GORT NA MÓNA WIN DIVISION 3B (BELFAST) LEAGUE
It has been a busy week for the senior camógs at Gort na Móna. At a wind-swept and rainy Sarsfield’s club in Belfast on Tuesday evening they won the Senior Division 3B (Belfast) league title. Unbeaten in the competition, the Turf Lodge girls had originally been scheduled to play in an all-county Division 3B, but the Covid-19 crisis led to a reorganisation of the leagues in July 2020. In order to cut down on cross-county travelling the mid-Antrim clubs were grouped together into Division 3A, while – with the exception of Rossa in Division 2 – the Belfast clubs (St John’s, Sarsfield’s, St Paul’s-Loch Mór, Naomh Éanna, Davitt’s and Gort na Móna) were placed together in their own league, Division 3B.
Camogie in the city has been undergoing a quiet renaissance in recent years, and great efforts have been made to promote the game at juvenile levels in the Belfast clubs. Within this context, camogie at Gort na Móna has been building in strength over the past few years, with a range of new players graduating to senior level from the club’s juvenile teams. This influx has been a welcome addition, and the blending of youth with experience has proven highly successful in the 2020 season.
Following their league success, the Gorts are now in the chase for the Junior Championship, and their campaign began in the heavy rain on Thursday evening with a victory over Armoy at Páirc Mhic Ionnrachtaigh. Originally included to play in the Junior Shield, the decision of Loughgiel to remove their third team from the Junior Championship left a vacancy in that competition. The standard of performance from the Turf Lodge camógs during 2020 meant that their management team readily accepted the invitation of the County Executive to move up a level and take Loughgiel’s place. Their Junior Championship campaign continues Thursday 3rd September when they will be playing against their neighbours St John’s in the semi-final of the competition.
Gort na Móna is also sitting unbeaten in the U16 2B (Belfast) Division and – following a strong first round win over Tír na nÓg – they are chasing the 2A Championship, with the semi-final set for Monday 31st August at home against St Paul’s-Loch Mór. Looking towards 2021 the senior management team of Kevin “Tarzy” McKenna, Danielle Hughes and Colm Donnelly relish the prospect that these young players will soon be pushing hard for their places in the senior squad.
