Hurling News

Presentation College Athenry 1st year hurling captain Cian Shaughnessy receiving the 1st Year A Hurling Championship Cup from Eamon Veale, Chairman Galway Post Primary Schools GAA.

First Year Hurling Panel

The 1st year hurlers began their year by playing a number of challenge games against Tulla Community School, St. Raphael’s College, Loughrea and St. Flannan’s College, Ennis. Due to the large numbers interested in participating in hurling the overall 1st year group was split into two teams with Forms 1 – 4 coming together to create 1 team and Forms 5 – 8 coming together to create another. Doing this at the start of the year allowed everyone who was interested to get plenty of game-time. As the year progressed a 1st year panel was selected from the performances given in these initial games. Further games were organised throughout the year for those who were not selected as part of the Championship panel.
The Connaught 1st Year Hurling Championship kicked off on the 14th March when we played Gort Community School in Clarinbridge. Following a slow start, we gradually started to get on top and goals from Eanna Brady and Adam Stewart along with a 12 point (7 from play) contribution from Gavin Lee meant we pulled away to win comfortably on a scoreline of 2-16 to 2-03.
Our second game was against St. Raphaels College, Loughrea on the 28th April in Craughwell. This time we made an excellent start and early goals from Thady Moran (1) and Cian Shaughnessy (2) meant we were always in control. 2 further goals in the second half from Shaun Gilligan meant we ran out comfortable winners on a scoreline of 5-19 to 1-03.
Our last group game was fixed for 5th May where we took on St. Brigids, Loughrea again in Craughwell. This turned out to be a superb team performance with goals from Shaun Gilligan (4), Cian Shaughnessy (3), Eanna Brady, Adam Stewart, Thady Moran & Ryan O’Donnell giving us a comprehensive victory of 11-13 to 1-04.
The final was fixed for 17th May in Ardrahan against Gort Community School. Having elected to play with the breeze in the 1st half, we built up a 13 point lead by half time with goals from Luke Martyn, Adam Stewart & Shaun Gilligan along with 2 excellent points from play from full-forward Cian Shaughnessy. Gort, with the aid of the breeze in the second half, were unable to break through what was an excellent defensive display and the game was ended as a contest midway through the second half when Cian Shaughnessy and Ryan O’Donnell added 2 further goals. The final score-line on the day was Presentation College Athenry 5-09 Gort C.S. 1-06.
Overall it was an extremely successful year for our 1st year hurlers. They scored a total of 23-57 and conceded 5-16 in their 4 championship outings. They are a team with great potential for the coming years.
Presentation College Athenry 1st Year Panel (Scores 2016/17):- 1. Jamie Burke, 2. Cathal Shaughnessy, 3. Jack Finn, 4. Luke Clarke, 5. Darragh Burke, 6. Luke Martyn (1-0), 7. Ben Haverty, 8. Conor Rooney (0-4), 9. Liam Leen, 10. Adam Stewart (2-1), 11. Gavin Lee (0-30, 0-18f), 12. Eanna Brady (2-0), 13. Thady Moran (2-7), 14. Cian Shaughnessy (6-8), 15. Shaun Gilligan (7-3), 16. Eoghan Hickey, 17. Ryan O’Donnell (2-0), 18. Michael Molloy, 19. Eoghan Burke, 20. Niall Farragher (0-1), 21. Matthew Moloney, 22. Alex Haugh, 23. Mark O’Dwyer, 24. Ronan Jennings (0-4), 25. Hugh McCann, 26. Gabriel McCann.