Boys in Croke Park - An Incredible Achievement! A tribute to our Brilliant Boys Gaelic Football Teams!

On October 21st, for the second year in a row, our brilliant Boys' Senior Football Team marched onto the hallowed turf of Croke Park, this time

to contest the Corn Geoffrey Keating Cup final! Our opponents on the day were none other than our friends, neighbours and rivals Clonburris NS in a rare All-Clondalkin Clash in a Cumann na mBunscol final! It was a high intensity, high quality clash with both teams serving up a great exhibition of skill, determination and fighting spirit! Unfortunately, the result did not go our way as Clonburris proved to be too strong in the end emerging as deserved victors but we couldn't be any prouder of how the boys battled until the end and how they represented the school on the day! Over the years, we have always had close battles with Clonburris in the group stages. Some years we would win and others they would but they have always been matches that have been played in the right spirit and last week, on the biggest stage of all in Croke Park, it was no different. Clonburris really did have an outstanding team this year. We beat them last year by one point in a really exciting match at Towers in the group stage and that win ultimately proved to be the catalyst for our brilliant run to the final in Croker last year. However, we knew that this year they would still have most of their key men and plenty of other fine young players to back them up and they showed in Croker that there is no doubt that they were ultimately the best team in the competition this year!

However, we must pay tribute to our own lads! Fair enough, we didn't win the cup but my goodness, did these lads earn the right to play in Croke Park this year (as much if not more than any other Sruleen team that has been lucky enough to reach the finals in Croker before!) Twice these lads have had to come back from the brink of elimination. Once against a very fine Gaelscoil na Camóige team in the all or nothing final group game and again in the quarterfinals when they reeled in a six point deficit to come out on top against another formidable opponent in Scoil Áine of Lucan. They just kept fighting back and provided us with so much excitement and entertainment that will live long of the memory of all who were involved and all who witnessed it! Each and every player deserves a special mention in this tribute!

And where better to start than with our goalie, 'Mr. Cool' himself, Cameron! When the year started, we hadn't a clue who was going to be this year's goalie but on the very first training session that we tried Cameron in there, we knew he was the man for the job! He actually has all the attributes required to play the position. He is cool under pressure (he has a great sense of when he has time to find a man but also when he has no choice but to lump it). He's also very quick to get down and make diving saves but above all, he has such a great safe, pair of hands. The Clonburris forwards gave him lots of work to do last week and he made some great stops but the highlight for me was that outstanding overhead catch he made in the second half. And let's not forget his incredible performance against Gaelscoil na Camoige where he made one point blank save that ultimately kept us in the game! Cameron is also just such a nice, humble young boy who will do whatever is asked of him for the good of the team. He is a fine outfield player too and he might ultimately be needed outfield for next year but he can be very proud of how he performed between the sticks this year. Speaking of sticks, this boy knows a thing or two about how to strike a sliotar with one so I've no doubt he will be already turning his attention to getting ready for big hurling season next year!

Now we turn to the boy who made the all-important right corner back position his own this year and that's Daniel. Daniel is one hardy bit of stuff! He's like a throwback to the corner back of the olden days - a tough, tenacious, tight-marking defender who loves getting out in front of his man, catching it on his chest and clearing his lines! He is just one of those characters who you can always count on to stand up and be counted when the going gets tough. He made some crucial clearances and interceptions when we really needed them in those tight battles vs Gaelscoil and Scoil Áine and he should be very proud of how he played in Croker last week. He commanded his corner confidently and didn't put a foot wrong in all honesty. Daniel didn't get the chance to play with the lads in Croke Park last year so we were really pleased for him that he got the opportunity to do so this time around as given how dedicated he has been, he really deserved it! And the good news is that Daniel has also now joined Towers and is already making his presence felt with some very impressive performances!

And what can we say about our ten year old full back, Sean?? What an outstanding talent! There have been times watching Sean this year when I have just been in awe of what he was doing out there. Sean has never played the full back position before but to look at him, you'd think he was a wily veteran of 20 years! Sean has all the attributes required to develop into a truly great player. He has speed, a tremendous temperament and he reads the game so well. But above all, Sean's ability to jump up and reach over everyone's head in that crowded area of the pitch to pluck the overhead high ball out of the sky, that has been truly breathtaking to watch! He has been absolutely crucial to this team's success and he'll be integral to next year's plans where he'll probably be at midfield showcasing yet another string to his bow : epic long range points off that trusty left foot of his! Certainly has to be in the conversation for Player of the Year!

And now we turn to one of our main men from Fifth Class, Alex O'H! We always knew that Alex was going to be more than ready to step up to the Senior Team this year but I can't stress enough how impressive he has been. We assumed he'd be a forward because believe me he has serious scoring potential but we decided we needed his speed back in that all important corner back position and he just got better and better with every match! Alex is a natural ball player who can snap up a ball even when running at full speed. But maybe the most impressive aspect of his game this year was his tackling! He was absolutely relentless and surely one of our top blockers this year. It also has to be said that Alex really was one of our best performers in Croke Park last week which surely have to give Alex himself confidence but it also gives us heart for our prospects in the competition next year too. For now, however, I'm sure Alex who is a Cherry Orchard star, is already eager to show what he can do come the school soccer season!

And now to one of our main men, the stalwart that is Kyle! What an incredible servant Kyle has been to this team over the years. Kyle is a top quality player (he hasn't been playing Senior GAA for the school since Fourth Class for nothing!)and he has just had another absolutely outstanding campaign in his final year for the school. Kyle is such a well-rounded player- I have always been really impressed with his first touch, his decision-making and his vision but this year, it's his work rate that has stood out most of all. He spent a lot of the campaign at midfield but what he may have lacked for size in that position he certainly made up for with his relentless running, tackling and overall competitive fire! He was rock solid at wing back in the final too and I would point to him as being a fantastic role model for younger lads about how to conduct yourself as a sportsman. He will be a key player this year for the soccer team but there is also brilliant news for the hurling team as he is now playing it down in Towers. I know Mr. Whelan and Mr. Scott are very excited to see how he has progressed come hurling season!

And now to Mr. GAA himself, our spiritual leader at centre back, John! If there is any young boy in this country more passionate about his GAA than John, I'll eat my hat! He lives and breathes it and has worked so hard on his skills to become the brilliant player he is today! And what an outstanding campaign he has had! When we needed him most this year, when we were on the brink of defeat vs Gaelscoil and Scoil Aine, that is when John stepped up and made the big tackles and won the high balls and the breaking balls that in many cases he had absolutely no right to win but through sheer determination and class, he did! And once again, just like last year, he really rose to the occasion and seemed to absolutely relish having the opportunity to play another final in Croker last week producing a really composed, focused but steely performance on the day! One thing I'm sure of is that John won't be resting on his laurels now and being the natural leader he is, his focus will now turn to doing whatever he can to help the hurling team in their quest to try and reach Croker next year - as the captain! 

Oh boy, am I going to miss watching Jack play Gaelic Football for Sruleen when he is gone. When Jack is in the zone it's an absolute joy to behold! His performance against Scoil Áine in the quarter-final was one of the best performances I've seen from a young player in a Sruleen jersey in many a year! He's a tigerish, attacking wing back who seems to have endless reserves of energy for the fight! Jack has all the skills in the book really. He scored some outrageous points off his left foot this year but has also produced some exquisite kick passes, one highlight being his beautiful pass over the top for Marcos's first point in Croker last week. And once again, Jack produced a fine display in Croker last week - he just never quit trying! Knowing Jack, I'm sure he is as hungry as ever to try and get back there come hurling season and I've no doubt he is going to make sure he is ready for one last hurrah! He has, for sure, been one of our all time great GAA men but he is NOT done yet!!

And now we have finally come to our exceptional captain, Alex! One thing that might have gotten lost in all the buzz of both finals last week is that Alex made his own special piece of personal history by becoming the only child in Sruleen history to play in not one, not two but three Cumann na mBunscol finals in Croke Park! What an unbelievable achievement that is!! Alex was very young when he played in his first final but the reality is that there is no way that we would have made it to Croker these past two years without him. At times, he genuinely was in a class of his own. As captain, he has had to shoulder more responsibility than is reasonable - he was expected to be both our main attacking threat from midfield but also the one to mark and keep the opposition's best player quiet in the game. Alex is simply a special talent! He can carry the ball on a solo run the length of the pitch using both feet with three lads hanging out of him and still be fully in control. His kicking off his left is probably just as good if not even more accurate than his right these days which is as a result of constant practice. But above all, it's his work ethic that stands out to me. Alex will run himself into the ground for this team from the first minute to the last and indeed that's what he did in Croker last week despite constantly having to deal with getting swarmed by a Clonburris team that knew how dangerous a player he is! Needless to say, he's one of our all time greats and we believe he has a big future in this sport if he continues to love it as much as he does now. But the year is still young. He'll be eager to keep his 100% record in the Cross country races going, he'll be a big player come soccer season too and then there is also the small matter of one more Cnmb campaign in the hurling to prepare for but for now, all we can do is salute our wonderful captain who always lead by example for this team on and off the pitch!

And now to the ultimate warrior himself, Fletcher! If ever you were to look around a dressing room and see a teammate who would inspire confidence in you before going into battle, Fletcher is that man! Fletcher just loves the big occasion, and the tougher the challenge , the more eager Fletcher is to rise to it! He wants to mark the best player. I reckon if we were lining out against  the All Ireland champions, Kerry, and were wondering who was going to mark David Clifford, Fletcher would be straight in there and say 'I'll take Clifford!' And if you were to ask him which Clifford, he'd probably say 'I'll take the two of them'! But it's not just his unshakable self-belief that stands out. He genuinely is an outstanding Gaelic Footballer, one of the best tacklers I've ever seen in a Sruleen jersey and his ability to catch all sorts of awkward high and low balls is very impressive indeed. Given the difficulty of the task assigned to him in Croker last week, you'd have to say he was probably our 'Man of the Match' - and he capped off a brilliant performance with a monster point which was probably the score of the day. Mr. Rafter rates Fletcher very highly and he certainly looks like captain material come the soccer season but he'll also want to be  be one of the main men on the hurling team too so I can definitely see him put in the practice over the next few months to make sure he is. Either way, when all is said and done, it looks like Fletcher is on his way to be remembered as one of our all time great Sportsmen! 

Now we move on to our forwards and where better to start than with our fantastic new addition to the team this year, Reece! Reece is a player that I feel has a really high ceiling as a player. He just has so much natural talent. He has speed, he has athleticism (I'll be curious to see how he does at the Long Jump trials next year) and he has plenty of technical skill. Believe me, that left leg of his is a potent weapon - he's got plenty of great scores off it this year! It also has to be said that Reece is a very unselfish. He is always looking to get out in front and make himself available but when he gets it his first instinct is to try and find the right pass to the runner off the shoulder. Reece had plenty of great games this year but the highlights for me were his excellent second half performance vs Gaelscoil and of course, his brilliant semi-final performance vs St. Mary's. It's been great to have Reece back with us and I have no doubt he will be eager to make his mark in both soccer and hurling this year too!

Alfie E had already established himself as a starting player on last year's team but this year he really transformed his game to become one of our most influential players at centre forward. His overhead catching (a skill that he has had to work hard on) has been excellent this year but his fitness levels and willingness to work for the team has really stood out. Alfie was the big link man between our midfield and attack as he tirelessly made himself available to link up with the midfielders running through. He has a confidence and willingness now to make his mark and take a game by the scruff of the neck and I wouldn't be surprised if it was Alfie who had more possessions than anyone else in Croke Park last week. He is a very skillful and elusive player to mark too and has been a handful for all the centre backs who have had to encounter him this year. Alfie is just a true sportsman. One of the most important traits a young sportsman or sportswoman can have is the willingness to always improve. And make no mistake, Alfie has this trait in abundance and will be an absolutely vital player to both our hurling and soccer teams come the next term!

Now, we come to the youngest player on the team, Luke! Luke is in Fourth Class and to be honest, to make the starting team at his age on this panel with 13 strong Sixth Class players involved, you have to be a pretty special talent and that's exactly what Luke is! Firstly, his first touch is first class. He can catch kick-outs and long balls as well as any Sixth Class midfielder and he just has superb close control of the football on the solo run. Luke may be small for now but he certainly doesn't lack courage as evidenced by the many blocks he has made here and maybe the one he made in Croker was the best of all! He has just been outstanding for the Senior team this year (our older lads had complete trust in him) and the highlight of his year has to be the way he jinked through to the Scoil Áine defence and placed it perfectly in the corner for the goal that ultimately killed the game. We may be losing some of our best ever this year but I see Luke as a natural successor to these greats and by the way, watch out for Luke come hurling season because he is dynamite at hurling!!

And now to the most dangerous man under a high ball at the edge of the square in Clondalkin: Brody! Brody has been our main target man up at full forward for 2 years now and what a brilliant two years he has had for the school team. One of my favourite sights over the past two years has been watching Brody make those big high catches of long balls fired in on top of the square. Once Brody is out in front, his catching is so sharp even when the ball is bouncing awkwardly at it him. And when I think back at the most pivotal moments of this year's campaign, Brody was at the heart of so many of them. He scored the winning goal against Gaelscoil na Camóige off that famously (at this stage) lethal left foot of his and he also produced that exquisite 'pass of the year' for Marcos's goal in behind the Scoil Áine defence in the quarters that got us back in that match and he even made the huge dispossessing tackle that lead to Luke's goal that won us that game. Those were big, big contributions that Brody made when we needed him most! He is a man capable of producing magic moments that very few others can and hopefully, he will be producing many more of them in a Towers jersey for years to come!

And now to the player that I want to declare as our 'most improved player of 2025': Jake! Jake's one of our few boys in Sixth Class who doesn't play for a GAA club but there was no one more determined to help the team in our quest to reach Croker than Jake. Boy, was he willing to work hard to improve his skills! He has always had a great sense for where to position himself (not just for passes but also for breaking balls and opposing clearances) but his kicking off both feet has become so impressive - I'd rank him up close to the top of the list of our most accomplished ball strikers off both feet. Jake had a fine campaign but the performance that stood head and shoulders above the rest was that in the semi-final. Jake was on fire that day. He was so willing to take on and tear at the St. Mary's defense on a solo run and he scored some of the best goals and points we've seen from this team all year that day! Jake's first love is soccer of course and I've no doubt he must be counting the days until the school soccer season starts but I can't stress enough how brilliant his attitude has been this GAA campaign!

When I think of players that have the ability to really excite a crowd of fans, Marcos really comes to mind. Marcos has an unbelievable turn of pace. He can go from zero to 100 in less than a second and that's why he is such a terrifying player to mark if he manages to get a run at you! He is also more than capable of being fully in control of the football while soloing at full speed. Marcos's handling and his shooting have also really improved this year. Again, he has been one of our go-to targets for long, high balls over the top which he has been able to catch running at full speed. It just goes to show how much natural talent he has but he also has been fully committed to the school GAA team this year. You would have to say he was our most dangerous attacker in Croke Park last week, scoring two absolutely superb points from play and luckily for us, we will still be able to call on his services for next year's competition. Marcos is also a gifted soccer player and clinical finisher and will be a very, very important player for next year's soccer team indeed!

Alfie P was very much the joker of the pack this year! Alfie was very unlucky to miss out on the first few matches through injury and also being abroad for a time but when the chance to make an impact presented itself to Alfie in that all important, tight quarter-final, boy did he grab it with both hands. He was so sharp and pounced on the two chances that presented themselves to him, once with a quick side-step and chip over the bar and again he squeezed the ball into the corner of the net with only a split second to react. He then carried on that red hot form by scoring a few screamers in the semi-final. He is a real livewire out there and you can always tell that he's looking to make something happen which is always a great sign of a young player. Alfie is never just there to make up the numbers, Alfie is a fine hurler too and we reckon this experience of Croke Park is only going to motivate him more to try and get back there again before his Sruleen days are over and I expect him to produce more than a few important moments for the hurling team this year too! 

Earlier in this write-up I called our centre back John 'Mr.Gaa'. Well, Clive can certainly make a claim to be called that too given he has been playing Gaelic Football and hurling for Towers for many years now, himself. In fairness, his bigger passion of the two sports is hurling so maybe 'Mr. Hurling' would be the more appropriate nickname for him! Clive is a really committed and whole-hearted player. He is one of those characters who will never give up no matter what the scoreline is. He is a really tidy, intelligent player- always vigilant in his man-marking, always looking to make the right decision on the ball when he gets it and more often than not he does! He has had a tremendous campaign . We often used him to help shore up the defense when we were protecting our leads and I have to say he did an excellent job when he came on in Croke Park last week. Honestly, I can't think of a more deserving young boy to get a chance to play in Croker and I'm actually not sure there will be anyone more excited for when the hurling season comes around than Clive!

If we were to give out an award for our most versatile player of the year that would surely go to Conor. Conor has played this year in the full back line, the half back line, at corner forward and even at full forward at times. Wherever you ask Conor to play, he will put in a shift and do the job, no questions asked. He is a proper team player and also someone who I think has massive potential. He is strong, fast, brave and possesses a powerful strike off that right foot of his. Anyone who has watched our matches closely will recognize only too well some of the important contributions Conor has made to this team. His brilliant shot over the bar on the half turn against Gaelscoil, that courageous block under pressure vs Scoil Áine and he also certainly made his presence felt in Croker last week too with a few fine catches. And the fantastic news is that Conor is eager to join Towers again in the new year and if he sticks with it, I strongly believe he is going to be one of our big guns on the GAA team come this time next year and potentially one of the best players of his age in Clondalkin!

And finally, a few words about our speedster in Sixth Class, Eoin. Eoin is probably our most inexperienced player on the squad but we were always eager to get him involved because we recognized the incredibly natural athletic talent he has. Unfortunately, Eoin was injured for a good part of the season and didn't get the opportunity to get the training behind him to reach his full potential. However, he still had some fine moments! He got on the score sheet against St. Peter's and really got stuck into the action when he came on in the final in Croker. Eoin is super quick and strong and I actually believe that if he had a few years of playing GAA under his belt, he'd be capable of playing at a very high level. I've also seen him play in goals and make diving saves that even Cluxton would have to applaud. In any case, this isn't the end of Eoin's sporting journey just yet as he will be eager to make his mark for soccer season and watch out for that super speed of his during the Santry Athletics too!

We also took part in the CnmB Go Games competition and Mr. Whelan and Mr. O'Boyle were the managers. We had a really enthusiastic group of young players. It was a keenly contested competition. We won some, we lost some but one thing is for sure - we had a lot of very impressive performers in those matches and Mr. Whelan and Mr. O'Boyle were very proud of how they all competed. Most of these boys are very young so they will not be receiving as comprehensive a write-up because there will be plenty to say about these great talents in the coming years but they still deserve a mention for their valuable contributions.

Where better to start than with the Go Games captain fantastic, Sean C! Sean joined Towers around this time last year and has already really impressed. He is one of the best exponents of the overhead catch you'll see, has a huge kick and can play in a number of different positions. He is a top class goalkeeper but also a superb full forward! He really lead by example on the pitch by always giving his absolute best and I fully expect Sean to feature prominently at Senior Level next year! He might even end up being one of our main men!

Mason has been playing for Towers for a couple of years now and it really shows. Mason has a real spark about him when he plays. He is a very fast, nippy player and he zips around that pitch always looking to make an impact on the game. He can solo and score too and he's certainly not afraid of making a brave block. There's no doubt that Mason is one of our top prospects in Third Class right now that we will be keeping a close eye on.

Josh (Fourth Class) is one of the current Go Games team that I am most looking forward to seeing play at Senior Level next year! He has recently joined Towers and he already looks so comfortable and confident playing the game. Sure. it's no wonder - his mother played for Dublin! In any case, Josh is a classy player with a cultured left foot and a fine pair of hands who already seems to have a great understanding of the game and I just have a feeling he's going to be ready to have a big year at Senior Level next year!

Josh (Third Class) is a very tough, brave Gaelic Footballer and has no qualms about putting his body in the way of a hard shot. If I was going on a solo run through to goal, Josh is the last player that I'd want to see coming my way for a tackle because no one gets by Josh easily! He also has a great catch and is playing down in Towers which can only mean Good News for Sruleen as he can only keep getting better and better in the coming years. 

Zack is a player that I have always felt has great potential to flourish at this game. He is athletic, fast and his ball-striking technique really stands out as being impressive for someone who doesn't play GAA for a club. But what I was most pleased to hear from Mr. Whelan this year was that Zack's tackling has been relentless. Zack seems to be more interested in soccer for now but I've always felt that if he was fully committed to working on his GAA skills for a few months, he'd be well able to compete at Senior level and hopefully that will be the case this time next year!

Volodymyr has been playing for Towers for over a year now and you can really see how much he has improved. Volodymyr has clearly worked hard on his GAA skills, particularly his catching and it has been great to see him grow in confidence when he plays. He plays with great determination and he doesn't let opposing players get past him easily. One thing we love about Volodymyr is that he is always willing to put himself forward for any sports or music activities we organize here at the school and he seemed to really enjoy playing for the Go Games team this year.  

If we were to compile a list of Sruleen boys that we would love to see join Towers in the new year, Olly (Fourth Class) would surely be up close to the top of that list (if not, the very top!). The game just seems to come so naturally to him and he was one of our top scorers on the Go Games team this year. He is skillful and accurate and I reckon that if he had a few months of club GAA under his belt, he'd have a great chance of not just making the Senior Panel next year but the actual starting team!

Speaking of players that we would love to see join Towers, how about the 'Pocket Rocket' himself: Cole. This young lad has talent! He isn't afraid of any bigger players and will jump out ahead of any of them to catch that ball. He doesn't lack speed either and if Cole were to put in plenty of practice on his soloing and kicking over the next 6 months, by the time the Go Games season comes around next year, he'll be dynamite!

Olly (Third Class) is another player we have kept a close eye on this year. He is a big, strong lad for his age and he played very well for the Go Games team this year. He can catch high balls comfortably on his chest and is capable of producing big, long clearances off that powerful right foot of his! Certainly, we would love to see Olly back with Towers but either way, we will be keeping a close eye on him regarding his GAA progress here in Sruleen.

We were delighted when Leo, the brother of one of our top soccer players from last year, Alessio, agreed to come and play for the Go Games team this year. Needless to say, Mr. Whelan and Mr. O'Boyle were very impressed. He is a natural ball player who is not afraid to get stuck in and make his presence felt. His ball striking is superb and with a bit of training and dedication, he could possibly be someone to watch out for at Senior Level next year!

Our rugby star Ben has always been willing to put himself forward for playing GAA for the school. Ben is strong and powerful and will never shy away from a tackle (which isn't surprising considering his rugby-playing prowess). He had another fine year for the Go Games team. He's a really natural high catcher but above all, he just has such a positive, respectful attitude which never goes unnoticed here at Sruleen. 

TJ is another one of our Fourth Class stars who just looks like a real natural talent out there. He is very comfortable on the solo run and was one of the most accurate passers and shooters on the whole team. Though he is young, if TJ could get a few months of club GAA under his belt (maybe with Towers), he could well end up being in the running for a spot on the Senior Panel as he was certainly one of the stand-out performers on the Go Games team this year!

Joel from Third Class was the youngest player on the team this year but he for sure, is one of our most exciting prospects. Joel's just a natural baller. He is speedy and skillful and possesses a powerful but accurate strike off his left foot that would be the envy of plenty of fully grown adult players! He will need to work on that right foot too but we reckon that if Joel can commit to a full year playing GAA down at Towers, despite his young age, he could well be putting himself in with a chance of making the Senior Panel next year.

Kayden joined the Go Games team a little later in the year but he is a player that I have always thought could have the potential to excel at this sport. Mr. Rafter also said the same to me when he was teaching Kayden in Third Class. Kayden's catches are great, he picked up the skill of the pick-up very easily and he strikes the ball straight and true. If Kayden really committed to giving GAA a proper go for Towers, I think we would soon see the blossoming of a fine young player indeed!

Calvin from Third Class had no experience of playing GAA until this year but he really stood out as a natural talent to watch out for. He has no fear of the bigger boys, he can kick with both feet and he can do a lovely, deceptive little sidestep to get away from defenders. Calvin is also a little speedster! Above all, Calvin is one of those children that will never give up when he puts his mind to something. We would love to see Calvin give GAA a proper go by joining Towers as we really, strongly believe that he would love it down there!

This was Maximilian from Fourth Class's first time playing GAA for the school he seems to have really enjoyed the challenge. He is a determined player who loves getting in amongst the action and he could run all day long! One aspect of his game that really stood out to Mr. Whelan was his quick thinking and his instincts for taking quick frees that lead to scores. That is a rare quality for someone so young and Max is certainly a player to watch out for this time next year!

Archie has been a Towers star for a number of years now. He is both a hurling and football man and he had a great year for the Go Games team. He has a fine pair of hands and possesses a hugely powerful kick. But above all, Archie is a really versatile player and is willing to play in any position you ask him to - no questions asked! And above all, that is the sort of attitude we love to see here in Sruleen school!

Lewis also plays for the Towers Under 10s GAA team and his experience certainly showed this year. Lewis is naturally drawn to the forward line and if the ball is in the danger area, the other team's defense better be very afraid because Lewis only has only one thing on her mind and that's goal! Indeed, he got that all important goal against Clonburris that inspired us to victory and something tells me it's not going to be the last goal he gets in a Sruleen jersey!

I remember Liam well from some of the after school training sessions from last year. He joined the Go Games team late this year but just in time to make an impression on Mr. Whelan who was very impressed by his footballing ability but also about how strong and brave he was. He didn't let anything past him in defense easily and he is high up the list of players that we'd love to see join Towers.

We are all the time encouraging girls and boys to join Towers because we have seen how much enjoyment they get out of it when they do and Eli is one of our big success stories as a Towers recruit. He has been really impressing his coaches down in Towers and it has been no different here in Sruleen. He's a player who has real grit, that gets stuck in and wins the hard ball and is well able to break a tackle... once Eli has the ball in hand, you'll have some challenge taking it back off him. And he seems as eager as ever to keep improving which is only good news for us here in Sruleen!

As for Alfie, this boy is just a natural baller. He's like an energizer bunny out there - he will run all day for you and is always just so eager to make his mark on the match. He's a really secure catcher on his chest and possesses a big strike of a ball for his size. What really stood out about Alfie this year is how much he seemed to enjoy playing GAA so I really hope this experience with the school inspires him to try playing more GAA by joining Towers in the new year!

And last but most certainly not least is Ryan from Fourth Class. Ryan had an absolutely superb Go Games campaign, especially for someone who has never played GAA for a club. He is a natural at this game, has great catching abilities and was one of our top forwards this year for sure. Both Mr. Whelan and Mr. O'Boyle have highlighted him as someone that could well have a chance to make the Senior Panel next year, if he gained a bit more experience by joining Towers! Here's hoping!!

So there you have it! As you can see we have so much talent in Sruleen and so many boys eager to play GAA in the school. I've also recently heard the great news that Sean CD in Fourth Class joined Towers and Yamin has shown great promise as a GAA player too. As for next year's teams, we have so many boys who want to play now that it is going to be difficult to manage to accommodate everyone but we will always try. Regarding the Go Games team, it is generally supposed to be a team for Fourth and Fifth Class children. However, we have a rule that if a Third Class girl or boy (this year's Second Class children) is playing for a GAA club, they will also be allowed to try out for the Go Games team. Next year we do have a good few excellent club players coming into Third Class so that rule will be enforced strictly. We have this rule because the numbers interested are already so big and we feel like it is a great incentive for girls and boys to join their local GAA club. For example, when we brought this rule in two years ago, within the space of a couple of weeks three girls had joined Towers and they are still absolutely loving it down there two years later!

As for the Senior panel next year, we will be losing 13 players from Sixth Class and will only be retaining 6 players from the current Senior Panel . This means that next year will very much be a rebuilding process. However, the 6 players who will be remaining from this year's Senior Panel are all top players and will provide a great foundation for and spine of the team next year. With so many of our current players leaving for Secondary School next year, this means it will be the 'year of opportunity' for those players remaining as there will be spots available on that Senior Panel for those willing to work hard enough for them (In comparison, there will still be 14 girls remaining from this year's cup winning panel next year so there will be a lot less spots up for grabs on the girls Senior Panel as there will be for the boys). This is why we are encouraging players to join Towers because even half a year of club football (and hurling for that matter) might just end up being the difference maker between making the Senior Team and the Go Games Team. If enough of our younger players make the improvement required to play at Senior Level, who knows....maybe we will give ourselves a right chance to make it to Croker again next year! As we know only too well, it is very difficult to get to Croke Park. There are between 16-20 teams trying to get there in this competition every year so you just never know when you're going to go through a period of 5 years or even more before you don't get back there again but all we can do is to try and give ourselves the best possible chance for each group of kids because at the end of the day it is a memory for life for all involved and as much as the odds are usually against you at the start of the year, it is a worthy goal for these kids to have. All you can do is try!

Mr. Kelly was extremely proud of all our girls and boys who took part in the GAA season this year. He is very passionate and a huge driving force behind the promotion of sport in our school and couldn't have been more pleased for the kids. He has also always adamant that this group of Boys would be a team for Croke Park when he saw them in a Clondalkin blitz when they were way back in Third Class! As for the Boys Senior team, Mr. Flynn has dedicated a lot of time and dedication to training our Senior Boys. He has taken a lot of the Wednesday trainings by himself and he strongly believes that the main reason the boys were able to get to Croke Park the past two years is because his (over)confidence as a Kerry man really rubbed off on the boys! I'll let the boys decide whether he has a point or not!!

Speaking of sport in the school, there will be plenty more sporting opportunities for the boys in the school year. The Cross Country running and soccer seasons will all be back some time in the next term. Mr. Rafter is really looking forward to working with the boys soccer team this year and Mr. Whelan and Mr. Scott are planning to organize a hurling blitz straight after we come back from the Halloween Break so there's plenty of sport to look forward to!

We also want to thank all the parents and grandparents who have been so supportive of all the boys and girls all throughout the campaign. We always had more than enough volunteers to provide lifts to the away matches. We want to assure you that these sacrifices do not go unnoticed. We also have to thank the Fitzsimons family for their generous donation to the buses for Croke Park, all the families involved in organizing the pizza party and a special thanks to Louise, Breda and Kim for feeding the kids on the day and a big thanks to Frank Costello for his donation towards school sports! If anyone is wondering who made that incredible placard at the front of the school, the Lennon family are responsible for that! We also have to thank the LGFA , the Maldron Hotel and Wayne Gaynor from R'n'R cleaning for sponsoring our jerseys and the Fitzsimons and Kenny families for sponsoring the team jackets and bags respectively. I apologize in advance if I have missed out on any person who has made a contribution or donation that I am not aware of. Above all, it has been great to see so many people come out and support the girls and boys this year and long may it continue!

We also have to thanks all the Sruleen children who came out to support us in Croke Park and we are particularly impressed by the fantastic posters of support. There is amazing artistic talent in this school, for sure. We also want to thank Matthew Lysaught for his incredible photos of the action in Croke Park last week. Some of the shots he took are absolutely frame-worthy and you can all take a look here : https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/QtiYkj5wq3RpW8aQNoRSMPMW5AkPsJSjDdbYkmbsrcy There are also some fantastic photos of the action on the cnmb flickr page here : https://www.flickr.com/photos/cnmb_ath_cliath/albums/72177720329882308/

And finally, we just want to pass on our big congratulations to Clonburris one more time. You were absolutely deserving champions and very gracious and classy winners. As always, we look forward to plenty more sporting battles with you in the future!