Naomh Mearnog GAA a year like no other and a look forward to 2021

 

Naomh Mearnog GAA a year like no other and a look forward to 2021.

By Steven Kelly. 

11/01/2021.

Where to even begin. It’s safe to say that the year 2020 will be a year never to be forgotten. Despite all the obstacles, the community of Portmarnock and the local GAA club Naomh Mearnog had a can-do attitude to succeed both on and off the pitch. All players, managers, coaches, volunteers and organizers deserve a massive pat on the back for the admirable work that went into making the year as enjoyable as it was, given the COVID outbreak that struck in late February 2020.  Not only did it show huge determination, but it also showed a community bond which continued in the face of adversity.  The community and club formulated a plan to help the utmost vulnerable and helped deliver essential supplies to the elderly. The campaign is known as the lend a hand campaign was put together by club-man and referee Danny Harrington. A team was assembled and helped keep morale high. This initiative helped the most isolated folks and gave them a feeling of security. The club has given thanks to all those volunteers that helped throughout 2020 and hopes are that this will continue into 2021, for as long as possible.

Other volunteers that were needed last year included match volunteers which helped keep games in both Football and Hurling in motion. They helped keep the club safe and helped us succeed as best we could in following the return to play protocols. They also helped set up the pitches before game time and did so out of their own accord.  Another huge success in 2020 was the annual summer camps. In late June we were unsure if these camps would go ahead. Thanks to the hard work of all coaches and club officers, these camps proved a huge success, as well as being vital to the mental health of young kids here in Portmarnock. A huge thanks must go out to our GPO Ronan for his dedicated work. 

Another event in 2020 that proved hugely successful was the big night in that took place in May. Naomh Mearnog along with Portmarnock AFC, Portmarnock Tennis club, the Athletics Club and the Links club teamed up to help fund 5 local charities. The target of 10,000 euro was easily surpassed thanks to the generosity of the public. It is safe to say the pandemic did not dampen the spirits of the club and community alike.  On the field due to the pandemic, league campaigns across the board were tampered with. This left the calendar year being changed, with a club before county season formulated. Unfortunately for our senior footballers, their division one campaign was grounded to a halt before it had even begun. Hopefully, we can see league action in the coming year. The 1st teams senior 2 championship eventually got up and running in July and after the group stages, they qualified for a quarter-final against Trinity Gaels. Unfortunately, fans weren't allowed to attend, but the game was streamed live on the club’s Facebook page. The team flew out of the traps and recorded a comprehensive victory.

Next on the agenda was a semi-final against St Brigid’s in Parnell Park. Despite losing the influential Shane Carthy at half time due to injury, the boys battled on gamely and were defeated narrowly. Looking ahead to 2021 this group is still relatively young and that semi-final run can only be a springboard to greater things ahead. The Junior 1 team battled gamely in their campaign before eventually losing out to Templogue Synge Street by 2 points in the final group game. The team performed admirably considering teams like Raheny and Na Fianna were place 3 divisions higher. Qualifying for the knockout stages was always going to be an uphill task. The management team of Ray O' Sullivan and David White will be hoping their fortunes continue upward in 2021. With such a young group of players, this is extremely possible. The avenger’s team under the stewardship of Mayo man John Madden had a successful season making it to the semi-finals, before being beaten by eventual winners St Brigid's. This team has a large panel and will be hoping to go one step further in 2021. 60 members in the WhatsApp group I may add. 

The club’s Intermediate hurlers had a fantastic season landing the championship, at the disposal of near neighbours Fingallians after a titanic battle. The team were beaten in the opening round by the same opposition before recovering well to avenge that loss. Manager Gary Deloughrey had a huge impact on the team’s appetite. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, there was no promotion to the Senior ranks for this team. The squad has a nice blend of youth and experience and will be hoping to retain their crown in 2021. Tom Cosgrove and Mark O' Callaghan, as well as Liam Mullin, were stand out performers for the team in 2020. Our Junior hurlers were on the wrong end of a controversial loss to eventual winners Round Towers of Lusk in the Junior E championship. With a few additions, the team will be looking to improve further in 2021. Jamie Morris, Stephen McCudden, Fintan Radford and the experienced Shane Ryan stood out, on their run to the quarter-finals. 

The ladies footballers had a fantastic campaign, winning the Junior D championship over Garristown. Players like Ciara McCabe, Ciara Holland and Niamh Browne came to the fore. This team is more than capable of competing at a higher grade going forward. Nonetheless, they will be happy to have added a trophy to the club’s cabinet. The 3 adult Camogie sides all made the knock out stages of their respective competitions. Camogie continues to go from strength to strength in the club and it is great to see. The underage teams also took to the field in 2020, with boys and girls competing on all fronts up to minor level. These are the future stars of the club and the coaches have done an amazing job in keeping these kids interested in our games. The club is forever grateful for all their hard work. 2020 has tried and tested everyone to their maximum. We cannot take for granted the dedication of everyone young and old in our area. You have all played your part both on and off the field. 2021 looks like being an even greater success. Here is hoping.