We are all eagerly awaiting the clash of Galway and Kilkenny in this year’s Senior All-Ireland Hurling final. It’s made all the more interesting because of the involvement of Pearses pair Cyril Donnellan and Fergal Flannery. Cyril was unlucky to miss out on a starting place for the Semi-Final against Cork, with an arm injury picked up in training. We hope to see him regain his starting berth for the Final. Fergal was between the sticks for the Galway U21s who were defeated by Kilkenny in yesterday’s All-Ireland U21 Semi-Final. We wish both lads and the rest of the Galway panel the very best of luck for the Final.
The club will receive an allocation of All-Ireland Final tickets in the coming days and there will be a draw for club members. We are also currently running a competition (for both members and non-members) for a chance to win All-Ireland Final tickets. First prize is a stay in a Dublin Hotel on the weekend of the Final and two All-Ireland Final tickets. Second Prize is andamp;euro;250 and Third prize is a Galway jersey signed by all the team. Tickets are andamp;euro;10 and are available from all club members. The draw will take place in Mitchells Bar, Gurteen on Friday September 7th. If you’re not in, you can’t win.
In underage news, one of our promising underage players, Ronan Bellew, was recently selected for the Connacht U16 Hurling Development Academy Squad which took part in an interprovincial blitz in Ballyhaunis. The annual Candamp;uacute;l Camp in July was a great success, with a great turnout of youngsters in Ballymacward for the week. The kids were delighted to meet Cyril Donnellan who called with the Bob O’Keeffe Trophy after Galway’s victory over Kilkenny in the Leinster Final.