Fáilte go Blog Scoil Naomh Mearnóg

Congratulations to the boys and girls in Ms Hall’s and Ms Phillip’s classes who received their First Holy Communion in St. Anne’s Church, Portmarnock, on Saturday 21^st May. Thanks to Fr. McDermott who conducted the ceremony, to the children who sang in the choir and to the teachers who provided musical accompaniment. Thanks also to St. Marnock’s Association for serving refreshments in the parish centre afterwards and to the teachers for organising a party for the children in the school on the following Monday. It was a joyful occasion which everybody in attendance greatly appreciated.

Senior Hurling Final

Croke Park

Tuesday 8^th May @ 2.15p.m.

Scoil Naomh Mearnóg  V  Scoil Mhuire agus Iosef

followed by

Junior Hurling Exhibition Game involving 4^th class boys

• We are delighted that our Senior Hurling team will be participating in a final in Croke Park on Tuesday 8^th May at 2.15p.m.. Congratulations and the very best of luck to all the players and their managers.
• We have been advised by Cumann na mBunscol that children and parents wishing to attend the match as supporters must purchase tickets through their school due to a change in Croke Park policy. Schools are required to make a single payment by cheque.
• The senior hurling panel and the boys from our 4^th class who will play in an exhibition hurling match immediately after the final will not need to purchase admission tickets.
• The Board of Management will treat the senior hurling panel and the boys representing St. Marnock’s School in the exhibition game to a meal in McDonald’s, Artane.
• The supporters’ bus is now fully subscribed and the €5.00 paid by pupils today, Friday 4^th May, will cover the Croke Park admission fee and part of the bus fare. The Board of Management will make up the shortfall. The bus will leave the school at 1.15p.m. and return to the school at approximately 4.15p.m..
• Members of our Senior Hurling panel will leave the school at 1p.m. with parents and team managers.
• Boys playing in the exhibition game will travel to Croke Park with parents and wait at the entrance gate which is located at St. Joseph’s Avenue, off Clonliffe Road, for the supporters’ bus to arrive.
• Patrons are requested to use the Car Park located at the rear of Croke Park Hotel on Jones Road.
• Adults and children travelling to the match with parents who are not playing in the final and exhibition games  must purchase tickets in the school on Tuesday  8^th May.    Children: €3.00   Adults: €5.00

Congratulations to the boys in our Senior Hurling panel and their managers on qualifying for the final in Croke Park on Tuesday 8th May at 2.15p.m. following victory over Scoil Chiaráin in the semi-final played in Whitehall on Thursday 3rd May.  Our opponents in the final will be Scoil Mhuire agus Iosef, Bayside. A bus will be organised for pupils  from 2nd to 6th class inclusive to travel to the match to support the team. €5  tickets  which will cover the bus fare and admission to Croke Park will go on sale in the school on Friday morning. Good luck in the final.

Traditionally St Marnock’s School enters ONE boys’ hurling competition each year. Usually this is for the Junior Grade, a competition designed for the pupils from third to fifth class. However whenever we have a group of boys who have exceptional dedication and commitment to the GAA and who have spent many years practising all the skills of the game we make an exception to this tradition. This year we have such a group of boys. They have been travelling with the school team since they were 8 or 9 years of age and have spent long periods patiently learning their craft as substitutes and now it is payback time to them. In 2012 we have entered TWO competitions – one at junior level and another at senior level. The Senior Grade is primarily for children in Sixth Class and the rules permit the boys to lift, raise, handle , catch, solo and strike the sliotar from the hand– in other words hurling at a mature stage like what we see on our television screens in the All-Ireland series. The standard is extremely high and the pupils play hurling at a fast and furious pace. The Schools’ Hurling Committee entered us in the Corn Mhic Phiarais competition. The league comprised of FOUR groups of FOUR teams – sixteen teams in all from schools north and south of The Liffey. The top teams qualified for the knock-out stages of the league and we are now at the semi-finals stages. We are so proud of our boys who are playing Scoil Chiaráin from Donnycarney in Whitehall in the first semi-final on Thursday 3^rd May 2012 having battled though many matches and travelled countless miles trying to win the honours for the school and community. All of the matches have been close and exciting, full of sublime hurling and complete dedication. The semi-final  which was played in Castleknock in front of a vocal and partisan local crowd had a particularly dramatic ending. The opposing team was two points ahead at full time but our boys refused to yield to the pressure or lose their heads in panic at our predicament. Two minutes into extra time one of our mid-fielders ran with the sliotar on his hurley from his own 40 metre line all the way to the edge of the opposition’s square whereupon he nearly burst the net for a goal of supreme quality. The referee’s whistle sounded soon after making St Marnock’s the winner’s by a point. Oh what joy unconfined! And yet our boys restrained themselves in respect for the feelings of the opposing players who were understandably devastated at such a dramatic and cruel exit from the competition. Nevertheless we have prepared ourselves well for the up-coming semi-final, fully conscious that we are only ONE game away from playing in the hallowed turf of Croke Park.The trainers this year are Mr Scallan, Ms Madden , Mr Ahern and they are always supported by the our wonderful club coach Paddy Gorey who is such a help at all times. Special mention must be made of the incredible parents who travel the city far and wide providing transport and sustenance for the boys. We could not take part in the hurling competitions without the support of such wonderful parents, friends and supporters.