PEIL FAOI 6/8: (i) Our U6 and U8 Academy boys will be on the go on Thursday at 6pm. (ii) NB…no football…we’ll have no football on Sunday morning next, 12th July, as we follow Dylan, Joe, Armin and the whole of Kerry as they challenge The Dubs for a place in the All-Ireland senior football final! (N.Eoin Ó hÉigeartaigh)
PEIL FAOI 9: NB…no football…we’ll have no football on Sunday morning next, 12th July, as we follow Dylan, Joe, Armin and the whole of Kerry as they challenge The Dubs for a place in the All-Ireland senior football final!
CAMPA PEILE an tSAMHRAIDH: Last week’s cool Cúl Camp was a great success. ‘Well done’ to all involved…a lot of organisation went into making it an enjoyable sporting week for our young people. Mo cheol sibh!
PEIL FAOI 10: (i) NB…no football…we’ll have no football on Sunday morning next, 12th July, as we follow Dylan, Joe, Armin and the whole of Kerry as they challenge The Dubs for a place in the All-Ireland senior football final! (ii) More football-for-fun will take place on Thursday evening at 6.15p in Connolly Park…’see you all then, boys! (iii) What a brilliant GoGames evening of peil iontach (7/8-aside) a bhí againn v Fosadh i bPáirc Uí Chonghaile on Wednesday 1st July. (iv) The older U11 boys (born in 2016) will play in the Munster Council U11 invitational blitz in Fitzgerald Stadium next week…on Tuesday 14th July. (v) Our U10 boys will play in the Milltown U10 blitz on Sunday 19th July. (vi) The Fossa U10 blitz will take place on Sunday 16th August. (vii) The Salthill blitz will take place on Saturday 12th September….we look forward to a nice trip to Galway. (viii) Other GoGames yet to be played: (a) Na Crócaigh v AdeS (as baile; away); (b) AdeS (ag baile) v B/mac; (c) Ráth Mhór v AdeS (as baile); (d) AdeS (ag baile) v Ard Fhearta. (Colm Ó Mongáin)
PEIL FAOI 11: Our U11 boys (born in 2016 …100 years after The Rising of 1916) will make an exciting trip to famed Fitzgerald Stadium on Tuesday 14th July to partake in an U11 Blitz and to be given a tour of the stadium. (Colm Ó Mongáin)
CAID FAOI 12: We’re proud of our lads’ great efforts so far this season and we look forward to the next U12 challenge. Ar aghaidh linn! (Cóilín Ó Tíocháin)
CAID FAOI 14: The Rock U14s are preparing for their upcoming challenges…ag ullmhú do na cluichí dúshlánacha atá romhainn!! U14 training: 7pm on Tuesday; but…no…no…no session this coming Sunday as many of our players and followers will be in Croke Park to shout for The Kingdom. (Jonathan Magnier)
OUR DAY IN DERRY: FÉILE PEILE na nÓG: We travelled to Derry and to the wonderful GAA Centre of Excellence in Owenbeg (Abhainn Bheag) to compete in the Division One Féile finals. It was a mammoth journey; we left in good cheer at 9am on Friday and were given a lovely send-off by many in the club. It was a 10-hour trip to Letterkenny, Contae Dhún na nGall, where we stayed; we had a number of stops on the way. The highlight of the journey up was a visit to the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Mayo; we were given a tour of the rebuilt air dome by John Prunty, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of the Connacht Council of the GAA.
Saturday was showtime,…the draw was made and we were drawn in a group with Ballinascreen from Derry and the Galway champions, Claregalway. In our first encounter, against a very strong wind and facing a well-drilled Derry side, we conceded an early goal and were 5 points down in a short 15-minute-a-side game. Our boys showed why they had been undefeated in Kerry and stuck to their task admirably. Two 2-pointers at the start of the second half from Billy Kirby and three well-worked goals from Oisín Horan, Shane Carey and Billy Kirby meant that we won our opener by 0-7….3-8 to 2-4.
Claregalway then took on Ballinascreen; it was a low scoring game and Claregalway comie out on top by the smallest possible winning margin…1-0 to 0-6.
We, then, played Claregalway in the final group match, knowing that the winner would qualify for the semi-final. We started slowly, despite playing with the wind, and Claregalway struck 2 early goals. They were a big physical side; they were picked from three Under 15 squads and it took a while for our boys to settle and get to grips with their running game. Despite being seven points down we rallied in true Rock style! Lead at the back by captain Shea Horan and the outstanding Conor Maguire, we pupped our performance in the second half against the wind and did what seemed impossible. A terrific goal from Michael Carmody and further noteworthy scores from Jamie Quillinan, Billy Kirby, Dylan McEvoy and the effervescent Tadhg Ó Luasaigh ensured that the game ended in a draw…Claregalway: 2-3; AdeS: 1-6.
With that draw, we justifiably believed that we were through with a +7 score-difference to Claregalway’s +1. Only then did we learn that in the event of equal points at the group stage the team going forward would be the team with the lowest aggregate scores CONCEDED! To compound matters Claregalway, who had two men sent off late against us, went on and lost the semi-final to the eventual winners, the O’Donovan Rossa Club from Magherafelt; they lost by only 2 points, despite having their best player suspended.
It’s important to note how gracious Claregalway were after a hard-fought battle; their players, management and supporters showed great humility and decency towards our squad, following the game and unfortunate ruling. Despite the gut-wrenching disappointment and the hard-to-take elimination, we went on to beat Ballinrobe by a point in the shield semi-final before succumbing to Glanmire in the shield final. It was great to give all our squad minutes on the pitch and, in reality, bhí ár rás rite after the disappointment of the group stages.
Being mature teenagers and excellent sportsmen, our boys were able to put the disappointment behind them, to think positively and to enjoy a fantastic evening in Letterkenny where we watched the Kerry victory over Tír Eoghain and enjoyed a meal together as a squad….that was special! It was a fantastic journey for players and parents alike. Huge credit must go to Niall Ó Luasaigh and his finance and logistics committee. No stone was left unturned and, though we are disappointed not to have returned victorious, we realise that for the playing squad memories have been made for life…laethanta dár saol…cuimhní cinn go deo na ndeor. Táimid fós brónach ach bhí deireadh seachtaine iontach againn. (Cóilín Ó Tíocháin)
We are so proud of these Rock footballers…the 2026 Féile Peile na nÓg panel: Shea Horan (an captaen), Oran O’Regan, Bruno Gryzbowski, Cameron Patterson, Conor Maguire, Ben Smith, Hugh Brassil, Tadhg O’Regan, Dylan McEvoy, Ben O’Leary, Billy Kirby, Tadhg Lucey, Michael Carmody, Blake Bowler, Oisín Horan, Jamie McEvoy, Jamie Quillinan, Ethan Cushen, Callum Griffin, Conor McCannon, Darragh Moriarty, Gerard Teahon, Harry Maguire, Shane Carey, Tadhg Counihan, Harry Healy. (Gearóid Ó Tíocháin)
MINORS: We began our County League campaign with a defeat to a good Churchill side at their new home ground in Barrow on Monday last. We led by five at half-time but Churchill turned the screw in the 2nd half and ran out easy winners. Team: Conor O’Regan, Fionn Cotter, Darragh Lyons, Oran O’Donoghue, Mark Riordan, Ben Litchfield, David Hobbert, Alex Touhy, Paddy Lucid, Jayden Moriarty, Harry Murphy, Jack Diggin, Jay Sweeney, Danny Lane, Jake Carmody. Subs: Haulie Cotter, Joe Barry, Denis Brassil, Nathan O’Conner, Sean Clifford. (T.McMahon)
PEIL FAOI 21: Ask Acorn U21 Football County Championship quarter-final….Ciarraí Láir: 1-14; AdeS: 0-13. Our U21s met a slightly better side in Cill Gharraí an Lóndraigh on the last day of June; they fought the good fight but, faraor géar, Lady Luck didn’t smile on The Rock! Bhí Paddy Lane, Eoin Mangan, Daniel Kirby, Alex Tuohy, Ryan O’Driscoll agus Cormac Bastible as láthair. With that in mind, the team played very well. Other players were given game time and gained top-level experience on the field of play in a county quarter-final and that’s a ‘positive’! ‘Agus sin sin,’ arsa an Síneach! Beidh an Dubh‘s’Ómrach i réim arís eile!
CLUB LOTTO: Thanks to all our club lotto workers, supporters and promoters. Where to do the club lotto: O’Flynn Interiors, Lower Rock Street; Carmel Quilter, AdeS; Kirbys’ Brogue Inn, Lower Rock Street; Husseys’ Deli, Prince’s Quay; Ollmhargadh Chaoimhín de Barra, Upper Rock Street; Paudie Commane’s Bookshop, Rock Street; www.austinstacks.ie; The Burger Shack, Monavalley.
SEANRÁ: An mbeimid ábalta Na Dubs a chloí? Will we be able to ‘bate’ The Dubs? An mbeimid ag feidhmú ar ár ndícheall? Will we be firing on all cylinders? An mbeidh greim an duine bháite againn ar ‘Sam’ i mbliana? Will we have the drowning man’s grasp on ‘Sam’ this year?
CIARRAÍ: Peil na bhfear….our good wishes to Dylan, Joe, Armin, Joey, ‘Star’ and Kerry in aghaidh Bhaile Átha Cliath.. Peil na mban…’well done’ to Aoife and Kerry in aghaidh na Mí…an-bhua go deo! Up the Green‘n’Gold!
AN tATHAIR PÁDRAIG: Thursday was our day to say ‘slán’ to An tAthair Pádraig….and what a special occasion! Yes, we are sad that Fr Pádraig Walsh has to leave our parish. He has been part of us for the past 17 years and he has given faithful service to people of all ages. Bhí a chroí inár bparóiste agus, gan dabht, thug sé tacaíocht mhaith dár gclub. Guímid gach rath air i bparóistí Oileán Ciarraí, Chúil agus Scairteach an Ghleanna. Braithfimid uainn é.