In addition to our scheduled weekly training sessions, midweek hurling skills
coaching sessions were organised throughout the month of August at White’s Cross
pitch – ensuring that our young club members were kept busy. John Neville from
Coiste Oiliúna Chorcai (Cork GAA Coaching and Games) took these coaching
sessions and White’s Cross GAA are grateful to Coiste Oiliúna for resourcing this
initiative. They have proven a great opportunity for our players to gain from fresh
experiences and some extra tuition in the technical skills during the holiday time.
The sessions for the under 10’s, 9’s and 8’s were held on Monday afternoons
throughout the month, with the under 7’s and 6’s on duty on Wednesday afternoons.
The feedback after the sessions was very positive, it was both fun and informative and
the participants agreed it complimented very nicely their ongoing weekly training.
Based on their good wins in the round-robin league during the early summer, the
White’s Cross under 10 football team qualified for the Feile Spraoi Finals in Páirc
Ui Rinn on Thursday 9th August last. As was also the case for many of the other
clubs the timing of the finals wasn’t ideal with holidays hampering the availability
of players. In fact, of our scheduled opponents of Milford, Knocknagree and
Clondrohid, only the latter fielded on the day. Two teams from the west Cork club of
Illen Rovers were added to our grouping instead.
A special mention to Fionn Hickey and Adrain Buckley who were outstanding
in all three matches. Jack O’Callaghan, Eolan Dill and Patrick Harrington
defended really well all afternoon, with Ethan Ryan doing great work between
midfield and the forwards. Sean Twomey and Stephen Whooley were on form
and scored goals in all three matches.
This side had also qualified for the finals of the hurling equivalent, which was
scheduled to take place six days later in Pairc Uí Chaoimh – giving our young
members the occasion to play in the top two GAA stadia in Cork all in the one
week. Regretfully due to the adverse weather that particular week the games were
postponed. New dates will be announced shortly – the upside of this is that a fuller
squad might be available for the re-fixture, now that all are returned from holidays.
