Connemara Rugby Football Club kindly made their sand pitch facility available to Gráinne Mhaols LGFA for the club’s first ever adult and U14 training sessions on February 18th 2002. One month later, Gráinne Mhaols juniors played their first ever competitive match in the inaugural West Galway Senior Championship Tournament against Na Piarsaigh in Tullycross.
Gráinne Mhaols 2-8, Na Piarsaigh 0-3 The home team elected to play against a strong wind in the first half and it was an excellent first half performance against the elements that laid the foundation for a comprehensive victory in the end. Throughout that opening period, the West Connemara girls moved the ball well into the wind with the backs making particularly good use of the handpass and the forwards getting out in front and showing well for the ball. There was nothing between the sides up to the interval. Na Piarsaigh’s Sally Ní Laoi opened the scoring on 10 minutes with a point from a free but this was cancelled out three minutes later by a fine Martina Conneely point from way out on the right. Twenty minutes into the contest, the sides were level on 0-2 each after Na Piarsaigh’s Máire Bríd Breathnach and Gráinne Mhaols Lisa McDonagh exchanged points. Sally Ní Laoi edged the Rosmuc girls ahead on 23 minutes, and moments later it took a brilliant one handed save from Priscilla Heffernan to keep Bridie Kinneavy’s goalbound shot at bay as na Piarsaigh upped the ante in the run up to half time.
Gráinne Mhaols had their goal chances too but poor finishing from Helena Lydon, Lisa McDonagh and Martina Conneely ensured that Na Piarsaigh remained very much in the contest. They led by a point but Gráinne Mhaols had the greater industry, cohesion and team understanding about them. Their achilles heel however was in front of goal where pure naivity and inexperience were costing them dearly. Na Piarsaigh played with great heart and they had outstanding performers down the middle, notably Sineád Mulkerrins at centre half back and Sally Ní Laoi and Maíre Bríd Breathnach at centre half forward and full forward respectively. They were hit by a sucker punch however right on the stroke of half time when Gráinne Mhaols struck for a decisive score. A lovely flowing move up the middle eventually saw Lisa McDonagh feed Martina Conneely and she subsequently crashed an unstoppable shot into the back of the Na Piarsaigh net off the underside of the crossbar. In fairness, it was no more than Gráinne Mhaols deserved and it gave them a two point advantage at the break on a scoreline of 1-2 to 0-3.
It was all one way traffic in the second half as the home side used their wind advantage to good effect keeping Na Piarsaigh scoreless in the process. An early goal from corner forward Brigid Clotherty put Gráinne Mhaols firmly in the driving seat and with Siobhan Conneely and Geraldine McTavish dominant in midfield, the West Connemara girls were in the comfort zone long before the end of the match. Management were able to give all the subs a run, with one of these subs, Tara Flaherty, scoring a great point on the run from way out on the left wing. Lisa McDonagh and Siobhan Conneely with two more points apiece completed the scoring and Gráinne Mhaols can now look forward to a semi-final date with Killannin tomorrow at 1pm in Clonbur.
This was a historic victory for CPB Ghrainne Mhaoil in their first ever match at adult level. They can be reasonably happy with the overall level of performance up through the team but having said that, management will be realistic enough to concede that similar inaccuracy and poor decision making in front of goal tomorrow will give their side no chance against red hot favourites Killannin who ply their trade at Intermediate level in both the Championship and League. Gráinne Mhaols squandered a host of second half chances in today’s match but I suppose, with this being their first ever fixture on a full sized pitch with full sized goals, wild and inaccurate shooting of this nature was to be expected. There’s no substitute for experience, however, and tomorrow’s semi-final against top level opposition who have a great tradition in ladies football should bring this Gráinne Mhaols team on in leaps and bounds. Thankfully, none of the players picked up any injuries, and apart from Lisa Coohill, Gráinne Mhaols will be at full strength for tomorrow’s encounter with the East Connemara girls. A final word of congratulations to match referee Stephen Thomas Keane who gave a superb performance from start to finish. We are proud to have a man of his calibre and experience involved in our club.
Written by Paul Gannon
The ensuing semi-final in this inaugural West Galway Senior Championship Tournament was somewhat of a rude awakening for the newly arrived novices from West Connemara. Gráinne Mhaols were hammered by 6-11 to 1-2 by a slick Killannin team who romped home without ever getting out of second gear.
In April 2002, Gráinne Mhaols defeated Loughrea by 3-1 to 2-3 in their first ever official county match, a Junior B League encounter which was played on the Leitrim-Kilnadeema hurling pitch. Later that Summer, they defeated Salthill in the first round of the county Junior B championship, were awarded a walkover versus Portumna at the quarter final stage and overcame Spiddal in a hard fought semi final.
Gráinne Mhaols 3-5, Milltown 1-7 History was made at Headford on Sunday last when Gráinne Mhaols annexed the County Junior B County Championship title at the first time of asking. Despite adverse weather conditions, a pulsating contest served up many fine passages of play and left the large crowd well entertained throughout. Milltown will feel that this is one that got away, but in the final analysis the fitness, character self-belief, teamwork and tremendous work ethic of the West Connemara girls saw them steal victory from the jaws of defeat.
Gráinne Mhaols started brightly with a Martina Conneely goal after 5 minutes. Wing forward, Lorraine Heffernan added an excellent point after 8 minutes and when Lisa Coohill added another from a free on 12 minutes, one sensed that Gráinne Mhaols were going to build up an unassailable half time lead. However, despite having all the elements in their favour, many of the Gráinne Mhaol players never got going during that opening period. They seemed to let the occasion get to them and in particular up front where a lack of cohesion and understanding handed the initiative back to Milltown. Milltown goalie, Aoife Monhaghan pulled off a number of vital saves and as the half wore on Milltown started to dominate the exchanges. They had the greater hunger and aggression particularly in their backline, which completely overwhelmed their opponents during that second quarter. Inspired by full back, Ann Marie Mongan, wing back Marion Hernon, midfielders Yvonne Daly (an All Ireland medallist with Galway last month) and Michelle Hyland and full forward Lisa Conneely, they rallied superbly. Two points from Lisa Conneely brought them right back into it and Yvonne Daly who had earlier spurned two close range opportunities then blasted a goal and pointed a close range free to leave the half time score 1-3 to 1-2 in favour of Milltown.
The introduction of second half substitutes Leigh Birchmore and Mairéad Coyne combined with a number of positional switches gave Gráinne Mhaols the upper hand early on in the second half, but an inability to make their superiority count on the scoreboard continued to afflict them and this lack of a killer instinct only served to give Milltown renewed confidence. Mairéad Coyne’s opportunist goal on 48 minutes however, lifted the entire team to one final supreme effort. That inspirational score levelled the tie at 2-2 to 1-5 and then the turning point of the game arrived two minutes later when Gráinne Mhaols goalie, Máire Cloherty pulled off a superb save to deny Elaine Conneely what seemed like a certain goal. Milltown failed to threaten thereafter, apart from two pointed frees, and during those last ten minutes their opponents virtually owned the ball. This time they did make it count, with further points from Lisa Coohill and a superb individual goal from Martina Conneely, who had earlier hit the woodwork and also had a goal disallowed. This third goal finally put the game beyond Milltown, but they can look back upon this performance with great pride because for long spells they looked the more likely winners.
There were joyous scenes afterwards in the Gráinne Mhaols camp but the overwhelming emotion was one of relief that they hadn’t allowed their inexperience and mediocrity early on to lose them a county title. They had several first class performances in the second half, full backs Tara Flaherty and Lucy Lydon, who cut off the supply to the inside forward line, halfbacks Ann O’Neill and Bríd McDonagh, who were consistency personified, midfielder and Captain Geraldine McTavish, who got through a trojan amount of work and forwards Tracy Kearney, Lisa McDonagh and Aisling Folan, who never panicked in the face of adversity and eventually got their reward. However, pride of place goes to Gráinne Mhaols’ midfielder, Lisa Coohill, who was definitely the outstanding player on view. Her individual class was probably the crucial difference between the two teams in the end, and on the evidence of this performance she should be an automatic choice on the Galway Junior team next Sunday in the National League.
After the battle was won, referee Con Moynihan, who had an excellent game throughout, thanked Headford GAA and St Furseys LGFA Clubs for making their superb facilities available to the Galway Ladies Football Board for this final. He also paid tribute to both teams for giving their all, before presenting Geraldine McTavish with the Cup. Gráinne Mhaols will play at Junior A level next year and Milltown will hope to join them by winning the Junior B league. Salthill, Glenamaddy and Gráinne Mhaols are the other contenders hoping to win this competition.
Paul Gannon
Connemara Advertiser
November 2002
Further victories over Na Piarsaigh, Caltra and Milltown confirmed Grainne Mhaols qualification for the semi-finals of the Junior B League where they once again came face to face with a very determined Milltown team who were hell bent on exacting revenge for their earlier reverse in the county championship final. The match was played in Killannin and Milltown were streets ahead of their opponents in the opening period. Grainne Mhaols cause looked doomed at half time when they trailed by nine points but they fought back tenaciously on the resumption and when the final whistle eventually sounded, the sides were deadlocked on a final scoreline of 4-4 to 3-7. Grainne Mhaols won the ensuing replay by 1-10 to 0-3 and in the process booked their place in the final against Glenamaddy who had seen off the challenge of Salthill in the other semi-final.
Gráinne Mhaols 3-9, Glenamaddy 0-4 Gráinne Mhaols completed an historic double in Headford when they proved too strong for a gallant Glenamaddy side in an entertaining County Junior B League final. They started sluggishly as in the two semi-final encounters with Milltown but true to form, they improved immeasurably as the first half wore on and then pulled away comfortably in the closing stages with a very convincing second half performance.
Glenamaddy dominated the opening exchanges and two excellent points in the first five minutes reflected this dominance. Corner-forward Helen O’Grady set up the first for centre-half forward Emma Flately and then scored the second herself after receiving a clever pass from wing forward Ruth Kelly. During the opening quarter midfielders Claire Dillon and Siobhán O’Grady were very prominent and the Glenamaddy half back line, inspired by centre-half back Greta Molloy was sharp and decisive in defence.
Gráinne Mhaols in contrast were out of sorts, somewhat off the pace and guilty of some woeful shooting in front of goal. However they started to improve as the half wore on, with Martina Conneely making a significant impact at full forward after being moved in from the half forward line. Corner forward Mairéad Coyne opened her team’s account on 15 minutes. Martina Conneely levelled the scores on 18 minutes and when wing forward Lisa McDonagh scored the lead point three minutes later it was clear that the tide had turned very much in favour of the West Connemara girls. Gráinne Mhaols captain Geraldine McTavish was having an inspired game at midfield ably assisted by County Junior star Lisa Coohill. Lisa McDonagh added another point before Lisa Coohill had a goal disallowed on 26 minutes for an infringement in the small parallelogram. It was a let off for Glenamaddy but they were dealt a real hammer blow just before the break when goal keeper Sandra Smith misjudged a long range effort from Martina Conneely and the ball ended up in the back of the net. This left the half time score: Gráinne Mhaols 1-5, Glenamaddy 0-2.
Glenamaddy needed to make a positive start to the second half but instead it was the county championship winners who took up where they left off at the end of the first half with two superb points from Mairéad Coyne inside three minutes. As the second half wore on, Gráinne Mhaols became dominant in most areas of the field. Their greater all round balance, strength, fitness and hunger enabled them to maintain their superiority. They were well served in defence with sterling performances from half backs Danielle Lydon and Bríd McDonagh and full backs Lucy Lydon and Anne O’Neill. Glenamaddy responded with points from Emma Flately and Rosaleen Gibbons but these were quickly cancelled by two excellent long rang efforts from Lisa McDonagh. Lisa saved her best performance of the year for this final and she received great support from the hard working Tara Flaherty and Maíre Coyne.
When Gráinne Mhaols goalkeeper Linda O’Malley pulled off a superb point blank save to deny Rosaleen Gibbons on 58 minutes one sensed that any faint hopes of a Glenamaddy revival had finally evaporated. They desperately needed a goal but it was Gráinne Mhaols that made a breakthrough at the other end on 60 minutes. A superb long range pass from Lorraine Heffernan put Mairéad Coyne through on goal. Her effort crashed off the woodwork and substitute Kerry King was on hand to collect the rebound and pick her spot on the corner. This goal killed off the game as a contest and Lisa Coohill added a third goal in injury time to put the seal on a well merited win. After the match referee and County Vice-Chairperson Con Moynihan, presented the Victory Shield to Geraldine McTavish and complimented both teams on a fine game of free flowing football. He also thanked the Headford and St Furseys clubs once again for the use of their pitch and facilities
Gráinne Mhaols can be well pleased with their overall level of performance. They play a very direct style of football dependant on high fitness levels, physical power and a willingness to work for each other all over the pitch. If they can maintain what they have achieved this year and develop a better short passing game they may well hold their own at Junior A level next year. Glenamaddy are a young team with a bright future. They made a big impact this year at underage level winning the under 14 B League and losing out narrowly to Dunmore in the under 16 B Championship decider. They will hope to build on the underage success in 2003 and will be among the favourites to progress from Junior B next year.
Written by Paul Gannon
Connemara View
January 2003
Gráinne Mhaols Under 14s competed in the A Championship and League. Their first a ever outing in the latter competition was destined to have a successful outcome.
Grainne Mhaols didn’t reach the later stages of the league and were subsequently given a very tough home against Corofin in the quarter final of the championship. They played superbly however to upset the odds and win by 3-7 to 1-5. I
The U14s maintained their momentum with a well merited 3-7 to 0-5 victory over Caherlistrane in the semi-final but were once again overwhelmed by a classy St Brendans outfit in the ensuing county final.
St. Brendans 3-16, Gráinne Mhaols 1-2 St Brendan’s Ballygar put the disappointment of Féile behind them to retain their county championship title in emphatic fashion at Caherlistrane recently. The foundations for victory were laid in a tremendous first half performance, which saw the reigning champions amass a score of 3-11 without reply. When full forward Sinéad Nolan scored her second goal on twelve minutes to put St Brendans ten points ahead, the writing was already on the wall for Gráinne Mhaols. During the first half, St Brendan’s dominated the midfield exchanges with the wonderfully skilful Michelle Doyle landing some glorious points. Half backs Angela Coleman, Niamh Lohan and Neasa Naughton reigned supreme and they were the platform for many of St Brendans attacks.
The movement and understanding of the winners forwards was very impressive and by half time St Brendan’s had built up what proved to be an unassailable lead. Indeed this lead would have been much greater were it not for the excellent defensive work of Tara Flaherty and Noreen Coyne in the Gráinne Mhaols full back line. Gráinne Mhaols did manage to put some good attacking moves together in that first half but Ballygar’s full back Leanne Kelly was able to ensure that no scores would accrue from the good approach play of Danielle Lydon, Fionnuala Hannigan-Dunkley and Seona Mitchell. The West Connemara girls threw caution to the wind in the second half and a series of positional switches paid early dividends. Full forward Mairéad Coyne, who found the going tough in midfield during the first half, scored two superb points from play and shortly afterwards set up corner-forward Mary Joyce for a well taken goal. These early scores gave the West Connemara girls renewed hope and confidence and they fought tenaciously and with no little skill for the remainder of this final. During that second half midfielders Leigh Birchmore and Tara Flaherty were exceptional, getting through a mountain of work. Similarly Michelle Joyce at full back and half backs Mairéad Coyne and Kim Young repelled attack after attack and delivered some great ball into their forwards.
However St Brendan’s got their few defensive problems sorted out and inspired performances from Leanne Kelly, Siobhán Nestor and Angela Coleman ensured that the supply of ball to the Gráinne Mhaols inside forward was cut off. During the final quarter, St Brendans captain Michelle Delaney made her class and experience tell, scoring three wonderful long range points to put the seal on a well deserved and comprehensive St Brendans victory. Gráinne Mhaols, whose earlier victories over Corofin and Caherlistrane qualified them for a historic first ever Under 14A County Final appearance can take great heart from an excellent second performance, and with twelve of their starting fifteen young enough again next year they can look to the future with confidence. On the day they just couldn’t cope with the combination of power, pace, skill and experience of a truly excellent St Brendan’s outfit who were simply head and shoulders above all the rest at under-14 level this year.
After the battle was won, Galway Ladies Football Board Assistant Secretary Mary Hernon presented the U-14A trophy to St Brendans Captain, Michelle Delaney and complimented match referee, Fiona Delaney, on her outstanding performance. She also congratulated St Brendan’s on the superb football they played throughout. They continue to set the standard for the rest of the county and their coach Caroline Delaney can take a lot of the credit for this as she happily reflects on yet another good day at the office.
Written by Paul Gannon
Connemara Life
Autumn 2002
Gráinne Mhaols maiden voyage at minor level materialised in 2002. In order to make it possible to have an Under 18A Championship that year both Killannin and Gráinne Mhaols agreed at a County Board meeting to go in at the deep end along with St Brendans and Corofin. When the draw was made subsequently at that same meeting, the two Connemara sides were pitted against each other in the first of the two semi finals. The East Connemara girls enjoyed home advantage but it was Cailíní an Iarthair who took the honours.
Gráinne Mhaols 2-9, Killannin 1-6 Gráinne Mhaols qualified for an historic first ever County Minor A Final when they defeated Killannin in a pulsating encounter played in Killannin. Although both sides were guilty of some erratic finishing, this was nevertheless an absorbing contest which kept the sizeable crowd well entertained throughout. Killannin, who were very strong down the middle, opened brightly and swept into an early lead with points from Jodi Kavanagh, Eimear Butler and Niamh Fahy. However, an Orlaith Folan point on 12 minutes settled Gráinne Mhaols and further points from Lisa McDonagh and Martina Conneely restored parity by 18 minutes. At this stage both defences were playing well and scores were hard to come by.
During the next ten minutes, Killannin County star Niamh Fahy made her class and experience tell. She kicked a superb long range point on 22 minutes and followed this up with a brilliant individual goal on 25 minutes after an incisive solo run. Moments later, forward Jodi Kavanagh added her second point to put a bit of daylight between the two teams. With Laura Molloy and Aisling Cauldwell in the ascendancy at midfield for Killannin, one sensed that there would be no way back for the West Connemara girls. However, they displayed great resilience in the face of adversity and finished out the half on a positive note with a pointed free from Lisa McDonagh leaving the half time score Killannin 1-5, Gráinne Mhaols 0-4.
When Jodi Kavanagh got the first score of the second half to restore Killannin’s five point advantage, little did anyone realise that this would be her team’s final score of the day. A series of half time positional switches reinvigorated Gráinne Mhaols and they took the remainder of the game to their more experienced opponents in commendable fashion. The most significant switches saw left half back Bríd McDonagh revert to centre half back to mark Niamh Fahy, Danielle Lydon move from left corner back to left half back and Tara Flaherty move from centre half back to centre half forward.
Allied to this, Gráinne Mhaols midfielders Aisling Folan and Martina Connolly upped their performance levels considerably and their ploy of delivering the long early ball at every opportunity eventually paid dividends.
Points from Tara Flaherty and Orlaith Folan narrowed the gap to a goal, and even though Máire Coyne and Tara Flaherty spurned two gilt-edged chances, the heads never dropped and an equalising goal did ultimately arrive on 45 minutes, when corner forward Maireád Coyne crashed home an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net after taking a pass from Lisa McDonagh. Gráinne Mhaols were now enjoying the majority of possession but Killannin full back Áine Fahy, along with half backs Sinead Audley and Lisa O’Halloran performed heroics during this third quarter by cutting out the supply line time and time again.
The turning point arrived on 48 minutes with the two teams level at 1-6 apiece. A speculative high centre from Fionnuala Hannigan-Dunkley deceived Natalie Merrigan in the Killannin goal and Gráinne Mhaols found themselves in front for the first time in the match. They say that fortune favours the brave and this was the case here when Gráinne Mhaols doggedness, persistence, superior fitness and self-belief were rewarded with a slice of good fortune, which put them in the driving seat. To their great credit, Killannin fought back tenaciously and almost levelled matters on 55 minutes when Niamh Fahy’s goal bound shot was brilliantly saved by Helena Lydon in the Gráinne Mhaols goal. Gráinne Mhaols added three points from play in the last five minutes, two from Martina Conneely and one from Maireád Coyne, to put the seal on a hard earned but well deserved victory.
This was an excellent all round team performance by Gráinne Mhaols, particularly in the second half, but pride of place goes to full back Ciara Conneely, who was inspirational throughout. She was particularly effective in the first half when Killannin were dominant around the middle and across the half forward line. Along with Danielle Lydon, Ciara steadied the ship during that turbulent opening period, and when her leadership lifted the rest of the team in the second half, there was no way back for Killannin.
Paul Gannon
Connemara Advertiser
December 2002
To say that the subsequent experience of playing St Brendan’s in the county final was a major learning curve for an enthusiastic bunch of emerging footballers would probably be the understatement of the decade. Gráinne Mhaols were outclassed and obliterated on the day, by a team that represented everything that they would hopefully become with the passage of time.
St Brendans 10-19, Gráinne Mhaols 0-0 St Brendan powered their way to the County Minor A Championship title in emphatic fashion when they completely outclassed a valiant Gráinne Mhaols outfit in a totally one-sided encounter in Headford. Backboned by no less than five of the Galway Minor team which captured the All-Ireland title earlier this year, St Brendans possessed too much guile, craft and experience for their western opponents. Star of the show was full forward Gillian Joyce (player of the match in the All Ireland Junior Final victory over Donegal) who amassed the incredible total of 6-7. Apart from a complete reluctance to kick with her right foot this girl has everything; speed off the mark, fantastic awareness and vision, aggression, unselfishness and the full repertoire of skills which she displayed to devastating effect in this final. Four different Gráinne Mhaols backs tried in vain to negate her influence but the high quality of ball being channelled through to the St Brendan full forward line from start to finish made any kind of effective defence impossible on the day.
The West Connemara girls showed admirable levels of fitness, tremendous work rate and courage in the face of such a sustained onslaught, but with only two of their players over the age of sixteen, they were very much on a mission impossible against such an experienced and accomplished outfit. The North-Galway girls physically dominated their opponents, especially down the middle. They displayed excellent ball carrying ability, understanding and vision, and the execution of many of their scores was breathtaking to watch. Midfielders Aisling Folan and Martina Conneely worked tirelessly for the losers and along with the captain and centre-half back Ciara Conneely, they delivered some great ball into their forwards, but it was all to no avail against a no nonsense St Brendans backline who had outstanding performers in full back, Cathy Crowe and halfbacks Anne Gilmore and Gráinne Egan. Emma Curley and Nora Ward dominated the midfield exchanges and captain Deirdre Martin operating at centre half forward orchestrated many scores during that opening period with her incisive runs and clever distribution.
St Brendan led by 6-13 to 0-0 at half time, but to their great credit Gráinne Mhaols came out fighting in the second half and tried desperately to take the game to their opponents. They managed to mount a commendable number of attacks without ever really looking likely to score. St Brendan never allowed any complacency to creep into their play and the excellent defensive work of corner backs Marita and Nicola Fahy during that second half typified their sides’ totally focused and professional attitude to the job in hand. Therese Healy in the St Brendans goal had precious little to do all day, yet showed great alertness and agility to deprive Maireád Coyne of a consolation goal in the final minute. Lisa McDonagh also went close on a couple of occasions but that was the sum total of Gráinne Mhaols attacking threat on the day. Indeed, St Brendans would have increased their total were it not for some heroic second half defending from Danielle Lydon, Bríd McDonagh and Tara Flaherty in the Gráinne Mhaols rearguard.
It’s been a fantastic year for St Brendans. Six county titles is an incredible haul for one club. They continue to perch proudly on the summit of Galway Ladies Football and Con Moynihan, the man who founded the club in 1994, deserves most of the credit for this. It has also been a great year for the Gráinne Mhaols, county finalists at under 14 A and under 18 A level and county Junior B championship and league winners, not bad for a club that’s only eighteen months in existence. They are driven by a desire to emulate St Brendans in the years to come and the invaluable experience gained from three successive underage county final defeats to St Brendan will ultimately stand them in good stead as they persevere in their belief, that they too, can one day join the ranks of the elite in Galway ladies football.
After the match, Benny Fahy, Chairman of the Galway Ladies Football Board, presented the Victory Shield to the St Brendans captain, Deirdre Martin. In her acceptance speech, Deirdre,paid special tribute to her fellow players for maintaining such a high level of performance throughout the whole game. She also acknowledged the many years of hard work that Con Moynihan has put into football in the St Brendans Club. She thanked the Headford and St Furseys clubs for the use of their excellent pitch and facilities. She complimented Gráinne Mhaols on their fighting spirit in a clean sporting game and reserved her final word of appreciation for Caherlistrane referee Vinnie Judge who did a superb job from start to finish.
Written by Paul Gannon
Connemara Advertiser
December 2002
The 2002 Annual General Meeting was held in the Teach Ceoil, Renvyle on January 10th 2003. In her opening address, Mary Canning (RIP) congradulated the adult team on winning the Junior B double and the U14s and U18s on reaching their two respective championship finals. She noted that the first eighteen months of the club’s evolution had been a tremendous success, particularly in the manner in which Grainne Mhaols LGFA has enhanced the status of women in sport in the West Connemara region. She wished both the incoming Executive Committee and the players continued success in 2003. Mary Young thanked outgoing U12 Manager, Tommy Kane for all his excellent work and wished him well in the future. In conclusion she stated that she was very much looking forward to the footballing year ahead and was harbouring high hopes for the U14s in particular. Club Treasurer, Lyn presented all present with a very detailed and precise Income and Expenditure Balance Sheet which showed the club to be healthily in the black. Two notable descisions made at this AGM were as follows; Grainne Mhaols will enter a B team into adult competition for the first time ever; Grainne Mhaols will hold a Rose Night with the winning Rose going on subsequently to represent the club in the Galway Ladies Football Pageant. A Sub Committee comprising Linda O Malley, Lorraine Heffernan and Geraldine McTavish was established in order to organize this social event. It went ahead in The Bards Den , Letterfrack and ???? was bestowed with the honour of becoming the Grainne Mhaols Rose.
The Election of Officers followed:
The Election of Managers followed:
