County News:

The Down U-16 team travelled to Truagh to compete for the shield at the Trudi Kearns competition on Saturday August 14th. Armagh, Antrim and Fermanagh were the other teams involved.

This competiton was played on a round robin league basis with the top two teams at the end playing off for the shield.

Down were first up with an interesting tussle against Fermanagh, they led all the way, only for the Erne County to grab a late equaliser

to leave the fulltime score Down 0-08 Fermanagh 0-08. A few positional switches by the management saw a stronger and more confident Down side

take the field against Antrim and they ran out easy winners on a score-line of 4-08 to 0-03. Armagh were next up and Down again played very controlled football to take the Orchard County on a scoreline of 3-07 to 0-02. This result saw Down go top and retain their unbeaten status.

Down were in the final but their opponents were unknown as Fermanagh and Antrim required a play-off to see who would go through.

As it was Antrim progressed and though Down had beaten them easily in their earlier encounter, this was a final and the game was a lot closer.

Down held firm and ran out 4 point winners much to the delight of the players and management.

This was an excellent team performance and Down fully deserved the spoils. Though it is hard to single out any player in particular for special mention, the success was built around very accomplished players such as forwards Kyla Trainor, Natasha Ferris, Sonya McGaw, Midfielders, Michele Cousins and Mairead Hardy, defenders, Lisa Ireland, Elaine Rooney, Aine Crozer and Ciara O'Higgins.