Páirc Mhic Sioghair, Strabane hosted the inaugural Hughie Kelly Memorial Primary Schools Cup on Thursday morning past with four schools, eleven teams and over one hundred boys and girls vying it out to claim the title. At the end of an entertaining morning of football it was the battle of St Mary’s in the decider as the Melmount side defeated their namesakes from Cloughcor to be the first to have their name engraved on the Hughie Kelly Memorial Cup.
Strabane Sigersons had organised the tournament to remember the clubs former honorary president the late Hughie Kelly who passed away in April of this year and its hoped that it will now become an annual event aimed at all of the Primary Schools within the clubs catchment area.
St Mary’s Melmount entered four teams, St Mary’s Cloughcor and Gaelscoil Uí Dhochartaigh both had three teams participating and Barrack Street Boy’s had two teams involved. Thankfully the weather stayed fine as the day passed without a hitch thanks mainly due to the excellent organisational skills of Strabane Sigersons Youth Officer Jason Foley who had put a big effort into the event.
Jason had recruited several club members to assist him with the smooth running of the event and is also extremely grateful to a number of coaches from the Strabane District Council Active Communities programme whose kind help and assistance was greatly appreciated.
A massive word of thanks also to all of the referees who were in attendance and indeed to all the teaching staff and classroom assistants from all of the schools who contributed greatly to the success of the day.
Following the final, Strabane Sigersons and Tyrone player Danny McBride presented the St Mary’s Melmount captain, Shane Rouse with the Hughie Kelly Memorial Cup and the winning team all received medals whilst fellow Strabane and Tyrone Minor player Liam McGillian presented medals to the runners up St Mary’s Cloughcor.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir to everyone who played any part in the tournament which is primarily aimed at remembering a great Gael who gave so much to the G.A.A. over the course of many years and also as a recruitment drive for the club.
