The 2016 Team

Dean Brassil, Enda Breen, Stephen Casey, Kevin Clouhessy, Darra Coote, Darra Coffee, Evan Flynn,  Eoin Gavin,  Oisin Griffin, James Kelly, Mike Kirwan, Aaron Lynch, Brian longe, Darren  McMahon, David |Meaney, Michael Meaney, Aaron Moloney, Aidan O’Meara, Diarmuid O’Neill, Patrick Sweeney, Cian Quinlivan, Evan Wall. 

Team Management

Mike McMahon (Manager), Patrick Frawley, James Brassil, Liam Kirwan, and Nigel Moloney

The Clare Feile story

After 8 weeks of training and some uncertainty with dates on the run up to the feile group qualifier stage, the team arrived in Cooraclare on a sunny Saturday on the 16th April. They arrived as reigning feile champions many having represented Clare when they played in Wicklow on the previous year. Having arrived early in Cooraclare and after a short delay, the first game was against parishoners Lissycasey.The game saw the men from the other side of the parish take an early lead and this lead was held until the break. Clondegad however fought back in the second half and took the lead by 1 point which they held until the end.

Next up Lissycasey played EireOg and again were just beaten in another close match while clondegads men enjoyed a sandwich and a rest. the final game was against Eire og and with both teams on 2 points clondegad needed a win or a draw may suffice depending on scoring average. The game indeed ended in a draw after another close match and Clondegad did indeed progress to the semi final from this group based on their scoring average.

With a short pitstop at home for all players the team made the journey to Clarecastle and "Ryans field" to contest a semi final versus Doonbeg a team expected to be strong in this competition. By now the clondegad men had found a new form and after some great play they pulled ahead of their competitors to clinch the tie in an exciting game with good support from parents and the waiting semifinalists Clooney-quin and Kilrush/Killimer who were watching on.

So a second consecutive County feile final beckoned for Clondegad and after apppeals to play in the park failed the final was set for Sunday 24th at 7pm again in Cooraclare. 1 more training session at home base took place before all turned out in Cooraclare at 6.15pm to meet the victors of the second semi, Kilrush Killimer. With both teams having good representations of players on the County u14 squad it was hard to predict who would win the tie. The game started with clondegad playing in to a strong wind. The team found it hard to make headway up the field with this wind and only 13 a side and 1 hop 1 solo and kilrush/Killimer were up by 4 points to 1 at the break and several wides. With a good team talk at half time the lads emerged to play with the wind, now the tables had turned and the west Clare men found it hard to make headway kicking the ball into the wind. Clondegad now overturned the lead and finished the game 1-4 to 4 points preventing the opposition from scoring in the second half.

Celebrations ensued with captain Quinlivan joining Bord na nOgs Ann Hayes for the re-Presentation of the Feile B trophy. After a "marvellous" speech Cian accepted the trophy and sprays of water flowed.

Feile County semifinal v Doonbeg VIEW SLIDESHOW, CLICK HERE

Celebrating the county feile final win CLICK HERE

 

1... Eoin Gavin, Patrick Sweeney & Cormac Reidy 2...Aaron moloney, Eoin Gavin, Brian Longe and Darra Coffee 3...Dermot O'Neill & David Meaney 4... Darren McMahon
Voice recordings from some of the lads over the weekend (click the numbers to listen)

 

The National Feile story

A bid for glory in the all Ireland Feile 2016

“Clondegad traveled to Finuge GAA football club for a fantastic weekend of entertainment and football with their gracious North Kerry hosts Finuge to compete in the All Ireland 2016 Feile na nOg. It began the week before with the presentation of gear by Gary Brennan and then the following Friday, Fintan arrived at the field with his bus and a boot this year was welcome. The loading began and then it was off to Ballyea to collect the rest of the squad. Paddy frawley headed off in his car and his boot full of water and enery biscuits to cover the 5 matches over the weekend. (contd below)

 

All Ireland Feile images below, click on the image for slideshows

Gear presentation with Gary		Heading for Finuge via Kilimer		Game 1
Game 2		Barbecue & fun in Finuge		Game 3 & Parade
Quarter finals v Finuge		Semi-final		All-Ireland final & trip home

Photos Mike McMahon

Finuge And Clondegad U14 Feile team finalists 2016 with their Mentors

(photo courtessy of finuge)

Continued......
We arrived in good time for the 1pm ferry and and then the short trip to Listowel and on to Finuge to meet our contact, chairman Johnny Joy and his wife who drove out the road to meet us.
From the moment they arrived they were made welcome by the friendly and inviting north Kerry club and after the initial welcome it was down business to play and the Clondegad boys had a shaky start adjusting to the changed rules. No one hop or one solo and they mean business when they play in Kerry. However we all enjoyed the relaxed atmoshphere at the club before the team departed with their host families and the mentors went to the local pub for crisps!
Day 2 saw an improving Clondegad side who were adapting quickly to the style of play and with new belief saw them defeat Longfords Carrig Sarsfield to win a place in the shield semi final.
From here they entered day 3 travelling to faranfore facing the semi-final knowing the fight would grow tougher especially as they had the difficult task of playing their host team and newly made friends Finuge who had previously beaten them by 8 points in the group stage of the competition. After some encouraging words from their mentors the game began to contest a place in the All-Ireland Div 9 shield final in Dr. Crokes park in Killarney later that day.  It was a high stakes game with all Ireland glory or at least a runners up medal at stake and with newfound strength and knowledge of the Kerry game play the lads took the game to finuge and edged the result in their favour by a single point to win their place. After initial disappointment Finuge rallied round and both teams applauded each other off the pitch in true champions style.
The lads then traveled to killarney to contest the All-Ireland final and secured a goal in the first minute of play and almost a second minutes later before Abbey rangers from Kildare found their form and outmaneuvered the Clondegad men to take victory in a game that saw Clondegad fight until the end with great support from parents and their Finuge hosts. It was a memorable weekend for all involved.