Winter League / Tournament ​2024/25

kgc_winter_tournament_wk9.pdf
File Size:	330 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

At the beginning there were 14.
They have battled away and the cream has come to the top. Now we have 4.
Teams Erne Blackwater Nore and Moy will now contest the Winter Tournament Final on Sunday March 2nd at 2pm - deferred due to the bad weather!.
Erne led by Barbara Kearney go in with  3 points as a result of winning the League. The team has a strong core with “The Two Toms” (Creavin and Corcoran ) along with former Captain Stephen Walsh bringing in solid scores like the 59 from the three of them this week. Barbara and Anne O'Dea have brought in good returns whilst David “emoji" Robinson can deliver a big score too.
Second came Blackwater led by “Dan The Man”.  That used to be ‘Meaney’ but now it’s ‘O’Toole’. Like Erne they produced a great last few weeks and their star player - debut man Mark Hederman delivered under pressure to assure them of second place. They bring 2 points into the final and Men’s Captain Jim (who spent a week in the sun in preparation) will be all set for the final. “Dan the Man" reluctantly allowed him to go but only on the promise that he would be back to play on Wednesday’s final league day.
Third place and starting the final with one point go Nore led by Ger Murphy. They can thank Lady Captain Bernie for a 22 pointer which along with Murph’s 20 saw them through. Of course player of the tournament Paul Williams hit 19 but sure we expect that from “the ever young” Paul.
The last place went to the wire.
Mark Gill and Barrow were out of the blocks like lightning but ran out of steam near the end.
Robert Hayes and Moy saw the opportunity and with great scores from Patrick Hagin-Meade 21 Roger Kenny 20 and 19 from Robert they got through by inches ….
Who will win?
I have always liked the look of Erne.. they have a solid core and start with 3 points.
Blackwater have done well and the question is how will debut man Mark deal with the pressure of a final.
Never back against Ger Murphy or his team in a final… they will battle til the last putt is taken
And Moy have an interesting player to watch. Sean McGlade won the mixed match play last year (with Clare Foley )… can he put another big club prize on his mantelpiece?
All players tee off at 2pm … shotgun start.  And if we have a tie the team chose a member and it goes to matchplay sudden death.
But ….
It’s a final so let’s talk about finals.

People love finals.
Ideally
•the build up
•the pre match
•the game
•the result
•the celebration
But it could be …,
•the nerves
•the lack of sleep
•the tension
•the mistakes
•the losing
•the regrets
Which will it be for you?


What people who lose finals tell me is that the biggest regret is that they were so focused on winning they didn’t enjoy the other aspects.
They say “ it went by so quickly” and “it just passed me by” and “ I wish I could go back and do it all over again and “I would simply enjoy the experience more“.
Only one team will win.
Make sure you enjoy it.
It will be natural to be nervous.
Everyone will be.
Remember once you get on the first tee those nerves will turn to adrenaline….
Henry Ford once said “ If you believe you can or believe you cannot you will prove yourself right !!!”
You cannot control how your opponents will play so your focus should be on being the best you can be and dealing with the outcome win or lose.
And with experience the nerves will be less ..
I love the story told about the great Kerry footballer Jack O’Shea who was one of the greatest ever GAA players.
Jacko played on the great Kerry 4 in a row All Ireland winning team.
In the third final there was another player about to play in his first final. He was sharing a room the night before the match with Jacko. He was so nervous he couldn’t sleep. Jacko was sleeping like a log.
At 8 o’clock Jacko awoke - jumped out of bed - pulled the curtains and the sun was splitting the stones !!
“ Brilliant” says Jacko “I love a sunny day … I’ll be superb today with the dry ball and the solid ground and the sweat making me hair all curly”
And guess what Jacko was superb and Kerry won !!!
A year later another All Ireland final for Kerry. The boys are in the same hotel and my man is sharing again with Jacko.
Jacko is straight to sleep but my man is tossing and turning all night long.
About six in the morning he hears the rain hammering off the window and he thinks “ oh no Jacko won’t like this, it will not be good for our team”
Jacko wakes at 8.
Jumps out of bed and pulls the curtains and shouts “superb I love a rainy day.. gloves on to catch the slippery ball .. tipping passes into Mickey Sheehy and me hair getting curly in the rain”
And guess what Jacko was superb and as a result Kerry won again.
And good old Henry Ford was proved right
“ if you believe you can or believe you cannot you will prove yourself right”
So everyone enjoy the final and be the best you can be and most of all enjoy it.
I know I will….
It has been super following it.​