Apr 2, 2012
The inaugural Women In Sport Schools Flag Football tournament which took place at St. Conleiths National School in Derrinturn on Friday the 30th of March. Three teams of girls, from primary schools in Edenderry, Johnstown and Derrinturn, took part in the tournament. St. Marys, Edenderry were crowned champions after defeating St. Patrick N.S. Johnstown Bridge in a sudden death play-off. Around 200 pupils and teachers from the participating schools were in attendance to cheer on their teams thus adding to the atmosphere of the event.
The Women In Sport programme was launched by the Irish Sports Council in 2005 and is aimed at promoting greater participation in sport by girls and women. With the support of the Irish Sports Council, the Irish Flag Football Association (IAFA member organisation) is running a pilot WIS flag football programme in four primary schools in the midlands. Flag football is a recreational non-contact version of American football that is suitable for people taking up the sport for the first time and/or for recreational purposes. Approximately 180 girls in the 10-12 age range are participating in this pilot programme which involves coaches going into schools to run flag football as part of the schools’ physical education lessons. The programme is complimentary to the existing schools flag football programme which is running in a number of boys and mixed schools. The three schools who entered teams into the tournament are all participants in the WIS programme.
The first game of the tournament paired St. Mary’s Edenderry with St. Conleiths N.S. Derrinturn. Following two turnovers, Edenderry came out strong and scored the first touchdown of the game to take the lead. Derrinturn then responded with a long drive which resulted in the tieing touchdown. For the remainder of the game, both defences appeared to have the upper hand. However, with only 15 seconds to go, Derrinturn threw a deep pass into the endzone for the winning score. Final score 12-6 in favour of Derrinturn.
The next game paired St. Patricks N.S. Johnstown Bridge with Edenderry GNS. Edenderry scored early with a 55 yard touchdown run. Johnstown then responded with a touchdown. Edenderry then took the lead with a touchdown pass. Johnstown looked like they would respond, after moving the ball downfield via five completed passes, but the Edenderry defence intercepted them and returned the interception for a touchdown. Edenderry scored again late in the game to make the final score 24-12 in their favour.
The final game of the tournament paired St. Conleiths N.S. Derrinturn with St. Patricks N.S. Johnstown. If Derrinturn won, they would win the tournament. If Johnstown won, it would end tied and come down to points scored. Johnstown opened the scoring with a touchdown run. Their defence appeared to have the upper hand for much of the game and Johnstown extended their lead to 12-0 with another touchdown. Derrinturn then got back into the game and scored to make it 12-6. With only 30 seconds remaining, Johnstown scored again to make the final score 18-6 in their favour and to put themselves in a tie with Edenderry for the title.
All three teams finished with one win a piece, so it came down to points scored. However, both Edenderry and Johnstown were equal with 30 points each. The tournament would be decided by a sudden death play-off between the two teams. Edenderry scored on the first possession of sudden death after completing three passes to get into the endzone. On Johnstowns possession, the Edenderry defence held strong. Johnstown were forced to lauch a long pass into the endzone on fourth down, but it was intercepted to seal the victory for St. Marys Edenderry.
Apr 2, 2012
Lord’s Taveners:
We are delighted to announce that this year’s Lord’s Taverners Ireland tribute lunch will once again be held in the Westbury Hotel Dublin and will take place on Friday 18th May 2012 at 12.30pm sharp.
The event will pay tribute to Liam Brady and John Giles for services rendered to Irish Football and Sport in General and will also include a questions and answers session with both men.
Tickets cost €95.00 per person and include 4-course lunch with wine.
As there is heavy demand for tickets and numbers are limited, we recommend early booking to avoid disappointment and have enclosed a booking form.
This is a great opportunity to support our very worthwhile cause and all proceeds on the day will go towards “Giving Young People, particularly those with special needs, a sporting chance”.
Details can be found on our website www.lordstavernersireland.ie or for more information contact Paula Cross on 087 9953397 or lordstaverners@ireland.com
Thank you in advance for your support!
Booking Form
Mar 29, 2012
The Irish Olympic Handball Association is delighted to announce that former Ireland Rugby coach, Eddie O’Sullivan has been appointed as High Performance Advisor. His role will be to provide a more professional approach to national team programs at the IOHA.
In professionalising their approach, IOHA have bolstered their high performance unit with the additional appointment of Toni Gerona Salaet (FC Barcelona) as national team coach, David Matthews (800M dual Olympian and Cork hurling fitness coach) as Fitness Coach and Stephen McIvor (former Irish rugby international) as Sports Psychologist, alongside Eddie O’Sullivan.
It heralds a first for the organization who boast numbers in excess of 5000 now playing the sport in Ireland at schools level.
Ireland is embarking on a challenging fixture list in the coming years, beginning with the European Championship in 2014. Preparations are now underway for the qualifying tournaments for the Europeans in June where Ireland will face Romania, Israel and Belgium and the inclusion of expert consultants is seen as a necessary step towards achieving success.
Eddie O’Sullivan on his role – “It is a very exciting time for Olympic Handball in Ireland. The growth of the game nationwide and the structures being put in place around the National Team gives the sport a tremendous opportunity to advance within the European rankings in the near future. I am looking forward to assisting the organisation in
accelerating that development.”
Commenting on behalf of the IOHA, Fintan Lyons, President -”We are delighted to have Eddie on board in this advisory capacity. Eddie is a talented sport’s professional with a great track record of success. We are a small sport but we hope that Eddie can impart some of his knowledge and experience to the organisation to help bring us to the next level. Together with the appointment of our national team coach, Toni Gerona, and the support staff, we aim to give the Irish national team the tools to give their very best in the international arena. We consider these appointments to our new High Performance Unit a statement of intent about the level we want to take Olympic handball to in Ireland”
Currently ranked 41 out of 50 nations in Europe, the IOHA’s new approach is certain to accelerate the nation’s progress and lays a marker of intent towards the 2016 Olympics.
Mar 28, 2012
A new €30 million fund for important sports capital projects has been launched today by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring TD.
This is the first round of sports capital funding for four years and demonstrates the Government’s commitment to encourage more people to take part in sport.
The Sports Capital Programme is the main channel of Government support for developing sports facilities and purchasing sports equipment for sports clubs and organisations across Ireland.
The scheme will also be open to far more clubs and groups than ever before, because a strict requirement on landownership has been relaxed. In the past, all applicants had to own their land or have it on a long lease. Minister Ring has decided that these clubs will now be able to apply for grants of up to €25,000 to upgrade facilities.
“In line with the Programme for Government, this new Sports Capital scheme will have a stronger focus on projects which increase active participation in sport, particularly in disadvantaged areas. Under this scheme pitches will be drained, floodlights will be installed, sports halls will be improved and dressing rooms will be built,” Minister Ring said.
“Thanks to these grants, people will have more opportunities than ever to get active and stay active in a wide range of sports. It will also have a positive impact on job creation in construction.”
The minimum amount of matching funding which clubs and organisations will need to provide themselves in order to apply for a grant has been halved from the previous round of the programme in 2008:
- Groups in RAPID areas will only need to raise a minimum of 5% of the project cost in order to apply;
- Groups in CLÁR areas will only need to raise a minimum of 10% of the project cost in order to apply;
- Groups in non-disadvantaged areas will only need to raise a minimum of 15% of the project cost in order to apply.
Minister Ring said he is delighted to be able to able to oversee the return of the Sports Capital Programme. However, with less money available than in the past, many grants will be smaller. He also stressed that the Department will monitor spending by clubs closely in order to ensure it is utilised fully for the purpose intended.
Application forms and information about how to apply is available on the website:www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie.
The deadline for applications made online and those made in Irish (and hard copy of the signed application form and all supporting documentation) must reach the Department by 5pm on Friday 1st June 2012.
Paper based applications (and all supporting documentation) must reach the Department by 5pm on Friday 11th May 2012.
Mar 27, 2012
“Confidence and competence” key to the growth of Camogie says O’Tuathaigh
A Game of Our Own: Camogie’s Story was officially launched on Friday, March 23rd in Claregalway by Camogie Association President Joan O’Flynn.
Amongst the large attendance was special guest Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, Professor Emeritus in History, NUI Galway and a member of the Council of State.
Speaking at the event Professor O’Tuathaigh said:
“From it’s founding in 1904 the players and administrative leaders of Camogie had consistently demonstrated that combination of confidence and competence without which, any organisation, sporting or other, can develop and prosper.
The growth and development of Camogie as Ireland’s leading female sport since the early twentieth century is a testament to strong, enlightened leadership, the ability to adapt to, and in vital areas to shape, successive waves of massive social change – in the status and public presence of women, in popular leisure and sport, in the media and technology.
A Game of Our Own: Camogie’s Story is a compendious work of reference, richly illustrated and containing many insights into important aspects of Irish social history, notably the empowerment of women, during the past century.”
President of the Camogie Association Joan O’Flynn stated:
“We are delighted that A Game of Our Own: Camogie’s Story is taking centre stage inConnacht, a province which has contributed so magnificently to the growth and development of camogie down through the decades.
It has been to the forefront, hosting the very first All Ireland Senior Camogie Final in 1932 and making a lasting impact in the intervening decades. Indeed the game is undergoing a‘re-birth’ in counties such as Mayo while start up clubs are flourishing inSligoand Leitrim. It is also worth highlighting the consistently high level of performance achieved by strong traditional camogie counties such asGalwayand Roscommon to date.”
Sinéad O’Connor, Ard Stiúrthóir of the Camogie Association; Jackie Brien, Chair of Connacht Camogie Council and Mary Moran, author of A Game of Our Own: Camogie’s Story, were also amongst the large attendance at Friday night’s event.
A Game of Our Own: Camogie’s Story was officially launched by the Camogie Association at Croke Park on December 15th 2011. A final launch of the book will take place at a Mayoral Reception in Cork City Hall on March 29th at which the Minister of State for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People, Kathleen Lynch will attend.
The inaugural Women In Sport Schools Flag Football tournament which took place at St. Conleiths National School in Derrinturn on Friday the 30th of March. Three teams of girls, from primary schools in Edenderry, Johnstown and Derrinturn, took part in the tournament. St. Marys, Edenderry were crowned champions after defeating St. Patrick N.S. Johnstown Bridge in a sudden death play-off. Around 200 pupils and teachers from the participating schools were in attendance to cheer on their teams thus adding to the atmosphere of the event.
The final game of the tournament paired St. Conleiths N.S. Derrinturn with St. Patricks N.S. Johnstown. If Derrinturn won, they would win the tournament. If Johnstown won, it would end tied and come down to points scored. Johnstown opened the scoring with a touchdown run. Their defence appeared to have the upper hand for much of the game and Johnstown extended their lead to 12-0 with another touchdown. Derrinturn then got back into the game and scored to make it 12-6. With only 30 seconds remaining, Johnstown scored again to make the final score 18-6 in their favour and to put themselves in a tie with Edenderry for the title.