Lixnaw win camogie and Abbeydorney the hurling in Mini Sevens finals
ON Thursday last over 200 pupils representing fourteen schools descended on Abbeydorney for a festival of hurling for the 2015 mini sevens competition. Played in splendid sunshine the young camogie and hurling players enjoyed the games organised by Allianz Cumann na mBunscol hurling co-ordinator Conor Kearney.
Eight teams played in this year’s camogie competition in which we had two groups of four. Following the round robin series of games in which each team had a guaranteed three games Glenderry and Lixnaw topped their respective groups to face off in the final. Though scores were at a premium this was a very competitive game in which all the skills - good catching, striking and excellent hooking and blocking - were displayed. Lixnaw held a slender one-point lead late in the second half and though Glenderry tried gallantly for the equalising score or indeed the match winning goal the Lixnaw girls defended stoutly to claim a second title in three years.
SCOIL MHUIRE GAN SMÁL, LIXNAW:
Margaret Costello, Andrea Stack, Katelyn stack, Aoife O’Flaherty, Cara Cullen, Edel Browne, Emma Comway, Amy Flaherty, Gráinne Walsh, Gráinne Shanahan, Kara Treanor.
GLENDERRY: Eve Roche Hussey, Katelyn Leen, Clodagh Donnelly, Ava Griffin, Leanne Roche, Melanie Higgins, Laura Reidy, Emma Woods, Sarah Cantillon. TWELVE teams in all participated in the hurling with CBS Tralee entering for the first time. These teams were divided into three groups of four and following the initial series of games in which we were treated to a very high standard of hurling.
Abbeydorney, Ardfert and Lixnaw topped their groups to qualify for the semi finals. As strongest runners up Glenderry also qualified. In their semi final Glenderry were drawn against Ardfert and the Ardfert boys produced some excellent hurling to claim the first final spot. In the second semi final Abbeydorney withstood a late rally from neighbours Lixnaw to claim a final spot.
The final was a tense and exciting game. Abbeydorney led by a goal at the short whistle 1-2 to 0-2. A goal bound shot from Patrick O’Sullivan was excellently saved by Gavin Slattery on the stroke of half time. The Abbeydorney boys extended their lead in the opening moments of the second half through a Jack Sheehan goal and some excellent long range points from the veresitile and talented Oisín Maunsell. However, a well worked move from Ardfert saw Odhrán Ferris provide Seán Brosnan with a brilliant pass and the lively forward finished to the net to make it 2-5 to 2-2 with two minutes remaining.
Abbeydorney with another long range point from the Oisin Maunsell stretched the lead to four and though Ardfert fought to the end there was no way through the Abbeydorney defence which was well marshalled by Mikey Clifford. Abbeydorney held on to claim the title by 2-6 to 2-2.
Abbeydorney captain Jack Sheehan accepted the trophy from chairman Tomás ó hAiniféin and he thanked his teammates, coaches and his teacher Conor Kearney co-ordinator of the hurling and camogie competitions.
ABBEYDORNEY: Gavin Slattery, Mikey Clifford, Michael O Sullivan, Oisín Maunsell, Jedd Maunsell, Jack Sheehan, Ruairí Donovan, Darragh O’Connell, Breandán Walsh.
ARDFERT: Christopher Lawlor, Lorcan Ryan, Cian McCarthy, Pádraig O’Sullivan, Gavin Raggett, Earnán Ferris, Seán Brosnan, John Davis, Brian Shanahan, Odhran Pierce, Christopher Egan.