Unless you’ve moved to Mars to avoid the budget, you will know that on Sunday next 13th December at 11am Cuala are in the U21 A Championship Football Final v Kilmacud Crokes in O’Toole Park. Read on:No matter what’s thrown at this Cuala Under 21 football team they always find more. In the 1/4 final they were a point down deep into injury time only to drive up the field and grab a goal that set up last Saturday’s semi final meeting with Na Fianna. Having contested the last three minors finals, Na Fianna were always going to be tough opposition and so it proved. With 10 minutes to go, Cuala were dominate leading 7-5 but a breakaway from Na Fianna earned them a penalty which they stuck away brilliantly. The next phase of play saw Na Fianna kick a massive point to go two up , in a low scoring game it seemed the pendulum had swung firmly in Na Fianna’s favour. What happened next was just typical of the spirit of this Cuala team. They played some magnificent football to kick 6 points to Na Fianna’s 1. Winning out on a score line of 13 points to 1-7. So Sunday coming we are in our first Under 21 Football final for 34 years. Now for the history lesson. In 1975 we beat Erins Hope ( St Pats Drumcondra ) in the U21 final. Pat Sheanon (RIP) was the manager back then , and he had 2 grandsons on the pitch last Saturday in the semi. Indeed that 75′ team was littered with famous Cuala names. The late , great Mick Holden was centre back , Flipper Dolphin and Brian Murdock worked the wings tirelessly , whilst SpeedyJohn Sheanon operated at 15. Shay Hayes kept the goal , Eamon Breannan was full back and el capitano, and you would have done well to get a handy score of the ferocious competitor that was Maurice Johnston. A lot of similarities have been noted with the team of ’75, but none more than the attitudes and spirit both teams showed. Whatever was thrown at the team of ’75 they always had more, the same can be said for the team of 2009. Sunday 11am O’Toole Park – All Cuala support welcome.
The juvenile girls annual awards evening was held last Sunday in the Cuala Hall and was a fitting end to another very successful year.
Over 250 were in attendance to see the U11s receive their football shield winners medals, the U12s receive their football championship medals and the U13s receive their football shield runners up medals and camogie league runners up medals.
The U9s and U10s also received awards and the U8s were formally welcomed into the girls juvenile section of the club receiving their Academy ‘graduation’ certificates. Special thanks to the special guest presenters, Dublin intercounty camogie player Jean Murphy, Dublin’s Ladies football captain Denise Masterson and Cuala’s own intercounty stars of 2009, Leinster football winners, Conor O’Brien and Mark Schutte and hurling All Star nominee David Treacy.
Tickets for the 1st ever Cuala Ladies Lunch are now on sale. It will be held in the Killiney Castle at 2:30pm on Friday Jan. 8th. Cost €40. We hope all Ladies involved with Cuala will be able to attend and we suggest that tickets would be an ideal Christmas gift for Mothers, Grannies, Cousins & friends. Seating arrangements are flexible and full tables of any size can be organised. Tickets on sale at Cuala, Dalkey, Sat. 12th 9am-2pm; Cuala bar, Thurs. 17th 8-9pm and Cuala shop, Sat. 19th 9-11:30am. For further details please contact Fiona, 086 758 2059 or Barbara, 086 8245 645.
A BIG thank you from the 1999 Group to all those who helped with and attended the Christmas Event in Killiney Castle last week. The night was a resounding success and we hope you all enjoyed it.
The U11’s will round of their year with a pre X Factor Family Quiz and Fun night in the Hall on Saturday.
The registration of all Juvenile players, boys and girls will take place at Cuala between 9.15 and 11.30 on Saturday January 9th. Registration forms and details will be circulated over the break. All parents are encouraged to put this date in their sparkling new year diaries as we look to take away the burden of registration from hard pressed team managers. Cheques received on the day will be lodged on January 29th to provide some relief from the post Christmas financial blues. Remember any player not registered in advance of the first games on January 30th will not be permitted to line out for the club due to issues of insurance.
For those ordering equipment/stationary etc. there is now a link on the Cuala web-site to http://www.officeshop.ie/StoreFront/Affiliate-2 . If you order stationery via the Cuala link, 5% of the spend will go to Cuala. A good deal for all concerned. Applications are invited for the posts of Adult Team Managers for 2010. For details see the attachment
Following the Juvenile Registration on Saturday Jan 9th, the club are organising a Coaching Conference starting at 11am. The target audience is mentors of teams from under 9 to under 16. The theme for the conference is ‘A Games Approach To Coaching’. Agenda and brochures to follow when speakers are confirmed.
For those feeling active after the Turkey, the annual ‘Life is Too Short Cup’ match between the Young bucks v the Old dogs will be on on the 27th of December in Dalkey at 11.am. Luke Brennan and Kev Reid will be co-ordinating the single men whilst the married men have wives to co-ordinate them!
Christmas Trees will once again be on sale at Cuala GAA Club, Hyde Park, Dalkey on Saturday 12th December from 9am for the day, or while stocks last. The 2000s Boys Group will be selling the trees, with all proceeds going to the Cuala club. All of the trees will be “non shed” and we are promised that the trees will be bigger and better than ever before. Please support your Club and get down early on the 12th to get your tree. Thank you.”
A Date for your Diary, Tuesday, 29th December at 8:00 p.m., “A Wii Night Out in Cuala – Boxing & Tennis”, Adult Games Section Fundraiser, all invited to try their skill. Hope the Wii is robust !!
Lastly we would like to wish Enda McGowan well following a recent illness. Hope to see and hear you in full voice on Sunday Enda!
