U13 Footballers travel to Portmarnock

U13 Footballers travel to Portmarnock

June 21, 2016

On Saturday June 11th, Ballincollig Under 13 Football Team were invited to the Inaugural Govan Jolliffe Byrne Football Tournament at Naomh Mearnog, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin. There was 16 teams from the four provinces. We left the Club last Saturday at 6.40am with a panel of 28 players and proceeded to play 5 games throughout the day.

The first match was against CastleBar Mitchels, they beat us 1-8 to 3-1, with Mel Deasy getting 1 goal, Brian Keating 1-1, Cormac Keane 1 goal. We re-grouped and won the next game against St Eunans of Donegal on a scoreline of 1-3 to 3-6 with Dylan Ebeli getting 2-1, Harry Ahearne 1 goal, Brian Keating 3 points, Mel Deasy 1 point and Dara O’Mahony 1 point.  We needed a victory at our last game against Nass Kildare to qualify for the Shield Competition; which we duly did on a scoreline of 1-1 to 3-3, Harry Ahearne getting 1-1, Cormac Keane 1 goal, Doug Healy 1 goal, Mel Deasy 1 point and Mark O’Keeffe 1 point. In the semifinal of the Shield Competition we met St Pat’s of Donabate 4 pints to 3-3 with Cormac Keane on 1-1, Brian Keating on 1-1, Dylan Ebeli 1 goal and Mark O’Keeffe on 1 point. In the final we came up against Killeavy of Armagh, this was a very tough encounter and injuries began to mount up, but the boys dug in and fought back twice to take the lead in the end,  on a scoreline of 3-2 to 3-3, with Mel Deasy 2-1, Dara O’Mahony 1-1  (great penalty taken under a lot of pressure) and Brian Keating 1 point. Overall it was a great day for all the lads, everyone getting some game time and of course they will learn from this experience.

The Team Management would like to thank Debbie O’Sullivan for organizing the other parents to fund-raise, sponsorship from Brian Healy, Musgraves and EMC also helped. Thanks also to the 4th Cork Scout Troup for supplying the tents for the overnight stay and on own Scouts that came with us Terence McSweeney, Ben Keating, Mark Lynch and Sharon Sheehan who were responsible for kitting out the team. Well done to the Under 13 Football panel of Mel Deasy, David O’Sullivan, Aidan Keane, Doug Healy, Sean Dore, Darragh O’Mahony, Brian Keating, Shane Burke, Darragh Keohane, Harry Ahearne, Conor O’Driscoll, Shane McGee, James Mannix, Louis Hederman, Shane O’Driscoll. Liam O’Connell, Callum Sheehan, Matthew Clarkson, Dylan Quinn, Dylan Ebeli, Sam Noonan, Joseph Buckley, Steve Murray, Mark O’Keeffe, Ronan Keane, Cormac Keane, Ryan McCarthy, Thomas Ryan. The Management team of Paddy Ahearne, Con O’Connell, JP O’Leary, Eamonn Keating, John Sheehan, Jim Mannix, Barry Glesson and Dave O’Driscoll. Thanks to the parents Tim Deasy, Brian Healy and Denis Keane for making the journey to Dublin