Clanna Gael Fontenoy marks a great year

Pictured: Club Award Winners for 2016, left to right: Kirsty Owens (on behalf of the Team of the Year – Senior Ladies footballers); Aisling Ryan (Camogie Player of the Year); Elaine McDonnell and Lisa Murray (joint Club Persons of the Year); Faun Duggan (Junior Ladies) and Austin Dodd (Hurler of the Year). James Hoare achieved Footballer of the Year (not pictured).

As is customary, the club ended the year by honouring the stand-out achievements of a number of our people during 2016.

The club’s annual Christmas dinner was once again chosen as the occasion to present the worthy recipients with their awards. It turned out to be a great night for over 160 people who attended, and great credit is due to Lisa Murray, Elaine McDonnell and their support team for their superb organisation yet again.

Award recipients
Given their achievements in winning the Dublin championship and getting as far as the Leinster semi-final, it came as no surprise that the Senior Ladies footballers won the Team of the Year award.

A succession of wins saw them take on Clontarf in the Dublin county final, where a dramatic late goal clinched their victory on a score line of 3-9 to 1-12. The team set a new record in bringing their winning form into the Leinster championship and got as far as the semi-final, where they were eventually beaten by Naomh Ciarán from Offaly.

Great and all as their success was, they were not alone in bringing success to the club with the Junior Ladies, the U13 girls and the U15 girls all excelling during 2016.

The full list of those recognised for their special contribution during 2016 is as follows:
• Lisa Murray, Elaine McDonnell:
Joint Club Persons of the Year
• Aisling Ryan:
Senior Ladies Footballer of the Year
• Faun Duggan:
Junior Ladies Footballer of the Year
• James Hoare:
Footballer of the Year
• Sarah Ryan:
Camogie Player of the Year
• Austin Dodd:
Hurler of the Year
• Senior Ladies Footballers:
Team of the Year

Young Niall Madill was awarded the Colm O’Briain Perpetual Trophy for the Most Committed Player of the Year. Not alone did he turn out regularly with his own U15 team but he also lined out with the U16 hurlers. Plucky as ever, the age difference never seems to matter much to Niall. His mum, Deirdre, proudly accepted the award on his behalf. This inaugural award marks the sad death during the year of Colm O’Briain who was actively involved in the juvenile section of the club.

Pictured: James Dolly, Grace Dunne and Declan Darcy display some of the trophies won by club teams during the year.

A great crowd turned out to support the Coming of Age Table Quiz which was held to help fund an away trip for the U16 boys, many of whom have played together from a very young age and all of whom now graduate to the ‘adult’ ranks to play minor football and hurling for the club.

The event was generously supported by a number of local businesses: The Chophouse, Shelbourne Road; Slatterys Pub, Grand Canal Street; Dundrum & Sandymount Credit Union; McGettigans Cookhouse & Bar, North Star Hotel; Pete’s, Sandymount Green; Books on the Green, Seafort Avenue; Sandymount Hardware; Ryans, Sandymount House; and O’Briens Wine, Sandymount.

Trophy Winners: Ladies footballers proudly pose with their trophies. Images courtesy of Conor Dodd.

Club officers
The club heads into 2017 with Bernard Barron as its new Chairman. He takes over from Conor Dodd who did sterling work in the role. The following officers were chosen for the coming year at the club’s Annual General Meeting:
• President: Frank White
• Vice President: Brendan O’Brien
• Chairman: Bernard Barron
• Vice Chairman: Jay Byrne
• Secretary: Brian Delany
• Ass. Secretary: Una McCullagh
• Treasurer: Suzanne Murray
• Ass. Treasurer: Lisa Murray
• PRO: Felix O’Regan
• Juvenile Chair: Michele O’Briain
• Registrar: Donal Murray
• Strategic Development: Roger McGrath
• Adult Games Rep: Ciarán Ó Murchú
• Children’s Officer: Christina Deevy
• Ticket Officer: Elaine McDonnell

The meeting also approved the annual accounts as presented by the Treasurer and approved the Chairman’s Report and the Secretary’s Report, as well as reports on Adult and Juvenile games. The work, commitment and dedication of outgoing Chairman, Conor Dodd, and outgoing Treasurer, Una McCullagh, were warmly recognised.

By Felix O’Regan