TINAHELY TRIUMPH!
Féile qualifiers decided despite downpour
THE Wicklow ladies Division 1 Féile was set to be played in Ballinakill on Sunday.
However, a massive downpour lasting four hours eventually resulted in the postponement of the games.
As all the teams were present, and with the prospect of a postponement until after the May Bank Holiday looming, the four teams - Blessington, Tinahely, Bray Emmets and Arklow Geraldine’s Ballymoney - in consultation with Maura Reid and Dominic Leech for the fixtures committee, requested that if Bray was available they would travel to Bray and play two semi-finals and a final.
This was obviously not what anyone would have wanted but the circumstances were such that this was the only available option if the Féile was to be completed.
Bray were contacted and were willing to allow the matches go ahead in the northern venue.
The resultant draw pitted Blessington against hot favourites Tinahely while Bray drew AGB in the other semi-final.
Again the matches were tight but the southerners from Tinahely qualified for the final after a great match against a very solid Blessington side while Bray accounted for AGB in the other semi-final.
The final between Bray and Tinahely was an open affair but Tinahely in the end proved too strong for the Bray side winning the Division 1 title on a score of 0-8 to 0-2.
A feature of all the matches was the skill on display and the sporting nature of all the games.
Maura Reid in her presentation thanked the teams and their management, the referees and the Bray club for releasing their facilities.
She then presented the cup to a proud Zoe Katus, the Tinahely captain, who again thanked the supporters and mentors and all her players before raising three cheers for the Bray side.
Tinahely will now represent Wicklow in Division 2 of the National Féile and will be hosted by Cooley Kickhams GAA club in Co Louth again on the weekend of June 30.
Thanks are offered by the organisers to everyone who assisted with the Féile, particularly to the referees, Declan Peppard, John Bermingham and Shay Ahern who were so helpful throughout the weekend.
Apologies were offered to the clubs for the unavoidable set of circumstances presented on the Sunday following the deluge of rain throughout Sunday and for