Annaghdown GAA | Photo Gallery

The Annaghdown Junior A Hurling Team and Subs that captured the 2002 Junior 'A' hurling championship defeating Turloughmore after a replay and extra time.

Front row (left to right) : Derek O Neill (Selector), Damien Burke, Niall Canavan, Brian Qualter, Adrian Pierce, Martin O Neill (Kilcahill), Frankie Enright, Michael Whelan, Johnny Burke, Cathal Gaffney, Alan Newell, Patrick Joseph Fahy, Christy Burke, JJ Sheil, Martin Hession (Selector).
Back row (left to right) : Michael Geoghegan (Manager), Declan Regan, Kenneth Leonard, Jerome Fahy, Con Butler, Vivian Silke, Carl Leonard, Michael Forde, Niall Coleman, Ronan Leonard, Martin Duggan, Paul Creaven, Martin O Neill (Mace), Kieran O Connor, Johnny Murphy, Richard Burke, Sheamus Healy, Padraic Carr.

2002 Junior Hurling Championship Report.

No words can describe the feeling that one has when they take a cup and hold it with arms raised after winning a county final. You find people repeatedly chanting some simple phrase like "we done it" with wholehearted fervour and self-satisfaction but it doesn't adequately describe the feelings of players and supporters alike in the aftermath of winning a County title. There is very little in sport that can compare with a cavalcade tour of your parish, leaving a trail of over 100 bonfires in its wake, many of them lit by people who in earlier years lined out in your club colours.

Well for the hurlers of Annaghdown 2002 will be remembered for many a long year as it saw us win out first Junior Hurling Championship proper and take our place in intermediate for the coming year. Indeed the past four years will be remembered as the best ever and no disrespect to the teams we were playing back in 1999 but one only has to look at the standard of hurling we were playing back then to appreciate what this bunch of young men have achieved. Winning Junior Special, Junior 'C', Junior 'B' and finally the Junior 'A' Championship at the second attempt is indeed a feat that will never again be emulated in Galway hurling. When one also adds in the fact that most of these players have concurrently played on and won various competitions on the parishes Football teams the most notable being the 2000 Junior 'B' and 2001 Senior Football championships one can see that effort and dedication that the young adults of our parish are prepared to give for to put it in Kickhams words 'the pride of the little village'.

It wasn't all glory for our adult hurlers this year and our second year (only in its third year in existence) reached the 'C' final only to go down to a fine St. Columba's side. With the good work being done by our Juvenile section there is some brilliant young talent coming through the ranks and I have no doubt that with continued effort our second team can achieve ultimate glory in the near future. Another fact is that in 2002 over 50 adults played hurling for the club and this in itself is a achievement in itself for only a few short years ago we could barely field one side.

I would also like to thank all the officers and workers in our club for their continual work and effort in making our club the best in the county. I would like to make special mention to the Senior and Junior Football Management on their success over the past number of years and more importantly on their co-operation and help. It's the same players that play both sports and if people that are in charge of them don't communicate well it will lead to conflict and as everybody knows - conflict leads to rows (and that is something we can do without). I would also like to thank my fellow selectors Derek O Neill and Martin Hession. Derek is cool and calculating and works away in the background making sure everyone is happy while nobody can underestimate Martins contribution to hurling in Annaghdown. I would also like to make special mention of Kenneth Leonard who is the 'Godfather' behind our teams. No job is too small for Kenneth and if he has a fault it is that he is a perfectionist in all he does and organises. In 2002 we also had success at U16 and U13 level and to the mentors involved a very well done. Also to the mentors of our other hurling teams and indeed to the mentors of all the teams in the club I would like to say well done and keep up the good work. I would also like to say to all the people who played or were involved in hurling over the years that yes 'We done It' and I would like to dedicate all we have achieved over the last four years to those people.

With the expense involved in preparing teams now days every team need a good sponsor and I would like to thank Martina Lydon who sponsored us each year since 1999. After every game Martina treated us to 'finger food' and everyone can remember the fine meals that we received after each County final. Martina has also sponsored us with two sets of jerseys over the past few years and has commited herself to getting a new set for 2003. I would also like to thank Willie Duggan of 'Initiative Marketing' for sponsoring tee-shirts for both hurling panels in 2002.

Having seen the joy and happiness' all Annaghdowns success's in both Football and Hurling over the past couple of years I have no doubt that every young player should keep the dream of winning a County Title with his own parish and the friends he grew up with, in a very prominent position among his other ambitions in life. And I must add that being a member of the fine GAA club that we have here in Annaghdown, All youngsters in this parish can look forward with confidence to achieving that goal.

Mise Le Meas
Micheal Mac Eitheagain
(Banisteoir Iomanaiocht Seosiar Anach Cuain 2002)

Junior 'A' Championship Games in 2002 (7)

Group Games
Annaghdown 0-9 Melick/Eyrecourt 2-3
Annaghdown 2-12 Ballindereen 1-12
Annaghdown 0-8 Kilconerion 0-7

Quarter Final
Annaghdown 2-10 Clarinbridge 0-7

Semi Final
Annaghdown 1-10 Ballygar 1-5

Final
Annaghdown 1-7 Turloughmore 2-4

Final Replay (After Extra Time)
Annaghdown 1-13 Turloughmore 0-14

Junior 'A' League Games 2002 (5 to Date)

Group Games
Annaghdown beat Abbeyknockmoy and Sylane and lost to Turloughmore. Beat Turloughmore in a Play-off.

Semi Final
Annaghdown 3-15 Ballindeeren 1-7

Final (To be played on Saturday January 25th)
Annaghdown v Turloughmore

Connacht League (3)

In the Connacht Junior Hurling league we lost to Ballygar and Mountbellew/Moylough while we drew with Tremane. Didn't qualify.

Challenge Games (12)

We played challenge games against Abbeyknockmoy (Seniors), Carnmore (2), Patrickswell (Limerick) U21s, Feakle (Clare), Moycullen, Castlegar's Junior 'B' (3 Times), Menlo Emmets (3 Times).

"Oh! Annaghdown,'tis well I knew thy sportsmen of renown
Who bore the "Maroon and White" to fame in many a Galway town
When dashing style and skill and speed won many a glorious day
And thousands cheered, but no man feared, for peerless Annaghdown."