Drumhowan – Feile Cup Winners Div 7 – 2019
The last few days of June 2019 will live long in the memory of Drumhowan’s U14 footballers, Coaches and supporters as they won The Feile Division 7 Cup Final (13 Divisions in total) in Claremorris by a single point after an epic final. They qualified for Feile for the first time in the club’s history by winning the U13 Division 2 double the previous season. In June the club ran a very successful Breakfast morning and a Tayto Park draw in order to raise funds to get the boys kitted out in club gear and to provide provisions and transport to get the boys ready for the journey ahead.
On Friday morning the 28th June they headed off into the west bound for Glenamaddy and our host club Northern Gaels. They got a great send off with a large crowd all in the club colours to wave them off. The first two matches were in Milltown in Galway against the locals and against Milltown Castlemaine from the mighty kingdom of Kerry. The first half against the Galways boys was a close affair but in the second period Drumhowan got on top to emerge winners. There was excitement prior to the next game as it isn’t every day Drumhowan play a Kerry side. The boys put on a super display of fast exciting football to run out comfortable winners in the end. After the match it was then time for our players to meet their host families and head off home with them. For the supporters, parents and coaches it was a matter of finding the various B&B,s and guesthouses they were booked into.
On the Saturday morning we played our host club Northern Gaels in Glenamaddy. This turned out a close game as a below par Drumhowan struggled to reach the heights of the previous day but managed to hold out for the win. We now had to wait on other results to find out our opposition in the cup quarter final. It turned out to be Tipperary side Arravale Rovers and the match took place in Ballygar on Saturday afternoon in searing heat on an extremely big pitch. The Tipp lads played a blanket defence and were hard to break down but Drumhowan were patient and worked some good scores. Then Johnathan Lavelle put on the turbo boost and ran 60 metres through the heart of the Arravale defence to rifle a brilliant goal to the roof of the net to settle the game – It was said after that it was lucky there was a net behind the goal or Johnny would have ended up through the hedge and into the next field with his pace. After the match there was a lot of tired and injured bodies as the heat and the four games were beginning to take its toll. To recover the boys went to The River Suck and jumped in to cool off and help recover aching limbs.
We went back that evening to Glenamaddy where our hosts had a meal organised and small gifts were exchanged between the clubs. Then there was a disco with two other girls teams also attending and a good time was had by all – What goes on tour stays on tour so no info on that – The parents, supporters and coaches retired to a local hostelry in the town and a good night of socialising , singing and dancing was had by all.
On the Sunday morning we said goodbye to our excellent hosts and headed for Claremorris where Clonegad of Wexford were awaiting us in the semi-final. We hit the ground running in this match and grabbed an early lead that we kept all through the game and when the final whistle went we were in the Cup Final. It was then matter of stretching and getting water and snacks on board to keep the bodies right. In the final we were pitted against Kilmore/Shannon Gaels an amalgamation of three clubs from Roscommon. They had hammered a few teams on route to the final and beat St Marys Ardee of Louth in the semi-final. The final took place in Claremorris at 2.15pm
The final turned out to be an epic game with the bigger stronger Roscommon team starting better but our lads fought back well to go in at half time one point up. The second half was equally as fiercely fought and when Kilmore went a point up with two minutes left we looked in trouble. However after a well worked team move the length of the pitch up stepped full back Tristan Duffy to land the equaliser and a minute later Jason Clarke kept his nerve to slot us a point in front from a free. However the drama didn’t end there as Shannon Gaels came with one late raid and our keeper David Traynor pulled off a super save and Oisin Quinn cleared the ball as the full time whistle sounded with Drumhowan a point to the good.
There was tremendous joy, excitement and tears as the panel, management, parents and supporters realised they were Feile Cup Champions. Joint captains Johnathan Lavelle and Tristan Duffy accepted the cup to jubilant scenes. After an hour or so on the pitch we left Claremorris to head for home. We stopped in Mc Donalds in Longford for some refreshments before continuing on. We were met by a large band of supporters in Ballybay before heading on to Drumhowan in convoy. We were met there by another massive crowd and the panel was marched into the Centre by Paul Forde on the pipes. In the Centre there was more refreshments, speeches and the boys got their cherished All Ireland medals.
What a weekend that will live long in the memory off all those involved. Big thanks to all our players in the panel, our supporters and parents and our management team of Donal Mc Adam, Aidan Doherty, Brendan Treanor, Cormac Duffy and Jason Mc Entee.
Results
Drumhowan 2-7 Milltown Galway 1-2
Drumhowan 4-6 Milltown Castlemaine Kerry 0-2
Drumhowan 4-8 Northern Gaels Galway 3-3
QF Drumhowan 1-8 Arravale Rovers Tipperary 1-2
SF Drumhowan 2-4 Clonegad Wexford 0-3
Final Drumhowan 2-5 Kilmore-Shannon Gaels Roscommon 2-4
