8O ARE THE UNSTOPPABLE FORCE!!
The 2018 Year 8 Gaelic Football league was won by everyone’s pre match favourites 8O, who produced a dominant performance against 8M, especially in the first half.
They had a great start, with Declan Curran and Darragh McCabe blasting two goals in the first five minutes. Thereafter, they used the wind at their backs to drive on through Brandon Beattie, Jody Savage and key man Patrick Durkin. Josh Hamill grabbed a goal for 8M, breaking free from what was a pretty hectic amount of defending to shoot a well taken score, but Durkin in particular just drove through from the middle and smacked over two more points. John Corrigan thought he had grabbed another goal for 8M only for the ball to hit the inside of the post and roll along the line! Half time 2-6 to 1-0.
8M used the wind advantage in the second half, and Mattie McDermott gave it everything to haul his team-mates back into the game, but no nonsense full back Eoin Rice, plus Daniel Curran, James McCorry and Conor Mulligan kept a lid on the thing. Mattie drove through for a goal, Cahal Kelly was fouled for a penalty that Oisin Donohoe converted, but that was it. James Hanna with a point and Brandon Beattie with a punched goal gave 8O a dominant finish. Final Score: 3-9 to 3-0.
8O have been the unstoppable force from the very beginning of this competition, with Eoin Rice, James McCorry and Rian Bogue giving them a good defensive shape in front of Sean Keenan. Conor Mulligan is a midfield enforcer, Jody Savage covers a massive amount of ground, and Patrick Durkin breaks the gain line every time. Inside, Darragh McCabe in particular, and also Michael McBrien are always on the sniff for a score. For 8M, Mattie and Oisin battled hard, and Shane Magee grabbed a good bit of ball. But the best team won. Well done 8O!
After the match, Year 8 League organiser Mr Rasdale congratulated both teams for their efforts, and highlighted the excellent participation levels by every class in this after-school activity. He then presented the trophy to Patrick Durkin and Eoin Rice, who received it on behalf of their classmates.
8O, Dublin and Derrygonnelly Harps. They’ll all have to be split in two to give the other teams a chance….. (!!)
3RD / 4TH Place Playoff Match 2018.
8P GRAB VICTORY IN LAST GASP DRAMA.
Sometimes it’s a case of never mind the quality, just enjoy the contest, and this was definitely true in this match as 8P and 8T went at other in a fiercely fought playoff, with an unbelievable finish.
At half time 8P had a 3-0 to 1-2 lead with goals from Dara Treacy, Alek Nikolov and Rory Murphy. Conor Traynor and Tommy Watson were not overly troubled at the back for 8P after Luke McManus had actually bagged first for 8T, but both teams gave away as much ball as they kept in truth. Guest manager Mr Eunan Maguire wanted 8P to press home their advantage in the second half and soon they were eight up with Mannix Moore and Connor Woods on the scoresheet, but that would be it for a long time. Conall Rasdale just went into overdrive and proceeded to haul 8T back into it, covering every inch of the pitch in a non-stop effort, and he got great support from Daniel McGovern and Luke McDermott. Tiernan O’Neill grabbed two goals, John McGahey grabbed two points, Conall Rasdale had two and when the extra time was announced, they had a two point lead! Then came the twist in the tale. 8P up the left wing, were turned back, went across, eventually Ryan McMulkin had it twenty yards out, looped it in and it just sneaked above Cillian Murphy’s reach into the net. Poor Cillian looked ruefully at the deep goalmouth he had been standing in, making the goal maybe a foot higher than it might be elsewhere, and he had every right to complain, but 8P were too busy running around screaming their heads off to have any sympathy. The hashtag here must be #robbery!
Well done 8P, hard luck 8T: a very enjoyable contest!