Welcome to the 75th Annual General Meeting of the Saval Gaelic Athletic Club. Our total membership for the year ending 2024 remains in excess of  800. There are a few general points worthy of mention prior to providing you all with an update on our individual teams and handball. Firstly, we would like to thank you all for your participation in and attendance at our recent Gala Ball held at the Canal Court Hotel to commemorate our 75th Anniversary. This event was a superb night which exhibited all the very best facets of our club and the huge amount of work that was put into this evening was reflected in the success and enjoyment of it. Special mention should go to Ned, Colleen and Emma together with Brendan Digney who worked tirelessly with others to bring everything together on the evening.

 

We also wish to express our thanks to Martina and her team who operate the Club Shop diligently. This is a great resource for the club and members alike and has drawn nothing but praise from visiting patrons. 

 

Worthy of honourable mention also are our club referees, namely Eamon and Wayne, who are representing the club to an extremely high level on a weekly basis.

 

It is also important to acknowledge the tremendous work of Kevin and the Bar Staff who keep the bar in excellent order and provide service and a welcoming demeanour to all of our guests and members. You will all be aware of course of the substantial improvement works carried out in our lounge this year. Many of our own members provided their time and expertise at little to no cost to the club and each and every one of them should be thanked by us all.

 

Dominic Quinn keeps everything together at our complex. He is more often than not the first man through the door and the last man to leave the club. His contribution is invaluable, his humour infectious, and his presence irreplaceable.

 

Finally, we would like to thank all of our sponsors, members, and guests for their patronage throughout 2024. We hope you will continue to support the club. We are happy to receive any and all assistance. We would remind everyone of the opportunity to partake in Club Saval as this is a vital source of revenue for the club as well as, if possible, to consider the purchase of a Down Draw ticket which again provides much needed funds for the operation of our facilities. 

 

I would now propose to deal with the Ladies teams first and start with the U6 Girls. 

 

U6 Girls

 

This team made lots of progress this year with a great mix of P1 and P2 players. The Wednesday sessions were always full of energy and fun creating a great environment for the Girls to develop their skills and confidence. They were fortunate to have Sean O’Hare and members of the Senior Ladies panel lead some of the sessions bringing expert guidance and inspiration to our Girls. The season culminated in a visit from Mayobridge U6s’ which provided a great display of teamwork from both teams. 

 

U8 Girls 

 

Our U8 Girls had a very successful season. They started with in-door training in February and matches starting in May. This year the girls competed at Mini-Blitzes around the County finishing with the County Blitz in Ballymartin in September. During this long season the girls all got lots of playing time and were able to develop their confidence and team play with games all over the summer. They enjoyed learning from their coaches including the sessions they had with the Senior Ladies players and especially Ciara Byrne and the improvement in their skills was clear to see at the end of the season. 

 

U10 Girls 

 

Our U10 girls started the season in February, again with Sean O’Hare. The format this year was mainly driven by participation in ‘Mini Blitzes’. We attended ones in Aghaderg, Clonduff and Ballymartin and held our own in June hosting Glenn, Annaclone, Ballyholland and Bosco. The girls went from strength to strength in every game playing with grit and determination at all times. Stephen Kearney held the last session of the season and was very impressed by the improvement in technique and strength of all the girls. 

 

 

U12 Girls 

 

With a large number of our U12 girls moving up to U14 at the commencement of this season the numbers were small in this age bracket with approx. 10 to 13 on average training weekly. Our girls competed in the West Down League. Despite difficult fixtures our girls performed strongly and remained positive and motivated all season. All of the girls got game time and their skills improved immeasurably. On a very positive note, the majority of the girls are eligible for a second year at U12 providing an exciting opportunity for them next season. 

 

 

U14 Girls 

 

‘The Green Machine’ had another massive step forward this season. Pre-season began in November in the gym and then moved to all-weather pitches in Banbridge together with several challenge matches. The League campaign began and this group dominated throughout. They played excellent football winning the league with room to spare. Unfortunately, and unexpectedly, this group exited the Championship which was a shock for everyone involved. Notwithstanding this disappointment, 10 of the U14s then proceeded to play an integral role with the U16 girls for the remainder of the season. This group has secured Division 1 football for the coming season and are in an excellent place to compete at the highest level and relish said opportunity. 

 

 

 

 

 

U16 Girls 

 

This season the U16 Girls had unparallelled success. The older girls had their skills, experience and ability strengthened by a number of the excellent U14 panel supplementing their ranks. They had a very strong league campaign with a loss of only one match away to Bryansford where we for various reasons had no choice but to field quite a depleted side. The girls shook off this minor setback and came roaring back and ultimately found themselves in a league final against Kilcoo. This proved to be a pulsating match and indeed exhibited some of the finest football produced by any Saval team at any level this year. The girls fought off a comeback from Kilcoo in the latter stages of the second half to emerge victorious amid joyful scenes of celebration. As difficult as it is to refocus after such a great success, our girls knuckled straight back down to the task of their championship campaign. They defeated strong sides and ultimately Warrenpoint comprehensively in the semi-final. This resulted in their chance for revenge against Bryansford in the championship final. This game was played in appalling conditions in Liatroim. Our girls tore into Bryansford from the throw in and played spectacular football throughout. Some of the scores that were taken in appalling conditions would not have been out of place at the highest level. Ultimately they were comfortable winners on the day to complete a league and championship double. This is a herculean achievement by all of the players and their management team of Geraldine, Colin and Jim. 

 

U18 Girls 

 

Our Minor girls kicked off their season by joining the Senior squad  in participating in tailored training sessions focusing on core fitness, strength and conditioning. This served as an excellent start to get the girls fit and ready for a competitive season. As the season got underway they competed with the county’s best in Division 1 of the All-County League and they never stopped competing and representing the club and community with excellent performances throughout the year. The Girls had an excellent campaign also in the championship finishing up as overall runners up. They have again proven their ability to play football at the highest level. A large number of the girls represented the club at Senior level and three of our squad lined out for the County team this year. 

 

Senior Ladies

 

Pre-season commenced on the 30th January and concluded on the 1st October. Our Ladies secured their place in Division 2 of the Adult Ladies League and in the Intermediate Championship for 2025. At the start of the year a list of 57 girls were involved made up of Seniors and Minors and U16s. 32 of these were Senior Ladies, albeit attendance at training was challenging. The Ladies finished fourth in the League and challenged strongly in the Intermediate Championship. They defeated Teconnaught in Kilcoo on the 1st October to secure Intermediate Championship football for next season. 

 

G4MO

 

Congratulations must be given to our Gaelic 4 Mothers and Others celebrating their 15th year. The group requires and delivers commitment and dedication with the obvious health benefits as well as connecting with community and club activities. The season began with in-door training in January culminating in the Bredagh Blitz in late October. A highly successful Annual Home Charity Blitz took place in August with a maximum of 10 teams participating. Three charity fundraising events, namely Bingo, the Blitz and a Bucket Collection in Newry were very successful and the team were able to present a cheque for £1,700.00 to this year’s designated charity namely Crisis Café in Newry. The Ladies ended the year attending the New York Festival of Football which was the highlight of any year. 

 

On the men’s side of the club, we start as follows;

 

U6 Boys

 

The boys and indeed the girls had a great year. They started outdoor training in April. Initial training was benefited greatly by Sean O’Hare’s input. Numbers improved this year from last year and a greater continuity of numbers was clear for all to see. We played lots of matches with surrounding clubs in June until the end of the season. The group were very competitive and skilful throughout. Blue Gaelic commenced on a Wednesday to mirror Pink Gaelic for P1 and P2s. This was very successful allowing the boys to continue with their skills and get extra playing time during the summer months and we look forward to developing this group next year with some very skilled young men amongst them. 

 

U8 Boys

 

The U8s enjoyed a very busy season. The P3 and P4 groups frequently trained together for mutual benefit. Likewise during matches when P3s were required to fill out the numbers, the younger kids never failed to impress. Effort during training was always forthcoming and high points for the season included tournaments played at Ballyholland, Clonduff and Warrenpoint and the season concluded with our very own successful tournament at home. 

 

U10 Boys

 

Our U10s had a busy year with training starting in March and plenty of matches throughout the year. Player numbers have remained consistent with over 40 in regular participation. Training has focused mainly on the basics to include punt passing, catching and tackling with the introduction of more advanced drills as the year went on. Matches were played consistently through the year and five Blitzes were attended namely Ballyholland, Killeavey, An Riocht, Dromintee, and obviously our home Blitz in October. In all 23 matches were arranged and our group were very competitive in each and every one of them. 

 

U12 Boys

 

This year has been an exceptional one for our U12 teams. With both Gaels and Ogs showing significant growth and resilience throughout the season. We have a tremendous strength and depth allowing us to field two full teams routinely. Skills, teamwork and attitude have been impressive and on constant display. The season was full of memorable moments including matches with amongst others An Riocht, Burren, Shamrocks and Mayobridge. This clearly is a test for our young men however one that they responded to admirably. 

 

U14 Boys

 

Similar to the U12 group we are extremely fortunate to be in a position to field two full U14 teams at this club. The Ogs acquitted themselves very well in their league finishing fifth. They really stepped things up in training come Championship and were absolutely magnificent in a game long to be remembered against Ballyholland in the Quarter Final. This was a tremendous match with all facets of team play excelling. This group was very unfortunate against a very strong Clonduff side on a very small pitch in poor conditions in the Semi Final. The older team at this level despite having requested to play in Division 1 were admitted to Division 2 at All County level in the infinite wisdom of our County Board. They won this division emerging victorious in all 14 of their matches. They were placed in a group in the championship with Clonduff, Kilcoo, and Dromara. They emerged from this group to meet the Shamrocks who they defeated in a very tense encounter. They then ran into arguably the strongest team in the county at this age group namely Annaclone and were beaten by a better team on the day. 

 

U16 Boys

 

This panel consisted of 25 with a very strong attendance at training throughout the season and at least 7 boys playing regularly for the Minor team also. There is real potential within this group and strong development was seen throughout the year. It is important to note this team commenced training in November of 2023 and continued until their exit from the Championship in mid-September 2024. This is a real testament to the dedication of players and coaches alike and should be admired. Many of these players also participated in the U15 Feile competition. As you will all be aware we hosted a Feile weekend and our boys gave an exhibition of free flowing, fast and exciting football. They qualified from their group having defeated Dromara, Drumgath and Carryduff and progressed to the Semi Final. They held off a tremendous challenge from Warrenpoint in the Semi Final and secured a place in the Final against the Shamrocks. The Final was in itself a superb match which we were extremely unfortunate not to win in ordinary time and ultimately fell to a one point defeat at the conclusion of extra time. 

 

 

U18 Boys

 

This year provided a challenging year for the Minor players and management but ultimately a very rewarding one as the players improved as young men and as a team collectively. The team suffered from long term injuries sustained by two of the most prolific scoring forwards but once the lads settled into the League campaign, they acquitted themselves extremely well culminating in an excellent victory against the Bosco and Away to Liatroim which displayed the strength of character which these young men have in abundance. In the Championship, we defeated Castlewellan and Warrenpoint before ultimately exiting at the hands of a very strong and ultimately championship winning Mayobridge side. We fully expect to see some of these Minor players proceed to join the Senior panel in 2025 and beyond.  

 

Reserves

 

The Reserves had a strong season. In the League the majority of games were won and a large number of players made themselves available on a regular basis which has not always been the case in previous years. The Reserves had a really great win in a tough Quarter-Final match away to Castlewellan and in the Semi-Final produced a monumental comeback away to Clonduff in the second half to claim a fantastic victory and reach the Reserve Championship Final. Unfortunately, the Final didn’t go our way as a very experienced Kilcoo side captured the trophy. 

 

Senior Men

 

This year was an unusual year for our senior men. We started the year full of hope with a new management team. The season started well on the field with determined well organised performances from what was evidently a very physically fit Saval team. However, unfortunately as the League campaign progressed things seemed to unravel. Training numbers were reducing and other difficulties were apparent. This led to the extremely difficult decision to replace that management team and bring matters in-house. An immediate dead cat bounce occurred and our form improved as did results. We finished the league campaign very strongly to consolidate our position within Division 2 and leave us in a very strong position to springboard an attack on promotion next year. In relation to the Championship, we had hoped and indeed many expected us to be the team to beat in this year’s intermediate championship. We started strongly defeating St John’s and Annaclone and then were paired with Rostrever in Burren which is so often the graveyard for Saval teams. Regrettably this again proved true when an excellent performance in the first half from Rostrevor showing motivation, organisation, and clinical finishing left us in a bad spot at half time. Despite a mighty attempt from our players in the second half we were unable to claw back the deficit resulting in our exit from the Championship. New management have been appointed for next season and we look forward with hope and expectation for 2025.

 

Handball

 

In 2024, the resurgence in Handball at both adult and juvenile levels has continued to prevail. Presently, we are in excess of 60 playing members which continues to increase year upon year, and our internal club League and Championship has proven to be a great success. Special mention, of course, should be given to Jarlath McCarthy & Shane Kelly who both have spearheaded the organisation on competitions which have been very enjoyable for all involved. Our Juvenile players have been working hard and reaping the rewards as they all continue to improve. Our Feile boys team retained their county title overcoming some formidable competition from Downpatrick and Carryduff in particular. A number of our young players also won county individual titles and quite a few of them progressed well in the Ulster “A” Championships before ultimately dropping down to the “B” championship where we had three doubles teams reach Ulster “B” finals. The boys continue to work hard and are competing well in their Northeast Ulster League divisions at present with ambitions of strong County & Ulster Championship campaigns over the winter.  Coaching led by Richard McNally & Sarah Havern for our primary school players is also due to recommence shortly. On the Provincial and National front Kevin McCarthy & Fergal McConville won their first Ulster medals in the 35+ grade. They overcame a strong Monaghan pairing in the final before bowing out at All Ireland Semi-Final stage to Wexford played in the new Croke Park Handball centre. Also, Jack Turley, along with his father Collie, competed in Ulster singles & doubles finals at Junior B level with the former unfortunately picking up an injury. Notwithstanding this, Jack has gotten his 2024/25 season off to great start by winning the prestigious St Pauls Golden Gloves tournament in the Men’s C grade. Hopefully, this proves to be an omen of things to come as he pursues to progress up the grades in the 40x20 code. 

 

 

In conclusion, it is plain to see that the Club is flourishing on and off the pitch at the moment. This can only happen with the tremendous support that we enjoy from our members young and old, our supporters, our sponsors and our community at large. We appreciate each and every one of you and thank you for everything that you do for us to keep us in this position to which we are rapidly becoming accustomed. Special mention needs to be made of our coaches who selflessly provide their time and expertise for each and every one of our 19 teams in what is now virtually a 12-month campaign. Finally, the club as a whole is rightly proud of Pat who claimed the Tailteann Cup with Down this season. In addition to team success, Pat was also named Tailteann Cup Player of the Year. These are magnificent achievements for a player and a man who conducts himself impeccably on and off the field and is an outstanding role model for our young players who look up to him as a tremendous example. 

 

Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing you all in 2025.