Faoi 14
We commenced training on Wednesday 18th February 2015. Our management team consisted of Roland Rogers, Michael Broderick, Mike Dreelan and Michael Brosnan.
The boys were enthusiastic and disciplined right throughout the year and it was a pleasure to see them develop their skills and love of the gaelic football game.
We had over 40 sessions during the year between training and games. The attendance at these sessions was very high with Ciaran Brosnan having an outstanding 40/40 however others to show great commitment was Darragh Lynch 39/40, Cian Godley 37/40 and Eoghan Kenny 36/40. In truth the majority of the lads attended over 30 sessions and this showed through their performances later in the year.
Competitions
We took part in County League Div 3, Central Region Div 2, Castleisland District and Feile blitz over the year.
First up was the County League.
We were placed in Division 3 alongside Glenflesk, Ardfert, Gneeveguilla, Senans and Firies.
For half our team this was their first year playing the full size field and it took us a while to get up to the required pace to compete at this level. In our early games the strength and power of our competitors was very evident and the lads got an early wake up call to life at u-14!
Tough games and defeats to Glenflesk, Gneeveguilla and Firies were character building games for the boys. They enjoyed victory over Ardfert and Senans and thus progressed to a semi-final against a very fancied Firies. Having been well beated by Firies in an earlier round the boys were adamant that they were going to put in a good hour in the semi. Indeed they held their own very well until half time, however increased pressure in the second told and Firies progressed to the final. Still the boys did very well to have got to a semi-final.
Castleisland District
After a month of training in May we commenced our district competition against Currow followed by games with Knock/ Brosna, Castleisland Desmonds, Mitchels and Scart/ Cordal. Again the physicality of some of these teams was very evident when our boys took to the field.
We played some lovely football during these games and had some tight games especially against Mitchels and Knock/ Brosna however wwe came up just short in both of these games while really could have gone either way.
Results meant that we played Scart/ Cordal in our district final.
This was played on 9th August in Scartaglin. They boys put in great effort over the hour and it was truly rewarded with a fine victory to take the title. After a tough year and many low points this was a fitting end for the boys.
Central Region
Played during July our Central Region competitors were Milltown/ Castlemaine , Dingle, Rahillys and Gaeltacht.
Again we have mixed fortunes in this competition MIlltown was very strong throughout and indeed won out the competition.
Dingle gave us a very good game in Ballymac and edged us in the end.
We had another tight game with our neighbours from Tralee, Kerins o Rahillys. Our final game v An Gaeltacht played in Gallurus will be remembered for all the wrong reasons with the game played in some of the worst weather conditions we have witnessed, the game was blown us with 15 minutes to go such were the conditions with Gaeltacht well in control having adapted to the inclement conditions far better than our boys.
So the curtain was brought down another year of football for our u-14s. Through the highs and lows the boys displayed great commitment and desire to represent Ballymacelligott GAA.
Our older boys will now progress to u-16 football in 2016 and we wish them well. For our younger boys on the panel they now know the challenges that lie ahead in their second year at u-14 and we know they are looking forward to it.
Panel
Diarmuid Lynch, David Rogers, Liam O Brien, Jack Sugrue, Dean Lenihan, Darragh Lynch, Eoghan Leahy, Dylan Mc Hugh, Eoin Culloty, Darragh Leen, Dylan Dunne Moriarty, Cian Godley, Jonathan Lowe, Darragh Broderick, Eoghan Kenny, Jack Tobin, Ciaran Brosnan, Brian Cassidy, Aidan O Brien, Kyle O Connor, Cathal Culloty, Tim Pollman Daamen, Sean Pollman Daamen, Adam Kelly, Adam Joy, Denis Brosnan, Andy Rogers, Bryan Godley, Sean Horan.