St. Patrick's Juvenile AGM

St. Patricks Juvenile GAA Club held it’s AGM recently.

The following officers were elected for the coming year 2014:

Chairman: Declan Morrissey,

Secretary: Nicholas Moroney,

Treasurer: Micheál Broderick,

South Board Delegates: Colm Duggan & Eamon Hall.

The main discussion of the night was on the coaching and development of our juvenile players. The main difficulty facing our juvenile club is the shortage of players to field juvenile teams on our own. There was a lengthy debate whether the club and players benefited more by fielding 13 aside teams of our own in a “C” championship or by competing in “A” or “B” championships with a combo team. There are pro’s and con’s for both sides of the debate.

Following discussion it was agreed to field a combo team Anner Gaels in the under 16 hurling and football championships. It was felt that the numbers just would not be there to field our own team and that it was in the best interest of the players we have to be competing in an “A” or “B” championship with a combo team.

It was decided to field our own team in Under 14 as we have enough numbers for the “C” championship and it was felt that some players would not get games if we combined. However we are also working with the ballyporeen club to put forward a motion to the south board to allow small clubs to combine into regional teams to compete in the “A” championship. This will give the strongest under 14 players of every club an opportunity to play at “A” level. Long term we are hoping that this will be replicated at under 16 and minor level in the future.

The club will enter it’s own teams also at under 12 level competing in the premier games.

Coaches were put in place to develop under 6s, 8s, and 10s.

The following team mentors were selected for 2014:

Under 16: To be appointed at an adjourned meeting

Under 14: Eamon Hall & James Ryan.

Under 6, 8, 10 & 12: Chris Foley, Davy Hogan , Declan Morrissey and Liam Fitzgerald.