Ulster Colleges

[lurganblue]

CBS Omagh heading to extra time against St Paul's Bessbrook.

Omagh won in extra time.

Got out of jail big time. But will be stronger after Christmas when their Rannafast players are fully available. Few of them came on against Bessbrook and only for them they could have been beat.

That Ranafast team have won it every year as they have went along so far.  Clearly a talented bunch.

[Onthe40]

Are Omagh starting to dominate a bit now at schools level?

Dungannon seem to have fallen away badly...didnt see  them in latter stages of any of the competitions this year

[bennydorano]

Are Omagh starting to dominate a bit now at schools level?

Dungannon seem to have fallen away badly...didnt see  them in latter stages of any of the competitions this year

Dungannon won the Rannafast last year.

[ClubScene13]

Are Omagh starting to dominate a bit now at schools level?

Dungannon seem to have fallen away badly...didnt see  them in latter stages of any of the competitions this year

Mental catchment area at CBS. Though they've always had it and hasn't always reaped much reward. They have got lads from the vast vast majority of clubs west of Ballygawley / Carrickmore.

Seems like Magherafelt and Omagh the big forces at the minute

[bennydorano]

Did something happen in the West in the past decade schools wise? St Michael's Enniskillen and Omagh used to sort of be on a par but Omagh seemed to have accelerated away in recent years. The likes of Trillick boys used to go to Enniskillen, do they still?

[barelegs]

Are Omagh starting to dominate a bit now at schools level?

Dungannon seem to have fallen away badly...didnt see  them in latter stages of any of the competitions this year

Dungannon's catchment has taken a dint the last 10 years or so with Donaghmore Convent and to a lesser extent Holy Trinity Cookstown hoovering up players that might have been there otherwise. In saying that they were MacRory finalists last year and semi finalists the year before.

[ClubScene13]

Are Omagh starting to dominate a bit now at schools level?

Dungannon seem to have fallen away badly...didnt see  them in latter stages of any of the competitions this year

Dungannon's catchment has taken a dint the last 10 years or so with Donaghmore Convent and to a lesser extent Holy Trinity Cookstown hoovering up players that might have been there otherwise. In saying that they were MacRory finalists last year and semi finalists the year before.

Definitely don't run the show the way they used to in East Tyrone that's for sure. Holy Trinity had a serious team that won the Markey Cup about 12 or 13 years ago that was full of Tyrone minors and they've been an option for young footballers ever since

[ClubScene13]

Did something happen in the West in the past decade schools wise? St Michael's Enniskillen and Omagh used to sort of be on a par but Omagh seemed to have accelerated away in recent years. The likes of Trillick boys used to go to Enniskillen, do they still?

Seems to be more from Trillick/Dromore heading to Omagh now when it was typically Ennsikillen in the past, definitely the Trillick men anyway. But sure young Conor Bradley went to Omagh CBS and he's Aghyaran, as north west in Tyrone as you can go nearly. They seem to be lording it at most age groups right now but it's swings and roundabouts, you've seen Maghera and Colman's do that in the past doesn't last forever

[bennydorano]

Abbey beat St Macartans on penalties in last play off game (3.12 v 3.12). Sets up a Q/F v St Pats Armagh.

QUARTER FINALS
(Tue 07th Jan – Sat 11th Jan)
Abbey Vocational         V   St Colman's Newry      
St Patrick's Maghera      V   St Mary's Magherafelt      
Omagh CBS                 V   Southwest Donegal      
St Patrick's Armagh      V   Abbey CBS, Newry

[pbat]

St Patrick's Maghera      V   St Mary's Magherafelt 

That made me smile, 1996/7 the battle? BBC News couldn't get cameras there quick enough.

[marty34]

It seems that a few more lads are heading to The Convent nowadays than would normally have went there I think.  A few are choosing it over Maghera. Maybe because it has become more GAA orientated than previous times?  I think they have, like a lot of schools now, a PE assistant/coach. Helps to organise things e.g. matches, buses and pitches etc.

Other thing about St. Pat's Maghera is that they're 'losing' a few Irish speaking lads every year now from Sleacht Neill and Dungiven who'd normally would have went to Maghera. Good for Derry though. No doubt that this'll weaken Maghera - well, they not be as strong as they could be. But they'll still be there or there abouts.

SW Antrim lads feed well into Magherafelt and Maghera. They always seem to get a couple of good players from that area on their teams in every age group. 

One other thing was that big MacRory schools always picked up a few players who had left other schools in 5th year and wanted to do A levels. Not sure if this still happens?  Some times very hard to judge Rannafast teams the next year as some players leave after 5th year, while other come in, as I say, to do A levels.

Omagh seem to be working hard in the background and bringing the talent through.

[imtommygunn]

St Patrick's Maghera      V   St Mary's Magherafelt 

That made me smile, 1996/7 the battle? BBC News couldn't get cameras there quick enough.

96 I think it was. Put McRory cup football on the map 

[03,05,08]

Noticed in the last couple of years omagh seem to have benefiting from good underage coming through from teams who would traditionally not have had great representation on schools/county set ups.

[Goals_Will_Come]

Did something happen in the West in the past decade schools wise? St Michael's Enniskillen and Omagh used to sort of be on a par but Omagh seemed to have accelerated away in recent years. The likes of Trillick boys used to go to Enniskillen, do they still?

Seems to be more from Trillick/Dromore heading to Omagh now when it was typically Ennsikillen in the past, definitely the Trillick men anyway. But sure young Conor Bradley went to Omagh CBS and he's Aghyaran, as north west in Tyrone as you can go nearly. They seem to be lording it at most age groups right now but it's swings and roundabouts, you've seen Maghera and Colman's do that in the past doesn't last forever

After this year's Rannafast team (an incredibly talented bunch, haven't lost a school game at any level) Omagh CBS haven't been strong at any of the other school years coming behind it. So probably is a question of swings and roundabouts and are in the middle of a great crop.

[Goals_Will_Come]

Noticed in the last couple of years omagh seem to have benefiting from good underage coming through from teams who would traditionally not have had great representation on schools/county set ups.

Fintona really bringing through a lot of talent through Omagh CBS. Had 6 players that played a part against Bressbrook including 3 of the Rannafast team, with one of them scoring 4 points of the bench. They are a club on the move, think they have 6 starters on the Rannafast team as well.
Beragh and Loughmacrory have also contributed quite a few players in recent years.