ALLIANZ Cumann na mBunscol – BOYS’ INDOOR FOOTBALL HEAT 5: Loughview

Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Thír Eoghain held the fifth Heat of its annual Boys’ Indoor Football competition in the impressive Loughview Centre, Dungannon, on Monday 8 February. Ten schools competed in another action-packed day of superb football, providing thrills and spills aplenty. Another busy day was in the offing…
Teams were drawn into two groups of 5. Section ‘A’ featured St. Mary’s P.S. Ballygawley; St. Francis’ P.S. Derrylatinee and St. Mary’s P.S. Aughnacloy. These three school teams gave their all in a bid to qualify for the heat final but, alas for them, didn’t quite make it on this occasion. Two schools were to battle it out for the coveted final berth – St. Patrick’s P.S. Roan, Eglish and St. Malachy’s P.S. Glencull. Both teams were unbeaten (3 wins from 3) as they met in a winner-takes-all clash. It was always going to prove difficult to call and, as things transpired, it was a case of hard luck for Master Gormley and his brave Glencull team as they fell to a strong Eglish side, managed by Master McCreesh. Thus, St. Patrick’s P.S. Roan, Eglish, had maintained their 100% win-record (4 wins from 4) and had booked their place in the Heat 5 final.
Section ‘B’ comprised St. Macartan’s P.S. Clogher; St. Brigid’s P.S. Augher and namesakes St. Brigid’s P.S. Altamuskin. As was the case in Group ‘A’, these teams displayed plenty of skill as they endeavoured to join Eglish in the final. No effort was spared by these determined teams. However, despite giving of their best, two other teams with unbeaten records (3 wins from 3) – namely St. Patrick’s P.S. Aughadarragh and St. Mary’s P.S. Cabragh put their 100% win records on the line as they met in a decisive encounter. Unfortunately, the lads from Aughadarragh couldn’t find a way past the Cabragh defence meaning the latter prevailed and, impressively, were yet to concede a goal on their march to the final.
Great credit must go to the battling qualities of our two losing semi-finalists: Glencull & Aughadarragh. Remarkably, each school has an enrolment of under 70 pupils, yet both came within a whisker of a final spot. Maith sibh!
The scene was now set for what promised to be a magnificent tussle between our two remaining unbeaten teams: Eglish and Cabragh. It had all the ingredients of a cracking tie – and so it proved. We were treated to a 5-goal spectacular worthy of the occasion. With play flowing from end-to-end, the match was a high quality affair. Ultimately, it finished 3:2 – heartache for Eglish but they did themselves and their school proud on the day – well done, lads! Cabragh, on the other hand, book themselves a place in the Tyrone Indoor Co. Final to be held next month in MUSA, Cookstown. Master Kelly is a happy man today. We wish his talented Cabragh team well.
Ádh mór oraibh!
A huge word of thanks goes to our referee Marty Devlin, Stewartstown, and Eddie Doris (Rúnaí Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Thír Eoghain) for helping ensure the success of this heat. Go raibh maith agaibh!
5 of our 6 finalists are now known: Carrickmore; Loughmacrory; Holy Family, Omagh, Donaghmore and Cabragh. Exciting times lie ahead for these schools…