Schedule of Events

Monday 20^th: Ashford & Glenealy GAA Clubs Lotto, Jackpot €8,000. Chester’s.

Thursday 23^rd: Club Juvenile AGM, Chesters 8:00

Friday 24^th: Club Training for Minor, Junior & Intermediate Players, 7:30pm.

Wednesday 29^th: Leinster Under 21 Football Championship, Wicklow V Carlow.

Thursday 1^st March: Club March Executive Committee Meeting, Chesters 8:00

Mick took charge of his new squad in a training session on Friday in Ashford GAA Grounds and all players are requested to attend training next Friday 17^th at 7:30pm. Mick will have a short time to prepare for his first County Football League Division 2 game on Sunday 18^th March against Valleymount in Ashford.

Schedule of Events

Monday 13^th: Ashford & Glenealy GAA Lotto, Kings, Jackpot €7,700.

Friday 17^th: Intermediate & Junior Football Training, Ashford GAA Grounds 7:30.

Thursday 23^rd: Club Juvenile AGM, Chesters 8:00.

Wednesday 29^th: Leinster U21 Football Championship, Wicklow V Carlow.

Thursday 1^st March: Club March Executive Committee Meeting, Chesters 8:00.

There was no winner of this week’s Ashford and Glenealy GAA Clubs Lotto Jackpot worth €7,400 (06/02/2012), Numbers drawn were 10, 13, 22, 27. However 2 people matched 3 numbers and shared €300. Carole Doyle (M. Phelan), Natasha Doyle (J. Doyle

Next week’s draw will be held in Kings with a Jackpot of €7,700. Don’t forget play lotto on line in the comfort of your home www.ashfordgaa.com

Please note that the Club will hold their Juvenile Annual General Meeting on Thursday 23^th February in Chester’s at 8:00 pm and not on the 16^th February as I stated last week. The Club needs your help with the management of teams, officiating at our games (linesman or umpire), writing out a team list, helping with first aid, providing transport etc, etc. The dedicated group of volunteers who manage the Juvenile sector of the Club give their undivided attention coaching and training your children for the future, they require assistance. Please don’t let them down, go to the AGM on the 23^rd February and pledge your support to the Club.

The first round of the Leinster U21 Football Championship will take place on the 29th February against Carlow in Baltinglass, please note the change of dates 29^th February and not the 22^nd as stated last week. Ronnie Phillips Club Chairperson will take charge of his first championship game and we wish him every success in his new venture. Two Ashford players are part of the panel Will Hender Phillips and Billy Clarkson and we look forward to their participation in this game. Should we obtain a victory then Wicklow will play Westmeath in the next round on the 7^th March in Baltinglass.

Gaeltacht Scholarship Forms are now available for Club Members . Applications apply to 1^st and 2^nd year Students only and must be members of our Club. Forms must be completed by Applicant, Parent and Club Secretary and returned to Micheal O’Murchu, (Runai Coiste Condae), Aras Chill Mhantain. Pearses Park, Vale Road, Arklow, Co. Wicklow before Friday 16^th March 2012.

Next Executive Committee Meeting schedule for Thursday 1^st March at 8:00pm in Chester’s.

The Club will hold their Annual Juvenile General Meeting on Thursday 23^rd February in Chester’s at 8:00 pm. Following last year’s success when the Club were successful in the Under 12 Shield Competition and the Under 16 Team running AnTochar very close in the final of the C Shield Tournament. The Under 14 Team while always short in numbers were a strong semi-finalist in the Cup. We must build on our achievements of 2011 and go forward with strength and commitment. To achieve these goals we are looking to find assistance in numbers to help with the day to day running of these teams. Club Coaching Officer Stephen Behan has put to-gether a package to meet all age groups from Under 8 to Minor (U18). For Under 8s the Club stage a weekly Fun Camp on a Saturday to coach the children in the art of playing Gaelic Football, Stephen is assisted by Liam Byrne, Jenny Byrne, Gavin Connolly and Adrian Marah. The Under 8 & 10 Teams take part in the Club Go Games which is non competitive and run in various Clubs in the East of the County. Adrian Marah has been looking after this group. Under 12 is a non competitive League with teams competing from Bray to Arklow and run under the jurisdiction of James Doyle. The Under 14 Team play in a competitive League and Cup Competition, managed by Pat Doyle and assisted by Wes Manning. Under 16 is managed by Darren Doyle and Alan Murphy, I understand that most of last year’s panel is eligible for 2012. The Club needs your help with the management of teams, officiating at our games (linesman or umpire), writing out a team list, helping with first aid, providing transport etc, etc. This dedicated group of volunteers who give their undivided attention coaching and training your children for the future require assistance. Please don’t let them down, go to the AGM on the 16^thFebruary and pledge your support to the Club.

Cadburys Under 21 Football Championship

The first round of the Leinster U21 Football Championship will take place on the 29^th February against Carlow in Baltinglass. Ronnie Phillips Club Chairperson will take charge of his first championship game and we wish him every success in his new venture. Two Ashford players are part of the panel Will Hender Phillips and Billy Clarkson and we look forward to their participation in this game. Should we obtain a victory then Wicklow will play Westmeath in the next round on the 7^th March in Baltinglass.

Executive Club Meeting

The Club are seeking a new Manager for the Intermediate Football Team, the first fixture in the 2012 Division 2 Football League will take place in six week’s time and it is very important that a new Manager is in place, giving adequate time for preparation. Enquiries should be forwarded to Club Chairperson Ronnie Phillips, Secretary Mick Purcell or any member of the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee have appointed the following personnel to chair sub committees: Development; Stephen Behan, Finance & Fundraising; Ann Marie Manning, Grounds; Myles Manning, Lotto; Sean Lally, Strategic & Action Plan; Pat Doyle, Communications; Pat Lawless. Juvenile; Gavin Connolly & Amanda Duffy, Co. Board Representatives; Mick Purcell & Pat Lawless.

Next Executive Committee Meeting will be held on Thursday 1^st March.

Ashford & Glenealy GAA Lotto

There was no winner of this week’s Ashford and Glenealy GAA Clubs Lotto Jackpot worth €6,800 (23/01/2012), Numbers drawn were 11, 13, 16, 26. However 11 people matched 3 numbers and shared €300. M & S Dempsey (S. Dempsey, Seamus Doyle (P. Doyle), Ross McDermott (S. McDermott), Martina Byrne (P. Staunton), Mick Merrigan (T. Doyle), Rory Healy (A. Murphy), Gerard O’Toole (S. Driver), Noel Kenny (V. Doyle), Colin Byrne (C. Byrne), Margo Doyle (V. Doyle), Shea Gorman (Chester’s). Next week’s draw will be held in Kings  with a Jackpot of €7,100. Don’t forget play lotto on line in the comfort of your home www.ashfordgaa.com

Ashford GAA Club would like to congratulate all the winners of the Wicklow GAA Sports Stars who received their awards from Christy Cooney President of the GAA at a function in the Arklow Bay Hotel. In particular well done to Enan Glynn from Glenealy Hurling Club who won the Senior Hurler of the Year Award.

Kelloggs are the new sponsor of the GAA Cul Camps. Ashford GAA Club have hosted this event for many years, we trust that the County Board will look favourably on the Club to manage another Cul Camp this year. More details to follow.

Presidents: Eamon Downey, Mick Behan, Sean Lally, Tom McHugh.

Chairperson: Ronnie Phillips.

Vice Chairperson: Pat Doyle.

Secretary: Mick Purcell.

PRO: Pat Lawless.

Registrar: Conor Behan.

Ass Registrar: Philip Doyle.

Club Coaching Officer: Stephen Behan.

Juvenile Secretary: Amanda Duffy.

Executive Committee: Above plus Myles Manning, John P Downey, Derek Connolly, Ken O’Brien, Pat O’Connor, Paddy Downey, Liam Byrne, Gavin Connolly.

In the Secretary’s Report Mick Purcell states under the heading of Sub-Committees we need to be much more pro-active in this area. I would suggest that we comprise a limited number of these committees for 2012 to cover the major areas involved in running a modern GAA club. Each subcommittee will be chaired by an agreed member and the Chairman of each group, along with the elected officers of the club, to attend our monthly meetings. The present system is far too unwieldy in my opinion and is very unfocussed, with our meetings merely turning out to be talking shops a lot of the time. The Secretary went on to state under the heading Wicklow GAA Strategic Vision & Action Plan 2011-2012. This plan was launched in Nov.2011 and is intended as a blueprint for Wicklow GAA for the next 10 years. It’s success will be linked as to how the 39 clubs in Wicklow and the County Board progress and cooperate over the next decade. Do we want Ashford GAA to be at the vanguard of this progress so as Wicklow GAA can be pulled into the 21^st. century? It’s up to us as members to do our bit and make Ashford GAA a proud club to be a member of.

The Chairman Ronnie Phillips stated that getting a lease for the pitch was the highlight of the year, the significance of this cannot be over stated. We must now move on with the development of dressing rooms as quickly as possible. Again the grounds were kept in great condition, a big thanks to Mick Purcell for all his work. As you can see by our accounts, more effort must be made to raise funds in order to run the club and get the new development off the ground. The Lotto Committee do sterling work and keep going without fuss, we are extremely for their efforts. Our Treasurer Annmarie Manning has done an excellent job and we are very grateful for all her work. The Chairman went on to say that he was stepping down as Intermediate Football Team Manager, he thanked the Club and players for their efforts throughout the years.

The Club Coaching Officer Stephen Behan stated in his report that it was very important that we get as many people as possible in the juvenile/coaching management side of the Club to ensure that we encourage the children to play our game. Without this we will struggle in later years at senior level. It must be said again this year there was a shortage of volunteers to look after the teams and this will need to be addressed next year. If there isn’t enough help to look after each team it leaves a lot of responsibility with the one or two mentors, which makes the job very difficult and takes some of the enjoyment out of what should be an enjoyable experience. He would appeal to any of the senior players or parents to get involved with the juveniles and help spread the workload and ensure that the club moves forward in the future.

The PRO Pat Lawless mentioned that playing 14 competitive games in a calendar year in the County Football League Division 2 and the Intermediate Football Championship was simply not good enough. Our competitors play at least 24 games with a dedicated schedule of games. Ashford had no league games for three months with games being cancelled or changed to an alternative date at very short notice. He requested the Chairman to discuss this matter with the CCC. He also stated that few finals were being played in Ashford, in particular the County Junior A Football Final between Kilmac and St. Patricks should have been played in the village. Bringing in extra revenue from supporters into the village would encourage local traders to invest in our club. Remember in 1988 16 finals were played in the village and we saw a local businessman invest €7,000 into the club.

Pat O’Connor provided me with a copy of the 1988 Ashford GAA AGM schedule. Officers and Committee were; Pat Lawless, Frank Higgins, Eamon Manley, Pat O’Connor, Mick Behan, Sean Lally, Mick Quinn, Tom McHugh, Mick Collier, Fergus Higgins, Kiernan Lally, Sean Snell, Pat Carthy, Eamon Downey.

Ashford played 41 games in various competitions from Minor to Intermediate, Won 13, Lost 28 and scored 28-188 against 60-267.

The Treasurer reported purchasing a new set of Goal Posts costing £60, while Electricity for the year cost £214.36. Medical Expenses was £114. Income from the County Development Draw was £788, while the County Board Refund was £748.

The Club won their first major competition in 13 years, the won the Veha Cup in Aughrim beating Ballymanus 2-7 to 1-9 after extra time.

The Youth Officer Sean Lally gave a detailed report on the progress in the Juvenile sector of the Club, fielding teams at U10, U12, U13, U14 and U16. Sean finished his report by stating that all players gave their best during the year and despite not winning any trophies, we all won by participating.

The Ashford and Glenealy GAA Clubs Lotto will take place Monday 9^th January for €6,200. The draw will take place in Chester’s, don’t forget while tickets are available from all the usual outlets you also can play Lotto in the comfort of your home www.ashfordgaa.com