ALLIANZ CUMANN Na mBUNSCOL – GIRLS’ INDOOR FOOTBALL HEAT 4: Omagh

Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Thir Eoghain today held the fourth of six scheduled heats of the annual 5-a-side Girls’ Indoor Gaelic Football for Tyrone primary schools in Omagh’s superb Station Centre. A total of 6 schools competed for the honour of winning this particular heat. The format of the day’s play saw the six team captains select a number to be drawn into two sections. As was the case in the first three heats, an extremely high level of skill and sporting behaviour was exhibited from all involved.
Section ‘A’ contained teams from St. Scires P.S. Trillick; Christ The King P.S Strathroy and All Saints’ P.S. Tattysallagh. The Trillick girls powered to consecutive wins in impressive fashion – securing themselves top spot in the section. Runners-up in the group was up for grabs as Tattysallagh took on Strathroy. Christ The King P.S., coached by Barry Tierney, sealed a semi-final place with a convincing win over All Saints’ P.S. – leaving the latter to contest the 5th place play-off.
Section ‘B’ comprised St. Patrick’s P.S. Newtownstewart; St. Teresa’s P.S. Loughmacrory and St. Caireall’s P.S. Aghyaran. Emulating the Trillick team from section ‘A’, the girls from Newtownstewart also proved to be in formidable form as they won both their games with plenty to spare and in considerable style. The battle for the runners-up place was a very tightly-contested affair between Loughmacrory and Aghyaran. As the final whistle sounded, it was St. Caireall’s P.S. who prevailed by the odd goal-in-three (2-1) to earn their place in the semi-finals and leave Loughmacrory to compete for 5th.
The play-off game for 5th was a superb game of football between two cracking sides. A goal for All Saints P.S. didn’t prove to be quite enough, as the Loughmacrory girls responded by bagging three goals and, in so doing, claim the 5th place spot. Well done to both teams, though!
The first semi-final pitched Section ‘A’ winners (St. Scires P.S. Trillick) against the ‘B’ runners-up (St. Caireall’s P.S. Aghyaran). An upset, of sorts, looked to be on the cards when Aghyaran took an early lead, but Trillick hit back with a brace of goals to seal a narrow 2-1 win, and a place in the heat final. Hard luck to a gallant St. Caireall’s P.S. girls -as they played brilliantly and had a terrific tournament!
The second semi-final saw Section ‘B’ winners come up against the ‘B’ runners-up: Christ The King. The Strathroy girls, to their credit, threw everything at it but a rampant St. Patrick’s P.S. Newtownstewart registered an imperious 3-0 win to book their place in the heat final.
The final promised much, as both schools were not only unbeaten thus far – but both had perfect 100% win records. Each team scored and we were set for a tense finish. However, Newtownstewart found top gear to storm into a 3-1 lead and, try as they did, Trillick couldn’t quite manage to find a response – despite their valiant efforts. The referee sounded the final whistle signalling that St. Patrick’s P.S. Newtownstewart had won the day. St. Scires P.S. Trillick had given it everything and Mr. Brendan King couldn’t have asked anymore from his talented team. Well played, girls – a team for the future, no doubt!
Master Fabian McGlone, on the other hand, was delighted as his Newtownstewart girls clinched a 3-1 victory and, more importantly, a place in the county final next month in Cookstown’s MUSA. Comhghairdeas agus maith sibh go léir! We congratulate all of these talented girls and wish St. Patrick’s P.S. well as they join Eglish, Gaelscoil Uí Neill Clonoe and Galbally in awaiting the qualifying schools from two further girls’ heats to be held in Cookstown and Omagh.
Our sincere thanks to referee Stevie McNamee for his expert officiating, and to Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Tyrone Rúnaí, Eddie Doris, for co-ordinating the day’s matches. A final word of thanks must go to the friendly staff at the Station Centre.
That’s four of the six county final berths safely filled – bring on the next two…