SENIOR HURLING

Our Senior Hurlers played Cappamore in the East Championship last Sunday .Although the Cappamore men pulled away from us in the end         winning comfortably, it was a good run out and exposure  for many of our fringe players .

As with every team in the country we are only as good as the depth of the playing squad and therefore matches and more matches are required as we enter the real business end of the season .

SENIOR HURLING CAPTAIN

The Senior Hurling Management and Ahane GAA are delighted to announce the appointment of Jeffrey Enright as Senior Hurling Captain for the 2017 season .Jeff will be assisted by the evergreen David Laing as vice captain and everyone wishes them best wishes for the coming season .

U21 HURLING

The U21s qualified for the semi finals of the Mint Catering Premier U21 County Hurling Championship after defeating Adare at a rain sodden Mungret on St Patricks Day by 0-13 to 0-8.

Although conditions proved difficult for both sides our lads showed great resolve.

Full match report to follow next week as our U21 news correspondent was in the Aviva for the 'rugger' at the weekend and was too shook to send in a report in time for printing .

This fixture was held at 12pm on St Patricks Day in Mungret after the fixture venue and time  was changed a number of times ,right up to the night before .

We had voiced our concerns about the planning of the fixture in successive editions of the club notes but each time mysteriously never reached it as far as the printing press .

In the colourful words of a well known local GAA personality and a voice of reason and experience ,the decision making process behind the date and time of this particular fixture can only be described as "asinine ".

So many members with young families would have wanted to have attended this vital game but understandably had parades to take part in locally and in Limerick and so were forced to forego supporting our talented U21s .

At this rate it wouldn't be beyond the capabilities of those in charge of the fixture list to arrange the semi final for 8pm on Christmas Eve .

CON & ANNIE KIRBY MEMORIAL STAKES

Ahane's new canine superstar Bentekes Bocko put on another highly impressive display in Round 2 of the Con & Annie Kirby victorious by the largest winning distance of the night :4.5l .Although Bockos winning time of 28.75 was still quick on a rain sodden track  ,the greyhound cognoscenti present trackside were of the opinion that this talented pup has plenty more left in the tank .Well done also as usual to Bockos very shrewd trainer ,the Doon man ,Pat Buckley .

Remember if Bocko wins the overall First prize or gets to the final Ahane GAA also win : to the tune of a massive €10000 for the winner and right down to €1000 for the 6th dog .

It was great to see so many young Ahane Bocko supporters present last Saturday night ,astutely and confidently putting some of their communion money Bocko at odds of 2/1 .

The Con & Annie Kirby,held in memory of the deceased parents of Mrs Noreen McManus ,is a wonderful ,innovative and most generous initiative and is a credit to all concerned .

We urge as many club supporters to join Bockos growing fan club around the parish  and to attend next Saturday nights round from 7.46pm .A few complimentary tickets still available from Herberts Bar,Shannon Stores and D Gill PRO at 087 8393200.

CLUBIFY:

Ahane GAA Club is delighted to announce its recent subscription to the outstanding smartphone app : Clubify .

Everyone is encouraged to download the app completely free of charge to their IOS or Android smartphone at clubifyapp.com/download.

Clubify has been developed by two Sixmilebridge men ,Declan Murphy and Aidan Quilligan (a former pupil of Mr Moran's at Ard Scoil Rís !) and we think is the future for club communication both here and abroad as we move into an ever more digitally orientated  and mobile age .

Free and simple to download and easy to access ,the Ahane Clubify feed will become the go to access point for all vital club news ,fixtures ,information,payment methods features ,Lotto results ,pictures and team updates .

The weekly club notes will also be available on the App in their original ,unedited and unabridged form and also on www.limerickgaa.ie .

An information night will be held with App founder Declan Murphy on Wednesday the 22nd March at 9pm in the club .

ST PATRICKS DAY

Although conditions proved challenging ,a large Ahane GAA Bord na Nog contingent marched with pride at the Castleconnell St Patrick's Day Parade .Although perhaps this year we were not as colourfully attired as last years epic Spud-Óg invasion ,the lads enjoyed sporting their club colours and assembled as usual at the Mick Mackey Statue afterwards for the traditional group photo .

However plans are already afoot for a very ambitious display for 2018,a project so large in scale ,it is requiring two years of dedicated planning and involving a joint collaboration with UL.

Well done to the Ahane Girls Gaelic Football group who won the overall prize for best display with an imaginative and creative take of the now ubiquitous emojis.

Next years parade is certainly shaping up to be a heavyweight clash to savour .

Afterwards a huge crowd of family and friends retired to the clubhouse for refreshments ,delicious and amazing value barbecue food ,ceol agus craic .

A sweep was organised for the televised  racing at Cheltenham with valuable pots going the way of Thady Coughlan ,Joanne Leahy-Gill and Gavin McCarthy .

The club finals could be viewed on  separate TVs thanks to the AV expertise of Mike Keane of Castle Communications ,who the night before ,as usual answered the call of duty and ensured for the first time it was possible to enjoy a simulcast of the hurling and the racing in Ahane .

Well done Mike : a genius with anything audiovisual .Mike can be contacted on 087 6754403 for all TV and satellite connections .

Outside in the halla ,our younger members enjoyed a disco ,indoor penalty shootouts and other 'caffling' activities  etc well protected from the incessant rain outside .

Our victorious U21 Hurlers made a guest appearance and it was great to see them interact with their younger club mates .

All in all a fabulous day enjoyed by everyone ,young and old .

As usual credit must go to all the volunteer bar people for serving out quality refreshments all day : in particular Fiona Quirke ,Martin McCormack,Club Chairman Colm Barry and Finbar McCarthy who was then relieved by Seanie Carey for the always  difficult 'graveyard shift '.It was great to see most of the volunteer bar staff then retiring to Herberts later for additional ceól agus craic ,courtesy of the Byrnes Family and the legendary and evergreen Johnny Haugh on the box .

BORD NA nOG

By far the most important team in the club and indeed any club,the Ahane U6 Spud-Ogs are ready to rock for 2017 !

All boys and girls in the parish born in 2011 and 2012 are invited to become Spud-Ógs and join the Ahane U6 Hurling & Football Sdlquad for the 2017 season !

Training begins on Tuesday 21st March at 5.45-6.30pm at Lisnagry NS School Hall .

Please contact U6 Lead Mentor Gina Hourigan 087 2204600 for further details .

2017 CLUB LOTTO AND FINANCE

The 2017 Club Lotto collectors are still on the prowl cajoling and persuading the good folk of the parish to join or rejoin the club Lotto .

We are blue in the face from reiterating the importance of Lotto funds to keep the clubs finances ticking over and we thank everyone for their continued support .

CLUBHOUSE

The Clubhouse Bar is thriving once more and is open as always from 9pm every Thursday and Sunday night and every second Friday .

For all weddings,funerals ,christenings ,birthdays ,communion,confirmation,divorce,anniversary or bar mitzvah parties bookings please contact Louis Quirke at any time day or night  on 087 2594997.

PITCH BOOKINGS

Please contact Finbar McCarthy Grounds Committee Chairman ASAP on 087 7631819 at any time day or night to book pitch space for the 2017 playing season .

CUMANN ATHAIN CLG

A full scholarship is available to attend an Irish Language Summer Course through Ahane GAA in Chorca Dhuibhne (West Kerry),Coláiste Bèal Atha an Ghaorthaigh(West Cork)  or Colàiste na Roinne (Waterford).

All applicants must be attending secondary school and Ahane club members : playing or involved in Scòr.

Application forms available from Mary Ryan (Rúnaí) and John Ryan (Oifigeach na Gaeilge ) or any committee member and must be returned by March 28th

Priority will be given to first time applicants .

JUNIOR FOOTBALLERS

The first fixture of the year for our Junior Footballers will now take place away to Ballylanders on Saturday March 25.

For further info please contact Jimmy "Willie Joe" Feerick on 087 9053208

WELL DONE

Congrats to our three fellow Parishioners who were on the field of play when the final whistle blew at the Aviva Stadium in the RBS 6 Nations last Saturday evening in a resounding success over the 'Auld Enemy': Messrs CJ Stander (soon to be ) Belmont ,John Ryan Inis Cluain and Andrew Conway Rathlinn.

Well done lads and here's hoping Mr Gatland and the Lions selectors take note of your outstanding displays .

Also heartiest congrats to John Gilhooly ,Rich Hill Lisnagry and son of the late Owen and Helen ,for being awarded another honour to his already glittering CV .As you all know John is Director of the world renowned classical music venue Wigmore Hall in London and was recently decorated as Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy .

The Gilhooly family have been great supporters of Ahane GAA and everyone in the club is very proud of Johns latest achievement .

AHANE GAA UNSUNG HEROES AWARD

The unsung heroes award for March goes to the double act of Laura Fox and Bernie Quirke for their culinary expertise at the St Patricks Day Family Fun Day in the club .

This intrepid duo cooked up a delicious feast literally in a storm as Seanie Carey's barbecue had to be positioned outside the dressing rooms in teeming rain and high winds

The girls got 'drownded' but as always stuck womanfully to the task at hand and fed the large crowd who were highly complimentary about the quality of the grub provided .

Again we reiterate that it's the likes of men and women like Laura and Bernie who make GAA clubs tick all over the country with their dedication and selflessness and we should never take them for granted and indeed should try to be emulate their dedication.

From everyone who had a great day in the club thanks a million girls .