1st June 2024
Report and photo album by Michael Corcoran
Loughgiel Camogs travelled to Ballyholland Co Down on Saturday to take part in the inaugural Mary Coulter Memorial tournament, and after a great day’s competition returned home with the cup
Ballyholland Harps GAA Club were the hosts for the inaugural Mary Coulter Memorial Tournament. The full rules seven aside format, played on the full length of the Fr. Lynch pitch but split into two to accommodate two simultaneous games throughout the day’s schedule, may have been a small-sided competition, but there was nothing small about the determination to win, from all the teams. In fact, given the quality of the field, the format was a display of close quarter camogie – training pieces coming to life for everyone’s enjoyment.
Mary Coulter was the past president of the camogie section in Ballyholland Harps GAA Club. A passionate Gael for all of the Club’s codes, it was axiomatic that Mary had left a delible mark on local camogie and football over the years through her volunteering, as was evident from the various speakers at today’s event. The Coulter family desire that today’s tournament becomes a yearly calendar event, and if the success from today rubs off on players and mentors, there will be no shortage of teams lining out for next year’s event. Today, money raised will go to worthy causes and this year it will be Newry Hospice, Marie Curie and a donation to Ballyholland Harps.
Teams were divided into two manageable groups, where each group was assigned a side of the Fr. Lynch pitch and kept strictly to the clock, chiming to a start and stop hooter.
Group 1 – Ballyholland, Attical, Ballygalget, Mayobridge, Portaferry
Group 2 – An Riocht, Clonduff, Cullyhanna, Liatroim, Loughgiel
Match referees were Kieran Rice, David Carr and Ben Lock and they kept all of the games to a tight schedule and as the games progressed, we eventually had two finalists in the shield, namely Liatroim and Clonduff and two finalists for the Mary Coulter cup, Loughgiel and Ballygalget.
Liatroim were successful in the shield but were pushed hard by a sporting and equally skilful Clonduff side. In the final, Loughgiel ran out the winners against a determined, tough and energetic opposition, Ballygalget, but the Antrim and Ulster senior camogie champions kept the Galgets at bay until David Carr blew full time and brought all of the games to a conclusion.
Round Robin Table results
Cullyhanna 1-0 Loughgiel 8-05
Clonduff 1-03 Loughgiel 0-07
Loughgiel 1-07 An Riocht 1-02
Semi Final
Ballyholland 2-02 Loughgiel 4-08
Final
Loughgiel 1-05 Ballygalget 0-05
Ballygalget’s Deirbhiel Savage was the player of the tournament, gelling her teammates on the field with words of encouragement and displaying a great work rate.
We are all grateful that the weather improved remarkably for the afternoon and to the warm and generous hospitality shown by the host club and organisers.
Today’s photos, best viewed on a large tablet or screen, can be found in the album link below…
https://myalbum.com/album/Cy99YqzXdfnMbk/?invite=42943c00-686c-4006-abd2-df3fc68d9931