. Celtic Challenge Cup
The Celtic Challenge is the only competition in hurling that has teams from 31 counties participating and, in total, 110 games will be provided to over 1,000 players on 38 teams. The Celtic Challenge is a competition for players, aged 16 and 17 years old, who are not participating in State Examinations during May and June 2016. 38 teams will participate in the competition. The programme will run from Wednesday 4th May to Saturday 18th June 2016.The ethos of the competition is a developmental one, where a 7 week programme of meaningful games is supplemented by a 1 to 1 ratio of games to training. Each team will play a minimum of 5 games through a programme that is structured on the basis of Group Stages, Preliminaries and Play Offs. The Group Stages will consist of 7 Groups of teams selected on a geographical and developmental basis. Matches at the Group Stages will be played on Wednesdays. After the Group Stages, teams will be graded on foot of their performance and will be assigned to 1 of 5 Divisions prior to participating in the Preliminaries and Play-Offs where they will play against opposition of a comparative developmental level. 5 Finals will be played on Saturday June 18th, 2016 in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny.
South Kilkenny team Celtic Challenge Cup v Waterford City
1.Gavin Grant (Slieverue), 2.Patrick Hearne (Ballyhale), 3.Oisin O’Dwyer (Kilmacow) 4.John Burns (John Locks), 5.Brian Staunton (Thomastown), 6.Evan Shefflin (Ballyhale), 7.Michael Carey (Young Irelands), 8.Richard Hennessy (Glenmore), 9.Niall Hayden (Graignamangh), 10.Martin Davis (Ballyhale), 11.Ted Drea (Young Irelands), 12.Conor Murphy (John Lockes), 13.Daithi Barron (Thomastown), 14.Robert Dunne (Young Irelands), 15.Ethan Phelan(Glenmore), 16.Thomas Dunne (Glenmore), 17.Jack Clery (Mooncoin), 18.Bill Delahunty (Mooncoin), 19.Jack Cullen (Thomastown), 20.Shane Byrne (Graignamangh), 21.Conor O’Keeffe (Danesfort), 22.Jack Burn-Doyle (Mullinavat), 23.Pauric Mullen (Danesfort), 24.Samuel Dwyer (Bennetsbridge)
Mentors: Pat Power (Slieverue), Jim Norris (Piltown), Angelo Cullen (Danesfort), Basil Lennon (Tullogher-Rosbercon)
By Mary Morgan Mon 2nd May
