The Inishowen GAA season will reach a conclusion at The Scarvey in Buncrana on Friday night when two new competitions are down for decision.
The Under-9 and Under-11 finals are taking place under lights, with the beneficiary being ‘The Childhood Cancer Foundation,’ who will receive all proceeds from the games.
In an initiative CLG Bord Inis Eoghain set up the two new competitions to give additional football to young boys and girls in these two age groups towards the end of their normal playing season.
As it happens almost three hundred boys and girls from ten clubs, including invited guest clubs St Eunans, Naomh Colmcille, Steelstown and Doire Colmcille participated ensuring the competition was a massive success.
The Inishowen GAA Board are delighted to receive sponsorship for the finals from the Donegal Animal Hospital, Drumany Letterkenny and as a result have decided to donate all proceeds on the night to The Childhood Cancer Foundation, which has strong links in Inishowen.
Clubs in Inishowen have been very generous fundraising for various charities including The Childhood Cancer Foundation, and it is heart warming to know that a number of children participating in the competition in recent weeks are from families who have been affected by various childhood cancers.
The Board anticipate a large turnout of supporters on Friday night and look forward to everyone donating generously. Hopefully go some way to raising awareness and contribute to improved services for children with Cancer and their families.
Childhood Cancer Foundation
Childhood Cancer Foundation comprises volunteer parents and family members whose children are currently in treatment for or in remission from various childhood cancers. Through the generosity of our donors and work of our volunteers we are funding play services on St John’s paediatric cancer day unit at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin.
The Charity is also funding a medical research project in the hospital, which investigates the benefits of complementary therapies for children receiving treatment for cancer. We will also be funding the roll out of the internationally recognised Beads of Courage which is an arts in medicine programme provided to children with cancer in many paediatric hospitals in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and other countries which helps them to understand and cope with their cancer diagnosis.
We will continue to run awareness campaigns including Light It Up Gold and to promote the recognition of the gold ribbon as the symbol of childhood cancer. We are advocating for the development of peer-to-peer support for parents and improved services for children with cancer and their families in the New National Cancer Strategy.
Donegal Animal Hospital
Under 9 Tournament Final 6.45 pm
Buncrana v Steelstown Brian Og’s
There is sure to be a big home crowd at The Scarvey for the opening game to cheer on Marty Coyle’s young cubs as they take on city rivals Steelstown Brian Og’s in the first ever U9 tournament Final to be staged in Inishowen, which has been kindly sponsored by Donegal Animal Hospital, Drumany, Letterkenny.
Top photo caption: The Buncrana Under-9 panelÂ
Having played six games already to reach the final, the Buncrana boys were very impressive in their group games, with good wins over Doire Colmcille and Burt, a hard fought draw against Naomh Colmcille before suffering their only defeat in their trip to Ture where they lost out to pre tournament favourites Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin. In the semi final they had home advantage against Carndonagh and made no mistake on that occasion.
Coaches Peter McLaughlin, Paul McGonagle, Neil McCarron and Leo Gill together with Marty Coyle have put in a lot of hard work over the summer months with the squad, attending many tournaments and blitzes and they are confident that their captain Billy Duffy will have the honour of leading his team to victory. Some of the players Buncrana will be expecting big performances from are Lochlainn Kearney, Daire McColgan, Dylan Mulholland, Padraig McGonagle, David Wilson and Ben McLaughlin.
Steelstown Under-9’s with former Donegal full-back Paddy Campbell, back left
However Steelstown Brian Og’s will be no pushover, having recorder excellent victories over Moville and Malin in their group two games, before disposing of St Eunans in a play off game played in Newtown and then caused a major shock by recording a super two-point victory over the fancied Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin in the semi final. By all accounts that game, which attracted a very large crowd at the Derry venue, was one of the best underage games played this year.
The Ballyarnet Club who are captained by Donnchadh Roarty have been making massive progress in recent years, especially at underage and continue to attract very large numbers to training at all age levels in both boys and girls grades. Just a few of the names expected to take the game to Buncrana are Nathan Cullen, Finn Duffy, Luke Harkin and Joseph Feeney and they will do all in their power to take the trophy back to Derry.
Buncrana: Nevin McGovern, Fionnan Gill, Oran Doherty, Billy Duffy, Padraig McGonagle, Mikey Donaghey, Donal Og O Brien, Ciaran Jackson, Shaun Lynch, Lochlainn Kearney, Dylan Mulholland, Daire McColgan, Eliott Friel, Devin McCarron, Eoin O Hagan, Jack McDaid, Andrew Davison, Jack Guilfoyle, Shay Coyle, Ciaran McNulty, Jack Sheerin-Gill, David Wilson, Ben McLaughlin, Stiofan McGonagle.
Steelstown Brian Og’s: Odhran Campbell, Nathan Cullen, Cathal Deery, Finn Duffy, Conall Dejene, Joey Getty, Luke Harkin, Oisin Kelly, Patrick Lynch, Ethan McClelland, Liam Mc Laren, Donnchadh Roarty (Captain), Joseph Feeney, Oisin Porter, Cillian Currie, Caomhin Wray.
Donegal Animal Hospital
Under 11 Tournament Final 8.00 pm
Naomh Colmcille v Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin
The Under 11 tournament final, which is also sponsored by Donegal Animal Hospital, Drumany, Letterkenny is sure to be an epic battle between two excellent sides, who have excelled in various competitions throughout the summer.
The Muff club are well known throughout the North West as being the benchmark of underage football, having competed in so many finals at different levels over the past few years. The conveyor belt has continued this year at under 11 under Kevin Lynch and his backroom team and will prove very difficult to overcome.
The Naomh Padraig, Muff, Under-11 panel
Naomh Padraig have named a strong panel of 18Â to pull on the famous blue and yellow jersey and all would have an equal chance of starting the game. Some of the players who seem certain to have an impact on the night are Oisin McIntyre, Kevin Lynch, Ciaran Roberts, Darragh Doherty and David Grant.
Despite recording four straight wins in their group to reach the semi finals, including a win over the Newtown boys, they look very impressive in their games against Doire Colmcille, Burt and Buncrana, before overcoming Malin in the semi final, in an absorbing game, which went right down to the wire.
The Naomh Colmcille Under-9 panel
The Newtown side have also had an exceptional year, winning over thirty games in various competitions and blitzes they have participated in.
They opened their campaign with a narrow victory over Buncrana, before losing to Naomh Padraig in their second game, but went on to record wins over Doire Colmcille and local rivals Burt. The semi final pairings gave them a home tie against highflying Moville, who had topped their group, but Barry O Hagan’s side managed to edge out a narrow one-point victory to reach the final.
Interestingly, one of their outstanding players in those games has been young Clodagh Sheerin, who is a magnificent fielder of the ball and seems destined to play at County level in the very near future. Other players to look out for on the Naomh Colmcille side are Oisin McFadden, Kevin Dolan, Caolan Dowds and Brendan O’ Hagan who seems likely to cause major problems for the Muff defence.
Naomh Colmcille: Brendan O’Hagan, Jacob McDaid, Oisin McFadden, Darragh McFadden, Fabian Flood, Kevin Dolan, Darragh Downey, Colm Chen, Caolan Dowds, Clodagh Sheerin, Shea Haslett, Jamie Davenport, Ben O’Donnell, Emmett Rodgers, Ciaran Kennedy
Naomh Padraig: Osin McIntyre, Cormac Kelly, Kealn Muclakey, Evan Davenport, Rory Crosson, Kevin Lynch, Micheal McCarron, Andrew McCarron, Rian Gallagher, Cormac Kelly, Ciaran Roberts, Patrick Hirrell, Kellen Henry, Patrick Gillen, Jason Lynch, Darrah Doherty, Cormac McColgan, David Grant.
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