RACKARD LEAGUE IN COURT N.S.

The Rackard League has always played a huge part in the lives of pupils from Court N.S., and the pupils compete in Camógie, Hurling, Gaelic Football for boys and girls and in the Mini Sevens and Skills Tournaments.

Many of the boys from Court NS have represented Buffers Alley in the Noel O'Brien Hurling Tournament.

Court N.S. join with St. Joseph's N.S., Kilmuckridge for the main Rackard League Camógie, Hurling and Gaelic Football competitions. Over the years the two schools have shared many highs and lows on the playing fields of Wexford. No matter what the results were, friendships forged and skills and lessons learned, endure to this day.

Court N.S. is inextricably linked to the Buffers Alley GAA Club. As one of the foremost GAA Clubs in the country it is unique in Irish GAA history as the club to win All-Ireland Senior Cub and Seven-a-Side in both Camógie and Hurling and past pupils of Court N.S. played significant parts in all of the victories. The fact that most of these players started to hone their skills in the Rackard League is not coincidental.

Two past pupils and former Rackard League stars deserve special mention namely Margaret Lacey and Séamus Kavanagh.

In 1968 Margaret Lacey (nee O'Leary) from Garrydaniel was the star performer on the first Wexford Senior Camógie team to win the All-Ireland and currently coaches very successfully down the road in Oulart. Séamus was sub-goalie on the Wexford Senior Hurling team who won the All-Ireland in 1996 and continues to develop and inspire young players as a teacher in Enniscorthy and a player and coach with the Alley.

 The odyssey that was the 2001 Rackard League Hurling campaign ultimately ended in a four point defeat for the Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin NS team at the hands of neighbours and great rivals Monageer \ Boolavogue in this year's final.

Gorey District was the toughest district for qualification, with the boys playing no less than five group games in which they defeated Kilanerin, Castletown, Ballygarret, Camolin and Craanford to qualify to meet Ballygarret in the District Final.

This game was played in Páirc Úi Síocháin in Gorey and proved to be a much tougher game than the earlier round. However a tremendous team performance saw Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin prevail in the second half and following their victory it was a proud captain James Foley, who accepted the District Cup from Gorey Rackard League Chairperson, Tomás Keegan.  

It is worth noting that, of the six Rackard League Finalists in 2001, Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin NS was the only team to emerge from their group undefeated.

In the County Semi-Final Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin NS were pitted against Ramsgrange. A quirk of fate saw Mr. Martin Lyons coaching Ramsgrange, and Martin himself was a past pupil of Kilmuckridge NS where his father Ned was Headmaster during Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin NS halcyon days of the mid seventies.

The Semi-Final was undoubtedly the boys’ finest performance as before the game illnesses and injury had threatened the stability of a very settled team. Playing with a very strong wind in the first half Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin NS made very little use of it and turned around only one point in front as the second half began. Ramsgrange tore into the game in the second half and in their very first attack drew level and in the next attack hit the post before the ball was cleared.

 It was then that the fighting qualities that are the trademark of Buffers Alley GAA club started to show. Every player wearing the green and gold rolled up their sleeves and dug in. Every ball was chased, every attempted clearance blocked, where there was one player from Ramsgrange there were two from Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin. Players moved to and played out of position as every single player gave everything to fashion a remarkable six-point victory and a first Rackard League Final appearance since1996.

The schools since 1977 hadn’t won a Rackard League Title, the first having been won in 1975. Trainer Matty Foley had been star goalie on the 1975 & '77 teams and Matty with eight of his '75 & '77 teammates won All-Ireland Senior Club medals with Buffers Alley in 1989. The 70's teams also had a diminutive corner forward with an eye for goal. This guy popped up as a corner forward again in 1996 and showed his eye for goal (again) and won an All-Ireland Senior Hurling medal...he also picked up an All-Star Award that year.... his name was Tom Dempsey.

The two schools were a hive of activity before the final, with banners and headbands being made by the dozen. A large and colourful crowd from the parish made their way to Enniscorthy but on the day Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin NS had to give way to a Monageer \ Boolavogue team who were hungrier throughout the game, emerging victorious on a 2-7 to 2-3 score line. In what was the most evenly contested final of the three, Monageer scored their insurance point with only one minute on the clock and Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin pressing for, what was to remain, the elusive equalising goal.

Though disappointed after the game the boys conducted themselves in a very well behaved manner and sportingly waited for the presentation of the cup to the victors. In the dressing room afterwards Matty Foley thanked the boys for their efforts over the last four years and wished those leaving primary school all the best as they begin their secondary education. Throughout the year the team behaved impeccably and were a credit to themselves, their schools and especially their families.

That evening in the Buffers Alley GAA Complex the panel was treated to a meal by the BOM of Kilmuckridge and Monamolin NS and believe it or not after the meal and to the amazement of the parents present, the entire panel took to the field and proceeded to play backs and forwards, undeterred by the afternoons defeat.

With such unquenchable spirit it is only a matter of time before Kilmuckridge \ Monamolin NS capture that elusive Rackard League title.

Click on the sliothar   to visit the Rackard League web site.

The background music is suitably called “The Ash Plant.”