Ballindaggin team with their trophy.

Roinn A Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Hurling Final

Gorey edge an absolute thriller

St. Josephs Gorey 2-4 St. Senans Enniscorthy 2-2

This was a game that seized your attention from the very beginning and then held onto it with an iron grip until the final whistle. Played at a frantic pace, featuring some of the best scores ever seen in any final and peppered with skilful players full to the brim of determination all over the pitch, this Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Roinn A hurling final had all the ingredients to make it the classic it was. The game began at lightning speed with both sides exchanging wides early in play. Then in the 3^rd minute, the fireworks went off. Gorey wing forward Seán Delaney scored a magnificent goal from a long, long way out using a ground stroke reminiscent of John Fenton’s famous effort in 1987. St. Senan’s goalkeeper Dean Levingstone just about got a hurl to it but this shot was always destined to burst the net. Gorey were unlucky not to score a second goal almost immediately after when their attack was foiled by a well organised and tenacious St. Senan’s defence. It was then a case of anything you can do I can do better when St. Senan’s full forward Michael McGrath came out from the edge of the square to win a long ball into the forwards. Finding himself about 40 yards out from goal and with a bit of time, he decided to let fly and the result was an amazing dipping and curling effort that rattled the Gorey net and sent the crowd wild. It was only five minutes into the match but you could already sense that everyone present was in for an epic encounter and surprisingly the game somehow retained this electric tempo throughout. Throughout the field, both teams were giving their all and scores were proving almost impossible to come by. No ball was won easily and to bypass the ever present Gorey tackling and hassling, St. Senan’s elected to feed their forwards through quick ball along the ground. This seems to give them most of the momentum in the first half with the little and large combination of Floyd Murphy and Michael McGrath up front for St. Senans causing Gorey a lot of problems. In the 12^th minute, lively corner forward Floyd Murphy got his just rewards when a ambitious lobbing effort found the back of the net. This proved to be St. Senan’s last score of the half however and indeed the crowd had to wait until the 24^th minute before another flag was raised through an Evan O’Dwyer free that brought the half-time scores to 2-00 to 1-01. The second half saw the game take a different shape with a lot more ball around the middle and it was Gorey midfielder Tiernan Doyle who used this opportunity to take the game by the scruff of the neck. He seemed to be everywhere, continually tackling, tussling and harrying anyone near a sliothar in the greater Enniscorthy area and he won some great ball which he then consistently carried or delivered into the danger zones. Michael McGrath combined well with Philip O’Brien to get the first score of the half and then Tiernan Doyle exchanged frees with Senan’s freetaker, Philip O’Brien before the tide began to turn in Gorey favour. Senans corner back Eoin Herlihy made a heroic block to deny Tiernan Doyle a goal scoring opportunity and then wingback Johnny Connors was in the right place at the right time when he stopped an Eoghan Kennedy effort on the Senan’s goal line. In the 18^th minute, Gorey finally made the breakthrough when Tiernan Doyle soloed through to deliver a rasping shot into the bottom right corner and to bring the game to a draw 2-02 each. Moments later, excellent Senans full back Tomas O’Gorman made a tremendous block on Michael Kennedy to deny Gorey another goal but unfortunately then had to go off injured as a result, bringing an end to a fantastic defensive display. Gorey nearly took advantage of his absence in front of goal straight away when Evan O’Dwyer hit a dangerous low ball across the goal that was almost put into the back of the net by Eddie O’Brien-Murphy. Gorey’s next score was not long coming though as Michael Molloy handpassed to Tiernan Doyle who controlled the ball with aplomb and clipped over a great point. He then put over a free in the 23^rd minute to open up an ominous two-point lead. This however meant nothing to St. Senan’s who continued to push Gorey all the way to the end and this resulted in a tense finale throughout the required four minutes of injury time. St. Senan’s should be applauded for this never-say-die attitude and they were almost rewarded when in the dying moments they lobbed in free in hope of a goal. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be for the Enniscorthy boys on the day. Rackard League Co. Treasury John Brennan presented the cup to Gorey captain Eoin Molloy and congratulated both teams for an entertaining game of hurling despite the windy and cold conditions. Both teams were also applauded for their determination and attitude and few people left Bellefield not convinced that either of these teams would be seen in the final again. John Brennan also took time to thank all the teachers and volunteers who has made the day possible, but it must be said on behalf of every parent, teacher and volunteer in Bellefield that evening that it was all worth it just to see such a thrilling final.   Roinn B Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Camogie Final

Ballindaggin take the title

Ballindaggin 2-2 Castlebridge 1-1

Luckily the rain decided to take a break on Friday just before this Allianz Cumann na mBunscol camogie final began. The gloom was then lifted by every girl on the Bellefield pitch when they brightened up the evening with a well contested final that saw Ballindaggin emerge victorious. The game began with both teams working very hard all over the pitch and scoring opportunities proving scarce. The strong winds made accuracy a challenge and this resulted in numerous wides on both sides. Ballindaggin were unlucky not to steal a goal early in play when Castlebridge defender Jamie Devereux cleared off her goal line. It was then Ballindaggin who had to do all the defending as Castlebridge exerted all the pressure up front. In the 11^th minute the breakthrough came, Ballindaggin forward Ciara Banville scoring a great goal after been set up by Sophie Lenehan. Castlebridge star Sarah Harding Kenny then quickly replied with a well-taken point while under pressure at the other end. Further wides were exchanged until Sophie Lenehan soloed through the Castlebridge defence and then scored a goal from long range to bring the score to 2-0 to 0-1. Castlebridge were not giving in easily though and they were desperately unlucky not to get a goal in the 18^th minute when Sarah Harding Kenny danced through the Ballindaggin defence and was denied a handpassed goal by the crossbar. Minutes later Sophie Lenehan rubbed salt in the wound by slotting over another Ballindaggin point to extend their lead further. The strong wide and the huge, length of the field puck outs by Liza Bates seemed to be working very well in Ballindaggins favour. The excellent defending of Roisin Ni Mhuiri and Keelin McHugh was also causing Castlebridge problems. Just before half time, Roisin Ni Mhuiri put in a brave block to deny Sarah Harding Kenny another goal scoring opportunity and then Katie Colclough scored a 45 to extend Ballingdaggin’s lead to 2-2 to 0-1. Castlebridge were not going to give up however and they emerged in the second half full of determination and work rate. Ailis Neville was twice denied by the Ballindaggin goalkeeper Liza Bates and then Jamie Devereux tried her luck to no avail. There simply seemed to be no way past this talented goalkeeper. It was now Ballindaggin on the backfoot and Castlebridge seemed to be growing in confidence with each attack. Ailis Neville and busy midfielder Siobhan Doolan were unlucky not to get the scores that they deserved and it seemed that all was lost until Ailis Neville scored a wonderful goal to put Castlebridge right back into it. However, despite Castlebridge’s best efforts, Ballindaggin held firm to emerge as county champions and when the final whistle went no one could deny that they had deserved their win.

Rackard League Co. Treasurer John Brennan presented the cup to winning captain Sophie Lenehan and praised both teams for their strong traditions in the competition. Sophie Lenehan then thanked the parents and teachers for their support throughout the year