A LARGE crowd is expected at Fr Peter Campbell Park in Coalisland on Saturday (August 29) for the inaugural Gaelic Life/Coalisland Fianna Ulster Under 21 Club Sevens tournament.
It promises to be an exhilarating tournament featuring the best teams and young players including Derry senior star James Kielt and a host of Ulster and All Ireland minor winners. It has also been boosted by top club Ballinderry stepping in to replace the late withdrawal of Castlewellan.
Jarlath Devlin of Coalisland Fianna said, "Preparations are in full swing for what promises to be a great event. There has been massive interest from GAA supporters and the teams taking part. Under 21s is a very important age bracket as it provides the link between minor and senior football."
Gaelic Life has kindly donated the top prize for the competition, a £1,000 voucher for sports gear for the winning team, and a £500 voucher for the runners up. They are also putting up an individual kit bag with gear for the player of the tournament.
A magnificent crystal trophy for the competition has been kindly provided by Tyrone Crystal.
Five county U21 champions from around Ulster will be represented on the day. They are Coalisland (Tyrone), Carrickcruppen (Armagh), Creggan (Antrim), Desertmartin (Derry), Castleblaney (Monaghan).
They will be joined by some of the other biggest names in Ulster Club Football, namely, Tempo (Fermanagh), Cavan Gaels (Cavan), Ballinderry (Derry), Kilrea (Derry), Scotstown (Monaghan), Longstone (Down) and Cargin (Antrim).
Jarlath Devlin added, "The tournament should prove to be tremendous entertainment, and we would like to extend a very warm welcome to all Gaels from around Ulster to come along."
The group stages get underway at 12pm with the first of the knockout matches expected to be contested from 3pm onwards.
Admission all day, £5/ €7. Children under 16 free.
Group A: Coalisland Na Fianna; Castleblaney Faughs; Cargin.
Group B: Creggan Kickhams; Longstone; Carrickcruppen St Patricks
Group C; Kilrea Pearses; Cavan Gaels; Tempo Maguires.
Group D; Desertmartin; Ballinderry; Scotstown.
Watch out for the 2 Down representatives they'll both fancy themselves to give it a rattle. My own club Longstone, and Castlewellan the other. Both have won Kilmacud at senior level in the last few years, and been beaten in finals their also. Good luck to both teams and I hope it is a successful tournament for the organisers!
Quote from: D4S on August 27, 2009, 04:28:52 PM
Watch out for the 2 Down representatives they'll both fancy themselves to give it a rattle. My own club Longstone, and Castlewellan the other. Both have won Kilmacud at senior level in the last few years, and been beaten in finals their also. Good luck to both teams and I hope it is a successful tournament for the organisers!
Don't see Castlewellan in it D4S? Who would be the stone stand out players at Under 21?
Cavan Gaels team
would include
Kevin Meehan
Declan Meehan
Conor McClarey
Niall Smith
Niall Murray
Robert Maloney Derham
Martin Dunne
All county minors over last 2 years
No idea if they could win it,
But the shear thought of running around after those lads playing 7's makes me sick :-[
Very innovative of Coalisland. It looks like a tournament with great potential. The Fox will take a spin over. Will there be a burger stall at it? 8)
Quote from: dundrumite on August 28, 2009, 12:45:30 AM
Quote from: D4S on August 27, 2009, 04:28:52 PM
Watch out for the 2 Down representatives they'll both fancy themselves to give it a rattle. My own club Longstone, and Castlewellan the other. Both have won Kilmacud at senior level in the last few years, and been beaten in finals their also. Good luck to both teams and I hope it is a successful tournament for the organisers!
Don't see Castlewellan in it D4S? Who would be the stone stand out players at Under 21?
they were listed in Mourne Observer wednesday as entering. I see group D above only has 3 teams unless they've pulled out or just a mistake in the listings above! We'd have Conor Poland, Michael ireland, Malachy Trainor I'd imagine would be our more attack minded 7s players. Wouldn't be a big pick at the U21 level but have some decent 18/19 year olds!
Yeah it says that Catlewellan had to pull out with Ballinderry replacing them.
You could take a wee spin over to that D4S, not far from you!
Quote from: longrunsthefox on August 28, 2009, 09:38:09 AM
Very innovative of Coalisland. It looks like a tournament with great potential. The Fox will take a spin over. Will there be a burger stall at it? 8)
Would need more than one stall if you're thinking of heading over fox.
How did this go? Heard Cargin were beat in the semi by Coalisland, not sure how true that is.
Quote from: SambaSaffron on August 30, 2009, 05:42:08 PM
How did this go? Heard Cargin were beat in the semi by Coalisland, not sure how true that is.
Well from what i heard Coalisland won it, beating Carrickcruppen in the final...so its probably very true.
yea coalisland beat carrickcruppin in the final by about 4 or 5 points! carrickcruppin had a man sent of in the semi final and iwith them only having two players for the inter change during the final you could tell it had a big effect on the rest of the players!
It was a very good standard of football on saturday, be a while before it catches on but should see it doing well in the future?
But will it be allowed? Player burnout etc. Why not senior team 7s?
an intercounty 7 a side tournament played over 1 weekend in Croke Park would be some value.