Drumaness ‘Scor’ superb win in county final

Drumaness ‘Scor’ superb win in county final

28 November 2018

DRUMANESS GAC were the only East Down winners at the Scór na nÓg county finals at the weekend when they picked up the Leíruí Statise crown.  

The 50th anniversary of Scór always had the potential to be a special year of celebrations, and on Sunday night in St Malachy’s High School, Castlewellan, patrons witnessed one of the best the county has ever had.

There was standing room only in the packed hall when Bean a Tí Ciara Pickering got proceedings underway.

Ballycran, Mayobridge, Dromara and Saval danced it out for the county title in ceili dancing with Mayobridge emerging as champions for the first time in their club’s history.

Solo singing was next on stage with Glasdrumman’s Niamh McDowell, Dundrum’s Cathleen Garland, Clonduff’s Aoife Trainor and Portaferry’s Niamh Savage involved in a tightly-fought competition.

You could have heard a pin when these girls preformed, and it was Aoife Trainor who emerged victorious at the end of the evening.

Staying with the solo competitions, it was reciters Jack and Brian McGreevy from Clonduff, Ballycran’s Beibhinn Watson and Saul’s Aoife Sands who entertained the appreciative audience in another high standard competition and Clonduff collected their second county title when Brian McGreevy was announced the winner.

The ballad group was the final competition of the first half. The standard was simply amazing, the work and arrangements the four clubs — Glasdrumman, Saul, Clonduff and Portaferry — had put into their two songs was fantastic and it was certainly a tough competition to have to pick a winner.

It was tremendous delight to all in Glasdrumman when they were announced county champions, another first county title for them in their club history.

Half-time was a much-appreciated break for adjudicators as the pressure was all on their shoulders trying to get winners from the amazing standard that they had witnessed in the first half and the second half didn’t disappoint.

Leíruí Statise saw Drumaness beat off rivals from Saval and Clann na Banna to the coveted title. Many young actors were involved in this competition and Drumaness proved to be the favourite of the evening, claiming county honours for their club.

Instrumental music was another amazing competition. Dundrum, Darragh Cross, Clonduff and   Glasdrumman provided some excellent playing of traditional music, toes tapped and at one stage the audience were nearly on their feet, ready to dance as the atmosphere was superb.  

It was Glasdrumman who lifted the roof when they were announced as county champions again — another first county title in this discipline for their club.

The final competition of the evening was set dancing and there was another fantastic display of dancing from some extremely young competitors from Clonduff and Ballyholland.

What an end to a wonderful county final with Clonduff emerging as champions, winning this discipline for the first time in over 16 years and adding a third county title of the evening.

Winners will now progress to Ulster semi-finals in Silverbridge GAA complex on Saturday at 4pm where they will compete against county champions from Monaghan, Donegal and Armagh. Congratulations to everyone who took part in an amazing Down County Scór na nÓg final.