Cody's Cats take Féile honours

[laoisgaa]

Cody's Cats take Féile honours         
www.laois.stoked.ie
Written by Cóilín Duffy     
Sunday, 22 June 2008 21:22 

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody lept with joy as his son Diarmuid helped James Stephen's capture their seventh Féile na nGael Under 14 hurling title at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise today following a last gasp goal from a Michael Drennan free, to ensure a 1-7 to 1-6 final win over Cork side Na Piarsaigh.

Drennan was firmly on target for the Kilkenny outfit as he scored 1-6 in this game, including the opening point of the contest. However once the Cork side got in front they weren't to be led until that injury time goal broke Na Piarsaigh hearts.

James Stephens' only other point in this game came from the stick of corner-back Diarmuid Cody, who ensured that just two points separated the sides as the game approached injury-time. Despite Drennan blasting a free wide of the posts, he had a second chance to make amends which he subsequently did as he ensured a first title since 2003 for the Kilkenny city side.

There were plenty of links with past Kilkenny winning sides as Sean Mulholland, grandson of Fan Larkin and nephew of Philly Larkin, was a member of the victorious side.

In the Division 1 camogie final Lucan Sarsfields of Dublin gave an excellent display to take their first Féile title and a first victory for a team from the captial since 2003 following their 2-3 to 1-2 victory over Mullagh of Galway.

Goals win games and the Lucan girls bagged two with Sarah Courtney and Alison Twomey netting majors. An Orla Hobbins goal and two points from Rachel Monaghan kept Mullagh in touch, but Lucan weren't to be denied.

This was a special victory for Lucan, who had only captured their first Dublin title in this grade last May.

Antrim's St. John's firmly put behind them last year's All-Ireland Féile na nGael defeat to Castletown Geoghegan of Westmeath by capturing the Division 2 title at O'Moore Park on a 2-9 to 1-1 score-line over Portlaoise.

John's convincing 2-13 to 0-2 semi-final win over Celbridge put into perspective how serious the Beechmount side were about taking the Canon Fogarty Trophy, after last year's disappointment.

Portlaoise had only scraped over Derry side Slaughtneil by 1-8 to 0-3 in their semi-final, which placed St. John's as favourites.
John's certainly dug deep to give a team display in which the scores were evenly spread among five players. Ciaran and Conor Kerr along with Michael Bradley all scored three points each while the goals were well taken scores with Michael Dudley and Ciaran McKenna on target.

In contrast Sean Culliton was Portlaoise's lone scorer with 1-1, his point coming from a free.

This victory ensures a fifth Division 2 Féile na nGael title for an Antrim club, in the 38 year history of the competition, and a second for St. John's in three years, following their first ever triumph in 2006 over Blarney of Cork.
Meanwhile Donegal side Setanta claimed their first ever Division 5 title, thanks to a 1-3 to 0-4 win over St. Oliver Plunkett's of Mullingar in the decider.

However despite just two team title wins for the North, they featured strongly in the Christy Ring/Nicky Rackard Hurling Skill-star competition, which was won by Tamar Douban from Na Magha in Derry with a score of 180 points, while Portaferry's Sean Mageean came third following an impressive score of 165.

In Camogie there was strong Ulster representation in Division 2, with Michael Davitt's of Swatragh in Derry going on to take honours, following a 7-3 to 0-1 win over Lismore of Waterford, home club of Dan Shanahan.
The Swatragh girls were certainly impressive throughout the competition and accounted for Antrim's Loughgiel Shamrocks by 5-8 to 1-2 at the semi-final stage. Managed by Sarah A Quinn and her sister Patsy, they kept up the goalscoring momentum into the final, where Lismore simply couldn't cope with their fire and strike-rate.

The Camogie skill-star title came very close to coming to Ulster, as Antrim's Orlagh O'Hara came 2nd after scoring 166 points just behind winner Vera Loughnane of Clare who scored 180 points.
Meanwhile in Handball some success did come for northern sides with St. Patrick's from Cavan taking the Boys Division 4 40 X 20 title thanks to a 21-14, 21-1 final win over Wicklow side Coolboy.  Meanwhile in the Girls Division 2 40 X 20 Kingscourt accounted for Kilkenny side Kells 21-6, 8-21, 11-4.

[Armagh4SamAgain]

If there u14s they should be kittens.

[orangeman]

Conveyor belt stuff !

[Silky]

Good to see that lads from the North doing well in the skills competition but one swallow!

[orangeman]

Good to see that lads from the North doing well in the skills competition but one swallow!

One, then two ! You'd never know - in about 20 years what might happen !

[Derry Daisy]

Good to see that lads from the North doing well in the skills competition but one swallow!

I wouldn't be so sure silky, Slaughtneil (Derry) got to the division 2 semi final and were only beat due to the fact the were totally exhausted (they had an extra game to play than Portlaoise) having beat a Kilkenny team, Down team, Laois team and Lucan Sarsfields of Dublin.  And St. Johns ended up winning the dvision 2 final so the North is definitely up and coming in hurling.

[plain and simple]

great credit to the Tamar Douban from Na Magha in Derry City. We're a small club in a soccer dominated city (and a football dominated county!) and to win something at an all ireland level is a big deal to us. Hopefully there is more to come from this club and we make an appearance as a team at the Feile in the near future