Under 16 1/2 Ulster Champions

Congratulations to our U16.5 Boys Gaelic Football Team who won the Ulster Final on Wednesday, 13th December, in Garvaghy, Co Tyrone. They had a hard fought encounter with St Columba’s Comprehensive School, Glenties from Donegal and won by 3-08 to 1-11. Having lost in a final last year, this team showed great determination and resilience during the game and took the lead late in the second half of the match. Well done to all of the players, helpers and Mr McIntyre and Mr Shannon on this great achievement.  

Bailieborough Community School U16.5 Arthurs Cup Panel for Final v St. Columba’s Comprehensive, Genties, Donegal on Wednesday 13th December at 1.30pm on 3G in Garvaghey                            

Management: Damian McIntyre & Trevor Shannon

Path to Final

Group Stage:

R1 Bailieborough CS              4-07      v            1-05      Breifne College Cavan

R2 Bailieborough CS              2-11      v            0-03      St. Aidan’s Cootehill

R3 Bailieborough CS              3-09      v            2-06      Virginia College

Quarterfinal:

Bailieborough CS                   4-15      v            5-05      St. Louis Kilkeel

St. Columba’s Glenties           4-13      v            2-11      Carndonagh CS

Semifinal:

Bailieborough CS                   4-03      v            0-08      St. Conor’s Clady

St. Columba’s Glenties           0-14      v            0-12      St. Patrick’s Keady       AET

Final:

Bailieborough CS                   3-08      v            1-10      St. Columba’s Glenties  

Bailieborough finish strong to win the 2023 Arthurs Cup final

Final Score:

Bailieborough CS                   3-08      v            1-10      St. Columba’s Glenties  

Bailieborough Community School took full advantage of the good footballing conditions at the Garvaghey Centre, on Wednesday 13^th, overcoming St. Columba’s Comprehensive, Glenties, Donegal to win the Danske Bank Arthur’s Cup. The under 16 ½  game started at a fast pace with both teams eager to get early dominance and in the second minute St. Columba’s Shane Sweeney kicked the opener. The equaliser came two minutes later with a fine score from Cillian Burns, he and his midfield partner Colin Hill put on a fine display of high fielding throughout the game. On the fifth minute St. Columba’s, Jamie Byrne hit the net for the first goal of the game.

They held that three-point lead for the next sixteen minutes and despite some brilliant play from both teams neither side were able to break down the other’s defence. The McGuinness brothers, Mark and Gary had to work hard in the Bailieborough defence forcing St. Columba’s to kick several wides. Evan Coleman the Bailieborough No. 1 also pulled off a great save in that period to keep St. Columba’s at bay.

The deadlock was broken on the twenty second minute when Mark Mulvey got Bailieborough’s second score following some good play up the wing by Tony Clerkin. St. Columba’s Shane Sweeney then sent over another score before Mark Mulvey got his second for the day, and Ben McIntyre finished the half with a free to leave just a point between the sides.

The second half started at a frantic pace as both teams really went at this game. Lee Browne kicked the equaliser within twenty seconds of the restart. Shane Sweeney scored the next two points before Mark O’Sullivan got one back for Bailieborough following some good work by Liam Brady who had been introduced at halftime. St. Columba’s added two more points from Shane Sweeney and Conor Farrell to put them three points up ten minutes into the half.

Josh Reilly and captain Noel McIntyre started to get on top in the Bailieborough defence and when the ball was worked through to Lee Browne he scored a great goal to level the game on the eleventh minute. Shane Sweeney edged St. Columba’s ahead three minutes later but Mark Mulvey answered back straight away with his third point from play after taking a pass of the shoulder from Joshua Smith.

Bailieborough’s second goal came two minutes later when Luke Reilly’s shot wrong footed the keeper and hit the net. Deividas Kuzminskas was introduced up front to bring fresh legs on and it looked like the tide was turning in Bailieborough’s favour. However, St. Columba’s came back when Conor Farrell converted a free following a black card received by Naill Keegan on the twentieth minute and he added another one on the twenty third minute to leave just the minimum between the sides.

On the twenty seventh minute Ben McIntyre kicked his second free of the day to push the lead back out to two. With St. Columba’s chasing the game a Bailieborough turnover led to a fast breakout up the pitch and Mark Mulvey was able to secure victory for the Breffni men when he added a goal to his tally. St. Columba’s Dathi Molloy kicked the last score of the game on the thirty third minute. The final whistle sounded on the restart and the Bailieborough support took to the field.

St Columba’s scorers: Shane Sweeney 0-6,3f; Jamie Byrne 1-0; Conor Farrell 0-3,2f; Daithi Molloy 0-1.

Bailieborough CS scorers: Mark Mulvey 1-3; Lee Browne 1-1; Luke Reilly 1-0; Ben McIntyre 0-2,2f; Cillian Burns, Mark O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

St Columba’s, Glenties: Cian McConnell; Niall Roarty, Tiernan Byrne, Oisin Breslin; Jack Elliott, Niall Boyle, Ross Diver; Daithi Molloy, Seamus Boyce; Shane Sweeney, Conor Farrell, Leon Gallagher McDyer; Jamie Byrne, Stephen McDevitt, Adam McGill. 

Subs: Donnachadh Malone for Gallagher McDyer (ht); Alan McLoone for O Breslin; Odhran Bonner for Diver; Logan Melly for McDevitt.

Bailieborough CS: Evan Coleman; Mark O’Sullivan, Gary McGuinness, Mark McGuinness; Josh Reilly, Noel McIntyre, Niall Keegan; Colin Hill, Cillian Burns; Tony Clerkin, Lee Browne, Luke Reilly; Ben McIntyre, Joshua Smith, Mark Mulvey.

Subs: Liam Brady for Clerkin (ht); Deividas Kuzminskas for Smith.