AGM

A small piece of history was made last Sunday evening when our AGM was held online for the first time.

With COVID-19 still at large, Microsoft Teams was utilised to reflect on what was a very challenging year for everyone in the GAA. In his chairman’s address, Ken Scally thanked his fellow committee members for their dedication, the lotto committee, Nicky Finn and Maurice Colton for overseeing the running of our Astroturf pitch as well as our sponsors, mainly the M6 Service Station (main sponsor), Padraig Egan of Britvic and Michael and James Stones of MJS Services, New York who are sponsoring new hoodies and training tops for the coming season.

Ken, who is entering his 12th year in the chair, also acknowledged the Trojan work of coaching officer Fergal Fox and the various underage mentors, and welcomed the launch of our underage development academy which is being overseen by strength and conditioning coach Brendan Nannery.

In addition, he thanked outgoing intermediate manager John Gordon and his selectors for their efforts last year and wished new manager Paddy Malynn and his backroom team comprising Keith Gorry, Sean Rochford, Mark Geoghegan, Donal Fox and Leon Carberry all the best.

“I’d like to thank John and the rest of his management for their work and commitment in what were very difficult circumstances. Because of COVID, they only had a couple of weeks to prepare for the championship where we achieved our goal of retaining our intermediate status,” he said.

Marie Lynagh presented an excellent secretary’s report in which she thanked our supporters for their patience and understanding in a year when championship games were either played behind-closed-doors or before attendances of under 200.

“While I am glad some of you got to see our first game versus Tang, I apologise to those who didn’t after our raffle took place for tickets,” she wrote.

“To our players and management, thank you for your continued work and dedication to the club. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to continue and I hope that the club continues to grow. Please keep promoting us to your family and friends so we can continue to field teams at all ages.”

Detailed reports on ladies football and underage activities were also presented. Bernie Barrett, who is taking a step back this year, was praised for her commitment to ladies football over the past four years. She was part of the outgoing management team along with Martin Maher and Myra Pettit. Myra will also be involved in the new ladies management set-up along with Mick Murphy, Ann Dixon and Teresa Murphy.

While our underage activities were severely impacted by the pandemic and we had to cancel our registration night in March, great efforts were still made to provide coaching and games for children in the second half of 2020.

“With the delay to the start of the season and the ongoing concerns and fears from parents and mentors, 2020 was overall a very challenging year,” Fergal Fox noted.

“This saw reduced playing and training time for the players, but most players and mentors made the most of it with many appreciating their sports a bit more given the lockdown restrictions. Great credit must be given to the mentors who have had to tackle a new and evolving situation in light of the new COVID-19 measures and protocols. All mentors had to undertake a COVID-19 Return to Play online training course and then adhere to the protocol at all the sessions.

“It is obviously a positive to be able to look back and see that our safety protocols were implemented efficiently and we were not the cause of any spreading of the virus.”

2020 was also a very difficult year with regard to finances. In spite of our weekly lotto being suspended for 14 weeks during the pandemic, the club remains on a solid financial footing with our new online lotto – which is again ceased at the minute – proving to be a success.

Sympathy was extended to club members who suffered bereavements during the year. The meeting also elected a new treasurer in Martin Dowdall, who was wished well in the role.

The 2021 executive committee is - chairman: Ken Scally; vice-chairman: Paul Daly; secretary: Marie Lynagh; treasurer: Martin Dowdall; assistant treasurer: Martina Rochford; PRO: Randal Scally; county board delegates: to be confirmed; coaching and child protection officer: Fergal Fox; child designated officer: Pat Lynagh; Other committee members: Colin Draper, Nicky Finn, Brendan McMahon, Ann Dixon and Myra Daly (more to be added).

Our first monthly meeting of the year will take place next Monday, February 1 via Microsoft Teams at 8.30pm.

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