Camogie

Camogie

The Dublin County Camogie Board organised a blitz for the U8 and U9’s in the Phoenix Park. We entered a team in each age group. Both teams did themselves, their mentors and parents proud by winning all their matches and against clubs who would have Camogie ‘in their blood’. We can look on these results as a benchmark that we are doing the right skills with this age group at this point in time. We need to maintain this to ensure that Naomh Olaf in the future will be playing division one Camogie and will become known as a strong Camogie club. Both teams excelled in striking the ball and keeping to their positions on the pitch and as a result we had the players in the right place at the right time to take scoring chances when they arose. The girls were delighted with their gold medals as we departed the busy park in the lovely May sunshine. The organisation of the event is a credit to both the Camogie County senior chairman (Brendan Cooper) and minor chairwoman (Maria Granfield) who on their own were in the park at 8.30am setting up twelve pitches and were last to leave after 2pm.

Three of our U11 panel Niamh, Sadhbh and Roisin, along with friend Liodain, came along and did their part in refereeing a number of the other U8 matches not involving Olafs. This was all on their own initiative. They all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. There is no doubt that these girls have the aptitude to be our referees and mentors of the future. The chat in the back of the car all the way home was somewhat refreshingly different this week as I listened to a very young referee reporting on her matches.

U8 Panel: Ciara McLoughlin, Ciara Murphy, Ciara Donnelly, Aoife McGrath, Aoife Maher, Marie Coughlan, Rachel Byrne, Emma Smyth. Mentor; Veronica Donnelly

U9 Panel: Maeve Lynch, Amy McGrath, Rachel O’Crowley, Fiona Meehan, Sarah Smyth, Aine, Sarah Coughlan. Mentor Niamh Maher