Paul McGirr u16 Championship

[PMG1]

O'Donovan Rossa 4-09 v Southern Gaels 1-03

A power-packed second half display saw impressive Antrim champions O'Donovan Rossa convincingly defeat Cavan's Southern Gaels in the last of the quarter finals of the Paul McGirr Ulster U16 Club Champions Tournament on Saturday afternoon.  Southern Gaels played a very defensive style of football with thirteen men behind the ball and it took the Rossa boys some time to break the system down but with man of the match Dominic McEnhill and Michael Close in excellent form the result was never in doubt.  Scores were hard to come by early on, but when they did come it was in the form of two goals for the winners.  The first came from full forward Conor O'Neill who reacted sharply to palm the ball to the net when a Michael Close free rebounded off the crossbar.  This was immediately followed by another from Close when his attempt at a point from narrow angle deceived Southern Gaels keeper Macken.  Tiarnan Murphy was next on the scoresheet coming raiding from half back to score a point.  Southern Gaels were in trouble and it was at this stage their talented midfielder and captain Peter Galligan came to the fore with some fine fielding and attacking play.  He got his team off the mark with a fine point and then following a driving run from his midfield partner Eoin O'Reilly Southern Gaels got their only goal of the game with Galligan expertly converting to the bottom corner.  Galligan converted a free he had won himself to put just two between the sides and his side were well on top with only the woodwork on two occasions preventing the Cavan boys from taking the lead.  Firstly a rasping twenty yard shot from  Galligan came off the crossbar with keeper Byrne well beaten and then in their next attack wing back Sean Martin seen his effort rebound off the base of the post.  A Rossa free from Connell Devine ended the first half scoring to leave the half time score 2-02 to 1-02.
The game was evenly poised with spectators expecting a tight second half but whatever Rossa manager Dominic McEnhill said at half time certainly had the desired effect as his troops emerged a re-invigoured team and immediately set about extending their lead.  Eoghan McMenamin got the scoring underway with a point before the impressive McEnhill rose high to field a Macken kickout, carried the ball forty yards and finished superbly to the net for his sides third goal.  Frees from Close and Devine extended the lead as Rossa really started to boss the proceedings.  Southern Gaels top marksman Oisin Pierson scored his only and his sides final score midway through the second half, but Pierson who was superbly marshalled throughout by Rossa captain Michael McGreevey could not make any further impact as the game progressed.  Points from Close and three from Devine sandwiched another goal from McEnhill as Rossa ran out convincing winners, qualifying for the semi finals where they will face Tyrone champions Dromore on Sunday afternoon.
Teams:

O'Donovan Rossa:  Michael Byrne, Conall Shannon, Matthew McIvor, Lorcan Fitzsimons, Manus Smith, Michael McGreevey, Tiarnan Murphy, Eoghan McMenamin, Martin McCashin, Dominic McEnhill, Daire Matthews, Emmet Burns, Connell Devine, Conor O'Neill, Michael Close.  Subs: Cormac McGettigan for Matthews
Southern Gaels:  Aaron Macken, Paul Brady, Ryan Coye, Paul Langtry, Sean Martin, Ryan Madden, Aaron Brady, Peter Galligan, Eoin O'Reilly, Donal Finnegan, Cian Madden, Rhys Hudson, Tristan Lynch, Oisin Pierson and Aodghan Halton 

[mylestheslasher]

I'm just curious, how many people live in the catchment area of O Donovan Rossa? I know it would be too hard a question for hardstation so does anyone else have a rough idea? I'm sure you all know I am just trying to make a point at a certain fools belittling of a team as they are an amalgamation and I am certainly not belittling O Donovan Rossa.

[drici]

Couldn't give one rats arse about any english football club and to be honest have I have no understanding of how any irish person does!

some people are very narrow minded!

Your right. I will, with immediate effect, begin to support an English team. Let me see... How about Middlesborough. Now are there any of you f*cking Sunderland ba*tards on here, I hate you - burn in hell. And Newcastle too. Black and white ba*tards. Boro till th day I die.......

This was a more fun and much remembered on the Board mylestheslasher.

[outinfront]

I'm not sure about the numbers but on the Shaw's road alone there is St Paul's, Rossa, Sarsfields and St Theresa's (correct me if I am wrong). So not all players in the area would be going straight to Rossa I presume?

[Walter Cronc]

Cavan men complaining yet again that others question amalgamations

[mylestheslasher]

Cavan men complaining yet again that others question amalgamations

No one has questioned the amalgamation, just snide remarks. If anyone wants to question it work away and we can debate it out. The fact is that the clubs in Southern Gaels are too small to put U16 & minor teams together and its a fine achievement for them to be winning county titles. It is also a fact that outside Leitrim, Cavan has the highest proportion of clubs per population in the country which is why clubs are in this position and is indeed a problem in general in Cavan football.

To flesh this out I am asking what the Rossa club local population is and I'll try and find out what Southern Gaels is. If you prefer could you let us know how many members does the Rossa club have? Of course if data gets in the way of a mindless moan then fire away and I'll leave ye to it.

[imtommygunn]

I'm not sure about the numbers but on the Shaw's road alone there is St Paul's, Rossa, Sarsfields and St Theresa's (correct me if I am wrong). So not all players in the area would be going straight to Rossa I presume?

Not st teresas- they're glen road.

[outinfront]

Ah right yeah that's top of the road I guess. Think Naomh treasa are featured on that mural tho?

[imtommygunn]

Haven't been up there in a long time so can't remember!

Quite  a few clubs in very close proximity up there. You have all those ones in shaws road then st galls, st johns and o'donnells are on top of each other too.

Still none of them, bar maybe o'donnels, struggle for numbers so they may not understand the struggles of rural clubs...

[outinfront]

I guess most clubs would want to field their own team where possible but amalgamation is the next best thing? Are there any rules regarding amalgamations?

[imtommygunn]

Not sure. The southern gaels sounds almost like one of kerry's divisional teams. I've never seen, in antrim, any amalgamation with above 3(maybe 4 but not 100% sure on that) teams.

It is becoming increasingly harder for rural areas to field teams these days though. If they can't field on their own I'd be in favour of it(within reason).

[Walter Cronc]

Personally I've no problem with amalgamations - but don't agree they should be allowed to enter Ulster competitions.

[DERRYSFINEST]

Personally I've no problem with amalgamations - but don't agree they should be allowed to enter Ulster competitions.

Good point, I would agree with that totally

[Itchy]

Personally I've no problem with amalgamations - but don't agree they should be allowed to enter Ulster competitions.

Why not?
What if an amalgamated team has combined 200 members and plays a standalone team with 800 members. I don't get this attitude.

[rodney trotter]

Not sure. The southern gaels sounds almost like one of kerry's divisional teams. I've never seen, in antrim, any amalgamation with above 3(maybe 4 but not 100% sure on that) teams.

It is becoming increasingly harder for rural areas to field teams these days though. If they can't field on their own I'd be in favour of it(within reason).

There is 2 teams in the Southern Gaels amalgamation, hardly the same as Kerry Divisional teams.

If the Ulster Council bring in a rule not to allow amalgamations compete, I doubt Cavan Clubs will be bothered either way. The goal for those Clubs is to compete at a high level in Division 1, to play in Ulster is only a bonus. Though it should be played earlier then late November when the ground is in shite.