"Half a Parish - A Complete Club". The book is finished and is being printed as we speak. It will be a nervous couple of weeks for the 125th Anniversary Committee until we get the finished product into our hands. We started the project just over a year ago and a lot of work has been put in by a lot of people to produce the most comprehensive and detailed history of the Club that you could imagine. The book itself is filled with match reports, anecdotal stories, and plenty of photographs from the very early days of the Club's existence right up to the present day. Along with the detailed history, there are also contributions from the Legends of Cortoon Football, such as, Tommy Joe Gilmore, Derek Savage, Joe McDonagh, Pete Finnerty, Emer Flaherty and Edel Concannon. It has been an enormous undertaking by the entire committee and one which we are extremely proud of and we hope you will get as much enjoyment out of reading it as we did in writing it. The book will be launched at a function in the Ard Rí House Hotel in Tuam on Sat 30th March from 8.00pm by former GAA President and Cortoon player, Joe McDonagh, where there will also be an exhibition of the hundreds of photographs, memorabilia, and old jerseys that we have received. All members, local residents, sponsors, and friends of the club are invited to attend this historic day for one of the oldest clubs in the country. We look forward to seeing you there.

An underage development committee has been formed within the Club with the responsibility of identifying areas that could be improved upon in order to help out the underage Officers and determine ways to attract new players to the Club (and hold on to the ones we have). Underage football is the foundation for any club and it is vital that we utilise any talents at our disposal to promote the game for the younger generation. They are our future!

The first order of business was to ensure that the players' welfare is always a priority. With this in mind, the Club have decided that the role of Child Protection Officer is far too important, and sensitive, a position to burden one person with and are delighted to announce the appointments of Ju Lei Kelly and Jane Lowry to the positions. Ju Lei is a medical professional and can often be found on the sideline caring for players' injuries while Jane, a mother of four, is one of the Club's biggest supporters, regularly attending games at all age levels. Thankfully, to date, we haven't had much need for the role, and hopefully we never do, but it is of utmost importance that players, parents, or anyone else for that matter, have someone within the club that they can confide in, in the strictest of confidence, if they are suffering from abuse of any kind, or are concerned about the welfare of any underage member.
Membership is now overdue and can be paid to Jason Gilmore, Registrar, or to Mickey Gilmore in the Cortoon Inn. Rates are as follows: Family membership is €50, Adult player & family is €85, Adult player is €60, Student player is €40, Non-playing adult membership is €25, and Youth player (Under 18 years) is €20. All players must have membership paid prior to league campaign starting. Membership will be taken at training sessions.

The Under 13 team played Killererin in Barnaderg on Monday afternoon in a play-off for a place in the League Shield final. Luck wasn't with them on the day as, despite having more scores on the board, they were unlucky to lose by 6-3 to 3-7. Goals from Darragh Carroll, James Hogan, and Niall Finnerty were not enough as a five minute spell either side of half-time yielded four goals and two points for the hosts to knock the stuffing out of a Cortoon side which looked comfortable up to that point. It brings an end to the season for the squad who can hold their heads up high in the knowledge that they gave it their all from the first minute of the campaign to the very last. Team: Donie Halleran; Niall Finnerty (1-1), Eoghan Fleming; Adam Geoghegan, Darragh Carroll (1-0), Peter Fleming; Kevin Kelly (0-1), Hugh McDonagh (0-1); Oisin O'Rourke (0-1), Alex Fitzpatrick, James Clarke; Calvin Tierney (0-1), James Hogan (1-2). Subs: Enda O'Neill, Thomas Hynes, Eoin Fitzpatrick, Daniel Carroll, Diarmuid O'Rourke.

The Senior squad enjoyed a great days football in the 7s competition hosted by Kilkerrin/Clonbern on Saturday afternoon. With the League campaign just a couple of weeks away, it was vital to get some competitive action under their belts. The management decided to enter 2 teams to give game-time to more of the squad, with the teams being managed by Brian Walsh and Brion Gilmore. Despite results not going their way, both teams thoroughly the enjoyed the day. Thank you to Kilkerrin/Clonbern for a great days sport and for laying on a fine meal afterwards. Cortoon A: Brian Walsh (0-1), David Finnegan (1-0), Brian Roache (1-1), Andrew McWalter (0-2), Daniel Heverin, Adrian McDonnell (0-2), Darragh Browne (0-1), Alan Boyle (0-7), Gary Clarke, Peter Higgins (0-1), Dean Fahy. Cortoon B: Brion Gilmore (0-2), David Warde (1-4), Norman Connolly (1-1), Peter Finnerty (2-1), Damian Varley (1-1), Darragh Glynn, Matthew Concannon, Patrick Kenny (0-2), Mickey Costello (3-3), Darren Dempsey.

The Minor team, missing a number of key players, suffered defeat in their opening League fixture against Clonbur in Brownsgrove on Monday morning.
Well done to Paul and Adrian Varley and Cathal Mulryan who all starred (and scored) for Galway u21s in their victory over Sligo on Monday afternoon.
The winner of the Bonus Ball, run in conjunction with the Cortoon Inn, was Niall Keane.

Lotto results:
The numbers drawn on 15th Mar for a jackpot of €12,800 were: 6, 12, 21, 27. No jackpot winner. Match 3 winner of €100: Doireann Gilmore, Clonakilty, Co. Cork. Tweet

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