NEWCASTLEWEST GAA
GAA JobBridge
The GAA can confirm that it will offer almost 90 new internships under the GAA / JobBridge Internship Scheme over the course of the next month as part of its ongoing commitment to the initiative.
To date more than 105 interns have been placed in 24 counties and the latest phase will be rolled out with a particular focus on games development and coaching co-ordinators specifically in urban areas.
These positions are being offered in 23 counties and conform to the Association's overall objective of providing up to 200 high quality internships at any one time in all four provinces.
GAA support of the scheme provides meaningful internships enabling interns to grow in competence and confidence as they develop their capabilities on the basis of experience and reflection.
JobBridge is a new National Internship Scheme that will provide work experience placements for interns for a 6 or 9 month period.
The GAA/JobBri-dge Internship Scheme will provide unemployed individuals with the opportunity to develop and advance their skills in a practical work environment.
The GAA in Limerick are currently offering internships in the coaching and games development area. If you are aware of individuals within your club that may qualify for these internships please inform them of their availability.
Further information and applications are available on the National Website www.jobbridge.gaa.ie
If you are aware of any club member who would be interested, please do not hesitate to contact our club secretary on 087 6381319.
More details are on our website www.ncwgaa.com

Mouthguards Mandatory from January 1st 2013
Following the GAA's Annual Congress in April 2012 a new rule was enacted that made it mandatory to use a mouthguard in all Gaelic football matches and training sessions from January 1st 2013 (for all age grades up to and including minor) and at u21 and adult level from January 1st 2014.
All players need to have mouthguards prior to beginning training in 2013

Munster Club Forum
Munster GAA, as part of its commitment to the clubs of the province, are hosting an important club conference and information seminar entitled '2020 Vision, Our Club' in The INEC, Killarney, on Saturday, February 2nd.
The event will also provide an opportunity for club volunteers to voice their opinions, through a series of facilitated discussions, on some of the challenges and topics relevant to our association at all levels.
The day will commence with an opening address from Brian Cody, followed by Facilitated Workshops on selected topics which will be circulated to you shortly. The afternoon session will commence with an address from Colm O'Rourke, well known former player, TV pundit and School Principal. The afternoon sessions will also include a variety of selected topics in Facilitated workshop format followed by an address from Liam Sheedy. The day will conclude with an Open Forum Session which will provide an opportunity for all to participate.

Forthcoming Intercounty Fixtures:

Saturday January 19th
Waterford Crystal Cup Senior Hurling Preliminary Round
Limerick v Mary Immacultae College. Venue: Bruff at 11:30am. Referee: Damien Fox (Clare)
Extra time if necessary

Waterford Crystal Cup Senior Hurling - Odds and Ends
35 goals were scored in the 2012 Waterford Crystal Cup competition over 11 matches (an average of 3.2 goals per match). This contrasts with 23 goals in the 2011 competition over 10 matches (an average of 2.3 goals per match).
Since the Waterford Crystal Cup began in 2006, Clare (15 wins), Tipperary (13 wins) and Waterford (13 wins) have accounted for 41 of the 71 victories in the competition (58%).
Tipperary hold the record for the longest winning streak in the Waterford Crystal Cup since the competition began under that guise in 2006 when they won 10 consecutive matches between 2007 and 2009.
None of the five teams who take part in the Munster Senior Hurling Champi-onship have a losing record in the Waterford Crystal Cup since 2006.
Since the Waterford Crystal Cup began in 2006, 66 games have been played with just 1 draw - the 2012 Limerick v Clare Quarter-Final after two periods of extra time.
The record of the Third Level Colleges in the Waterford Crystal Cup since 2006 is Won 19, Lost 39, a 33% success rate.
Waterford have won 8 of the last 9 matches in the Waterford Crystal Cup.
Limerick have failed to win a Waterford Crystal Cup match since winning the competition in 2006, a run of 5 matches without success.
Clare are the only team who have won at least one game each year since the Water-ford Crystal Cup competition began in 2006.
IT Tralee is the only team not to win a game in the Waterford Crystal Cup since 2006, losing their first match in the last 5 seasons.

Sunday January 20th
McGrath Cup Senior Football Semi-Final
Kerry v Limerick. Venue: Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney at 2pm. Referee: Conor Lane (Cork). Extra time if necessary

McGrath Cup Senior Football - Odds and Ends
Since 2000, Kerry have won 13 of their 15 matches (a 87% success rate - best of any county). In the same period, Cork's McGrath Cup success rate is 85% with 17 wins out of 20 in the competition.
In the 7 games to date in the 2013 McGrath Cup, there has been an average of 2.3 goals per game. This compares with 2.4 goals per match in 2012 and 1.4 goals per match in 2011.
The record of the Third Level Colleges in the McGrath Cup since entering in 2005 is Won 21, Lost 49 (30% success rate). None of the six colleges have a winning record in the competition during that period. UCC have the best record, winning 7 of their 16 matches (44% success rate) while UL have won 5 of their 13 matches (38% success rate).
Since 2011, the record of Third Level Colleges when playing an Inter-County team in the McGrath Cup is Won 2, Lost 16 (11% succ-ess rate)
Kerry have not lost a match in the McGrath Cup since the 2006 final where the Kingdom lost to Cork by 1-9 to 0-6 at Pairc Ui Rinn.
Limerick footballers have won 2 of their last 7 matches in the McGrath Cup. Waterford have won 2 of their last 6 matches.
Tipperary is the only team to have won at least 1 match in the last 4 years of the McGrath Cup with a 70% record during that period, Won 7 Lost 3.
Social Media
All the latest information on the happenings in Newcastle west GAA can be got through the club website, our Facebook page or Twitter.
http://ncwgaa.com/
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Newcastle-West-GAA-Club/101546396552816
@NCWGAA on Twitter

ADULT TEAMS AND PROSPECTS 2013
At last week's committee meeting, the first of 2013, it was decided to field the following teams in the year ahead: senior, junior A, U21, minor football, intermediate, junior B, U21, minor hurling. Our football teams will certainly be graded Premier while we will be in the second tier in hurling. This is how we might do:
Senior football: third time lucky we hope.
U21 football: with most of the 2013 premier championship winning team available we are well placed to retain the title. Fr. Casey's will again be the team to beat.
Junior A football: promoted to A after last year's double B win, exciting and challenging leagues and championships await. Success is possible but only with a massive effort!
Minor football: we were county U16A champions two years ago and last year, and could be celebrating our first premier success for many years.
Intermediate hurling: we'll be put to the pin of our collar to retain our intermediate status.
U21 hurling: we'll be West A. To put a team out, to get players to commit and train and improve their skills are the objectives. We could with commitment, enthusiasm, discipline, win a West. There are a number of very talented players available.
Junior B hurling: it was 'touch and go' whether or not to field. We will struggle to put a team out and it's likely that the 'golden oldies' will have to come to the rescue again if walkovers are to be avoided.
Minor hurling: it's likely that we will be joined with Monagea (to form 'St. David's') and be playing in West B to give the serious hurlers a good programme of matches and maybe entice the retirees back are the objectives. We'll be 'over the moon' if we win a West championship.

MANAGERS AND MANAGEMENT TEAMS
The selection process goes on. Hopefully there will be 'white smoke' before the end of January.

2ND LEVEL FOOTBALL
CORN UI MHUIRI
West Limerick Colleges, players drawn from Scoil Mhuire agus Ide, Abbeyfeale and Rathkeale, are in the quarter-final of the Munster Premier Post Primary Championship. The club is well represented on the panel by Joey Healy, Cian Sheehan, Gavin Riedy, Eoin Murphy, Shane Stack, Seán Ivess and Seán Murphy. The competition gives the players a great opportunity to improve their football skills by competing against the cream of Cork and Kerry. We have no information about the West Limerick Colleges quarter-final opponents.

HARTY CUP
West Limerick Colleges, Desmond College, Rathkeale, and Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher, didn't make the quarter-finals. Eoin Hurley and Kieran Herlihy of Monagea were the locals involved. Ardscoil Rís v Doon C.B.S. Bruff at 1.30pm and Castletroy College v Thurles in Tipperary Townat 1.30pm are today's quarter-finals. The involvement of three Limerick teams is good for Limerick hurling.
McGRATH CUP
Intercounty senior football quarter-final
Limerick.......................2-16
Clare.............................2-13
a.e.t.
Limerick came from behind to force a draw at full time and kicked on in extra time. Stephen Kelly came on as a sub, Michael O'Keeffe is on the panel, Pa Keane was Maor Uisce, Joe Lee selected. Kerry in the semi-final on Sunday in Killarney are next. Ian Corbett is ruled out because of his involvement with Tralee IT with whom he plays McGrath Cup, where they lost to Kerry in round 1, and Sigerson Cup.

INTERCOUNTYU21 FOOTBALL
Brian O'Sullivan and Jamie Lee were involved in a recent challenge. Ian Corbett is also underage and will certainly figure in the championship in March. Paul Hannon, Brian O'Doherty and Michael O'Leary are likely to be in contention too.

INTERCOUNTY SENIOR HURLING
In the Waterford Crystal Cup round 1 Limerick are in action this Saturday at 11.30am in Bruff.

U16 TRAINING
The early bird catches the wormand the U16s have got their season off to an early start with training under way at the Desmond College on Monday evenings. John Hanley manages them and has assembled a backroom team which includes Pa Keane, Henry Long, Mike Mulcahy, Tony O'Connor, Seán Browne, Damien Garrihy and Seán McAuliffe. The intention is to develop the football and hurling skills of each player to a high level, avoid burnout and ensure that the team is competitive in the approaching county championships. Management of teams in a dual club and satisfying the passionate and critical factions is a difficult task especially when the players are multi talented and in demand and it will be instructive to see how the U16 mentors go about the business. Best of luck.

WALKING DOWN THE AISLE
All in the club congratulate our long-serving and outstanding goalkeeper Ollie McCoy and Fiona Geary who recently 'tied the knot'. Ollie has been goalie for outradult hurlers, junior and then intermediate, for almost two decades and the displays/saves/clearances he has produced in that time are legion/wonderful/memorable. Fiona too comes from a hurling background, being a sister of the recently retired Brian centre back with the Limerick seniors for more than a decade. Every happiness to the newlyweds.

LOTTERY
The numbers drawn last Monday in the Old Mill bar were 1, 12, 18 and 30. The jackpot was not won. ?40 lucky dips: Shane Lynch c/o K McCoy, Brenda O'Connor Knockane Road, Teresa Noonan c/o Denis Noonan, William Keane c/o Lee's, Kevin McCoy c/o the Ballintemple Inn. This week's jackpot is ?4,400. The draw takes place in Cartlidge's bar, Maiden Street, on Monday 21st January at 11pm. the club thanks all who are supporting, promoting and hosting the lottery. Tweet

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