Access Keys:

 
 
St Marnock's National School, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin

St. Marnock's Hurling and Camogie Stories

3rd Feb 2020

The story behind this camogie team is that they did not win anything in 2009, because most of them were too young( they were participating in an U-13 league accommodates mostly  6th class girls who are can be anything up to 13 years 6 months old ).   Yet we had great confidence in them. Our confidence was confirmed when they sensationally won the Senior Camogie Cup Croke Park the very next year 2010 by defeating the highly fancied Scoil Maelruain. Scoil Maelruain were undefeated coming in to that final of 2010 and were the hot favourites to win the cup so that made it extra special for us.   It’s fair to point out that the situation was reversed in 2013 when the two teams met again in the final in Croke Park. On this occasion were were beaten by a last minute goal by the Scoil Maelruain girls, but we had no complaints because it was a tremendous game between two terrific and sporting teams.  

===================================================  

The boys team is another interesting situation. In 2009 we were blooding the team, introducing them to the hurling scene, hoping that in the coming three years we would reap the reward of coaching them at such a young age.   And how right we were! That very same team in the 2009 photo went on to contest the Senior Boys Final in Croke Park in 2010. Unfortunately we lost to a very accomplished Scoil Neasáin team (from Harmonstown) , but only by a single goal.   In 2011 this hurling team lost in the semi-final of the boys’ senior hurling cup which was played in Tynan Park Tallaght. We were defeated by one point by Scoil Náithí in extra time when  a very controversial goal was allowed by the referee.   The following year 2012 this team went on to contest the Senior Hurling Final in Croke Park but we were defeated by a very good team from Cois Bá. We were leading at half-time but two quick goals after the break gave the opposition a deserved victory.   So we had three terrific years with these boys and we were very proud of them and will never forget the great years they played for the school.   Written by M. Ahern