A new GAA club will come into existence in Offaly next month following the decision by Killeigh and fellow parishioners Killurin to amalgamate.

Dwindling player numbers has forced the clubs to join forces to form a new club, which is to be known as Clodiagh Gaels. Both clubs held EGMs simultaneously last Friday night and voted overwhelmingly in favour of the merger. The new club will be formally rubberstamped by the county board at their next meeting on March 10.

Killeigh were previously joined with Raheen - the reigning Offaly intermediate football champions - in the late 1980s and 1990s. It's expected that the new club will initially operate at intermediate level in hurling and at junior level in football.

This week's Killeigh GAA notes read: "After a busy few weeks of meetings and discussions both Killeigh and Killurin GAA clubs voted resoundingly in favour of an amalgamation of the two clubs at their EGMs on Friday evening, thus bringing into existence a new club to represent the two communities.

"The hurlers and footballers of the wider Killeigh and Killurin areas will now play under the banner of Clodiagh Gaels.

"While the disbanding of a GAA club is always an emotional issue, the close ties between both communities and the exploits of the players together on underage teams with Na Fianna, school teams and, more and more regularly in recent years, with county development and championship squads should ensure as smooth a transition as possible for the new club, and with a plenty of hard work both on and off the football and hurling fields and the continued good will and support of the wider community, it is hoped that Clodiagh Gaels can be a successful club for generations to come."

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