Match Reports Senior Hurling Championship Ulster Hurling League Final v Burt, Co Donegal
| Ulster Hurling League Final v Burt, Co Donegal |
| Senior Hurling Championship | |
| Written by David Sheehan | |
| Tuesday, 13 December 2011 22:27 | |
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The 2010/11 Season finally came to an end with a winning performance over Burt in a windswept and Baltic Kevin lynches.One of the last things you want to be doing in the middle of December is playing a hurling game, however the team seemed up beat and a few of the lads where even looking forward to the game. The pitch in Dungiven was in good condition for this time of year and the weather wasn’t too bad considering how it’s been over the last week or so. However in saying that it was still pretty cold, the supporters that made the trip were dressed head to toe in their winter warmers. Even big Charlie ‘Teabag’ made the trip in his coat and hat, looked like he met Del boy on the way too. You know how bad the weather is when Charlie doesn’t even attempt to drink his tea instead he chose to use it as a source of heat.
Firstly we arranged to meet at the club, few of the boys texted in saying they were going straight up so we were just waiting on a few of the usual suspects. Jackie and Liam were down with the note books going through there game plans. Jackie as usual looked like he stopped of at Starbucks and consumed all the caffeine, the man was busting with excitement and enthusiasm if only you could bottle the stuff. We were all ready to move out when a call came through from Terry, “mate can someone pick me up I can’t drive in this state”, terry had only a few hours earlier returned from Gaga’s retirement party…….sorry birthday. So I had to make a detour to pick big Frank Gallagher up and Jesus that was a site if ever I saw one. One eye open, one eye closed stumbling out the front gate like a wounded rhinoceros, the perfect athlete. We made a quick pit stop to get frank a fry and coffee but no coffee left as Jackie beat us to it. Joe McDaniel was still trying to convince us he can play even though he transferred to another club, coming up here with his dodgy Euros. His card was declined at the garage for having no funds but Joe was adamant it was racism as he classes himself as a free stater now.
Finally we were on the Road again, and McDaniel’s navigation skills were…. let’s say rusty. He was more interested in his phone call to his darling “I love you I miss you so much”…big frank awoke from his slumber and him and bradinio set McDaniel’s straight. With a minute or two to spare we arrived at the pitch ready to rock and roll to the disappointment of Darren McKeown who thought he was starting.
The Game started, it was a tough start, Burt were definitely up for the fight and with them only exiting the All Ireland Junior Championship there stick work was certainly up to scratch. Both teams got goals within minutes of each other and it was nip and tuck the whole first half ending 1.09 to 2.05. The highlight of the first half was Moses’ injury. Moses had been playing well up to this point, I’m not sure exactly how it happened but the Burt man’s face guard broke off and pierced right through Moses’ hand. Not a nice thing to happen and we all hope he recovers well. On a lighter note mackers said he saw one of the Burt supporters drop to her knees and whip out the rosary beads and begin to pray, the word was she thought Moses had the stigmata, but the big man is a saint in our eyes.
The Second half started, the battle between the two teams continued, you could see both teams wanted the win. It was point for point in the opening minutes then we started to pull away with a few good scores. However Burt never gave up and got a third goal which put them right back in it. It was entering the last 5 minutes and we had built up another 4 point lead, however Burt bombarded our defense looking for that fourth goal. The defense stood strong and with two goal line saves and two point blank saves there was no way Burt were going to get the fourth goal they needed. With the pressure the defense was under we needed someone to take Burt on and big Antoin handed them a killer blow when he latched onto Darren’s failed shot and buried it, game over!
Burt 3.09 St Galls 2.19 it was an entertaining and hard fought game Burt were worthy finalists.
St Galls; D McGonnell, D Sheehan, T Austin, C McCartney, R Wilson, S Burke, N O’Neil, J McDaniel, J McGreevy, C McCaffery, N Burke, C Burke, S McAearvery, A McCaffery, K Stewart.
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Cross Eyed & Spied
Like everyone else CES would be on the web site daily, looking for upcoming events, a bit of debate or maybe a bit of team news for a big match - some chance. Anyway at the weekend up pops ‘Ceist GAA le Hector’ and on further reading a potential holiday in the Algarve for ‘south Antrim’ players. Or so the article went. Well being a south Antrin player, nothing to do with being on the piss in the ’States’ for two months, due only to work and study commitments you understand, CES thought, “this will do me.” So at ten past eight on Sunday night CES was sitting in the girlfriend’s house with popcorn and sun factor ten waiting on ‘Hector’ and the best St Galls had to offer. And on it came. Now, it did take a little time to explain to CES’s potential mother-in-law why he was sitting on a couch in her house in a pair of ‘Speedos’ -they’re the in-thing now- but the ‘Algarve aspect swung it and we all settled down in anticipation of another great victory for the boys, and one girl, from Milltown Row. Alas however it wasn’t to be and the ‘Speedos’ have been put away until the next quiz, or more likely next summer. The team tried their best and fair play to them, although CES heard they got big cheques from TG4 in Galway that bought more than a few new tracksuits. But CES also learned a little and was able to give his beloved some advice. Ok, the female member of the team was a pretty wee thing for her age but what impressed CES, and probably a lot of other men, was that she didn’t say much. Now there’s a girl worth going out with! Anyway fair play for trying to get all us south Antrim playing ‘Speedo’ lovers a much needed holiday. |
