County and club calling
November 27, 2010The printing company that is based in Navan's Mullaghboy Industrial Estate has become something of a second home for the popular Summerhill clubperson this year after she took on the role of PRO of the County Committee at the 2009 Convention.
McDonnell encountered no opposition in her bid to replace the long serving Brendan Cummins in the public relations brief. So how did she find her first year of involvement with the Management Committee?
"I have enjoyed it, it has been an experience, there is a lot of work attached to programmes and things like that but I did enjoy it when I got into it. I had a few people who gave me a good hand out in particular Brendan Cummins. The clubs were good as well," Ann replied.
"It is very time consuming. You have to keep an eye on the website and results coming in. Then you have games on in Pairc Tailteann and travelling around with the Meath team. While I wouldn't be part of the official squad you feel as though you must go, you have to go and I enjoy going to all those games as well.
"At the back end of the year there is programmes to be put together for Leinster club games. It is very time consuming and I don't think people realise the amount of work that does go into the programmes."
It is a fair comment to say that the position of PRO is often taken for granted, particularly at club level, but Ann - who previously served as PRO of the Meath juvenile football board a few years back - was eager to emphasis that it is 'a very important role in our organisation'.
2010 was a bit of a roller coaster ride on the intercounty front and could be termed a baptism of fire for a new PRO finding her feet. First you had the fall-out from Joe Sheridan's infamous goal in the Leinster final and then the sacking of Eamonn O'Brien by club delegates plus the protracted process that ended with Seamus McEnaney's appointment as the first 'outside' manager of the Royal County senior footballers.
"All we can do is hope for bigger and better things to come. These things happen, you just get up and move on with it," reasoned McDonnell who aims to continue in the role for 2011.
Ann's passion for the GAA was inherited from her father Paddy Daly who was a stalwart of the Summerhill club in his own right.
"I was bred into it. At this stage I must have been born on a football field! My father was involved with Summerhill football club all his life. He held all the positions in the club - president, chairman, secretary, treasurer - and also played football and refereed. The day I stop enjoying it is the day that I will give it up."
There is no sign of Ann growing tired of her administrative involvement which has spanned the last 20 years. She has been a regular at County Board meeting for the last 14 of those.
"I was secretary of Summerhill for 13 years and involved with the underage section, also as secretary, for seven years before that so, basically, I've been involved with the work end of Summerhill for the best part of 20 years.
"I wasn't on the commitee this year as I felt that I needed to take a bit of break from the club end until I got a handle on the PRO duties. But I have given a hand out at any time I have been asked and I enjoyed doing that. I intend to get back involved with Summerhill next year."
Combining the considerable workload of county and club commitments is not something that fazes the affable McDonnell.
"I don't mind doing hard work and I actually enjoy doing that kind of thing. The hard work that a lot of people see is the players going out training and playing the games but there is a lot of hard work and graft to be done behind the scenes in running a club."
On the field, Summerhill endured a disappointing SFC campaign when failing to qualify from Group C but the players atoned for that when annexing the FL Division 1 title in late October.
The Paraic Lyons/Mattie Kerrigan coached squad made a premature exit from the Keegan Cup race following defeats to Navan O'Mahonys and Duleek/Bellewstown. Wins against Donaghmore/Ashbourne and Oldcastle on the opening and final weekends respectively couldn't prevent them for bowing out.
In contrast, the 'Hill won eight of their 11 league games before getting the better of Donaghmore/Ashbourne in the decider in late October on a scoreline of 2-5 to 0-10.
Ann had the honour of presenting the Tommy Mooney Cup to her club-mate Richie Hatton.
"We always seem to finish strong at the end of the year. I said to someone there a couple of weeks ago it's an awful pity that the championship isn't played in October and November because Summerhill would have a great chance of winning it.
"We ended up in three finals this year - the A league final, the B league final and the Junior D championship final. We did okay at the back end of the year.
"There is still a lot of young players there who have enjoyed success at underage level over the last number of years, at minor and under 21 levels. We would be hoping that they can carry that on to the senior grade.
"Another thing is that we had a few other injuries and the big concern now is the recession and players having to go away to find work. It's not only going to effect Summerhill but football in general throughout the country."
Ann's goalkeeping son Tony played a key role in the league title success when saving a second half penalty while her other sons, Stephen and Gary, were members of the Junior D winning team. The latter pair contributed 0-5 and 0-4 respectively to Summerhill's tally of thirteen points against Ballinlough in the JFC D decider.
"Any parent that has a child playing would have to be proud but you have to separate that from the roles you hold in a club. They know they have to go out there, they are part of the team and part of the panel and they are expected to do their best. I have three sons that play and I would be hoping that they always give their best."
Off the field, the official opening of the newly refurbished club facilities was a big date in the Summerhill calendar in 2010. A senior football challenge between Meath and Galway attracted a sizeable attendance to the south Meath venue back in May. For the record, the Royal County overcame the visitors by 0-20 to 1-11.
"There is after been a lot of work in the club over the last number of years. They put in new footpaths and fencing around the pitch and a new scoreboard.
"It is great to see the large number of children - boys and girls - in the club on a Saturday morning playing and the work was done for the children of the club. We would be hoping that the people of Summerhill will support it and the parents will encourage their children to keep playing football.
"It was work that was started a couple of years ago and the chairman, Jimmy McGee, was at the head of it this year. He was the leading light in getting the work done but there was a number of other people both on and off the committee, ordinary members, that helped out any time they were asked.
"It all cost money but we got there in the end and now we have facilities that are second to none."
She added: "There was great turnout and the weather looked favourably on us. We combined the evening as a mini La na gClub. We had a very successful La na gClub the first year, as did a number of other clubs in the county, as part of the GAA's 125 celebrations."
Ann harbours high hopes for Summerhill and Meath in 2011. "At the end of the day the big cup is the prize everyone is playing for, whether it be the Keegan Cup or the Sam Maguire. All we can do is wait and hope and see what will happen in the New Year.
"The young players are there in Summerhill provided Dublin airport is not too busy taking them out of the country. We have a number of players that have gone already this year and there will be more going. As I said already, that is the major challenge for clubs throughout the country. All we can do is hope and pray that they will stay back and find work here. It is up to us to make sure that they have jobs here as well, we have to help them out in any way we can," she concluded.
AFL: Summerhill goals down Donaghmore/Ashbourne
Two first half goals were crucial as Summerhill claimed the Division 1 FL title with a minimum margin win over Donaghmore/Ashbourne.
A tight game played in Pairc Tailteann Summerhill led by 2-1 to 0-6 at half time thanks to a first half penalty by Stephen Kennedy and a goal by Brian Ennis.
A second half penalty save by Tony McDonnell was crucial to the final outcome in what turned out to be a very tight finish as both sides hit four second half points to leave the full time score, 2-5 to 0-10.
Summerhill - Tony McDonnell, Caolan Young, Mark O'Reilly, Willie Ryan, Michael Gorman, Adrian Kenny, Richie Hatton, Paul Comey, Conor Gillespie, David Larkin, Bobby Lyons, Stephen Kennedy (1-3), Brian Ennis (1-0), Paul Larkin (0-1), Sean Dalton. Subs - Maurice Kennedy (0-1) for David Larkin, Alan Lyons for Michael Gorman, Damien Byrne for Paul Comey, Stephen Husband for Conor Gillespie.
JFC D final: The 'Hill too steep for the 'Lough
Summerhill proved too good for Ballinlough in the Ronan Sheridan Plant Hire Ltd JFC D final at Bohermeen on with a 0-13 to 1-4 win.
With Gary and Stephen McDonnell leading the way in attack Summerhill were never headed but their supremacy was threatened coming up to half-time.
The opening 23 minutes produced just three scores, all courtesy of Gary McDonnell. When wing-back Daniel Larkin popped over it was 0-4 to 0-1.
A Mark McCullen point rallied Ballinlough and then came the game's only goal with Christopher Gaughran finishing to the net in the 28th minute.
Despite being second best up this point, Ballinlough were in front. Summerhill regained parity courtesy of team captain Brian Rispin and it was 1-2 0-5 at the break.
Three minutes into the second period, Gary McDonnell pointed but that score was cancelled out by a Brian Smyth free.
Summerhill regained the lead through a Stephen McDonnell free and remained in front to the end.
Bernard O'Reilly proved an effective target man when introduced around this time. A tenacious defence in which Denis Farrell and Larkin were prominent ensured Ballinlough managed just one more score.
The latter provided the opening for Gavin Brilly to move Summerhill four points clear, 0-10 to 1-3, heading into the final quarter.
Ballinalough skipper midfielder posted his side's final score shortly after. Three further points copperfasted possession of the Richard Dunne Cup with Stephen McDonnell pointing twice and Rispin registering the final score.
Summerhill - G. Gill; D. Colgan, D. Farrell, J. Bruton; M. Lynch, B. Comey, D. Larkin (0-1); P. McGrath, R. Clavin; G. Brilly (0-1), B. Rispin (0-2), G. McDonnell (0-4); J. Ryan, A. Bruton, S. McDonnell (0-5, 3 fs). Subs - B. O'Reilly for A. Bruton, D. Bannon for Ryan (both 37), P. Carton for J. Bruton (52), N. Nangle for Bannon, P. Jennings for G. McDonnell (both 60).
Ladies: Summerhill enjoy
2010 return
The Summerhill Ladies football team returned to action in 2010 after taking a year out in 2009. The former Senior Champions re-entered the County Championship at Intermediate level and in the Division 2 League under the new management team of Jack Ennis, Brian Rispin and Pat Payne.
Summerhill greatly impressed in their League campaign winning five of their seven games to qualify for the League Final. Summerhill met Senior Club Blackhall Gaels in the Final, who Summerhill had defeated earlier in the group stage. However the 'hill were defeated by the stronger Blackhall Gaels side in a thrilling Final.
The Championship was also a successful return for Summerhill as they defeated Dunsany and Navan O'Mahony's in the first two rounds but suffered very narrow defeats to Moylagh, Walterstown and Duleek/Bellewstown as well as St. Michael's and Oldcastle. Summerhill narrowly missed out on qualification for the Championship semi-finals and will gain confidence from their performances throughout the year.
With experienced players like Jenny Rispin, Ann-Marie Fagan, Ciara Daly, Julianne Scanlon, Ciara Kennedy, Ann-Marie O'Brien and Olivia Comey, as well as younger players coming through the youth system such as Céilidh Dalton, Rebecca Payne, Clare Carton and Niamh Crowe, the future looks bright for the Summerhill Ladies.
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