Two members of the Defence Forces will line out in the All Ireland Club Hurling Championship this St Patrick’s Day. Capt Andrew O’Shaughnessy will play for Limerick and Munster Champions, Kilmallock, while Private Colin Fennelly will represent Kilkenny and Leinster Champions, Ballyhale Shamrocks.
Private Colin Fennelly is based with the 3rd Infantry Battalion in Stephen’s Barracks, Kilkenny and will line out for Ballyhale Shamrocks with whom he has won 6 County Senior Hurling Championships, 4 Leinster Championships and 2 Club All-Ireland Club titles. Playing Inter County with Kilkenny he has won one x U21 All-Ireland Titles, three x National League Titles, three x Leinster SHC and two x All-Ireland Titles.
Captain Andrew O’Shaughnessy is based with the Brigade Headquarters in Collins Barracks, Cork and will line out for Limerick Champions Kilmallock, with whom he has previously won two Limerick county championships in 2010 and 2012 and a Munster Championship in 2014. A Cavalry Officer, he was deployed with the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna for a year in 2012. He won two All Ireland U 21 titles with Limerick in 2001 and 2002, played senior inter county hurling for Limerick from 2002 to 2011 and was awarded an All Star in 2007.
The Defence Forces Values are “Respect, Loyalty, Selflessness, Physical Courage, Moral Courage and Integrity.” Sport has long been associated with military life. At it’s most basic, it improves fitness, health, well being and group dynamics. At it’s best, it will foster and imbue a team with an ethic and spirit that will burn brightly long after the final whistle is blown.
The past twelve months have been particularly fruitful for Defence Forces members participating in Gaelic Games; four members participated in last years All Ireland Hurling Final between Kilkenny and Tipperary, Corporal Gemma O’Connor won her 7th All Ireland Camogie title with Cork and four Defence Forces members won all Ireland Camogie club medals a fortnight ago for Oulart the Ballagh and Lismore.
