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County Finals 2006
15 aside Boys’ Football :
St. Patrick’s Hilltown 1-6
St. Mary’s Boys’ Rostrevor 2-4
Girls Football
Championship:
St. Patrick’s Legamaddy 0-5
Holy Family Teconnaught 2-0
7 aside Boys’
Football
St. Joseph’s Crossgar
2-3 St. Mary’s Barr & St. John’s
Glenn 2-8
9 aside Boys’ Football
Holy Family Teconnaught
1-7 St. Colman’s Saval 5-9
All roads led
to St Malachy’s Park Castlewellan as the primary
school children of Down and their families came to
witness the annual Cumann na mBunscol Football
county finals.
Rostrevor
defeat Hilltown by single point in fantastic game of
football.
In the
curtain raiser, the young reds from St. Mary’s Boys’
Rostrevor were faced with the might of St. Patrick’s
Hilltown in the 15 aside league final and what an
enthralling game this turned out. The Rostrevor team
having already won the Canon Esler Trophy and the
INTO 7s were firm favourites to add this year’s
league title to the long litany of successes over
the years. This school, making its last appearance
due to a local amalgamation, had already won ten
such titles including six in a row in the 1996-2001
period and were defending champions. St. Patrick’s
Hilltown most recent final appearance was in 2004,
losing out in last year’s semifinal. Right from the
throw in, Hilltown laid siege to the Rostrevor goals
even though they were playing against the strong
wind. Soon they had the lead when a long ball was
sent by midfielder John Brown and after a mix up in
the Rostrevor defence, Daniel Burns found the back
of the Rostrevor net. This score seemed to unsettle
the Rostrevor team who attacked with fervour but
with little accuracy, although Liam McAleavey in the
Hilltown goals made some superb saves. Indeed it
took Rostrevor 16 minutes to register their first
score, a point from the boot of James Rowland.
Shortly afterwards Hilltown combined well and a
counter attack involving several players resulted in
a point for Patrick O’Hagan. Now the Rostrevor team
seem to waken out of their slumbers and points from
Jonathan Connolly, a great solo effort from Jordan
Fegan and a swift move involving Fegan, Paul Morgan
and Daniel Morgan brought the teams level.
Half Time
Score:
St.
Patrick’s Hilltown 1-1
St. Mary’s Boys’ Rostrevor 0-4
With the wind
advantage in the second period, Hilltown earnestly
attacked the Rostrevor goals but they were repelled
by the stout defending of Conor Doyle, Pearce Magee,
Joseph Morgan and Ciaran Ferran. However the point
taking of Rory McQuaid propelled Hilltown into a two
point lead before Rostrevor struck the first of
their killer blows. A long clearance down field
found Stephen Morgan who neatly placed the ball in
the Hilltown net. Immediately Rory McQuaid rallied
his team with a well taken equalising point. Not
long afterwards it was that fellow Stephen Morgan
again who broke the hearts of the St. Patrick’s
players. Following a scrimmage in front of goals, he
squeezed the ball past Liam McAleavey in the
Hilltown goals for another three pointer. Now it was
frenetic end to end football with both teams
pressing for victory. Liam McAleavey in the Hilltown
goals ensured there were no more scores for
Rostrevor while Rory McQuaid had a brace of points
to narrow the lead. What a wonderful display of
gaelic football and what a pity one team had to win
! Rostrevor boys had retained the league title by
the narrowest of margin and were pushed all the way
by a highly skilful and competitive Hilltown team.
Final
Score:
St. Patrick’s Hilltown
1-6 St. Mary’s Boys’
Rostrevor 2-4
After the
final, Pat Watterson Cathaoirleach Cumann na
mBunscol an Duin, congratulated both teams for this
superb encounter which had all there present on
tender hooks until the final whistle. Mr John
Morgan, Football Development Officer for Down
presented the medals to both teams and the trophy to
Pearce Magee, captain of the victorious Rostrevor.
Mr Morgan said how much he appreciated the efforts
of all involved, the teachers, the parents and
particularly the children who participated in all
the leagues this year.
Legamaddy
rue missed chances.
The Girls’
Final involved the young ladies from Legamaddy who
had excelled in both the INTO 7s and the Indoor
competition earlier in the season and the girls from
Holy Family Teconnaught out to make a name for
themselves. Legamaddy started brightly but failed to
capitalise on their scoring chances. A quick
interchange of passes between the Teconnaught
players presented Sarah Green with the opportunity
of a goal and she accepted gratefully. Legamaddy
immediately responded with a counterattack and as
Natasha Lavery was bearing down on goal, she was
impeded unfairly and awarded a penalty. Natasha took
the kick herself but unfortunately her shot was off
target. She did however open the scoring three
minutes late with a well taken point. There then
followed a period of exciting football in which both
teams had ample opportunities to increase their
tallies but the only other score of the half was
another goal from the boot of Sarah Green.
Half Time
Score:
St.
Patrick’s Legamaddy 0-1 Holy
Family Teconnaught 2-0
Playing with
the strong breeze in the second half, Legamaddy laid
siege to the Teconnaught goals but it took them five
minutes and many missed opportunities before they
reduced the arrears with a well taken point from
Natasha Lavery. Jennifer Tempany was next to score
and as the clock was beginning to run down, Natasha
Lavery had two further scores to reduce the deficit
to a single point. Both teams had ample chances to
seal the victory in the final minutes but it was
Teconnaught who held on bravely to be crowned Girls’
Football Champions of Down for 2006.
Final
Score:
St.
Patrick’s Legamaddy 0-5 Holy
Family Teconnaught 2-0
After the
final, Down football coach and member of the senior
panel, Conor Laverty presented the trophy to the
Teconnaught Jennifer Green and the medals to all the
players. Mr Pat Watterson praised both teams for a
most sporting and exciting encounter.
Defending
champions prove too strong.
The Seven
aside Final brought together newcomers St. Joseph’s
Crossgar and a joint team from Barr-Glenn the
existing champions. Using the wind to their
advantage in the opening period, the combined St.
Mary’s Barr & St. John’s Glenn team romped into an
early lead which they never relinquished throughout
the match. This was by no means a one sided affair
but the strong wind made it a game of two
contrasting halves. Displaying great pace and
skilful passing, the Barr-Glen outfit opened the
scoring through a super move. C O’Hare spotted his
team mate B McParland behind the Crossgar defence
and an accurate pass meant he had only to palm the
ball past the advancing P Martin in the Crossgar
goals. Barr- Glenn captain James Friel combined with
both O’Brien and O’Hare to increase the lead before
a well taken goal by C O’Hare left the Crossgar
outfit floundering. In between G Stranney opened the
scoring for Crossgar before J P Rooney was fouled
by the Barr-Glenn goalie. The resultant penalty was
taken and missed by J P Rooney. Just before half
time, Crossgar captain C Russell reduced the margin
with a well taken point
Half Time
Score:
St.
Joseph’s Crossgar
0-2 Barr- Glenn 2-5
It was now
Barr-Glenn’s turn to defend and they did so with
great gusto. St. Joseph’s certainly gave them plenty
to worry about with captain C Russell leading by
example and scoring two goals and a point to reduce
the margin to two points but Barr-Glenn finished
strongly and the intelligent play of Friel, C Reavey,
C O’Hare and T O’Brien proved decisive on the day.
Final
Score:
St.
Joseph’s Crossgar
2-3 Barr-Glenn 2-8
After the
game, Eamonn O’Hare Down’s Games and Coaching
Development Officer presented the trophy to James
Friel captain of the winning team. He commended all
those who made this day possible, the organisers,
the various coaches, the parents of these children
and all those who had participated in these
competitions.
Saval too
strong for Teconnaught.
The 9 aside
final brought together two areas renowned for the
participation in all aspects of Irish culture,
Teconnaught and Saval. Just as this game got under
way, a huge downpour sent the spectators scurrying
for shelter as an otherwise pleasant day became
rather miserable. Both teams tried to adjust to the
conditions but it was Saval with the wind on their
backs that made light of this problem. The
delightful solo runs of Keelan Rice, the slick inter
play between captain Daniel McCarthy and sharp
shooter Pat Havern coupled with the defensive skills
of Stephan Digney proved too much for this game
Teconnaught team. The Holy Family boys did have
their moments and a super move involving Eoghan
McCaul, Niall Owens and Niall McClements resulted in
their only score of the first half. However with
three goals and a point from Havern and two points
apiece from Keelan Rice and Daniel McCarthy left
Teconnaught with a huge deficit at half time.
Half Time
Score:
Holy
Family Teconnaught
0-1 St. Colman’s Saval
3-5
The weather
improved over the break and all present hoped that
the fortunes of this luckless Teconnaught might
change dramatically. They began brightly with a
great solo run and a point from Aaron McClements and
this was augmented by a brace of points from Aaron
McMahon. Just when we believed that the great
comeback was in full swing, Keelan Rice had a neat
point for Barr/Glenn and a delightful move involving
Rice, Havern and Digney resulted in a goal. Captain
Daniel McCarthy burst through for two goals before
points from Keelan Rice completed the rout. In the
dying moments of the game, Eoghan McCaul was awarded
a penalty which he converted himself.
Final
Score:
Holy
Family Teconnaught
1-7 St. Colman’s Saval
5-9
After the
game, Collie Bell Leas Cathaoirleach Cumann na
mBunscol an Duin commended both teams on their
performances and in particular Holy Family
Teconnaught who competed gamely to the final
whistle, John Morgan present the trophy to Saval’s
captain Daniel McCarthy. |
