Golden girls lift All-Ireland title

Golden girls lift All-Ireland title

29 June 2016

A YOUNG Downpatrick team have just been crowned All-Ireland Feile champions.

The RGU U-14 girls returned home from Limerick in the early hours of Monday morning with the coveted cup tucked away nicely at the back of the bus.

What a weekend the local girls had. They arrived on Friday after a seven hour trip and after playing six matches in three days, lifted the Division 3 Feile title.

They took on the best from Limerick, Tyrone, Kerry, Donegal and Clare and came out on top in what was a remarkable achievement for the club. 

The girls, who have been together as a team under the management of Thomas McCrissican and Brenda Murphy for the past three years, didn’t have too much time on their hands on arrival as they took on and beat Aodh Ruadh in their opening game on Friday evening before being held to a 0-5 to 1-2 draw by Limerick’s Monaleen.

The RGU lasses were up bright and early on Saturday morning  and topped their qualifying group with an outstanding 1-11 to 1-0 win over Castlemahon. Next up on Saturday was the mighty Austin Stacks from Kerry in the quarter-finals, but they too were dispatched as also rans by the RGU machine.

Donegal’s An Tearmann came and went in the semi-finals leaving the RGU girls to take on a highly fancied Corraclare in the final at Rathkeale.

It was here that the girls’ greater fitness and team ethos came to the fore and they managed a nerve tingling 0-5 to 0-4 victory to win the title.   

Coach Thomas McCrissican couldn’t contain his delight at the girls’ performances and praised their spirit and team work.

“We have no prima donnas in our team. They all work together as a unit from 1 to 19. We play things the Down way and ensure that when a player is in possession there is alway someone on their shoulder to hand pass the ball to,” he enthused.

“It has been a great few days and there are an awful lot of people to thank from the players to the parents and supporters who travelled down to Limerick. The bus driver Gerard couldn’t have been more helpful and I must also thank Francis Rogan from the county board for the kind sentiments and words on Monday night,” he added.

“It’s onwards and upwards for this team and the sky’s the limit. We have two girls who are still playing U-12 football and five of the team are in the county U-14 development squad.” 

The future certainly looks bright for Downpatrick RGU.