BALLYCOMOYLE’S
LONG HAUL TO UNDER 14 GLORY
Click here to
see photos from the 1988 and 1989 teams
The under 14 championship came to
Ballycomoyle again during ’89, after they defeated The Downs 1-6 to 1-3 in the
final at Delvin on the 23rd off September.
It was a great moment for Ballycomoyle who had battled well throughout
the championship and thoroughly deserved their success.
Ballycomoyle reached the quarter-final stage by accounting for Multyfarnham,
Castletown-Finea, St. Pauls and Shandonagh.
But having reached the knock out stages they found it was not going to be
an easy task winning the championship. It
was to take two games to overcome Kilbeggan and to reach the semi-final
location.
In the first match a Ballycomoyle team, which was short four regulars, managed a
draw at St. Lomans. However, it was
to be a different story in the replay as Ballycomoyle pulled through thanks to
their fine second half performance. Playing
against a very strong wind in the first period, the north county lads trailed by
six points at the interval. But
Kilbeggan found to their dismay that this lead would not be enough.
Ballycomoyle, the bigger and stronger team, chipped away at the deficit,
and a late goal sealed the issue leaving the final score 2-10 to 2-9.
This victory gave Ballycomoyle a semi-final place against St. Lomans whom
they duly beat at The Downs on August 28th.
The other semi-final featured The Downs and Ballynacargy. The
Downs earning the right to be Ballycomoyle’s opponents in the decider by a
scoreline of 2-6 to 2-4.
The Final.
The final took place at Delvin on September 23rd.
The Downs struck early on, notching a goal and two points.
Ballycomoyle’s first half total of two points were credited to David
Gorman and Barry Smith.
Although The Downs scored the first
point of the second period it was Ballycomoyle who settled better.
They took control with captain Henry English leading by example.
A fine solo run of his yielded a rallying point.
Then, on moving to centre forward, Francis Devine added a goal and a
point to give Ballycomoyle the smallest of leads.
With The Downs beginning to exert
pressure the wee junior outfit were grateful to Seamus Fay and Devine for adding
a further two points. The Downs
threw everything at Ballycomoyle during the last ten minutes in a vain attempt
to reduce the three point deficit. Ballycomoyle’s
backs played superbly, Keith McDermott in particular. They withstood some stern pressure to keep the score at 1-6
to 1-3. So the trophy which first
come the way of the infant club the previous year was retained.
Ballycomoyle’s championship winning team: David Nolan, Richard
Boyhan, Mick Ginnell, Keith McDermott, Jim McCormack, Martin Gavigan, Finbar
Murphy, Henry English (captain) 0-1, Francis Devine 1-2, Aidan
Ginnell, Barry Smith0-1, David Kennedy, David Gorman 0-1, Dermot Murphy,
Seamus Fay 0-1.
The healthy state of underage
football in Ballycomoyle was seen to effect on Sunday 24th September
when the finals of the clubs Under 12 tournament were held.
The winners of the ‘A’ final were Team A: Seán Fay (Captain), David
Nally, Gerard Gilsenan, Paul Smyth, Liam Boylan, Justin Gorman, Maurice Gavigan,
Cathal Fagan, Kevin Brazil, Alan Salmon and Kevin Gavigan. The winners of the ‘B’ final were Team B: David Gorman
(Captain), Paul Ginnel, Ronan Fagan, Damian Nally, Oliver Nally, Nicky Crone,
Andrew Kennedy, David O’Rourke, Kieran Ring and Michelle Fagan.