After seven years in charge of the Gaeil Colmcille Men’s Senior Football team, manager Lar Wall has decided to stand down. From all at Gaeil Colmcille no amount of words could thank him for the work and effort he and his selectors have put in over the past seven years in charge.
In the 7 years while Lar was in charge we played in 9 Finals (won 5) 5 Championship semi-finals and one Championship final. Lar took charge of 147 games in the 3 competitions and won 117 (80%) of them, a phenomenal record.
Lar took over the team back in 2015 and brought instant success to the team when they reached the Semi-Final of the Senior Championship, ultimately losing to Na Fianna. The club won its first Feis Cup in 61 years when they defeated the afore mentioned Na Fianna after extra time. A second trophy followed when St. Colmcille’s were beaten to win the Division 2 League.
A second consecutive Semi-Final followed in 2016 this time losing to eventual winners Simonstown 0-14 to 0-12. On to 2017 and it was a third Semi-Final in a row. The team also reached the 2017 Feis Cup Final losing to Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-15 to 0-09 in October.
2018 saw Lar’s side lift a second Feis Cup beating Ratoath 1-13 to 0-14 in Páirc Tailteann, After promotion to Division One in 2015 the lads reached the A League Division One Final losing to Skryne by a goal. Getting out of the group in Championship was a regular occurrence for the lads and this time it was to be the Quarter-Final hurdle the lads would bow out at with an extra-time loss to 2018 Champions Dunboyne.
The bounce back ability of the team was always positive under Lar and this was shown in 2019 when the once again reached the “A” League Division One Final where they beat Navan O’Mahony’s 3-13 to 2-10 in a thriller in Navan. A fourth Semi-Final was to follow but this time it would be Ratoath who would beat us and go onto win the Keegan Cup. Another final followed with the meeting of Summerhill in another Feis Cup Final with the Hill winning out on a score line of 2-12 to 1-12.
2020 was finally the year the Semi-Final curse would be broken when the lads accounted for Na Fianna in the Semi-Final and no one could envision the finish to the Senior Final in which we heartbreakingly lost by a last minute goal to Ratoath. While the lads qualified for the 2020 Feis Cup Final earlier in the year they would have to wait until August 2021 when they’d win their 3rd Feis Cup in 6 years when they defeated Wolfe Tones 2-15 to 2-08.
After the disappointment of how the 2020 season ended, Lar decided to give it another season but following a four point Quarter-Final loss at the hands to Donaghmore/Ashbourne last weekend Lar decided to call it a day after seven years at the helm.
Gaeil Colmcille Chairperson Olivia Ferguson thanked Lar and his selectors for all their hard work and dedication over the past seven years in the club.
In a parting message, Lar thanked those in the club who he worked so closely with including the players of which he said he was grateful for the opportunity to train. Lar finished by saying “Success for me is getting the absolute very best of what your capable of. We didn’t win the big one, but we had some success”
Thank You Lar.
