The main action of interest within the past week concerned the semi-finals of the U12 football championships which have now paved the way for the finals which will take place on Saturday morning in The Ragg from 10am. Lining up for the group 1 final are Durlas Óg and Drom & Inch, in group 2 we have Upperchurch-Drombane and Moyne-Templetuohy. In group 3 Moycarkey-Borris second team take on Thurles Gaels, while in group 4 which opens the day’s proceedings we have the second teams from both Holycross-Ballycahill and Boherlahan-Dualla facing each other as we look forward to the culmination of the championships. Best wishes to the eight clubs in the finals.
On Thursday night in Templetuohy we have the Féile na nGael B round robin competition with Moyne-Templetuohy, Loughmore-Castleiney and Drom-Inch all taking part. The action here commences at 6.30pm. On Good Friday in The Ragg the U14 Féile Skills, U14 Poc Fada and U16 Poc Fada took place with very close margins separating the eventual winners from the chasing pack. First up it was the U16 Poc Fada where the participants were David O’Shea (JK Brackens), Mark Purcell (Durlas Óg), Diarmuid Ryan (Clonakenny), Fionn Cleary (Gortnahoe-Glengoole) and Jack Bryan (Moycarkey-Borris). David O’Shea took the lead with his first puck followed by Diarmuid Ryan. However, the second puck for each of Fionn Cleary and Ryan were neck and neck in pole position. As neither gained further advantage with their remaining effort, Willie Clohessy was on hand with the tape measure to determine the winner, which in the end resulted in a narrow victory for the Clonakenny man Diarmuid Ryan, with Fionn Cleary in second and Mark Purcell in third place.
Next up it was the U14 equivalent, with John Ryan (Drom-Inch), Kevin Bracken (Durlas Óg), Patrick O’Gorman (Holycross-Ballycahill), Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey-Borris), Jack Taylor (Moyne-Templetuohy) and Matthew Kavanagh (Gortnahoe-Glengoole).With his first effort Patrick O’Gorman gained advantage with what proved to be the decisive puck followed by Jack Taylor in second and Rhys Shelly in third place. The second pucks here only reversed the second and third placings as Shelly and Taylor swapped positions. As no participant could increase the distance with the last puck, Patrick O’Gorman emerged victorious with Shelly and Taylor holding onto second and third place respectfully.
The Féile skills rounded up the affairs of the day with five participants taking part; Jamie Ryan (Drom & Inch), Kieran Moloney (Durlas Óg), Seamus Stakelum (Holycross-Ballycahill), Conor Ryan (Loughmore-Castleiney) and Gearóid O’Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy). In what was a very close and keenly contested set of skills two serious contenders emerged early on in the form of Conor Ryan and Gearóid O’Connor. Neck and neck throughout, when the scores were tallied at the end it gave O’Connor a slender three point winning margin over Ryan with Kieran Moloney in third spot. Congratulations to the three winners on the day and best wishes to them in the County Finals in the next couple of weeks. Thanks also to all participants and a special note of thanks to Andy Ryan GDA for setting up the field and overseeing proceedings.
Speaking of county finals, best wishes also to Moycarkey-Borris U14 Peil A footballers who contest the county semi-final on Saturday at 12pm against North winners Inane Rovers in Annacarty, with the final set for 1.15pm; and also to Holycross-Ballycahill U14 Peil B footballers who contest their county semi-final at 1.30pm in Cappawhite against Newport Gaels also North winners, with the final here down for decision at 2.30pm.
By Jonathan Cullen Wed 23rd Apr
