Rhys King (St Patrick's NS, Baconstown) in the lead for the ball during the Div 3 hurling final between St Patrick's NS, Baconstown and Moynalvey NS at the 2023 Cumann na mBunscol finals in St Loman's Park, Trim.Photo: Gerry Shanahan-www.cyberimages.net

Teams get ready to chase glory in the Cumann na mBunscol hurling and camogie finals

Jimmy Geoghegan

Published: Wed 12 Jun 2024, 5:53 PM

Last updated: Thu 13 Jun 2024, 10:50 AM

PHOTOS AND REPORTS FROM EVERY FINAL IN NEXT ISSUE OF THE MEATH CHRONICLE ......PLUS THE 'SPIRIT OF THE FINAL' WINNERS

They put the work in, trained hard, overcame the many tests they faced along the way - and now they are the cusp of claiming the big prize.

The young players involved in this year's Cumann na mBunscol Hurling and Camogie finals will be striving for glory - for themselves and their schools - when they take part in the series of showdowns scheduled for this Friday and Saturday on the hallowed turf of St Loman's Park, Trim.

Every minute of every final will be covered by the Meath Chronicle with the paper's reporters and photographers out and about recording the heroics and all the drama.

The Cumann na mBunscol Hurling and Camogie finals are big occasions not only for the players - but the teachers who double as coaches also.

Then what about the parents? They too will travel to St Loman's Park in big numbers on both days with hope in their hearts that they will get to see their son or daughter win on the big stage.

Among the teachers/coaches who will be taking a team to the finals is Sean Geraghty, a figure well known in Meath hurling circles.

The Kilskyre/Moylagh and Meath hurler is a teacher in Gilson NS, Oldcastle an area where football is king. However, Geraghty is seeking to encourage youngsters to take up hurling and get the kind of rich rewards and enjoyment he has got from the ancient game at club and inter-county level.

"This is only Gilson NS's second year with a hurling team so to make a Cumann na mBunscol final is great, hopefully it will be a stepping stone ultimately to encourage more youngsters down to the club (Lough Crew Gaels). We have a good crew at u-13 level and we're trying to build on that number," he said.

"We are trying to spread the hurling gospel, to give kids the opportunity to play the sport. The most important thing is to give a youngster an opportunity to play a sport and that's what I'm trying to do, is give them an opportunity and we are seeing an uptake on the numbers coming to the club. Now the challenge is to try and replicate that again next year."

Geraghty points out how Oldcastle's Paul Hennessy, who plays his club hurling with Kilskyre/Moylagh making the Meath u-20 hurling panel this year was a very positive move indeed - and a example of how what can be achieved when a young player's talents are fostered, honed and developed. He is someone others can aspire to match.

In the coming years Geraghty is planning also on getting a camogie team up and running in earnest - and hopefully increase the popularity of that sport in the north Meath area.

Geraghty is helped in running the schools hurling team by Niall Fitzpatrick, a parent.

Action from the Div 3 Camogie final at the 2023 Cumann na mBunscol finals with Maisie Regan (Boyerstown NS); Maebh Gallagher (Kiltale NS) and Lauryn Comerford (Boyerstown NS) among the those looking to secure possession. *Photo: Gerry Shanahan-www.cyberimages.net* Photo by Gerry Shanahan

Winning a schools final would, Seanie Geraghty agreed, also be very pleasing for all the teacher/coaches involved with all the teams.

Gilson NS take on Gaelscoil Tulach na nÓg in the Developing Shield Hurling final on Saturday at 1.30.

The Gilson NS teacher recalls as a youngsgter playing for Ballinlough NS in a schools final in Dunsany back in the day. However his side lost to Dunsany NS. Now he wants to win a title as a coach of a clearly evolving Gilson NS team.

Another school where hurling and camogie appears to be catching on big time is Lismullen NS, located in a predominantly football area. They contest the Developing Shield Camogie final on Friday, 3.30 along with Gaelscoil na Mi.

Lismullen are also in the Div 2 final on Friday, 4.30, a match which will be refereed by one Seanie Geraghty.

The six card game on Saturday gets underway at 9.30am when Kildalkey NS face Cannistown NS in the Div 1/2 Shield showdown.

From then on the action continues.

As part of the two-day extravaganza the Meath Chronicle will present a 'Spirit of the Final' award to a player from one of the teams involved in each game.

Fixtures

Friday June 14th

12.30 p.m. Division 4 Hurling Final

Kilskyre N.S. v St. Michael’s N.S., Kill

Réiteoir: John Byrne

1.30 p.m. Division 1 Camogie Final

Baconstown N.S. v Cannistown N.S.

Réiteoir: Brian Mullins

2.30 p.m. Division 3 Hurling Final

Dangan N.S. v Moynalvey N.S.

Réiteoir: Fergal Kelly (St. Mary’s N.S., Trim)

3.30 p.m. Developing Shield Camogie Final