It’s fair to say that it’s been a rollercoaster of a season for GAA & LGFA in Pats. They’ve gone from no training, to no-contact training and from small groups back to whole squad training a number of times. It’s said that the five ‘S’s of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill & spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit. Well that quote never fitted better. The Pats squads have proved their spirit over & over this year and the Club are extremely proud of their players and the resilience they’ve shown in this strangest of seasons.Special mention must go to their Footballers who won the GAA Junior 3 All County Championship Final last month beating Clontarf 2-09 to 0-10. For the first time in the Club’s history, the game was streamed live with commentary by Austin Shields & Niall Collins. Many of the lads have played together since their Academy days and winning the Championship with your childhood friends is a feat that’s hard to beat. 5 of the team shared an even closer bond as Brian & Stephen Keegan, Jack & Aron Kinsella and Eric Hendrick are all cousins. Kudos too to the squad’s mentors Donal Kinsella, Bill McGillicuddy & Eamonn Kinsella.The mood in the club was already high as it had been a great week for the club with the Shield win by their LGFA squad the previous Wednesday. Finishing joint top of their Championship group, it’d been a blow to miss out on the Championship Final on goal difference. The Pats girls took this disappointment and channeled it into resolve. They attacked the Final from the first whistle beating Ballymun 2-08 to 1-03. Currently flying high in League Cup table, these girls have trained and thrived under the management of Aidan Coppinger & Adrian Brophy who have breathed new life into the LGFA ranks of the club.The club use the phrase #ProudToBePats in their social media and newsletters. Seeing the amount of work that goes into maintaining and future-proofing their grounds at Ballymastone and the achievements coming out of their Juvenile & Adult coaching & training, it’s not hard to share their pride in their players and their parish.