With Junior Hurling returning to New York in 2011, the door opens for a host of former and new players to grace the field at Gaelic park. There will be four teams competing for the Junior Championship with the Queens side in the competition coming in under the Shannon Gaels flag. Shannon Gaels have a thriving under age program with sides competing at under 8, 10, 12 and 14 in both boys and girls football divisions. The club now embraces the return of hurling with its backing of their side that will compete with sides from The Bronx, New Jersey, and Rockland.

The New York senior Hurling division has three teams competing for the Michael Flannery Cup each season. The junior sides will compete for the NY Junior Championship but they will also have other competitions over the course of the year. The season will open with a seven a side tournament in April, which will also involve teams from Boston, Philadelphia and Washington. What will follow will be a league where all teams will have at least six games before playoffs. The unique part of the junior Championship however is the players that will be involved. It is confined to Tri State and New York based players. There will not be any summer players partaking in the Championship. It gives former senior players an excellent opportunity to return to the field. It will also be a perfect chance for Junior hurlers to play. It also will allow for New York and Tri-State area born players to play at an adult level. A number have participated at the CYC level in under age competition and they will now have a level to allow their game to develop with the progression to Senior level of course the plan and Idea.

The Shannon Gaels hurling panel will train at College Point, Queens, New York. They are planning to invite teams to College Point for Challenge games also. With former NY Limerick, Clare, Westmeath and Galway players on hand to name a few, in the panel the future certainly bodes well for the first season for the side. They are looking to embrace all players interested in playing for the side, both young and old, and the following can be contacted for information on the 2011 season. Finbarr Flood (Limerick) 347-612-8369. Eugene Kyne (Galway) 646-483-9732. Richie Corridan (Kerry) 347-526-6738. Eugene Tunney (Meath) 917-723-8578. Collie Mathers (Armagh) 917-559-1537. John Kennedy (Clare) 917-414-2621. Tweet

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