in early December clinched the coveted title.

Club Notes - 5th June

Séamus O’Brien - A True Gentleman

On behalf of all in the Club we would like to send our deepest sympathies to the family and many friends of the late Séamus O’Brien, Murphy Place, who passed away last week. To say that Séamus was steeped in the GAA would indeed be an understatement, as since he was first elected Abbeyside club Secretary at the 1953 AGM in the Scouts Den, Séamus has served the Association in many different ways. Séamus was a selector on the Waterford Hurling Team in the 1957 All Ireland Final and in 1960 he was elected as Secretary of the Western Board, a position he held for 19 years. Throughout his time as Secretary of the Board, Séamus proved to be an excellently efficient Secretary, and it was only natural that he would be promoted to higher office which happened in 1979 when he was elected as Waterford’s representative on Central Council. In a remarkable 30 year term as Central Council delegate Séamus was elected to the Management Committee on two occasions and during his time on the Committee the major redevelopment of Croke Park took place. Throughout his time on Central Council Séamus constantly fought the cause of the ordinary GAA player and member trying at all times to ensure that the GAA remained true to itself. When Séamus retired from his role as Central Council delegate in 2009 he was deeply honored to be elected as President of Waterford County Board, a position he held at the time of his death.

Séamus had a keen interest in the promotion of our games among the youth and this is perhaps best seen in the service he gave to Bord na nÓg, as he served as Secretary to both County and Western Bord na nÓg and as Register to both the Western Board and County Board na nÓg. For over 50 years Séamus’ writings in the Dungarvan Leader were a must read for all GAA fans in the West Waterford area, and working closely with his great friend Tony Mansfield, both men ensured that not a trick was missed on the GAA beat in the County. Whilst Séamus served the Association at National, County and Divisional level it was in working for his beloved Abbeyside / Ballinacourty that he derived the greatest pleasure. This year marked his 60^th consecutive year as a member of our Club Committee where his attendances at meetings were exemplary. Over the years our club like all clubs has had many difficult decisions to take, and Séamus’ well thought out and sound advice meant that the club always had an invaluable source of wisdom guiding us on the right path. Séamus took great satisfaction from the various County Titles won by our club down the years and whilst Séamus was never one to let his emotions get the better of him, I can recall one occasion where a referee was being a little slow in blowing a full time whistle (eight minutes of injury time had been played!!), and Séamus duly made his way from the press box to the sideline to enquire was the full time whistle ever going to be blown. The game in question was a Western Minor Football Western Final where Séamus’ grandson was playing and when the whistle was blown Séamus celebrated the win like a first ever Senior Title.

Throughout his lifetime of working for the GAA Séamus was at all times an absolute gentleman in his dealings with members of other clubs. Talking to a former Chairman of Bord na nÓg at the weekend he said that Séamus O’Brien would always make you feel that your question or difficulty mattered to him, and that a problem with an under 12 Competition was just as important as resolving a difficulty in Croke Park. Séamus had an encyclopedic knowledge of the Rule Book and Administration of the GAA. At County Board meetings he would regularly cite the relevant rule or bye law off his head whenever a difficulty arose, and his was an opinion that was rarely or indeed ever questioned. It is certainly true to say that his loss to the GAA in Waterford is a great one, as we have lost a great fountain of knowledge. In talking to many people over the past week the one thing that kept reoccurring in conversation, was the high regard in which Séamus was held by all who worked with him. This is in no small part down to the manner in which Séamus dealt with those he came into contact with. A phone call or visit to Murphy Place was always most welcomed and on the rare occasion that Séamus could not give the answer to a question or advice on a myriad of different issues immediately, then you could rest assured that it would arrive as soon as was humanly possible. It is this kind hearted nature and wise counsel in difficult times that all of us who knew and worked with Séamus O’Brien will miss the most. As was said in Thurles on Sunday prior to a moments silence in his honor, the Déise is all the poorer for his passing. Again we send our sympathies to his family and friends but especially to his children Deirdre, Caroline, Dermot, Brendan, Seamie, Colm, Greg and Kevin. May the soil of his beloved Abbeyside rest gently on his soul.

Jack The Joker

No. Drawn - 39

Our popular Jack the Joker Fundraiser will continue this Sunday night in Kennedy’s Live where the Jackpot will be €12,666 as on Sunday night Jim Egan was drawn out of the drum but did not find the Joker, however he did win €50 euro, while Jonathan and Kevin and Biddy Egan won €25. The following are the numbers that haven’t been turned yet 3, 11, 18, 30, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52.

Senior Hurling

On Monday we played Ballyduff Upper in the County League and at the end of an open game of the hurling the sides were level.

TEAM: S. ENRIGHT, J. POWER, S. O’HARE, E. COLLNS, S. O’DONOVAN, J. HURNEY, C. HICKEY, D. COLLINS, R. FOLEY, S. CROTTY, T. HANRAHAN, M. FIVES, M. GORMAN, P. HURNEY, M. FRENCOMBE.

SUBS: E. CROTTY, L. POWER, J. O’MAHONY, M. O’HALLORAN.

This Saturday evening at 7:30pm we play Ballygunner in the County Championship in Walsh Park.

Intermediate Hurling

We play Clashmore/Kinsalebeg in the Western Championship this Sunday at 2pm in Bushy Park.

Intercounty Activity

On Saturday evening last the Waterford Junior Footballers had an excellent win over Tipperary in the Munster Semi Final where James O’Mahony had a fine game at wing back, while Shane Briggs, Sean O’Hare, Stephen Enright, Gary, John and Patrick Hurney were all on the Senior panel for their defeat to Kerry.

Club Bingo

Our Bingo continues this Sunday night in the CBS Hall where the jackpot is €750.

Photo of the Week

Presentation to Séamus O'Brien

L to R: Greg Fives, Séamus O'Brien, Tony Mansfield.

On Wednesday afternoon last, CLG Dún na Mainistreach / Baile na Cúirte was saddened to learn of the death of our highly esteemed committee member, Séamus O'Brien. As a tribute, this week's photo shows Greg Fives and Chairman Tony Mansfield making a presentation to Séamus for his many years of dedicated service to Abbeyside / Ballinacourty GAA Club. The event took place at the Clonea Strand Hotel at a social to mark the wonderful playing year of 2003. Sadly, all three stalwarts have now gone to their eternal reward.