This article is from page 37 of the 2007-06-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 37 JPG
PARENTS of the Under 14 football team at St Joseph’s GAA Club in Miltown Malbay face a formidable battle against time to raise funds for the team’s trip to the Peil na n-Og All Ireland finals in Sligo this June. Upcoming events- to add to a table quiz and church gate collections in Miltown Malbay and Moy- include a poker classic and a sponsored walk. The team is the only Clare football outfit to go west for the finals, taking place over June 29-30 and July 1, and around €7,000 must be raised to pay
for transport, accommodation and kit.
The poker classic will take place in the golf club in Spanish Point on the night of June 15. The walk will follow on June 17, leaving Miltown Malbay at lpm on a planned five mile route to Spanish Point. Participants of all levels and children can take part. Entrants will pay a registration fee of €20.
Pat Keane, a parent and volunteer at the club said that the team had done exceptionally well in qualifying for the finals.
“This 1s a big deal for the club.
We’ve been in three county finals in four years. It has been seven or eight years since a local club got to the final stages of the competition. The coach- es, John Sullivan and Gerry Curtin, have done trojan work and so have all the players. We will have to do well against the eight teams in our group to qualify for the semi-finals and overall final so it’s fingers crossed.”
He added that all the team mem- bers’ parents were very proactive in collecting and getting involved.
The finals take place at various ven- ues around Sligo, Leitrim and Ros- common and the team will also take
part in a parade on the opening night in Carrick-On-Shannon.
Another parent, Noreen Ryan, said that the club is up against the clock with six weeks to raise the money for the panel of 22 to travel. But she was confident that the call would be an- Woke eo
“The lads are all excited to be going and itis a great achievement. The fun- draising will be no problem because there is great goodwill in the area. We have to keep the colours flying so if anyone wants to make a donation that would be greatly appreciated.”