St. Moninna’s G.A.C., Killeavy
Secretary’s Report to the Annual General Meeting 2006
In Memory
I’d like to start this synopsis with a mention for several deaths throughout the year. We lost Patsy McCrink and Annie Callan early in the year, while Peter McGleenon and Pat Maguire passed away recently. May they rest in peace.
Thanks
I’d also like to publicly thank every person who did anything constructive for the club this year, whether it be putting on a jersey, helping organise our fundraisers, selling lottery tickets, house tickets, sponsoring teams, making sandwiches, managing teams etc. There are a whole raft of people in our community who have helped our club this year. Running the club takes a big effort from so many people. You all deserve praise, and I hope you all double your efforts for the club next year and in years to come.
Team Performances
It was almost such a successful year on the field for our teams. Our younger underage teams, U10 won a league, while the U12 were probably the most competitive team this year, overcoming an early championship defeat to win the league and shield. Our young U14 team is still in transition, while we must hope for really big things from our U16 team in the year to come. Our minor team didn’t have a strong season, although they put in some encouraging performances in the championship against Maghery and a strong Pearse Og outfit. The B team were unlucky to lose out in the B final after extra time in a replay. The U21 were unlucky in their match at the weekend, but these players make up a strong, promising core of our senior and B team.
The senior footballers had a very successful season. Considering the controversy and disharmony of the year before, the team showed a great spirit and cohesion this year. Attendance and attitude at training was the best I have personally seen in fifteen years on the panel. We reached the All County Semi-Final for the first time in fifteen years, and the advent of the play-off system and one poor game cost us promotion to division I. The superb work of the management team to foster all the positives is to be thoroughly commended.
Our hurlers lost the Intermediate Final were unlucky to narrowly lose to Sean Treacy’s by a point, while our Ladies outfit showed tremendous improvement on the year, a six week delay between semi-final and final costing them a junior county championship.
Management Teams
Our previous chairman, Hughie Morgan spoke often of the need to get more players./ex-players involved in coaching. We did this to a large extent this year, with the likes of Chris Hickey, Bernard Hannaway, Barney McKevitt, Glen Mathews, Barry Duffy, Enda Boylan, Kieran Doran, Adrian Mallon, Kieran King, Conor Quinn all getting involved with coaching teams this season. Obviously the effort required in coaching these teams are the core work and reason for our club, and everyone new this season or coaching for several seasons require the respect and thanks of all our members.
The time and effort required on everyone’s behalf is substantial, but I would urge all our management teams to rigorously attend the Games Meetings. These are crucial to the organization of training schedules, use of facilities as well as a means of communication and information assimilation to our mentors. The sessions with “Michael Henry” early in the year also petered out disappointingly.
Discipline
On the field we received too many red cards and suspensions, from players and management, many due to dissent. I would love to see this eradicated. Our spectators also can be too vociferous towards the referee especially. Please try to swear silently at the referee from now on.
Personal Achievement
Killeavy are lucky to have several high profile performers amongst its ranks. Stephen McDonnell was again in the news all year, another Ulster title, and an unforgettable display, scoring 1-5 against Kerry in the Q/Final. He also top-scored again for Ireland against Australia in the compromised rules. Aileen Matthews came within a point of Senior All-Ireland glory and put in some great performances for Armagh throughout the year, six points in the epic win over Galway in the semi-final will live long in the memory. Mark Stanfield, new to the club, also had a red-letter year, winning Division II with Louth and a Tommy Murphy Cup. His five points from midfield against Clann Eireann in the championship was one of the performances of the year also.
Eddie Fearon had the great distinction of captaining Armagh to the Division III title this year, and it is a terrific achievement that a player from this part of the county could win captaincy of the side.
Committees
There has been a sea change this year in the running of the executive committee meetings. In contrast to the wranglings of the previous year, meetings were almost entirely in agreement and cordial affairs with clearly laid out agendas. It is to our chairman’s great credit that this was the case. I think he can be proud of his work in the club this year.
Of course, things can only run smoothly with good people in place running the core business of the club. The appointment of Lilian Hannaway over the social club has certainly helped with a greatly improved efficiency, atmosphere and profitablility of the bar. The club also had great utilization for parties and there was even a wedding reception in March.
I would also like to thank the individual teams for their fund-raising efforts. These are also invaluable in not only raising money, but also in fostering the community atmosphere we crave in the club.
The hurlers in particular put on several great events including the pig Derby and the family night at Halloween, as well as a Night at the Races. The senior football team held a highly successful Golf Open, and thanks to Gene Doran and Sean Duffy for their involvement in this. Thanks also toEddie Hill also initiated card school nights in the club.
House Draw
Our major fund-raising this year has been channeled through the house draw with Dromintee. Mickey McCrink has worked tirelessly this year in his management of the draw and we publicly acknowledge his great efforts here. To date, we have sold around
1200 tickets out of 2000. This is by no means a disaster, but also not the success it should be. Development money is crucial and I urge all members into a final effort to sell tickets before the Draw on December 9th. The day to day running of the club requires significant expenditure and financial management with many thousands of pounds going out each month, it is hard enough to balance our outgoings, never mind set aside significant financial outlay for further development. It is the responsibility of each member/seller to make sure they have done their utmost to sell their tickets, so something meaningful can be done with the money.
Sponsors
On the subject of money, I would like to thank all our team sponsors and any individual who donates money to us throughout the year. We do receive very generous donations from certain individuals, and we are so grateful for your generosity. Please, keep it coming.
New Field
The performance of our new field has been disappointing this season, some initial damp patches eradicated last season, but still big problems with grass growth, particularly in dry weather. Contract work is ongoing as we speak with drainage, scarifying and re-sodding taking place. The field will re-open in April.
Member’s participation
Several members meetings were publicized throughout the year, including the club development night, following on from last year’s meeting with Brendan Kirk. The attendance was extremely disappointing and made the whole evening a waste of time. Such a meeting would have been extremely beneficial and given members more of a role and say, and input ideas into the running of the club. If any of these nights are advertised, and it would only be one or two in the year, then it the member’s duty to attend. Although so much good work is done, there are still a few people working too hard within the club, when any small amount of help of members would be greatly appreciated.
Summing Up
If I have left out anyone who deserves thanks, I am truly sorry. I can think of all the work done cutting and lining the pitches, the choice sandwiches made by Lilian, Fiona, Tina etc, and Fiona keeping the books, Paddy Mee’s efforts with Scor, and of course the Lottery committee, whose work is invaluable. The new scoreboard unveiled this month should be a boost to us all. There is a lot going on, but we can always be better.
Brian Teggart
19 November 2006