CASTLEWELLAN GAC CLUBNOTES
· Mayobridge came very close to
losing their unbeaten record in the League
when they were pushed all the way by Castlewellan
in this exciting game played at Mayobridge
on Friday evening. In truth the visitors
did not deserve to emerge as losers as they
turned in a commanding performance and it
was only a lack of experience in the youthful
forward line which proved the difference
between the two sides. The ‘Bridge
were quickest out of the blocks and by the
sixteenth minute had raced into a five point
lead, 0-6 to 0-1. Amazingly they were not
to score again in the half as gradually
the Town started to edge their way back
into the contest and with Kevin Duffin and
Gregory McCartan beginning to dominate a
succession of points saw them draw level
at the break, 0-6 to 0-6. However the visitors
suffered an injury blow just on the stroke
of half-time when full forward Aidan Burns
had to leave the field because of a serious
knee injury. On the restart the Castlewellan
continued to dominate and by the 37th minute
had raced into a three point lead with scores
from Damien McGrady, Cathal Crilly and substitute
Barry Travers. At this stage it looked odds
on for a Town victory as they looked completely
in control and ‘Bridge supporters
were fearing the worst. The Castlewellan
forward line then showed a lack of experience
as they tended to overplay the ball instead
of going for scores and when two attacks
broke down the ‘Bridge took advantage
to sweep upfield and score two points from
Eoghan Woods and Conor Garvey. The introduction
of Down minor Ryan Brady proved to be a
masterstroke for the home side as he began
to torment the Castlewellan defence and
the rest of the forward line suddenly seemed
to spark into life. In the fifty first minute
a flowing move which started in the full
back line ended with Adrian Barry shooting
to the net and suddenly the home side were
in front. Michael Walsh added a point in
the fifty third minute before Cathal Crilly
reduced the deficit to a minimum a minute
later. The ‘Bridge then won a forty
five and Ronan Sexton took advantage of
some slack marking to find Brendan Coulter
and he shot over from twenty five metres.
The visitors continued to give as good as
they got and Fintan McGreevy gave them renewed
hope with a converted free in the fifty
seventh minute. However with time virtually
up the home side were awarded a forty metre
free. Noel Sexton lobbed the ball in and
when it appeared to come off a defender
Ronan Sexton slammed it into the net to
ensure victory for his team. A very close
shave for the ‘Bridge and the only
consolation for Castlewellan is that on
other occasions they may play worse and
still win. Final Score Mayobridge 2-11 Castlewellan
0-13. Michael Watson, Aidan Brogan, Steven
Trainor, Caolam O’Hare, Liam Lennon,
Ruairi McArdle, Damien McGrady (0-1), Kevin
Duffin (0-1), Fintan McGreevy (0-3), Luke
Toner, Gregory McCartan(0-2), Liam McKibben
(0-2), Cathal Crilly (0-2), Aidan Burns
(0-1), Colm Flanagan. Sub used: Barry Travers
(0-1).
· The u14 hurlers finished their
qualifying league with a gutsy performance
against pace setters Bredagh at the Bann
Road . Although defeated on a scoreline
of 6.8 - 3.2 there was some fantastic hurling
played by the town boys. A poor start to
the game saw Bredagh race into an early
lead with the town conceding two quick goals
and it looked as if it was going they were
going to get a hard lesson but instead of
giving up they dug in. With Stephen Connolly
leading from centre back the town defence
started to get a grip on their speedy opponents.With
Paul King, Martin Brannigan hooking and
blocking preventing certain scores and Sean
Doran making some fantastic saves the confidence
grew and castlewellan started to create
chances. A fantastic Jake Carville goal
followed by a Patrick Gallagher point saw
the town boys back in the game and the match
remained tight till half time. Half time
Castlewellan 1.1 Bredagh 3.2. An injury
to Rory Burns at full back meant big changes
and it took a little time for the boys to
settle into their new positions and time
which Bredagh exploited rattling in two
quick goals and three points. However the
town boys came back again with the impressive
Pauric Hardy and Patrick Gallagher supplying
great ball to Cahal Keown he finished two
great moves to the net. An excellent game
of hurling with the coaches of both teams
knowing that their teams had given everything.
Training continues Bann Road 6.30 pm Monday
nights.
· St Malachy's PS have once again
given our entire community great pride in
their magnificent achievements in Gaelic
sport and their success has given St Malachy's
GAC great hope for the future fortunes of
our teams. Well done Mr O'Neill and Mr McCabe
who have done so much in this past couple
of years to promote Gaelic in the school
and well done particularly to Noreen Keown
who has given so much of her own time to
both school and club coaching and preparing
the young girls culminating in this historic
PS victory. What a year for St Malachy’s
P.S.!! Both INTO football sevens titles
have now been captured by the school. On
Thursday 15th May the girls emulated the
boys by winning the sevens for the very
first time. The competition attracted 19
teams to Annsborough for what promised to
be a festival of excellent football. St
Malachy’s easily accounted for Holy
Family in their first tie and followed that
up by defeating last year’s winners
Carrick in the second match. The final group
game proved to be the toughest test of the
day with the girls having to work hard to
defeat St Mary’s Rostrevor on a score
line of 2-3 to 1-2. Having qualified as
winners from their section the girls were
then paired with St Patrick’s Mayobridge
in the quarter finals. Excellent work from
Tierna Corrigan and Aisling Connolly in
mid-field led to great scores from the two
forward dynamos Clare Owens and Anna Rogan
and the girls ran out winners on a score
line of 2-2 to 0-0. The semi final paired
St Malachy’s with Lower Mourne , an
amalgamation of three schools but the great
tackling of Christine Owens and Catriona
Caldwell in defence and super score taking
of Owens and Rogan ensured the girls were
never under threat. Outstanding goal keeping
by Aisling Burns in goals restricted Lower
Mourne to just a solitary point. Sinead
Sweeney, Hayley Wynn and Clare Cleland all
contributed to a final score of St Malachy’s
3-9 Lower Mourne 0-1. In the final the girls
were up against old rivals Kilcoo. Having
lost one final already this year the girls
were determined not to let another title
slip. An early Anna Rogan strike settled
any nerves and with Catriona Caldwell tackling
like her life depended on it and Tierna
Corrigan fielding some great balls the girls
pushed forward at every opportunity. A second
goal from Clare Owens gave breathing space
and with Aisling Burns so commanding in
goals there was no way Kilcoo were going
to get back into the game. With Christine
Owens and Aisling Connolly dominating midfield
it was only a matter of time before further
scores came. In the second half the ‘terrible
twins’ up front Rogan and Owens added
further scores and Sinead Sweeney, Hayley
Wynn and Clare Cleland all defended tigerishly
to ensure the winners trophy was heading
to Castlewellan. The final whistle was greeted
with jubilant scenes with St Malachy’s
winning on a score line of 4-1 to 1-1. Never
before in the history of Cumann na mBunscol
in Down has a school captured both girls
and boys sevens titles in the one year.
It is fitting that the first school to achieve
this feat is St Malachy’s, Castlewellan.
This is something we are extremely proud
of and the future for both the school and
the club certainly looks bright. We look
forward to some of our boys and girls gracing
Croke Park in September.
· Payments now due for draw 3 of
our annual 600 club draw. Returns must be
in before Saturday 24th May - Committee
members and other sellers please note.
· Club Lotto no’s 1,10,12,21
no winners. Jackpot now £6250.
