Championship 2006 - Sunday July 23rd

Ladies Junior Football - Clan na Gael 3-9 Fog City Harps 0-5
Mens Junior Football - Sean Treacy's 1-7 Sons of Boru 2-19
Mens Junior Football - YI/St Brendan's 4-11 (23) Ulster 3-14 (23) Report
Mens Football - Rangers 2-10 (16) Boru 4-9 (21) Report
Mens Football - Sean Treacy's 1-16 (19) Ulster 3-9 (18) Report

YI/St Brendan’s Agonisingly Close to Taking 2nd Place in Junior Competition
Mens Junior Football
YI/St Brendan's 4-11 (23) Ulster 3-14 (23)

In a day full of surprises, YI /St Brendan’s showed great confidence right from the start of this exciting game in which they held the ball securely in their grasp all the way up the field to advance four points into the lead. The match truly ignited when Ulster’s Benny Crawford made use of a rare chance to take a shot at the YI goal blasting the ball into the net from the 21.

Most of the action was taking place in Ulster’s half of the field though, and retaliation for the goal looked imminent when a YI shot was kicked just a few inches too wide to hit the post and go wide. A carbon copy of the previous goal came from the same spot and again by Benny Crawford to put Ulster into the lead adding a new dimension to this intense first half that was seeing a lot of hot tempers and culminating in a red card for each side.

Half time score, Ulster 2-5, YI/SB 0-7.

YI were still on top in the second half with Ulster not getting much of a look in. The game remained as scrappy as ever with referee Michael Glennon blowing the whistle flat out as Ulster got onto a scoring spree racking up the points in quick succession. Ulster were playing a lot more direct football making maximum use of each movement and getting the scores in after a minimum number of passes, in contrast to the convoluted movements of the YIs.

A YI free earned on the edge of the Ulster penalty area was quickly taken and promptly blasted into the net and followed by two more three-pointers to put Ulster on the back foot.

Ulster clawed their way back thanks to a goal by Declan Rafferty making it a drawn game. YI’s potential match-winner was driven against the crossbar leaving everyone at the final whistle thinking about what might have been.

Referee: Michael Glennon, Sean Treacy’s

Boru Get First Victory on Day of the Giant-Killers
Mens Football
Rangers 2-10 Boru 4-9

By staff reporter

On an afternoon when the formbook was turned on it's head, Boru pulled off an upset against a fancied Rangers side in a manner that was easier than the final scoreline would suggest. The performance was a resurgence of the Boru Old Guard who belied their years to surge into an early lead.Kevin Murray scored 2 first half goals, the first when Rangers keeper Steve Hennessy was troubled by a high ball and the second following a good build-up involving Brian Reilly and Andy Fogarty.Ciaran O'Hare added a super third goal with a blistering drive to the top corner and Boru were flying.

Another veteran, TJ O'Sullivan scored a fisted goal almost immediately following his introduction and Boru wouldn't be caught despite a late rally by Rangers who scored a rather fortunate goal which seemed to decieve Bertie Penney on his near post.This was followed by a Niall Donoher goal as Boru tired in the sweltering heat.A late point from James Smith sealed it for Boru who made up for a disappointing start to their campaign with this fine win.

Best for Boru were Kevin Murray, the Reilly brothers and Paul O' Callaghan who had a fine game in defence.Paul Coffey, Brendan Caldwell and Gilbert OSullivan battled gamely for Rangers who will be disappointed with this outing.

Referee Aidan O'Sullivan did an excellent job in a sporting game.

Sean Treacy’s Cause Major Upset in Thriller
Mens Football
Sean Treacy's 1-16 (19) Ulster 3-9 (18)

Scoring a point a minute for the first two minutes, Sean Treacy’s set the pace right from the start of a game packed with skill, speed, intensity and drama. Ulster nearly stole the lead in the fourth minute with what looked like a certain goal fired wide.

Ulster’s trademark smooth passing movements was combined with high speed that made their midfielders very difficult to mark, and it proved to be a winning combination. Sean Treacy’s fought back bravely and in an uncanny echo of what happened a number of times the same day, an open net beckoned for a certain goal that ended up inexplicably going over the bar to rapturous gasps of disbelief from the crowd.

Ulster’s Gordon Weldon got the first goal of the game despite after speculation that it might have been a square ball, and a few minutes later he got another from over 20 yards out.

Sean Treacy’s led by a point at the start of the second half when things were trickling along nicely until Paul Allen found himself in front of the Ulster net with no opposition bar the goalie who had no chance of stopping the shot. The goal kept the game very much alive as Treacy’s levelled the scores.

Ulster retaliated in no time with some deft passing in the Treacy’s end of the field. Some neat passing action from the corner flag through a maze of Treacy’s backs led to James Downs punching one into the net for Ulster.

Overall it was not Ulster’s day however, and the loss of one man to a red card in the last minute of regular time and some short-tempered scenes on the field after the final whistle were an unfitting end to such a spectacular match.

Referee: Bertie Penny