Down's last chance of All Ireland hurling title in 2006
All Ireland Final?
Remarkable Times for Bredagh Minor
Hurlers
"If someone had told me when I was at
Queens ten years ago that four players
from Bredagh would be one step away from
an All Ireland hurling final in 2006,
I'd have told them to go and get their
heads looked at!"
Down Minor hurling manager Ronán Sheehan
has been as surprised as anyone else by
the remarkable success story of the
hurling revolution in South Belfast. His
squad contains four Bredagh lads and is
currently preparing for a game on
Wednesday night, August 16th against
Tyrone for a place in the All Ireland
Special Minor Hurling Final on Saturday
against Mayo in Garrison, Co Fermanagh
at 3.30pm.
The Fab Four - Paul Doole, Rowan Smart,
Paddy Byrne and Eoghan Donnelly - have
impressed Ronán with their efforts so
far. "It would be a magnificent
achievement if the four Bredagh boys
could return to the Ormeau Road on
Saturday night with an All Ireland medal
in their pockets. There is absolutely no
doubt in my mind that these lads have
the talent to go all the way and play
with the Down Senior team".
To put their achievement into context,
there wasn't even a Bredagh minor
hurling team until this year, when the
brave decision was taken to mix it with
the Ards teams. As expected, heavy
defeats followed but the small squad has
shown impressive spirit and have fully
justified the decision. Only last week
they showed terrific desire and spirit
in a rip-roaring League game with
Warrenpoint.
A case in point is one of the Bredagh
four, Paddy Byrne. Up until three months
ago Paddy hadn't played competitive
hurling in two years, but he got the
hunger back for the camán game when he
starred in his first Minor League match
against Liatroim and was promptly
promoted to the Down Academy squad.
Now Paddy is hoping to play in an All
Ireland final. "I really can't believe
how things have worked out. When I
started back with the club in May,
representing Down was the last thing on
my mind, but I just couldn't get enough
of the game and things really couldn't
have worked out better. It's an added
bonus that Paul, Rowan and Eoghan are
involved in the squad too. Who would
believe that we are part of the only
Down squad that can win a hurling All
Ireland in 2006".
In an otherwise disappointing year for
Down hurling, Ronán Sheehan, himself
from the Newry Shamrocks club, describes
this squad of players as "a breath of
fresh air. They are made up only from
players outside the Ards peninsula and
their achievement highlights the great
efforts being made by clubs such as
Bredagh and Shamrocks".
Ronán's charges haven't lost a single
match and easily won Saturday's group
game against Monaghan, 5-29 to 2-3.
The four Bredagh lads are also part of
the Bredagh Senior squad which has reach
the Ulster League Final at Casement Park
next month. Remarkable times indeed for
hurling in South Belfast.
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http://www.bredaghgac.com/2006Hurling/u18.shtml
