Féile na nÓg

We hosted St Mary’s Rochfortbridge and Lilliput Gaels in the group stages of this year’s Féile competition. First up we played St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge in a very tight game. St Mary’s were a very strong unit with many stars throughout their team. Due to injury we needed to move William Adzangoa to full forward and from there he scored two well taken goals. The team played really well in this game with everyone trying their hearts out to get a result. Matthew Clinton, Keith Whaley and Sean Óg Hynes defended stoutly in front of the very agile Daniel Chukwuemekg who was very unlucky with the three goals that went by him. The half-back line of Daithí O Mairtín who retired early with a knee injury, Zach Aherne and Oisín Sheridan played really well and set up many attacks. Daithí was replaced by the ever reliable Gianluca Hassett who is improving with every game. Niall Ouchbakou and Emmett Walsh at midfield had a terrific battle with their opposite numbers and it was tit-for-tat in this area all through the game. The forward sextet of brothers Andrew and Mark Shaw, Shane Daly, Oliver McNamara, William and Johnny Joyce were all a handful for their opposite numbers and as a unit played their best football of the season. Right up to the final whistle this game was in the balance and indeed we were a shade unlucky with two late chances which could have secured victory. However when the final whistle blew we were beaten by 3-8 to 3-4 and we wish Rochfortbridge the best in the remainder of the competition. We played Lilliput Gaels in our second match and as St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge had already qualified we used this game to try out players in different positions and they did not disappoint. Sean Óg Hynes scored 1-3 from full forward in this game and it seems from previous games that this is not a problem position as Keith Whaley, Zach, William and Sean Óg have all excelled here. Lilliput Gaels had a very young team on display but they gave us a great challenge and the game was used by both teams to empty their benches; in the end we won on a score-line of 3-8 to 1-5. This was a very enjoyable day with all players getting plenty of game time.