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Midleton GAA , Camogie & Ladies Football Club News

27 December, 2015

Long Puck
On Sunday morning last despite having had to cancel the day before due to the inclement weather a good crowd turned out for our annual Sean Keohane Memorial Long Puck competition.
The buses left the GAA Club just after 9.30am and travelled to Lisgoold, the Juveniles along with their coaches and parents began at the usual half way location and the adults started from the village. Considering all the rain which fell over the last few days the conditions were not that bad, indeed it was very mild and calm. 
Once again due to Health and Safety guidelines the club had requested that all participants wear visibility vests and sign an insurance waiver , thanks to all those who done so and particularly to John Fenton and Liam Wade who both over saw all of these necessary duties. 
After almost two hours of ball striking covering the 6km route to the East Cork Oil depot two teams finished tied on 66 shots. We then returned to the club for the “Puck off ” between the reigning champions Garan Manley, Thomas & Michael Abernethy and the challengers Declan Ryan, Pat & Liam Walsh. 
Each player struck across the main pitch from the steps with a monster strike from Declan Ryan taking the honours for his team. Coleman Quirke in the absence of Juvenile Chairman Cormac Quirke thanked all the participants, helpers and the Keohane family for attending this event in honour of the late Sean. Michael Keohane presented the winning team with their impressive trophy’s and the Memorial Plaque.

Michael Tobin RIP
On Monday the 21st our great friend and Vice President passed away unexpectedly.  Micks family and friends from Knockanore and Midleton adjourned to the club after his funeral mass on Wednesday afternoon.

Fr Eamon Roche had paid a tribute to Bonz in his homily earlier but PRO Coleman Quirke on behalf of the club has the following to say.
“We're all still in shock since we learnt of his sudden passing last Monday, none more so than his wife Maura and sons David & Kevin. Mick was known to us all affectionately by many names, Bonzo, The Bonz, The Stob to name a few. 
Having served his home club the Shamrocks as a player, coach, selector and officer he came to Midleton in the early 70s and transferred to ourselves for what is still an undisclosed fee!! Mick became a legend of our club, he played hurling and football with us initially before his legendary knee gave way.

He later got involved as a selector with the various teams at juvenile level, then at minor when we won 4 county's between 1984-89, he became Minor secretary in 1989 and continued in that role for years, in recent times he was a selector with his great friends Gavin Power & Ger Lawton with our Junior B & C teams winning 7 East Cork titles in 5 years.
In recent times he was elected as an honorary Vice President of our club.
Bonz was afraid of no job; he acted as an umpire for club referees and his great friends Billy Cody and Charlie Mc Allister on many occasions. A story is often told of a game played between Knockanore and St Catherines for a set of jerseys, Billy Cody arrived to ref the game with Bonzo in tow as an umpire. When the final whistle blew Billy had the game as a draw but having consulted with The Bonz the outcome soon changed to a one point victory for the Shamrocks. With there being such a valuable prize for the winners there was understandably a lot of tension after the game. The following morning the Shamrocks mentors went straight to the sponsor Murphy's in Fermoy  to claim the prize and order the jerseys , on their way out they passed the Catherine’s lads on their way in to do likewise, however the Shamrocks won out !
    
Mick attended club meetings every fortnight without fail, my phone would ring on the day "Are u going to headquarters tonight i will be with u?" Those of us who were involved in teams with him always received the famous notepaper from him, picking teams beforehand, he'd say "I'm just going to say something to you now", "play him in the number 10 jersey because he strikes off his left hand", ah he's not good enough" these were just a few of his remarks.
We were all familiar with his unique sayings and stores, "I never went around fellas i went straight threw them", "put in my Micky", "the Russian", hunting with the Kilwatermoy blazers", trips back and forth from Redbarn with his great friend the mighty Mick Allen, and his gra for the spuds. 
These were produced by his great friends David and John Paul O' Brien in Carrigshane. Bonz loved the whole process of sowing the seeds, harvesting them, bagging them, selling them but most of all eating them, sometimes even out of his hand like an apple in Nancy's kitchen!!

We were all aware of his passion for the Knockanore Shamrocks, he idolised Eoin Murphy, the Roche's, Liam Dalton to name a few, he always spoke about his grandnephews in Kerry, Carlow, Dublin and Waterford, we often commented that he really could never lose and suggested he'd more clubs than Tiger Woods.
At one of our first club meetings of the year when it looked coming to a conclusion our Chairman Liam Ryan (another great Waterford man) inquired if there was any other business to discuss, with that the Bonz stood up "Mr chairman I would like it recorded that the Waterford footballers created history last weekend defeating Cork in the Mc Grath cup semi final for the first time in many years in Clashmore".

Mick was a gentleman , he popularity was reflected by the huge crowds who paid their respects to him over the past few days from Juvenile members, inter county players, rival club members and the various board officers. He would have been very proud to see the two great Waterford hurlers Dan & Maurice Shanahan from rival club Lismore in attendance today. 
Only last Wednesday evening at our AGM Mick was elected as our Football Secretary for the coming year, afterwards he stayed on for the usual review with his good friends Gerry Smyth and Fr. Denis Kelleher, after a numbers of attempts I finally got him to come home with me , we parked outside his house as we have done for the last 15 years or so , "Coleman he said that's it now for another year , we'll have to keep it going..."
Mick all I can say is that we'll do our best but it won’t be easy without you, may you rest in peace”.

Camogie 
Registration for 2016 takes place on January the 9th in Midleton GAA Club from 10am to 12mid day. 

Camogie is team support played in a fun and safe environment with the emphasis on player welfare and development.  We are delighted to welcome new players and beginners.  If you would like to find out more come along to meet with some of the committee and coaches on registration day. Registration is open to girls born in 2010 (will be 6 in 2016) and older, we plan to field teams up to U15/16 this coming year.  All current players need to re- register.  Anyone interested in transferring in or out of the club please be aware of the transfer deadline of Jan 31st, details on the website in the ladies section – camogie – forms.  forms

Ladies Football 
We hope all our players and their families had an enjoyable Christmas Day. Keep an eye on Facebook for a date confirming our return to training.
 A text message will also be sent.

Events in the Club
Wednesday 30th December - Bingo & Lotto   
Thursday 31st December New Year’s Eve - Dancing to Dave Rea

Happy and Healthy New Year
The Executive committee of the Club would like to wish all our members, players, officers and supporters a Happy and a Healthy New Year.  

Lotto
Our Lotto Jackpot was €2,400, there was no winner, the numbers were 8,12,14 & 15, the lucky dip winners were Brian/Saoirse Murphy, Paddy Dunlea, Kay Barry, Joe Hickey & Catherine Desmond, next week’s Jackpot will be €2,600. 
  
The final Lotto draw for December will take place on Wednesday 30th. 
Tickets are on sale at the Club Bar, O ‘Neills Bar, Linehan’s Bar, Maple Leaf Bar, O’ Farrell’s Butchers, Frank Murphy Butchers, Pat Walsh Paints, Chadwicks, Teach Beag & Niall Mac’s Bars.

BINGO arrangements for December are Wednesday 30th, it takes place in the GAA Pavilion with a weekly guaranteed Jackpot of €1,000. 

Club Shop
The shop is now closed and will re-open on January 9th. 
Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all from Mary & Sheila

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