Camogie Féile a Great Success for Parnells:
In their first ever participation at Camogie Féile, the Tralee Parnells under 14 girls enjoyed an action packed weekend of hospitality, friendship, group matches, development, team building and knock-out games.
With north Galway side Sylaun and their hosted team from Wexford Friday, followed by Parnells hosts Sarsfields on the Saturday morning, there were 3 intense games that are worth so much to player development.
With a different starting team in each game, every Parnells player got a start in at least one Féile match and invaluable game time over the weekend. Both Nora and Saidhbh Cadogan scored goals for Parnells and opened the account for the travelling Kerry side on the Friday.
Our hosts Sarsfields GAA are based around New Inn and Bullaun in East Galway. The host families could not have been kinder or friendlier and were so welcoming to our players and mentors. Friendships were made and we hope the trip south from Connaught might be made at a future date to renew acquaintances.
With no injuries to report and morale high, our great travelling supporters in strong numbers applauded our girls off the New Inn Galway pitch at the end of our morning fixture vs home side Sarsfields. Huge thanks to Camogie chair Carmel who traveled from Kerry to support the team and arrived with a supply of Ballymac Dairy freshly pressed orange juice to revive the troops
Things took a more intense turn that afternoon where Parnells made history at Roscommon Gaels GAA on Féile Saturday to become the first ever Tralee Camogie team to win through to a Féile semi final.
This was a tense and low scoring knock-out game played in intense heat versus Tulsk of Roscommon who battled strongly but failed to breach the defence of the Kingdom girls where Aoife O’Sullivan, Ella Breen, Aoife Foran, Danielle Griffin and Sile Lynch were outstanding. Supported by good midfield performances by Bronagh and Clodagh, Parnells kept feeding the attack and Shona O’Connor made the pressure pay off with a well taken point and then a winning goal to see the Munster side into an unexpected Sunday morning semi final in Athlone at Páirc Chiaran GAA grounds.
Féile Semi Final:
Having watched Omagh romp to victory in their quarter final Saturday with high scoring forwards, Tralee Parnells were in no doubt about the challenge they faced in the semi final.
The Kerry side battled valiantly but were unable to fully stem the attacking tide and conceded 2 goals and a couple of points in the short 15 minute Féile format first half. But the Munster side battled bravely and fought their way back with a hard earned point, followed by excellent pressure that forced the Ulster defence to concede a penalty.
The shot was blocked on the goal line but a follow on surge where Caoilinn was unlucky not to score led to Clodagh gaining possession to produce a green flag to great excitement and a resounding cheer among the Tralee support and our local following of our host families from Galway Sarsfields.
Despite further attempts to overturn the remaining deficit, the final whistle sounded before the Tralee players could secure further scores and Omagh progressed to the final. Great credit is due to these Tralee Under 14, 13 and 12 players at the club’s first ever Camogie Féile and they not only hugely enjoyed getting this far, but also noticeably improved in skills, discipline, and teamwork over the three days. Very well done all, keep up the good work and enjoy telling your Féile story to everybody in Kerry.
Féile Epilogue:
After a unanimous vote among the Tralee girls, we elected to stay on in Athlone at Páirc Chiarán GAA grounds, to get to see the final that afternoon which turned out to between this Omagh team and our Féile hosts Galway Sarsfields.
The Tralee players were all in strong and vocal support of their new Sarsfields friends and in good voice on the sideline.
Despite Trojan efforts the Connaught defence were sorely tested and consistently out-muscled by the bigger, stronger and older Tyrone side who ran up a formidable lead.
However the plucky Galway cohort remained defiant and counter-attacked to take a point followed shortly by a goal that drew a roar of approval from the Tralee contingent. Like Parnells, the Sarsfields were not victorious in the end but both can be very proud of the character, skills and determination that they each showed in spades.
All told it was a weekend of fantastic memories for players and families that will last a lifetime and girls will look back on this Féile as a pivotal time in their development as players and as a team. Arriving back tired but happy in Tralee, the team were warmly applauded off the team bus by the waiting parents and families. Well done to all involved and many thanks for all the support that made this major undertaking both possible and also so hugely enjoyable.
Congratulations Causeway Camogie:
Well done to Causeway Camogie who secured their first ever Féile title win . Full time score Causeway 1-5 Na Brideoga of Mayo 0-0. Well done to the team and management on a massive achievement.
Under 10 Boys:
From Brian to the team; Hi all, well done to all who played in the blitz today. Tralee Parnells are very proud of both the way you played and the amount of improvement in skills you all demonstrated. We had three very though opponents but you all showed we can hurl as well as anyone in Kerry. I hope to see you all at training on Tuesday and Friday next week. Remember to get your practice in at home too.
Under 8 Boys:
Congratulations to Philip Doyle who won the Parnells U8 ground hurling Poc Fada Competition at training in Caherslee. As a result Philip will be team captain at the next hurling challenge game
Under 6s:
Our Under 6s had a great fun at an Under 6 blitz in the IT Tralee this evening. Our Two teams played St Brendan’s, Firies and Abbeydorney in a series of games and the kids and their parents should be very proud of their efforts. Training again this Friday 7 to 8 pm and new kids are always welcome, a hurley and helmet is available to borrow for the session.
