Pic by Elaine Kelly

It has been a few years from a St Ergnats Boys team represented their Club and County in Feile . The last time it was 2013 when coaches Oliver McCoy , Patrick Kelly and Shane Duffin lead the U14 lads to Feile after a win over Aldergrove in the final. Moneyglass club were hosts in 2013 to TirnanOg GFC Portadown  Co Armagh . What a great few days the players and parents had with some great memories and friendships made along the way .  It was a very special weekend as the President of the GAA Mr Liam O’Neill made a visited to St Ergnats grounds. He was greeted by the , then club ChairmanGerard Weir . Like any other small rural club St Ergants GAC  Moneyglass are constantly on the look out for volunteers to help with all aspects of running the club.
This was no more prevalent when this year with just two weeks to the first round of the Feile Moneyglass still had no takers for the u14 management hot seat. 
After some badgering from his three sons Garry Duffin agreed to try and get a team of men together to try and guide the boys through this much coveted competition.
As he was already coaching the club u12s he knew there would be a big overlap of players and with the ability and heart these u12s had he thought it would be worth a punt.
He got Paddy McLaverty and Sean Tohill on board and began preparations for our round one clash against St Enda’s Glengormley.
To be fair to the lads the St Enda’s game probably came a couple of weeks too early and Moneyglass went down by the narrowest of margins.
However they were not too despondent and so they regrouped and decided to give the B Feile a real good go.
The team had a good strong spine of u14s but ten of the nineteen players used in the first game were u12 and they soon realised that they couldn’t leave all the work to the older guys and they had to play a major part.
So next up came Tir Na Nog Randalstown on the bleakest of days, with a blizzard of snow blowing the young Moneyglass lads turned up the heat and melted the Whitehill’s lads resistance. They ran out comfortable winners with Jamie Mclaughlin, Kalum Graffin and Ewan McGrath performing well.
The next challenge, was “The Big One”. A tough encounter with a formidable Aldergrove side lay ahead. A huge crowd showed up that day at Ahoghill and they were rewarded with a fantastic game of football.
Moneyglass had the advantage of a gale force wind in the first half and only lead by two at the break. A lot of spectators thought the lead wasn’t enough but St Ergnat’s young guns had different ideas.
They played a great brand of counter attacking football in the second half and ran out comfortable winners leading by eight points at the final whistle. Paul Duffin, Sean Boyd, Tiernan McCormick and Nate Dixon probably didn’t have any bother getting over to sleep that night after tireless performances.
The Antrim South West final was the next challenge and Casements Portglenone stood in their way. Moneyglass started fast with goals quick and often. Portglenone never recovered and Moneyglass powered on to the all county final with big performances from Mark Duffin, Oisin O Donnell, Rory Taggart and Tadhg McAteer.

St Enda’s Glengormley was the venue and Michael Davitts was the opposition in the all county decider.
Once again a huge crowd turned up to support the boys in blue and once again they were rewarded for their support.
One point up at the break, Moneyglass seemed to be struggling with the physicality of the Belfast side, but to their credit they had saved the best to last.
Moneyglass had a safe pair of hands in Callum Graham whilst he was well protected by Jamie McLaughlin and Sean Boyd. Brothers Paul and Damien Duffin were water tight in the half back line. Kevin McCann put in an immense shift at midfield and the “Goal Machine” Tiernan McCormick was in devastating form up front along with Senan O Boyle.
The Moneyglass youngsters had ensured that they would be joining their female counterparts on the long journey down to Connaught for the All Ireland Feile finals.
On the last weekend of June, the boys are off to Westport and the  girls who are attending their 3rd Feile in a row are off to Salthill in what is a massive weekend for the club. 
It is a testament to all the coaches who have worked with these boys and girls over the years and let’s hope they can go and do themselves justice.
More Importantly let’s hope they make great life long memories and have a real good time.Best of luck  in Feile 2019