It was a good week for the club on and off the field of play. First, a big thank-you to everybody who supported our family bbq in Oxfield last Saturday. We had a lovely afternoon of food, football and fun with the Fathers v Sons match a particular highlight. Special thanks to the small but tireless organising committee led by Des Henry and Mary Carway who helped ensure the day ran smoothly. 

Our next club social will be an All-Ireland final Brunch in Harry’s Bar, Rosses Point on Sunday, September 18th from 1pm.More details soon.

The boys U14 footballers captured their second piece of silverware for 2016, adding the Shield Championship title to their league success earlier in the year. In last Friday’s final at Scarden, the team came from behind to beat Calry/St Joseph’s by 4-14 to 3-9. Congrats to all the players who’s shown tremendous commitment throughout the season - and to the management team of Jimmy Smith, Tommy Kelly and Declan Carroll.

Players: Ciaran O'Reilly, Desmond Gillen. Tola Carway, Hugh Keaney, Josh Brady, Bob Reynolds, Ian O'Brien, Eoghan Smith (C), Lee Cummins, Josh Henry, Cian Oates, Ciarán Smith, Danny Cronin, Mícheál Broaders, Ben Kelly, Ciaran Casserly, Shane Flanagan, Sean Leonard, Eoin Kerrigan, Conor McDermott, Fintan Casey, Darragh Bennigan.

Our girls U14 footballers came from nine points down at half-time at Kent Park  the same evening to beat St Mary’s by a goal 7-4 to 6-4 in the championship. We now face St Molaise Gaels this Friday at 7pm and a result their would secure a place in the county semi-finals.

There was disappointment for our boys minor footballers in the championship last Thursday evening as they were decisively beaten by Coolera/Strandhill. The team is scheduled to contest a Shield 1/4 final with St John’s this week. Date and time was being finalised at the time of going to press.

Good luck to our U12 boys and girls footballers in their respective matches this Tuesday evening. The boys play St Molaise Gaels in the re-arranged Division 3 final at Markievicz Park at 7:15 while our girls host Tourlestrane at Oxfield in the county semi-final at 7pm.

Benbulben Gaels U14 hurlers also play Tourlestrane in the final round of the championship this week.

Commiserations to club player Michelle McNamara and the Sligo ladies footballers who ran Kildare very close before losing a thrilling All-Ireland intermediate semi-final after extra-time last Saturday at Kingspan Breffni Park. 

Saturday morning nursery training resumes in Oxfield this weekend (Sept 3rd). U6 training starts at 9:45am sharp. U8 and U10 at 10:30am. New players are always very welcome.

We wish senior men’s footballer Gary Feeney every success in the US as he flies to begin a new work placement in Nashville Tennessee for the next 12 months. Gary has been an integral part for our senior team for several years. We look forward to hearing soon about the creation of a new ‘Nashville branch’ of the DRP GAA Supporters Club!