Expectations were high for “Feile Peile na nOg 2018”, but not even the most optimistic U14 player, mentor or parent could have expected what came to pass for the young U14 men, and the entire club, over the last weekend in June.
The U14 boys, resplendent in their new Feile gear, along with their Manager Miceal Leicester and mentors Brendan Rice and Brian Powell, assembled at the Club rooms on the Thursday evening to greet our guests from South London.
Introductions done it was off to the host families for our guests and no doubt the minds of both sets of players now turned to the “business” side of the weekend and the upcoming Division 2 fixtures. In total there were 11 divisions in the boys competition so the standard in division 2 was exceptionally high.
On the Friday, 29th June, in Mayobridge the young blues and South London both faced Portlaoise and Mayobridge. Our South London guests were victorious in both outings and already were catching the imagination of all present, due to their athleticism and running style of play.
In their first match our own boys were defeated by a strong, and as the weekend would show – a very strong, Portlaoise side. However, our second match against Mayobridge had more of a “South Down” feel to it and the boys played exceptionally well in front of a large support. Winning comfortably in the end.
On the following morning all roads led to Pairc Liam Ui Ir, where we would face our South London guests in round three of the League. Moygannon was wrapped in a fantastic atmosphere, before, during and after the matches, generated by our own supporters and visitors from London and Wexford. The boys match threw in at 10.00am. With our U14 girls facing their guests Taghmon Camross at 10.45 am.
Our game against South London was competitive and the ‘point boys played some fantastic Football, but the fitness, athleticism and ever improving football of our guests proved too much for the young blues and South London made it three wins from three played, however running out on our Senior pitch on front of such a large crowd will live long in the memories of our U14 boys.
The action on Saturday afternoon moved to Kilcoo for the shield and cup quarter finals, South London playing in the cup and Warrenpoint in the shield.
First up was the Warrenpoint match and we faced Ferbane / Belmont of Offaly, unfortunately we did not play to our potential in this match, against a surprisingly fresh opposition, and our Feile Journey with regards to participation came to an end.
All focus now shifted to our friends from South London who faced Bredagh in their quarter final, again this match went to script for our guests who ran out comfortable winners.
Mayobridge hosted the semi-finals and finals on the Sunday and a large support from Warrenpoint made their way there to support South London as their amazing Feile journey continued.
First up in the semi-final they faced Mayo side, Westport. The boys from the West proved no match for the boys from the South, of London, and so it was onto the Final against Meath side, St. Patricks, Stamullen.
By this stage the reputation of the South London boys had grown and a massive crowd had gathered in Mayobridge to see if they could go all the way. Initially the final was a competitive encounter but after a nervous start usual service was restored and the South London team took a strangle hold on the game and ran out comfortable and deserved winners.
They were winners on and off the pitch, absolute pleasures to host in Warrenpoint and for many the highlight of the weekend was when the London mentors decided not to bring their team straight to the airport as planned but to bring them and the Trophy back to the Mary street clubrooms, accompanied by Police outriders !, where fittingly each London player was presented with their winners medal by a Cumann Pheadair Naofa representative.
