Ardglass GAC Inaugural Under 8 Tournament
(Sponsored by the Ardglass & Portaferry Post Offices and Super Shops)
On Saturday past, while many clubs from throughout Ireland where concentrating on the Kilmacud All Ireland sevens in Dublin, 11 teams from Down and one from Antrim descended on Ardtole Memorial Park for feast of Under-8 Gaelic Football.
Over the three hours of fast paced action all the great skills of Gaelic football where on show, with superb fielding, tackling, blocking and soloing were all off as a high standard as any thing seen in Kilmacud.
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The group stages consisted of three groups of four and every game were exciting and close encounters, In Group One Ardglass opened with a one point victory over Patrick Sarsfield’s of Belfast, they followed this up with a draw with St John’s before they finished the group unbeaten with a win over Dundrum B. Which Saw Ardglass and St John’s progress to the Cup and Sarsfield’s and Dundrum B enter the Shield
Group two saw a three-way battle with Dundrum A and Darragh Cross emerging from the group to enter the Cup while the RGU where unlucky not to make Cup. The final group saw a series of entertaining games involving Teconnaught, Bright, Loughinisland and Ballykinlar. When all results where in Teconnaught and Bright topped the table, leaving Ballykinlar and Louginisland to compete for the Shield.
The Sun was shining as the knock-out stages began. In the Shield Semi Finals RGU played near neighbours Louginisland in a close game the Blues eased into the Final, the other Semi Final saw Ballykinlar play Sarsfield’s, the teams couldn’t be split at after extra time and Sarsfield’s eventually won with a Golden score in the third period of extra time.
The Shield Final saw Loughinisland capitalise on Sarsfield’s extra time exertions and take a big lead in the first half. The Belfast side kept going to the end however they could not claw back the deficit and the Bluesmen where the first winners of the Ardglass Post Office Perpetual Shield. Which was presented to the winning team by Meabh Curran, Postmistress of Portaferry Post Office.
The Competition for the Cup was equally as entertaining. In the Quarterfinals the host team lost by a single score to near neighbours Bright while St John’s overcame a spirited Darragh Cross team. The semi finals were both closely contested as Teconnaught edged out Bright and St John’s over came Dundrum. The Final game saw both sets of player’s display some exquisite skills and the standard of score taking from play and set pieces was of a high standard throughout, however, the well drilled and organised Teconnaught side overcame the Challenge of the Johnnies to emerge victorious. Ken Hynds proprietor of the Ardglass Super Shop and Post office presented the winning Teconnaught team the Inaugural Ardglass Post Office Perpetual Cup.
This Inaugural event would not have been possible without the kind and generous sponsorship of the tournament by the Post office & Super Shop. It is the policy of Ardglass GAC to encourage our members and supporters to support our sponsors and to always consider using their services and goods. A special thanks must also go to our three Referees Paul Savage, Mickey Curran and Terry Kearney and to those committee members and parents who helped out on the day.
Games update
A depleted Senior team lost heavily away to a strong Darragh Cross team on Saturday evening. The result leaves the team still at the wrong end of the table and now have five games remaining to pull clear of the relegation playoffs. No fixtures available at present for remaining games.
The new East Down Under 13/Year 9 Feile starts this week. Ardglass are in a group with Saul, Teconnaught and St Josephs. The first game is away to Saul this Sunday at 12.00, and players are to keep an eye on Facebook page for training and travel arrangements.
The Under-8’s played well at the Blitz at Ardtole last week remaining unbeaten in the group stages and narrowly losing to Bright in the knock out stages, every player put in great effort with Micheal Curran, Abbie Byrne, Dylan Addis and James Crangle showing some great skills. The Team will compete at the Dundrum 8 team Blitz this Saturday, players to be at Corner for 10am, first game at 11am.
Club News
* No lotto winner last week, tickets available from all Committee members and in various outlets throughout the parish
* Monthly Draw Tickets available from all Committee members £10 per month, £300.00 1
st prize and 2 x £100.00 runner up prizes
* End of season Night of the Races will be held on Saturday 8
th October in the Lighthouse Bar @9pm, committee members currently selling horses
* Following the recent Fashion Show in St Nicholas P.S the committee would like to thank the following sponsors -Village Salon, Devlin Butchers, Spar Ardglass, Cecil Browne, Marcy’s Beauty Salon, IK meats, Tidewater, Harbour View Inn, East Essence, Anne Moore, Lenny Wills. Couture Salon.
* The Club will also be producing a comedy/stage show in late November, more details in coming weeks.]]>
