with Brian Quigley, December 2013
Well Done Fionnuala!
Kilcoole AC’s Fionnuala Britton won the National Senior Women’s title at the Woodie’s DIY Inter County Cross Country Championships in Santry Demense last month with a brilliant performance that bodes well for her prospects in the rest of the cross-country season. It was a pleasure to witness Fionnuala happily signing autographs for children after the race, a real sporting role model.
Top Honours in Cricket Awards for Wicklow Pair
Ed Joyce, from Bray, won Ireland’s highest individual cricket honour, when he was named Ireland’s International Men’s player of the year for 2013 at the RSA Cricket Awards last month. Ed, who plays county cricket for Sussex and has switched his international allegiance back to Ireland in recent years after representing England for a period of time, is currently part of Ireland’s squad at the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 qualifying tournament in the United Arab Emirates. Ed’s sister Isobel won the International Women’s player of the year for 2013. This year Isobel became the first Irish woman to achieve 100 caps at cricket, and played a huge part in helping Ireland qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 finals, where Ireland will be in Group A alongside such cricket heavyweights as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan. The tournament will take place in March 2014. Isobel’s twin sister Cecelia is also part of the current Irish squad.
Craig Britton takes on some refreshment during his 12-hour treadmill non-stop run in aid of Johnny Hayden in Matt Britton Carpets, Kilcoole. Johnny was left paralysed after a routine disc operation in September 2012.
Soccer Scene
On the soccer front Bray Wanderers wrapped up their season with the annual awards night recently in the Royal Hotel. Local lad Kieran ‘Marty’ Waters was voted Player of the Season for the 2nd successive year, while Ismahil Akinade won the Young Player award. Jason Byrne was Bray’s top scorer for the season. Hopefully Pat Devlin can keep the 2013 squad together as this team looks like it could push on next year.
No doubt Pat will be keeping an eye on the U19’s [who play through the winter] with a view to maybe taking some of them up to the senior squad for the 2014 campaign. Bray’s U19’s progressed to the 3rd round of the FAI U19 cup when they defeated Wexford Youths U19’s in Ferrycarrig Park on Saturday 16th November. They will face Cork City U19’s in the 3rd round, which will be at home in early December. This won’t be an easy tie as Cork are the current cup holders. If Bray can win this competition they will emulate the 2005 U21 team who won the now-defunct U21 version of this competition. Bray’s U19’s had league wins over Cork U19’s and Cobh Ramblers U19 ‘s at the Carlisle Grounds in the elite Division of the U19 league in November and these wins keep Bray out of the relegation places to the U19 league’s regionalised feeder divisions.
A Wicklow team is also in the draw for the 3rd round of the FAI Intermediate Cup. Greystones United will travel to Cork to play Mayfield, no easy task. We wish them the best of luck.
November 2013 saw Roy Keane back in the Ireland set-up, as assistant to Martin O’Neill. It was also 24 years this month since Keane made his debut in senior football, in the Carlisle Grounds where he lined out for Cobh Ramblers against Bray Wanderers. Later that season he was signed by Brian Clough for Nottingham Forest and the rest is history!
