One step away
November 27, 2011These are good times to be involved in the PR game at Ballybay Pearse Brothers. Fact is, the game of Gaelic football has seldom been more healthy than it is currently in the environs of Pearse Park.
Claudine Wylie is a lady to the manor born in her role of Public Relations Officer of the Ballybay gaelic brigade.
Good stories have abounded in 2011 for Monaghan GAA and Claudine is at pains to talk up the maroon and whites' part in the feel-good story.
Like many PROs in other GAA clubs countrywide, Claudine is actually in the box seat by default having been approached at the start of the year.
As it happened, the hard-working Ballybay official was approached after the club's AGM failed to fill the position of PRO with no takers for the position.
Before the first meeting of the club's new parent committee, Claudine was co-opted onto the committee and so began her maiden voyage in the job.
With great modesty, Claudine explains that she possesses "no qualifications" for the post.
"It hasn't been a great strain," Claudine tells us. "I had great help during the year from our Secretary Pam Coyle who kept right on a lot of things.
"Most of the work involved writing up the club notes every Saturday evening for the Northern Standard. Even though there were some disappointing things that happened during the year, I made sure that everything that went into the notes was positive without ever exaggerating things.".
Before coming on board as PRO, Claudine was a supporter in Ballybay so being on the committee wasn't such an eye-opener for her.
For the last 15 years, Claudine has been an ever-present at least on the fringes when the boys were involved at juvenile level. She is a seasoned campaigner.
In 2010, Claudine saw at first hand her daughter Lianna's commitment to Ballybay Pearse Brothers in her role as the club's juvenile officer.
"Seeing the work Lianna done and the benefit of that work to the club encouraged me to put my shoulder to the wheel and take on the job as PRO.
Claudine (nee Armstrong) is mother of 28-year old Kyle (a dab hand at taking football photos) and Drew (23), Brent (19) and Ryan (17).
"I've followed the boys' careers since they played at juvenile level and it was great to see Drew, Brent and Ryan all play on the senior team this year."
The fact that the aforementioned Drew had the distinct honour of being captain of the Ballybay seniors in 2011 gave Claudine particular pride.
With more than a tinge of sadness, Claudine reflects on the 'what might have beens' which were attached to Ballybay's senior season.
Defeat in both the SFC and SFL semi-finals was such a bitter pill to swallow that she isn't inclined to rewind the tape and pick through carcass of '11.
The flip side of the coin for Claudine and co. at Ballybay in 2011 was the success of the club's under 12 and under 14s in collecting silverware.
"There are a lot of up and coming young footballers in the club and they showed just what potential they have this year by winning titles.
"A few of the lads made it onto the various development squads. Then we had Thomas Kerr, Ryan (Wylie) and Shane McGuinness on the county minors.
"We also had three players, Paul Finlay, Christopher McGuinness and Drew (Wylie), on the county senior team.
"The club has a great tradition of bringing through new, young talent and it has done very well at maximising what are limited enough resources."
Claudine is extremely optimistic that Ballybay's young guns can blossom in years ahead to fully complement the seasoned campaigners in the club.
"Ballybay have a very young senior team at the minute with the average age of the players being only around the 22 or 23 mark," Claudine opines.
"There's a good mix of experienced players in the panel like Paul Finlay, Fergal McArdle and Hugh Malone and younger ones who've made the breakthrough in the last couple of years.
"All the players get on very well and a good bond exists between them. They're definitely an up-and-coming team in the county."
So what was the consensus about how the club's flagship team performed in 2011?
"Well, we thought that they could have pulled it off, either in the championship or the league but it wasn't to be; there was only a bounce of a ball between them and Latton in both the championship and league semi finals.
"The injury to Mark McArdle after just nine minutes of the championship semi final match was a big blow to us but players played to their best to the final whistle
"Then in the league semi-final, we were eight points down at half-time but the lads did brilliantly after that and only allowed Latton to score one point but that was the one that won the game.
Claudine is appreciative of the efforts of the senior Ballybay players who involve themselves in the coaching of the club's juvenile players.
Ballybay's parish league is a great boon to the club and the senior players' hands-on role has helped make it the success it is each year.
"Over the years, the juveniles at the club have managed to pick up medals nearly every year and that's a credit to everyone who helps coach.
"Like every other club, everyone in our club know that today's underage player is tomorrow's senior and if the youngsters aren't looked after and encouraged to stick with the football, then there won't be much of a senior team in the years ahead."
Claudine is ultra-conscious of the fact that Ballybay Pearse Brothers is a club with a lot going for itself in terms of its facilities.
Of course, the state-of-the-art facilities at Pearse Park cost a pretty penny and the club has worked hard to pay for all that has gone on there.
"Fundraising is continuing on an ongoing basis with things like blotto and the bingo.
Youth, experience and determination is rife in the Ballybay senior camp, Claudine emphases and everything will be done again in 2012 to assist the club's bluechip players the chance to hit the heights in both the major and subsidiary competitions.
"There'll be no stone left unturned by anyone and we'd like to think that we can have an even better run next year.
"The club has great footballers but great loyal supporters too and it'd be brilliantly for both groups to get what they deserve in 2012."
So who is likely to present the toughest opposition in the coming year?
"They all be tough opposition and its nearly impossible to say who will come out on top as there is great teams at senior level and very good players to.
"I couldn't really predict a winner of the league or championship because there are just too many teams in the hunt for honours."
And so say all of us! Tweet
