A FITTING TRIBUTE
Jack remembered at inaugural sevens
THE JACK Pettit Memorial post-primary schools blitz took place in the D.C.U. sportsground recently, with St. Peter’s winning the competition following a festival of hurling on the 4G pitch.
The games were played with modified rules to speed up the hurling, with all frees and sidelines taken from the hand in the sevena-side games, and goals being the only form of scoring.
An eight-team competition started off with two groups of four with schools from across Leinster partaking: Wexford (three), Dublin (three), Kilkenny (one) and Westmeath (one).
There was no shortage of good hurling on show, with St. Peter’s College, Coláiste Eoin and Grennan College all producing fine passages of play in the group stage.
An upset in the quarter-final with St. Peter’s overcoming Coláiste Eoin led to a situation where both St. Peter’s teams landed in the final against each other.
This was despite the efforts of Gorey C.S. and St. Finian’s (Mullingar), and a Grennan College side inspired by the performance between the sticks of their goalkeeper, Jason Brennan from Paulstown in Kilkenny, who landed the player of the tournament award.
The mind games around the final were enthralling as neither of the Peter’s management team were willing to wear the bibs required to distinguish the difference between the sides.
But it was the team led by David Pettit in goal, and featuring excellent hurling from the likes of Conall Clancy and Billy Dunne, which landed the title.
It was an emotional moment as captain David Pettit received the trophy from his father, Liam.
Massive thanks must go to a number of different people for making the day a success, particularly the teachers from the various schools, with special mention to John Banville from St. Peter’s.
A sincere thank you to the parents of Jack Pettit for their support on the day and desire for Jack to be remembered with a hurling competition.
Thanks also to the students from the D.C.U. Dóchas Éireann G.A.A. club, many of whom also attended St. Peter’s in the past and refereed and stewarded on the day to ensure the event was a resounding success.
The hope is to continue to grow the completion year on year and made it a huge success and a yearly spectacle of hurling.
The winning St Peter’s team was: Jake Nobbs, Cillian Gahan, David Pettit (capt.), Conall Clancy, Billy Dunne, Tomás Murphy, Ross Banville, Pad O’Connor, Conall O Crualaoich, Ryan Furlong, Feidhlim Roche, Ben Stafford.
The other St. Peter’s team beaten in the final was: Nathan O’Hanlon, Jack Fortune, Peter Rowley, Ethan Freeman, Patrick Gallagher, Garbhan MacCormack, Sam Audsley, Aaron Culleton, Darragh Howlin, Jack Watters-Cosgrave, Conor J. Ryan, Conor Kelly, Jack O’Leary, Conor Devereux, Michael Kearney.