Cumann Peile Réalt na Mara CLG

Secretary’s Report to Annual General Meeting - 11/12/99

 

A chairde,

Welcome to our Annual General Meeting, the last one of this millenium. I’ll deal with the the teams and games on the field first as usual.Last year I expressed the hope that the seniors would finally get out of Division 5 of the County League. Things started slowly – it looked like we were going down to an awful hammering in Churchill but we made a great comeback to snatch a draw with the last kick of the game. Next time out we lost by a point to Scartaglen. After that things started to improve and things looked good as a number of unexpected results in other teams’ games led to bunching at the top of Division 5. I supposed the highlight there was the drubbing of Beale who came to us expecting to take a handy two points. However a couple of bad results left us under pressure and it came down to having to win our last three games to stand a chance in the play-offs. An ebullient Listry put an end to our hopes and so, for promotion, we must wait another year at least.Last year I also expressed the hope that we could acquit ourselves well in the higher level of the Novice championship. In our previous run we had ended up getting dumped out in the first round which had led to our relegation. This year we did well – a good display against Churchill (who should have been out to do us after we snatching a draw off them in the league) and then a mighty performance against Ballydonoghue led us to the semi-final v. Listry. We were all over them but we couldn’t put them away. They then burst down the field for a late goal and then it was too late to come back. So that was that. It wasn’t a question of not being good enough – Listry failed against Dromid Pearses in the Novice final. Dromid were surely not going to have a problem with Glenbeigh in the Division 4 play-off – but they lost and then we forced a draw with Glenbeigh in the Mid Kerry championship and went on to beat them in the replay. Seamus O’Shea is right - every mistake counts – and it’s no good complaining about luck; you have to make your own. But now we can see that we are more than capable of holding our own in the Novice, though how things will shake down when next year’s special championship format, the Millenium cup, is over is anyone’s guess.The seniors did give us a good day out with victory in Mid Kerry in the O’Sullivan Cup. A great second half performance saw us pull way from Laune Rangers B. The last few minutes were nail-biting time as it looked as if the boys in blue could snatch it but we held out until the whistle to make a history. Captain Tomás Hayes said in his cup acceptance speech that Cromane would never get respect in Mid Kerry until they won a trophy and so this victory was putting us on the map in our local area. We beat a very strong Laune Rangers B team in a sporting game and they made no complaints or excuses afterwards – fair play to them – and a lot of them joined us in the Red Fox and Jack’s afterwards for the celebrations.The statistics for the senior team are; 12 games played in the County League and 3 in the Novice championship. In Mid Kerry they played two games in the league and three in the championship, eventually going out at the hands of Beaufort.Our B team played 9 games last year – this year they played 21 – 8 in the County Junior League, 6 in the Mid Kerry B league and 7 in the Cahill Cup. They played in the Cahill Cup final two weeks ago, eventually losing to Valentia by five points after waiting twelve weeks for the final to be played. I am not happy about the way this game was fixed by the powers that be at the last minute but there’s no doubt that we had our chances to win it – maybe the lay-off told and Valentia were much hungrier. Well – semi-final last year, final this year – let’s hope we can win it next year.It’s great the number of people playing – remember it’s not long since we didn’t have enough to organise a B team. The fact that we are in a much stronger position is due to all the work at under age. Who would have thought that we would field an U-21 team that would get within five minutes of lifting a championship trophy? I’m sure when the Mid Kerry U-21 championship was inaugurated people thought that two out of the big three, Laune Rangers, Milltown/Castlemaine and Beaufort, would contest the final. Milltown made it alright but they were held all the way through by the gallant Cromane U-21s and only pulled away at the end. The lads acquitted themselves well and earned a lot of praise from spectators from other Mid Kerry clubs - and most of them will be eligible again next year.At this point I would like to thank the men responsible for looking after these teams – selectors Pat O’Shea, Michael Teahan , John "Moss" Teahan and Colm Joy. Most of all I would like to thank the man who has brought stability and a measure of confidence to our older players (even though a lot of them are quite young) – I give you Seamus O’Shea.Our minors did not play in Mid Kerry this year but campaigned in the County league and qualified for a seni-final play-off which they lost to Glenbeigh – Glenbeigh were eventually losers in the final.Our U-16s lost their Mid Kerry league games but had a better run in the County league. They qualified for the semi-final in their division which they eventually lost to Sneem/Derrynane.Our U-14s won one game in the Mid Kerry league and lost the rest but they did well in the County League eventually losing to St.Mary’s in the semi-final.A point I would like to make here is to question the way some teams that should not are allowed to take part in the lower divisions of county competitions. These are played with smaller teams to supposedly allow fair competition among smaller rural clubs. It’s nothing less than a joke when you see combination teams taking part in the lower divisions, often with more players on the sideline than on the field and I do not understand how the big club from one of the big towns in Kerry is plying in the same division of the county league as Cromane. I further don’t understand what satisfaction or pride is gained from winning competitions in this way.On to our U-12s who secured the first honours for Cromane this year by winning out their section of the County League. I’d like to say "won the cup" but there was no cup or medals for these youngsters at the hour of victory. Surely things should be better than this or is the GAA taking youngsters for granted? The young ‘uns also performed well in Mid Kerry and came to within six points of the town U-12s over in Cloon.Last but not least I want to mention our U-10s who had a few challenge games this year and were runners-up in the Mid Kerry U-10 blitz in Beaufort.Now I’m going to thank the trainers and mentors en bloc. Minors – Colm Joy, Michael O’Sullivan and Frank Walsh. U-16s – Colm Joy, Dermot Houlihan and Pat O’Shea. U-14s – Frank Walsh and Mike O’Shea. U-12s – John O’Keeffe, Trevor Foley, Johnny Costelloe and Michael Teahan. U-10s – Mike O’Shea and Mike Healy. You will note there that I have mentioned eleven names and you will also note that three names appeared twice. I previously made the point that we are stronger at the older levels of the club because of the work done at under-age level but help is needed with this and I hereby appeal to parents and also to older and retired players. The same old faces can’t keep going forever. I think next year I will start my report with the U-10s – from the bottom up – because I think that’s where the growth comes from.Congratulations to players who represented Cromane at higher levels. Seán O’Sullivan had a good run with the Kerry U-21 team and he recently made his debut in the National League with the Kerry seniors. He still has another two years with the U-21s and we hope to see great things from him in future – well done Seán!Seán and Colm Joy were our representatives in the Mid Kerry seniors in their championship campaign. Páidi McCarthy, Eoghan Walsh and Damien and Trevor Joy were our representatives with the Mid Kerry minors together with trainer Frank Walsh. Frank also trained the Mid Kerry U-16 team which included his son Donnchadh who secured yet another championship medal. Our other county champions this year are Danny O’Connor and John McEnery at U-14 level. Well done all!Turning way from games there has been substantial progress with the field. The drainage work we started last year has been a great success. We spiked the field this year and put down sand and as a result I think it is no exaggeration to say that the best field in Mid Kerry is Cromane, with an eye kept on it as usual by Michael O’Riordan. All the outsiders who have been here have been very impressed with the surface – one of my work colleagues was up from South Kerry for one of the Gaeltacht competitions and wrote to say how impressive the whole set-up was – dressing-rooms, toilets and all – so compliments here to to Jim Beglin. . We have seen recently that the field was very playable when there was a lot of surface water on neighbouring pitches. A start has been made on dug-outs but what is really impressive at nights is the new floodlighting. At long last, after several attempts, we have managed to secure National Lottery funding of £20,000 and I am currently putting the finishing touches to the amount of documentation that is required by the department – I think you nearly have to prove that you don’t need money in order to get it! Again, that we are in this position is due a lot to our own lotto and I thank the supporters and the sellers, especially the Joys for the job they do in the Red Fox. But there are others who are sitting back and letting others do the work. Please – if you really can’t sell tickets make sure you buy them. Mike Healy will have more to say about the lotto next.The Brian Casey Memorial Day was once more a great success – we’re blessed with the weather. This year the day had two new departures – Mass and the blessing of the boats on the strand in the morning and a ladies’ football match in the afternoon. One thousand pounds was raised for the National School and one hundred and fifty pounds for the Royal National Lifeboat Association. Thanks are due to all participants, the ladies who provided refreshments and John Galvin, Bert Kelly and Donie McCarthy. Also on display that day was the new club crest designed by Caitriona Foley. Thanks Caitriona. The new crest will be available on the new club jumpers – get your orders in now!"Crosstalk" marches on under the editorship of journo John Paul McCarthy. Journalistic standards were refined briefly in the summer while JP was in America but Murph and Dunstan often didn’t get a look-in. I don’t know how he thinks up the stuff !Cromane took part in Mid Kerry Scor na n-Og again this year. Although we won no events we took part in most of them. This coming year it’s Cromane’s turn again to run Mid Kerry Bord na n-Og and we wish Mike O’Shea and Mike Healy the best of luck.Unfortunately problems arose this year regarding transfers from Laune Rangers and the validity of what remains of the original 1985 arrangement. The passage of time has proved that the existence of the club in Cromane has not weakened Laune Rangers – in other words the case against Cromane was based on false premises and at this stage we are fed up with being second class citizens, as far as the GAA is concerned, in our own parish. The fact is indisputable that, because of Cromane, more people than ever are playing Gaelic games in the parish. Our big problem was with the way the matter was dealt with in 1995 – we have asked questions and been given unsatisfactory answers so we will pursue the matter as far as necessary. We are not asking for special treatment – we are asking for equal treatment.As we look back at the past fifteen years we can can look back with satisfaction at our success. Success is not just about winning competitions – for me any club that puts it teams out improves its standard, enhances its grounds and pays its way is a successful club. It remains for me now to thank our sponsors for their generosity and my fellow club officers, especially the chairman, Pat Casey and the assistant secretary, Tomás Hayes. In the present run of the Kerry Lottery Cromane has the distinction of selling two first-prizewinning tickets so maybe this is our year for a rub of the green. I hope again that we can finally break out of Division 5 and have more success on the field for out underage teams.Yours in sport

Stiofaín O Scála
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