Ulster Minor Club Championship

[FermPundit]

It's good to see a club from a big town like Omagh doing well. The GAA is struggling in many urban areas, but St. Enda's have shown that it can be done. I wonder how they have been able to bring through such a talented bunch of players? In many big towns, a lot of players are lost after u16 level to other sports. I'm sure the attraction of soccer is as big in Omagh as it is in other similar towns such as Enniskillen, Omagh and Newry.

[longrunsthefox]

The GAA club is the biggest thing in Omagh for the youth at the minute. The club is vibrant and have cleaned up every trophy at underage level. Strangely tho a lot of the people who are behind all that were not originally from Omagh... Fintona, Dromore, Newtownstewart...

[Mid Down Gael]

Well done Omagh, congrats on their win.


I think both teams played well below par - you could see the rustiness... Pity, but nothing can be done about it given the weather.

I disagree. You have to realise this was 16-18 year old lads playing on a very heavy pitch in winter conditions. To say they where rusty is wrong as they have been training and playing since February 2009. Yeah fatigue did set in with a number off players but that has to be expected this time off the year on heavy ground especially on young fellas not fully developed. This was a tight entertaining final off hard physical stuff and it is a credit to both teams for giving so much especially in extra time. Our lads where unlucky, they gave a great account off themselves and too many wides in the first half made us pay dearly. They can hold their heads high. 9 off the first 15 are still underage for the incoming year so this was a young Kilcoo team who will have benefited from their great run. The difference today was two great young Omagh players in Conan Grugan and Ronan ONeill. Grugan in particular is a supreme talent

[FermPundit]

The GAA club is the biggest thing in Omagh for the youth at the minute. The club is vibrant and have cleaned up every trophy at underage level. Strangely tho a lot of the people who are behind all that were not originally from Omagh...

I suppose the success of Tyrone at senior level has played a big part in inspiring young people in Omagh to take an active role in their local GAA club.

[longrunsthefox]

I didn't think Grugan was that great today any more than many other players... he was ok tho.  the number 13 for Kilcoo sure played his heart out. Was there a Man of the Match award? I didn't hang about.

[Mid Down Gael]

I didn't think Grugan was that great today any more than many other players... he was ok tho.  the number 13 for Kilcoo sure played his heart out. Was there a Man of the Match award? I didn't hang about.

Grugan got the award. He was the difference with ball winning and distribution.every time we drew level Grugan won the next kick out. Maybe he was not as good as he normally is but he is a serious player in my eyes. Darragh Ohanlon ran him close to the award though, scored 7 mighty scores starting in full back although he later moved to centre half. Hard to believe he is stil 16.

[randomtask]

It's good to see a club from a big town like Omagh doing well. The GAA is struggling in many urban areas, but St. Enda's have shown that it can be done. I wonder how they have been able to bring through such a talented bunch of players? In many big towns, a lot of players are lost after u16 level to other sports. I'm sure the attraction of soccer is as big in Omagh as it is in other similar towns such as Enniskillen, Omagh and Newry.

Soccer has almost died in Omagh.  It was a problem for Omagh in the past but the present group have been carefully nurtured through all under age levels.  Coming behind them the club has worked hard to have A and B teams at each age and is running underage programmes including the Gaelic start which takes P 1, 2 & 3 children.  Great work in an urban setting and doing something which doesn't happen in many if not any town.

very true there have been dozens of men that have put their heart and soul into the youth over last decade and yesterday result made all the effort worth it and hopefully the success will continue at minor and under 21 grades until we capture the ultimate prize.

yesterdays match in my opinion showed all the skills that are associated with ulster football. Great defending from both sides, hard hitting intense football, players who can play in any position and excellent point scoring under pressure. both sides are a credit to their clubs and in the end we did well to come away with the victory

[drici]

Preliminary Round:
Armagh Harps 2-13 Killann Gaels(Cavan) 2-04

Quarter Finals:
Dungiven St Canices(Derry) 0-17 Belcoo O'Rahillys(Fermanagh) 0-06

Armagh Harps 3-09 Omagh St Endas 1-19   (A.E.T.)
(Full Time: Harps 3-06 St Endas 0-15)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Creggan Kickhams(Antrim) 0-13 Scotstown/An Bhoth(Monaghan) 2-11 (A.E.T.)
(Full Time: Kickhams 0-11 An Bhoth 1-08)

Kilcoo Owen Roes(Down) 1-16 Naomh Conaill(Donegal) 1-12  (A.E.T.)
(Full Time: Owen Roes 1-12 Naomh Conaill 1-12)

Semi Finals:
An Bhoth Scotstown 1-03 Kilcoo Owen Roes 1-10

Dungiven St Canices 2-05 Omagh St Endas 2-08

Final:
Dia Domhnaigh   24/01/10
Kilcoo Owen Roes 0-11 Omagh St Endas 0-12 (A.E.T.)
(Full Time: Owen Roes 0-07 St Endas 0-07)

Kilcoo   0-11 (D O'Hanlon 0-7(5 frees), J Johnston 0-3(2 frees), M Kelly 0-1)
Omagh 0-12 (K Brannigan 0-1, B Tierney 0-1, D McGloin 0-2, C Grugan 0-2(2 frees), R O'Neill 0-4(1 free), C Clarke 0-1, C O'Neill 0-1)

[omagh_gael]

It's good to see a club from a big town like Omagh doing well. The GAA is struggling in many urban areas, but St. Enda's have shown that it can be done. I wonder how they have been able to bring through such a talented bunch of players? In many big towns, a lot of players are lost after u16 level to other sports. I'm sure the attraction of soccer is as big in Omagh as it is in other similar towns such as Enniskillen, Omagh and Newry.

Soccer has almost died in Omagh.  It was a problem for Omagh in the past but the present group have been carefully nurtured through all under age levels.  Coming behind them the club has worked hard to have A and B teams at each age and is running underage programmes including the Gaelic start which takes P 1, 2 & 3 children.  Great work in an urban setting and doing something which doesn't happen in many if not any town.

I think you're right TYP, walking round the town you'll rarely see soccer jerseys and a lot of the youth are wearing tyrone or club gaa gear. I think this all stems from 2003, the AI win has inspired a huge influx of children back into the gaa. The lads that won on sunday would have been 11/12 at this time and more than likely chose st enda's over any number soccer clubs due to the hype the AI win created. Long may it continue.

[stillsenior]

The GAA club is the biggest thing in Omagh for the youth at the minute. The club is vibrant and have cleaned up every trophy at underage level. Strangely tho a lot of the people who are behind all that were not originally from Omagh... Fintona, Dromore, Newtownstewart...

True gaels  getting involved in their local club having moved into the town. Nothing strange about that

[Puckoon]

It's good to see a club from a big town like Omagh doing well. The GAA is struggling in many urban areas, but St. Enda's have shown that it can be done. I wonder how they have been able to bring through such a talented bunch of players? In many big towns, a lot of players are lost after u16 level to other sports. I'm sure the attraction of soccer is as big in Omagh as it is in other similar towns such as Enniskillen, Omagh and Newry.

Soccer has almost died in Omagh.  It was a problem for Omagh in the past but the present group have been carefully nurtured through all under age levels.  Coming behind them the club has worked hard to have A and B teams at each age and is running underage programmes including the Gaelic start which takes P 1, 2 & 3 children.  Great work in an urban setting and doing something which doesn't happen in many if not any town.

When I first moved to play for St Endas, there were two teams for every age bracket. Given that you usually spent 2 years in each bracket, you generally played for the B team in your first year, and then the A team in your second year unless you were a fantastic talent. Sometimes we'd get taken into the A teams as subs in our first years. Then it all went strangely weird - the youth soccer teams in Omagh began to push through, and great gaelic players did get lost to soccer a number of times, but all of a sudden the great players omagh had been producing kinda stopped. Boys went over to England a lot for college and I remember at u16 and minor having to drive into strathroy to try and get fellas to come out for the games so we could field a team. I remember still being u16 and being picked up from training to go and play for the minors against eglish in the championship (Brian Colton jr scored a belter of a goal that day and I spent the day getting a lesson from Cormac McAnallen in rain soaked Clougher).

The management structures that had been great at underage (Brian Colton, Kieran Canavan, Malachy McAleer, Justin O'Doherty and Sean McRory and wee squeaky Liam) just all seemed to dissappear and we were left with a great clubman who shall remain unnamed - but who didnt have a clue how to mangage anyone!

Our last minor match ended in a defeat to Castlederg in Drumquin and I dont think we even fulfilled the rest of the league fixtures that year. I trudged down to the cousins house in Drumquin still in the shorts and togs and I think I still have the Jersey from that day in the closet. Omagh should historically never have been playing in lower leagues, but maybe it was one of the best things happened the club as it seems to be vibrant and active and moving in all the right directions now.

Great result for St Endas and good to see a young Canavan back in there in the White and black after his big brother defected to glencull. 

[Aaron Boone]

Good underage players back then were playing for Drumragh on the CBS pitch behind the fire station. Drumragh have relocated, and are a bit out of town these days.

[Puckoon]

Good underage players back then were playing for Drumragh on the CBS pitch behind the fire station. Drumragh have relocated, and are a bit out of town these days.

Thats not that true. At that level there was Gavin Quinn who played for Drumragh who was their only really stand out player - they had another fella Starrs playing too, who wasnt bad.

Actually all the good players from the area at that time were playing for Killyclogher.

[longrunsthefox]

The GAA club is the biggest thing in Omagh for the youth at the minute. The club is vibrant and have cleaned up every trophy at underage level. Strangely tho a lot of the people who are behind all that were not originally from Omagh... Fintona, Dromore, Newtownstewart...

True gaels  getting involved in their local club having moved into the town. Nothing strange about that

and your own club 15 minutes drive away...

[stillsenior]

The GAA club is the biggest thing in Omagh for the youth at the minute. The club is vibrant and have cleaned up every trophy at underage level. Strangely tho a lot of the people who are behind all that were not originally from Omagh... Fintona, Dromore, Newtownstewart...

True gaels  getting involved in their local club having moved into the town. Nothing strange about that

and your own club 15 minutes drive away...

But their son's club right on their doorstep.....