St Anne’s field first mens hurling team since 1993

St Anne’s field first mens hurling team since 1993

By Hayden Moore

DESPITE losing 1-6 to 7-12 at the hands of Commercials, it was “all winners” for St Anne’s GAA Club as they fielded their first adult mens hurling team in 28 years.

Ever since St Anne’s was established in 1937, it has been a traditional gaelic football stronghold within Dublin GAA.

St Annes first adult hurling team since 1993 28 years 1

St Anne's first adult mens hurling team in 28 years

Over the years they have had hurling teams, but it always took a backseat to football.

“It must be nearly 30 years since there was last a hurling team in the club,” Rob Byrne, who is managing the team alongside Báetán Teague, tells The Echo.

“I got involved with the club through my three kids and I absolutely loved hurling, I played a bit of it in college and I really loved it.

“St Anne’s is traditionally a football club, so there was maybe a bit of apprehension around even starting an hurling team again, like do we actually want a hurling team here you know?

“We decided that we would because we need to have a platform for lads who are coming through the underage system in the club.”

With hurling in the underage ranks, most players who stuck with the small ball into adulthood would end up playing with Faughs, Ballyboden St Enda’s or Thomas Davis in the code.

That is until now. For the first time since 1993, St Anne’s GAA Club are fielding an adult hurling team who are competing in Division 10 South of the AHL.

And for the first time since then, crowds flocked to Bohernabreena to watch a men’s team play hurling in the club’s blue and white strip last Sunday.

“There was a huge crowd at the match as well, people bringing the kids and coming up with the parents to watch an adult hurling match in Bohernabreena,” Byrne continues.

“There was such a great atmosphere at it, you could feel the excitement from everybody.

“Look Commercials scored five goals in the first half against us but I was delighted, we have 30 lads up there playing hurling so there is all winners for us.

“Success for us is really in keeping a team together heading into the championship, getting the feeling of that and who knows where it will take us.”

The travelling Rathcoole side showed their experience on the great occasion, with goals from brothers David and Sean Dungan setting the club on their merry way to victory.

Anne’s started well through Mickey Brennan, who totalled an impressive 0-6, but Brian Lynam sent the crowd wild when he thundered the sliotar home from 70 metres.

Commercials kept the pressure on after the break with Jack Morris slotting countless scores over the bar from frees and veteran John Cullinane bagged himself a brace of goals to see out the win.

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