O'NEILL'S INTERNATIONAL SPORTSWEAR INVITATION
7-ASIDE GAELIC FOOTBALL COMPETITION
CLUB CHAIRMAN MICEAL CRILLY RECIEVING SPONSORSHIP
CHEQUE FROM RAYMOND TUMELTY(LEFT) AREA MANAGER
O'NEILL'S INTERNATIONAL SPORTSWEAR. ALSO IN
PHOTOGRAPH CIARAN CRILLY CLUB PRO (PHOTO BY
BRIAN CUNNINGHAM)
Its sevens time again in Castlewellan
and the St Malachy’s Club are once again
making the final preparations for their 28th
Annual Invitation Sevens competition sponsored
by O’Neill’s International Sportswear.
The competition will once
again be held in Castlewellan Co. Down on Saturday
1st September 2007 commencing at 10.00am
This is the 28th consecutive
year of the competition and teams from all 32
counties have once again been invited. However
the ideal number of teams for this one day competition
is 25 divided into groups of five played on
a round robin basis, thus guaranteeing all competing
teams a minimum of 3 games. The opening rounds
will be played at 4 different venues in the
town including for the first time in the competition’s
history the host club’s recently completed
second pitch at the Dublin Road end of town.
So far 23 teams from Antrim,
Down, Derry, Armagh, Fermanagh, Tyrone Dublin
Louth and Monaghan, as well as the University
teams of Queen’s St Mary’s UCJ and
combined British Universities have entered the
competition with only a few places remaining.
Longstone will be back to defend their title,
which they have held for the past two years
beating the hosts Castlewellan in the last two
finals. However at the Kilmacud Sevens in Dublin
last September the town club evened the score
by beating the ‘Stone’ in a gripping
final that went to extra time so an interesting
battle can be assured if both teams meet in
this year’s competition at Castlewellan
on September 1st. Other Down teams taking part
are league leaders Kilcoo, as well as Loughinisland
Rostrevor and Clonduff. From Antrim St Gall’s
managed by Castlewellan man Paul Duffin, also
St Paul’s, Ardoyne Kickhams and St John’s,
from Armagh St Peter’s and Maghery Sean
McDermott’s and from Tyrone - Carrickmore,
St Eugene's Castlederg, Stewartstown, Edendork,
and Thomas Clarkes Dungannon, from Louth St
Patrick’s Lordship.
All prizes for the competition
are unique and of Irish manufacture –
winners receiving the “Pat Keown”
Memorial Cup with each team member receiving
a ‘Cuchullann’ statuette, with the
winning club receiving a sports voucher for
O’ Neill’s Irish Sportswear. Runners–up
will receive specially commissioned bronze trophies.
All trophies are supplied by Newry business
EmbroidIt who are sponsoring a special ‘Player
of the Tournament’ award. ‘Emboidit
Newry’ are a new franchise specialising
in the supply of sportwear, leisurewear, workwear
plus trophies to suit all needs In addition
to the Player-of-the-Tournament trophy the outstanding
player of the day will receive an O’Neill’s
Sports voucher.
The Sevens are of course more
than a highly competitive one-day competition.
It is always a great social occasion and St
Malachy’s guarantee a warm welcome to
all teams and spectators. The quarter final
stages will take place in St Malachy’s
park commencing at approx 2.00pm the final should
take place about 5.30pm. and immediately after
the finals Malachy’s Cluberooms is the
venue for the celebrations with top class entertainment
featuring Brier Folk led on by the host club.
If
you have any stories or information relating to
Castlewellan that you would
like to appear on this website please email them
to: website@down.gaa.ie
