ALLIANZ CUMANN Na mBUNSCOL
The third round of six heats of the annual Allianz Cumann na mBunscol 5-a-side Girls’ Indoor Gaelic Football for primary schools was held today in Dungannon’s excellent Loughview Centre. The competition got underway with five local schools competing for the honour of winning this particular heat. St Mary’s Ballygawley, St Patrick’s Aughadarragh, St Brigid’s Altamuskin, St Malachy’s Glencull and Gaelscoil Eoghain were there to do battle where there could be only one winner. An extremely high level of skill and sporting behaviour was exhibited from all involved.
Day 1 of the heats, Tuesday 28th February, saw the five schools compete for a coveted place in the Tyrone County Final. The format of the day’s play was a Round-Robin series of matches. The first game set the tone for the rest of the day’s play. St Mary’s Ballygawley and St Patrick’s Aughadarragh had the Augher team the winners.
The girls from Glencull PS and St Brigid’s Altamuskin went toe-to-toe in an absorbing match. Play ebbed and flowed, and when the final whistle blow, St Malachy’s had the spoils for their first match.
The third match paired the St Mary’s from Ballygawley with Gaelscoil from Dungannon. 4 goals were scored with the Ballygawley girls coming out on top after a closely fought victory. Indeed, Miss Mc Aleer’s Ballygawley girls continued their rich scoring form when they notched up more goals against a gallant Altamuskin and beat neighbours Glencull. An Aughadarragh victory against Gaelscoil in the next match kept their hopes of qualification very much alive. The Aughadarragh goalkeeper was proving to be most formidable in nets with a string of simply superb saves.
When St Brigid’s had a great win over Gaelscoil it wasn’t to be Dungannon’s day as Gaelscoil bowed out of the competition.
The day’s first semi final pitched local rivals Ballygawley PS with their near-neighbours Glencull. In keeping with the day’s play, this contest didn’t disappoint. A pulsating contest saw the play go from end to end. Mr Canavan’s girl’s powered their way to a win, leaving Miss Mc Aleer to think out their next competition having bowed out as deserving semi finalists.
Semi number two saw Errigal’s other entrant, St Brigid’s face off a strong St Patrick’s team. The Augher girls were too strong for their opponents who were under Mr Lynch’s tutelage. The resultant St Patrick’s victory setting up a showdown in the final between Glencull and Aughadarragh.
Two teams showed high quality football all morning, and they were to play the final match of the day in a winner-takes-all clash. The level of expectation and anticipation was high. Glencull and Aughadarragh played some tremendous football and displayed a full-blooded effort. An early Aughadarragh goal really spiced things up. Try as they could, the Glencull girls couldn’t find a way past the opposing keeper. Just as it appeared Aughadarragh had the game sewn up, a last minute goal earned the Glencull girls a draw in the closing moments of normal time. Next followed 7 minutes of Golden Goal, winner takes all, next goal wins, extra time. The referee Neil Mc Garvey had to let play flow as the ball hit the woodwork at either end.
But alas for Mrs Quinn’s galant girls, Glencull hit the back of the Aughadarragh net with a screamer from distance. That crucial goal was to prove pivotal as it broke the brave resistance of Aughadarragh, and also secured St Malachy’s place in the Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Tyrone County Final to be held early March in Cookstown.
We congratulate all of these talented girls and wish Glencull well as they await the qualifying schools from future heats to be held in Omagh, Cookstown and Clonoe.
Our thanks to our referee Neil Mc Garvey for his expert officiating, and to Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Tyrone representative Darren Canavan, for co-ordinating the day’s matches. Mickey Quinn (Treasurer) is also acknowledged for arranging these fantastic competitions. A final word of thanks must go to Joe McAree at the Loughview Centre.
