Eastern U-13 Hurling Finals

WalshPark was the venue for last week’s East Waterford Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Hurling Finals.  Despite dry conditions that teased with thoughts of a good summer, a cool northerly wind kept those in attendance from getting too excited!

A total of eight teams contested the four divisional finals, with a sizeable crowd in attendance to support their various primary schools that were fighting it out for the all important silverware on offer.

First of the finals to be battled out was the Roinn A encounter between one of the traditional strong holds St. Stephen’s and a Butlerstown’s team that has been causing a bit of a stir in this top division of primary schools hurling recently.  The manner that Bulterstown have gone on a run from Roinn C to Roinn B to a Roinn A final in 2013 is truly amazing and their bainisteoir Mr. Kelleher must be acknowledged for his part in their ascension.  This match was a close fought passionate game with impressive skill and scoring from both Roinn A teams.  However, it was the boys in blue, Butlerstown, who came out on the right side of the scoreboard with a tally of 3-3 to St. Stephen’s 2-1, and excitement and anguish ensued all around.

In the Roinn B Final, it was the Passage East school of Crooke who faced favourites Gaelscoil Phort Láirge of Ballygunner.  Crooke, playing their first Cumann na mBunscol Final in a number of years, got off to a bad start as the Gaelscoil lived up to their pre-match favourite tags scoring 1-5 without replay in the first half.  Crooke did get things going in the second half scoring a goal and a point but were unable to contain an excellent Gaelscoil side. The final scores read Crooke 1-1 to Gaelscoil Phort Láirge’s 3-8, an excellent win for the Irish speaking youngsters.

The Roinn C Final was the most closely fought out match of the day as the dual between Kilmacthomas and Kill provided great entertainment for the on looking spectators.  Kill had the better opening half leading their rivals 1-2 to 0-3 and the half time break.  However, it was the second half when the gasps and shouts from the crowd really began to fill the air.  Both team provided a brilliant display of point, and indeed goal, scoring in the second half, as Kilmacthomas added an impressive 1-5 to their first half total, with Kill notching up a further 1-3.  As the final whistle blew those in attendance at Waterford’s WalshPark grounds could be seen making quick calculations, Kilmacthomas’ 1-8 to Kill’s 2-5, a draw, and both sides must battle it out again in a replay

Crehana continued their domination of Roinn D as, having already won the Camogie and Gaelic Football; they were once again successful in the final of the hurling, overcoming Newtown Ballydurn.  Even though it was an evenly fought affair with both teams registering points and goals on the scoreboard, it was the Carrickbeg school’s day as they did enough to collect the day’s final trophy and the title of Roinn D champions.

A big thank you must be given to all those who helped out on the day to make the Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Camogie Finals a success, Pat Carroll and his team in Walsh Park, the referee, the committee of Eastern Phort Lairge Cumann na mBunscol and to the pupils, schools, teachers and parents of all those involved on the day.

RESULTS

Roinn A 

Butlerstown 3-3

St. Stephen’s 2-1

Roinn B 

Gaelscoil Phort Láirge 3-8

Passage 1-1

Roinn C 

Kilmacthomas 1-8

Kill 2-5