L-R; Joseph Clancy, Niamh McCormac - McKeever Sports, Sean O'Loughlin, Beibhinn Veale GCS GAA Club Chairperson, Clodagh McManus - McKeever Sports, Caoimhe Flynn, Aisling Dolphin, Sean Torpey - Torpey Sports.
By John Harrington
After the great success last year of the inaugural GCS Super 9s hurling tournament, Gort Community School’s Future Leaders students are aiming even higher this year.
Not content to simply replicate last year’s first ever U-15 All-Ireland 9-a-side hurling tournament, this year they’re also running a GCS Super 9s camogie tournament on the same scale in association with the TY Future Leaders Programme and as part of Future Leaders Events Month which is running from April 17 to May 19.
The GCS Super 9s camogie tournament takes place this Thursday, with the hurling two weeks later on Thursday, May 18. President of the Camogie Association, Hilda Breslin, will be in attendance at tomorrow's camogie tournament, while GAA President Larry McCarthy will attend the hurling Super 9s.
Ard Scoil Rís players celebrate after winning the 2022 GCS Hurling Super 9s.
The TY GAA Future Leaders programme, which has quickly become the largest transition year programme in the 26 counties, was actually founded by Gort Community School teacher and National Coordinator, Eoghan Hanley.
He’s hugely enthused by the dedication shown by his pupils to build on the success of last year’s GCS Super 9s.
“It's the same format again, with 16 hurling schools and 16 camogie schools from all four provinces,” he says.
“We have a very ambitious group of Future Leaders students this year who wanted to expand it to have both hurling and camogie.
“In fairness to them, it was a big undertaking to do it, and they've been working very hard to make sure that everything is in order for Thursday. Torpey and McKeever Sports are giving both tournaments equal sponsorship, which is great.
"McKeever are sponsoring a set of jerseys for the winning school in both tournaments. They have also made a bespoke All-Star jersey for the nine hurling and camogie Super 9's All-Stars.
"Torpey is sponsoring Bambú hurleys for 10 Magic Moments in each tournament 0 best goal, best save, et cetera."
A St. Flannan's hurler pulls off a spectacular block on a Presentation Athenry player in last year's GCS Super 9s.
The schools taking part in both GCS Super 9s tournaments are a roll-call of the most renowned hurling and camogie second-level nurseries in the country. It might only be in its second year, but already the GCS Super 9s is a red-letter day in the school sporting calendar.
“It was a great success last year, the Future Leaders students ran it very, very well," says Hanley. "The schools that were involved last year were very complimentary of the tournament and all the work our Future Leaders did to make it happen. The fact they were so keen to come back this year is testament to the tournament.
“We had absolutely no problem getting teams this year and we actually had more teams that wanted to compete than we could cater for.
“This year we've a couple of big additions to the hurling tournament in the shape of St. Kieran's College and Kilkenny CBS. It was won last year by Ard Scoil Ris from Limerick and they're coming back to defend it this year.”
Current Clare senior hurler and St. Flannan's teacher, Tony Kelly, talks to his players during the 2023 GCS Super 9s.
The logistical challenge of organising camogie and hurling GCS Super 9s tournaments is considerable, but the Gort CS TY pupils are very well prepared.
Every single one of them has some involvement across a wide range of roles that includes event controllers, PR/Social media, team liaisons, documentary team, catering/refreshments, umpires, ground staff, score-keepers, and equipment managers.
“In terms of the day to day stuff over the last number of months we probably had about 20 students that were very much hands on with all the different aspects of it,” says Hanley.
“And then on the day of the tournaments themselves, there will be about 110 students who will have different roles.
“Everything barring the refereeing on the day will be run and taken care of by the Future Leaders students.”
2023 GCS Super 9s Camogie competing schools: Gort Community School, Presentation Athenry, St. Brigids Loughrea, Seamount College, St. Flannans Ennis, St. Josephs Tulla, Coláiste Muire Ennis, Laurel Hill Limerick, St. Mary's Charleville, Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig, Ursuline Secondary School Thurles, Loreto Fermoy, Presentation Kilkenny, Loreto Kilkenny, Mountrath CS, St. Patricks Maghera.
2023 GCS Super 9s Hurling competing schools: Gort Community School, Presentation Athenry, St. Brigids Loughrea, Seamount College, St. Flannans Ennis, St. Josephs Tulla, Ardscoil Rís, John the Baptist CS Hospital, St. Colmans Fermoy, Midleton CBS, De La Salle Waterford, Kilkenny CBS, St. Kierans College Kilkenny, Coláiste Eoin, Cashel CS, Nenagh CBS
