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The Irish Triathlete is the only book written on triathlons in Ireland. The book takes the reader through the 36-year history of the sport – right from the early eighties to the present day. I finished and published the book just over a year ago. And I’ll have to say all the comments I have received thus far have been positive ones.
The book remembers some of the giants of the sport such as Ger Hartmann, Desi McHenry, Diane Sloan and Tom Heaney etc. from days long gone and even some modern icons such as Newry’s Martin Patterson, Portadown’s Conor Murphy and Silverbridge’s Owen Martin, the latter who has qualified for the World Championship in Hawaii an amazing 11 times. There is lots of other local interest too. The book features the Newry and Setanta Clubs and there’s a special six-page feature on Bessbrook’s Mallon family.
Here’s an abbreviation of the book’s final chapter and it tells the story of my last triathlon.
It was always going to be a long day. And as it turned out, in the beautiful Dutch city of Maastricht, my final Ironman triathlon time of 15 hours 35 minutes was the longest I have ever been in competition.
They say Ironman is one of the toughest single-day events in the sporting world. And as the sun dropped in the sky and I lurched grotesquely and painfully towards Utopia in the form of the finishing gantry in the heart of Maastricht, I fervently believed this as fact.
In those final kilometres I went through the agonies of the damned.
I also went through the agonies of the damned the night before the race. My confidence was at an all-time low. I didn’t believe I could finish the event. I couldn’t see Tony Bagnall crossing the finish line. I questioned my sanity a thousand times. I didn’t sleep a wink and rose at 4am for breakfast with a stomach upset that further dented my abysmally low confidence. Luckily my stomach settled as I walked to the bike park to prepare for my Ironman swansong and I began to feel a little more relaxed.
Race day began at 7am as the sun blazed down on the River Maas and almost 1000 triathletes got ready to swim 3.8 kilometres, bike 180 kilometres and run a 42-kilometre marathon. It was a magnificent setting for the thousands of spectators who thronged every conceivable space around the swim start, including watching from 200-metre-long bridges.
The swim in the warm 21-degrees water was refreshing and, even better for the triathletes, there was no free-for-all effect as the race organisers had introduced a new rolling start.
Despite my pre-race pessimism, I enjoyed the swim and was pleased with my time of one hour 18 minutes.
The start of the bike leg too was fine as in the mild morning sunshine with little wind I was happily bowling along at 19-miles an hour. Those good times came to an end after about 40 kilometres as the course got ragged. Sharp 90-degree bends, steep hills and worse of all bad road surfaces, painted a different picture. My speed plummeted, the temperature zoomed to 27 degrees, and I still hadn’t reached The Cauberg, that notorious hill, the major feature of the famous Amstel Gold bike race, and a climb that had also been featured in the Tour de France.
I had trained for this hill by making weekly jaunts up Jockey’s Brae at Jerrettspass. The gradient there was 10 per cent but there were places on the Caulberg that reached 12 per cent or more. So I wasn’t relishing this climb … and we had to do it twice. But when I reached The Cauberg I found it wasn’t nearly as tough as Jockey’s Brae.
Anyway I finished the two-lap 112-mile bike ride in 7 hours 16 minutes, admittedly a bit slower than my anticipated time, without too much stress … but the run on a three-lap course was always going to be the race-buster.
My plan was to run a bit and walk a bit and I began ok by running the first kilometre. I walked a bit then but when I started to run again my leg muscles began cramping. I made several efforts to resume running without success but after about three-kilometres the cramps stopped and I was able to continue with my original idea.
I shuffled around the first hilly lap ok and about halfway through the second lap. But at that stage, although eating and drinking at every feed station, I was getting increasingly tired and increasingly worried that I wasn’t going to make the finish.
I had never failed to finish a race I had started in my whole triathlon career.
Was I about to end my Ironman swansong on a mighty low point?
Was I to get a DNF in my final Ironman event?
On the last lap, as the miles began to take their toll, I discovered I was walking with a crouch. Yet although I wasn’t able to run any more, I was still making progress. Yet over that last lap the pain was seeping into every bone in my body. The medical people on the course too were concerned at my grotesque posture and kept enquiring if I was all right. They also asked me questions such as - what is your race number? What day is it? Yet my brain was fine and I was always able to answer their questions.
Over the last few torturous miles, in near darkness, pictures of my three lovely grandchildren began flashing into my brain and I began muttering: “Eva, Meabh, Henry, I love you and I want you to be proud of me.”
This thought was a big incentive and carried me to the line where the crowds were absolutely brilliant, chanting, “Tony, Tony, Tony.” They knew my name as it was printed on my race number.
The commentator informed the spectators I was the oldest finisher and that brought increased cheering. Thus I finished my Ironman career on a high, something I just couldn’t have visualised 16 hours previously.
I had entered Maastricht as a means of qualifying for the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. When I entered the race there was no one else in my 70-74 age-group. So I thought: all I have to do is finish under the 17-hours cut-off time and I will be able to book a dream trip to the Big Island.
But my dreams were dashed when two others entered in my age group – and one of this duo was a quicker biker and a much faster runner.
Yet on the night before Maastricht my mental anguish was so extreme that, regardless of the next day’s result, I decided I wasn’t going to Kona. As it transpired one of my two rivals beat me. I wasn’t disappointed at all in that outcome and indeed was thankful I didn’t have to turn down the Hawaiian slot.
My 30-year Ironman career is now over.
No more 100 plus mile bike rides.
No more 18-20-mile runs.
No more one and half hour swims.
But in that career there were some unbelievable highs. Like crossing the Ironman finish lines at Almere (twice), Klagenfurt, Zurich and Maastricht.
Like meeting some absolutely fabulous people.
Like becoming the first 70-year-old Irish person to go under 16 hours for the Ironman.
Like hearing five race commentators say: “Tony Bagnall … YOU ARE AN IRONMAN.”
The Irish Triathlete is vividly illustrated with lots of photographs, many from the early days of the sport in Ireland. If you would like a copy you can contact Tony Bagnall at 07815787874 or email him at tonybagnall@mac.com
The book originally sold at £13 but is now available at the bargain price of £8 … plus postage.
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Eoin McGuinness has always been a player that wears his heart on his sleeve, whether that be in the jersey of his club Newry Shamrocks or county Armagh.
The Newry GAA Club is steeped in history but recently their members have been writing a new chapter in hurling for Armagh and Down.
“That’s the thing, Newry Shamrocks has always been a club that has had members from Armagh and Down, my own family is all Armagh.
“We live in Killeavy, and we are all Armagh following people but from within the club there has been great Down men throughout the years. The late John Murphy and DJ Kane, we have legends like that at the club. There are great Armagh and Down people in the Shamrocks, and they would support you no matter what colours you have on.
“Ronan Sheehan and Sean Gallagher have run an Academy at the Shamrocks and what they have done is phenomenal. We started with maybe 12 children from under 13 and down and now we have over 60 playing hurling. It is getting bigger every year and the more the merrier and that says a lot about the good coaching we have.”
Strong, bullish and athletic, his craftwork with the hurl is something to admire too and at 34 years young McGuinness is hungry for more.
Armagh hurlers have big back-to-back games against Tyrone later this month, with and outside chance of clinching the Division 3A league title at stake for the first game, but the start of the journey to Croke Park and the Nicky Rackard Cup is on the line for the second game.
Anyone who has witnessed Eoin, or indeed his brother Artie play hurling will know they don’t believe in half measures and the Newry man is keen on getting two wins against the Red Hands rivals.
“Our ambition from the start of the season was to win league and championship. Obviously, other results would have to go our way to be in with a shout to win the league because we got beat by Sligo, which was bitterly disappointing,” said McGuinness.
“I feel it was a game we left behind and we can only beat what is in front of us. So, we need to win our remaining game and target this championship and give it everything.
“It is all or nothing, we don’t know how the other games will go, so we will have to give it the full welly. We don’t know, Sligo could slip up and that could be our chance if we beat Tyrone. It is a do or die game in the championship and we have to go hell for leather again.”
McGuinness made his debut for Armagh in 2013 against Finglas, this year the team is going through transition, with a lot of young talent coming in to replace several seasoned campaigners. But the Newry man, who has scored 1-04 so far this campaign, has no heed of hanging his stick up and he has been impressed with the spread of clubs in the Armagh team.
“I am happy enough with the way I am playing, I suppose I could always be fitter and quicker, but the Armagh County Board has provided everything for us, so I just try to not miss training and do it on the pitch. I still have a lot to play for and plenty of years left in me yet,” Eoin said.
“There is a lot of changes. A lot of boys in their early 30s retired but there is a lot of new blood coming in, with the likes of Stephen McGurney from Derrynoose and a couple of Cuchulainn’s lads, Caolan McReynolds, Tiernan O’Hare from Camlough so there is good talent coming through, the future is bright.
“When you have a player from every club then it gives hurling more exposure to everyone in the county and when we come together the tribalism disappears. You are more part of a team.”
McGuinness has won the Division 2B title and Nicky Rackard Cup in 2016 with Armagh but he has suffered heartache in more finals that he cares to remember, and he is determined to get his hands on some silverware, especially when he is playing with his brother.
“Obviously playing with Artie is an added level of pride. We both made our senior debuts when we were 13 and we are playing together for at least 25 years.
“We have two different styles of playing hurling and when you have your brother playing at the other side of the field it gives you a bit of a confidence booster. You can go in a wee bit harder because you know you have got backup,” laughed Eoin.
“Every time pull on the Armagh jersey is special to me because from my great grandparents down to me, they are Armagh to the core, and I feel great pride to represent Newry when I pull on the Shamrocks jersey.”
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Do they ever get decisions right?
Even in the Premier league.
Even with VAR.
Even with apparently up to seven officials whose sole purpose is to ensure fair play.
Even with a multitude of cameras covering all possible angles.
Well, they’re often wrong, that is according the the big-name pundits in the BBC, ITV or Sky studios.
Well if those professional referees don’t get it correct when surrounded by today’s high profile technology and a team of assistants, what chance has a poor referee in the Carnbane League got?
In fact why would anyone be a referee in a local league match?
At times there is no proper pitch marking.
No technology.
And no linesmen.
Well maybe that last statement is incorrect.
There are linesmen.
But generally, apart from cup finals, assistant officials running the line are usually connected to the clubs on the field.
Biased?
Someone once said a lineman from a well-known club always did his job fairly.
He flagged one way during the first half.
And the other way during the second!
Footballers take their sport seriously and want to win, often seeing the poor auld ref as someone who is out to beat them. But as the famed Bill Shankly once said. “Football is not a matter of life and death; it’s much more important that that.”
It’s a hard, thankless job to officiate at a game with proper linesmen; without them its well nigh impossible.
For instance, how does a referee, who is following a match, see where an off-the-ball man starts a run? The player might be in an offside position when he picks up the ball but may have been perfectly OK when the pass was originally played. Without linesmen refs are in a no-win situation.
And with new rules coming into operation, seemingly every week, the situation is getting increasingly bizarre.
What constitutes a penalty kick now?
No one seems to know.
Was the arm in a natural position?
Did it hit his arm above or below his shirt-sleeve?
Was the keeper an inch off his line when the spot kick was taken?
To make it even more difficult, footballers try to hide their mistakes. Some automatically blame the official every time they concede a goal. Managers often instruct their players to appeal to the ref every time a goal is scored against them. Even, as in most cases, the decision is not reversed, it puts pressure on the referee to even things out for the team allegedly wronged.
To illustrate these points, I’ll recount a game I refereed many, many years ago.
One Saturday I went out to watch my son playing for the Red Devils at Ferris Park. The ref didn’t appear and the manager of the other team, Gervaise Patterson, the Villa Rovers supremo, asked me to officiate.
He actually said to me: ‘Tony, I know you will do it fairly.’
I thought so too and was persuaded to give it a go, particularly as I had participated in a referees’ course a few months previously.
That was mistake number one.
Mistake number two came three minutes into the game when I allowed a goal that everyone in the ground thought was offside.
I was always of the opinion that referees were far too serious on the field, so I thought I would lighten things up with a joke. That was mistake number three. The player I joked with didn’t think it was remotely funny and ripped into me.
Mistake number four came when I gifted a goal to the other side. Apparently the ball had crashed onto the bar and out. From my position I thought the ball had crossed the line and I gave the score.
My fifth error was to charge off the field after a player, who I had just dismissed and who called me a mouthful of rude names.
In the melee that followed I got a thump on the mouth.
My sixth mistake was to chase my assailant down the road after the game. I never caught him, perhaps fortunately for myself.
My seventh was not reporting that player (and another I sent off) to the Carnbane league.
However, I did make two good decisions that day.
In a three-goal game I got one of the scores right … I think.
And I quit refereeing.
That game between the Red Devils and Villa was the second match in which I had officiated.
The other time happened a few years previously at Crieve’s Crown Park where I gave a free kick against one of my best friends.
After I blew him up, he put his face two inches from mine and called me a cheating f***ing bastard. I could see the hatred in his eyes. At that moment I was dirt on his shoe. The lowest of low.
Fortunately, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing and we continued to be best friends – even to this day.
But those two matches were the sum total of my refereeing career.
And most certainly it was two games too many.
Not like the well-known official Frank McDonald, a great character, who spent a lifetime as a referee, in both soccer and gaelic. Frank once told me some great stories about his time as the Man in the Middle.
One day he refereed a schools’ final between St Michaels, Enniskillen and St Pats, Maghera and after the game he was severely beaten up by the Maghera supporters.
It made headline news in the Northern Ireland media with TV showing the disgraceful scenes.
But the incident had a funny side too. The next week Frank was refereeing at Windsor Park and as he ran out onto the field a wee Linfield supporter shouted: “Hey McDonald, I don’t think much of that aul GAA but they know a bad ‘un too when they see one!”
Another time Frank was officiating at an Intermediate Cup match featuring the RUC and a Newcastle league team. The centre forward of the Newcastle side, a former Down player who shall not be named, scored an early goal and as he ran out celebrating, he threw a mighty punch at one of his rivals in full view of the referee.
A sure-fire sending off and as Frank produced his red card he asked the player: Why?
His answer: “When do you get a chance to punch a policeman and not get jailed?”
And the same player, a top marksman, but a player who had a penchant for regularly getting himself sent off, was a further subject of our conversation. Frank said of him: “Yer man has the speed of a racehorse, the strength of a carthorse and the brains of a … rocking horse!”
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Justin McNulty MLA has said It was a great honour to meet Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Larry McCarthy when he visited County Armagh this week. The President visited St Malachy's PS in Armagh.
Mr McNulty said “Since taking up office as Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael this was our GAA President’s first visit to a school, his first visit to the North, and, most importantly, his first visit to County Armagh. It was a truly historic and joyous occasion and I felt privileged to be there.
“The GAA President is a Cork man and has been based in New York for many years and is associated with the Sligo club in the Big Apple. There is also a strong GAA connection in St. Malachy’s with 2 passionate advocates - Principal Paul Duggan who’s on GAA Central Council and former Armagh Goalkeeper and Pearse Og’s County Championship winning captain Ciaran McKinney.
“The warmth of the welcome for the GAA President was a joy to behold. The singing, the dancing, the GAA quiz, the sports games all helped make it a wonderful occasion. The children were all in awe of the President and I know Larry was taken aback by the school’s wonderful welcome."
The Newry and Armagh MLA added “I was truly honoured to be at St. Malachy’s Primary School in Armagh for the visit of our GAA President and I felt it important to mark the occasion by presenting the Uachtarán with a small token - a book with huge County Armagh relevance called Cúchulainn: ULster's Greatest Hero by Réamonn Ó Ciaráin and beautifulyl illustrated by Armagh Artist Dara Vallely.”
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Football News
U7 Boys/Girls' Football:
The P2 and P3 boys and girls kicked off their season on Sunday 13th June in St. Mark's with games against Shamrocks. Both teams showed off some great skills throughout with some great scores taken.
For a lot of the players, it was their first time to line out for the Super Blues in a match and we were so proud of all their efforts.
Thanks to all the coaches and parents for their help and support.
U9 Boys/Girls' Football:
A total of 40 of our U9 footballers were out in full force on Sunday morning (13th June) in St. Colman’s College, Newry. Our girls and boys gave a great performance against a competitive Newry Bosco side, and it was great to see the efforts in training paying off in the matches. Well done all!
U11 Boys' Football:
Cumann Pheadair Naofa Under 11 B Team welcomed visitors Eire Óg to Moygannon for a league match on a balmy Sunday morning, 13th June.
Eire Óg, an amalgamation of Glasdrumman and Ballymartin clubs, started fast and got into an early lead. The young Point lads moved up a gear in the 2nd quarter and some of their movement and passing was a joy to behold.
Although Eire Óg kept the scoreboard ticking over, they simply had no answer to the rampant Blues who plundered 6 goals and ran out impressive winners in a fine all round team performance.
U13 Boys' Football:
On Tuesday evening (8th June) the U13 boys made the long trip to Tullylish. After a slow start the Point boys finished the first half in the lead.
The players were inconsistent in their play in the second half which allowed the home side to stay in the game. After the final water break the boys in blue were behind but kept working hard until the final whistle to earn a share of the points. The U13s welcome neighbours Rostrevor to Milltown on Tuesday, throw-in 7:30pm – all support welcome.
U15 Boys' Football:
The U15 footballers travelled to Bredagh on Thursday evening (10th June) for their 4th game in All County Division 1. The young blues worked very hard and played exceptional football throughout. They came out on top with a winning margin of 8 points in a high scoring, free flowing match which was a credit to both sides.
Final score: Cumann Pheadair Naofa 5.15 Bredagh 2.16.
The U15s have now won 3 of their first 4 games in Division 1. This has been a great start for the young Warrenpoint Gaels after taking the brave decision to ask the CCC to take the team out of Division 2 to play in Division 1 after a few games in. Next up is Clonduff U15s at Milltown 7.30pm Thursday 17th June). All support welcome.
U17 Boys' Football:
The U17 boys were on the road last Monday (7th June) with round 5 of the league seeing them drawn away to Leitrim.
On a warm and still evening, perfect for football, the minor boys were hoping to keep the momentum going from their previous week' s home win over Dundrum.
On arrival the team and mentors could not help but be impressed by Leitrim's ever improving facilities and the level of activity around the club on a Monday evening.
The game itself got off to a poor start for the 'Point boys, conceding 2 early goals. However, the heads did not go down and the boys fought back to go in at half time 3 points to the good.
The second half up to the water break was a tit for tat affair with the margin having only increased by one when the ref blew for the 1-minute pause in play.
With 10 minutes to go and the game still very much in the melting pot, both teams re-entered the fray. The Warrenpoint boys however dug deeper and pulled away with some excellent scores and improved play right across the team.
Final score: Leitrim 3.09 Cumann Pheadair Naofa 3.18
Next up is Downpatrick at home.
Hurling News
U13s come good against Bredagh
Patrick Rankins 5-8
Bredagh 1-4
Patrick Rankins played hosts to second placed Bredagh in the Div2 U13 league on Friday evening. The Newry/Warrenpoint amalgamation were narrowly beaten in last week’s evenly contested encounter with Craobh Rua so the south Belfast side would have been strongly fancied to come away from Paírc Esler with another two points in the bag, but a gritty performance and some fantastic displays of hurling from the south Down lads proved their undoing.
The skill, determination and teamwork of the Rankins side resulted in a well merited win. Well done to Warrenpoint’s Colette Lock & Newry’s Ronan Sheehan who have ensured that the boys have gotten some great games of hurling over the last month.
Next Friday the boys will be at home to Kilclief.
Team: Oliver Murdock, Eoin Campbell, Tiernan Fitzpatrick, Conor Treanor, Niall McManus, Eoin Gorman, Ciaran McMahon, Danny Doyle, Jamie Lock, Senan Rogan, Lorcan Rowntree, Conal Gallagher, James Curran, Charlie Phelan.
Camogie News
For the home opening match v Castlewellan the U13 camogs put in an amazing effort. With the U11’s stepping up to bring a full squad, the girls went head to head throughout the first half. Castlewellan had a few wides but found their stride defeating the blues. All the Warrenpoint girls never gave up and pulled together as a team. For the first match back in over a year I’d say Camogie is back in Warrenpoint with the spirit and drive of the blues for this coming season!
Our next game for U 13’s is Saturday the 19th 11:00 @ moygannon v. An Riocht Training continues for all age groups Friday evening, 6.15-7.15pm in St Mark's.
Congratulations Paddy
Congratulations to senior footballer Paddy Murdock who was part of the starting 15 who defeated Laois in the division 2 relegation playoffs.
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BBC Sport NI will have live TV coverage of six matches in the Men’s Ulster Senior Football Championship this summer and for the first time will live stream the Ulster Ladies’ Senior Football Championship.
All four matches in the Ladies’ Championship will be streamed on BBC iPlayer and world-wide on the BBC Sport NI website starting with Armagh v Monaghan this Friday (18 June).
Oisin Langan will be on commentary and will be joined by All-Star Caoimhe Morgan for her verdict and viewpoints.
BBC Sport NI will also stream the first semi-final, between Cavan and Donegal, on Saturday 19 June, the second semi-final on Friday 2 July and the Final on Friday 6 August.
The TV coverage of the Men’s Championship will start with the preliminary round match between Down and Donegal on Sunday 27 June. BBC Sport NI also has live coverage of the quarter finals - Monaghan v Fermanagh, Armagh v Antrim, Derry v Down/Donegal, the semi-final on Sunday 18 July as well as the Ulster Final on Sunday 01 August. All the games will be broadcast on BBC Two Northern Ireland.
There will also be full deferred coverage of the other two games (Tyrone v Cavan, Saturday 10 July and the semi-final on Saturday 17 July) on BBC Two Northern Ireland later on those days.
Mark Sidebottom will present the television coverage and will be joined by All-Ireland winners Oisin McConville, Peter Canavan and Mickey Harte. Donegal’s Martin McHugh, who lifted the Sam Maguire in 1992, will also provide analysis, as will former All-Star and All-Ireland finalist Martin Clarke.
Thomas Niblock will be on commentary with Thomas Kane providing live updates from the sideline.
Award winning broadcaster, Tessa Fleming, who has won club Championships in Meath, Louth and Monaghan, will be interviewing the players and managers before and after the matches.
There will also be live commentary of every game in the Men’s Ulster Senior Football Championship on BBC Radio Foyle digital platforms and comprehensive previews, match-reports and analysis on the BBC Sport NI website and digital channels.
On radio, Orla Bannon will present BBC Radio Ulster’s coverage which will include live commentary of every game in the Men’s Ulster Senior Football Championship starting with the Down v Donegal tie.
The GAA Social podcast, available on BBC Sounds, will continue to tackle what’s trending with GAA fans each week with a host of big-name special guests focusing on contemporary issues that are shaping the sport.
Irish language commentary will also be available for the Men’s Ulster Final via the BBC Sport NI website.
BBC Sport NI Coverage
Ladies’ Ulster Senior Football Championship. Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport NI website
Armagh v Monaghan Friday 18 June
Semi-Final Cavan v Donegal Saturday 19 June
Semi-Final Friday 2 July
Final Friday 6 August.
Men’s Ulster Senior Football Championship
Preliminary Round Down v Donegal Sunday 27 June (Live on BBC Two Northern Ireland)
Quarter Final Monaghan v Fermanagh (Live on BBC Two Northern Ireland)
Quarter Final Armagh v Antrim (Live on BBC Two Northern Ireland)
Quarter Final Tyrone v Cavan (Full deferred coverage on BBC Two Northern Ireland)
Quarter Final Derry v Down/Donegal (Live on BBC Two Northern Ireland)
Semi-Final Saturday 17 July (Full deferred coverage on BBC Two Northern Ireland)
Semi-Final Sunday 18 July (Live on BBC Two Northern Ireland)
Ulster Final Sunday 01 August (Live on BBC Two Northern Ireland)
BBC Radio Ulster
Live commentary of every game in the Men’s Ulster Senior Football Championship
BBC Radio Foyle Digital Platforms
Live commentary of every game in the Men’s Ulster Senior Football Championship
Podcast
GAA Social
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Football News
U13 Boys' Football:
On Tuesday evening (15th June) the U13 boys welcomed neighbours Rostrevor to Milltown.
The Rostrevor boys started the match the stronger of the two teams and raced into an early lead. After the first water break, the Warrenpoint boys started to play better, however, they went in at half time 2 points down 1:4 to 1:6.
The second half started with boys in blue on top. They played some great football throughout the second half and took some lovely scores. In the end the team put in a great second-half performance which saw them pull away and emerge victorious.
The mentors and players would like to thank all the supporters who attended the match tonight. Their encouragement meant a lot to the boys.
U15 Boys' Football:
On Thursday evening (17th June) the U15 footballers narrowly lost a very competitive game to Clonduff. Overall, it was a good performance over the 60 minutes from the whole team. With a little bit more composure near the Clonduff posts the outcome may have been in Warrenpoint’s favour.
Clonduff finished the game stronger and more determined scoring the last 3 points of the game in the last 10 minutes to seal the victory for the Hilltown boys (Cumann Pheadair Naofa 0-11 Clonduff 1-11)
Next up is an away game v Burren on Thursday 24th June - all support welcome!
Hurling News
U13s battle hard against a strong Kilclief side
Patrick Rankins 0-1
Bredagh 5-4
Patrick Rankins welcomed Kilclief to a sun-kissed Milltown on Friday evening and although the score line looked like a white wash; the game told a very different story. The opening half was a low scoring and very close encounter with Ciaran McMahon quickest to respond from a short free to get Rankins off the mark. In fact, the first half was most notable for the performance of Oliver Murdock who, on numerous occasions he pulled off some point blank saves when Kilclief had broken through the Rankins rear-guard.
With the sides evenly balanced at 0-1 to 1-1 at the break, the power and strength of the visitors eventually started to tell their toll, as the visitors broke through for three quick goals to leave the hosts shell shocked inside the opening 5 minutes of the 2nd half.
Even though the result started to slip away from the hosts, Patrick Rankins battled hard for every ball and still managed to please and entertain the side-line & their supporters.
At the end of the game the score line didn’t reflect the overall evert of the home side and they eagerly look forward to next week’s encounter with Clonduff, which promises to be a real thriller!
Team: Oliver Murdock, Eoin Campbell, Jason Duffy, Niall McManus, Eoin Gorman, Danny Doyle, Ciaran McMahon, Conal Gallagher, James Curran, Conor Treanor, Charlie Phelan, Jamie Lock, Lorcan Rowntree, Malachi Sherwin
U11s go under to Ballela
Cumann Pheadaír Naofa 0-1
Ballela 8-4
Our Under 11s had to give way to a physically stronger Ballela side on Saturday morning. But the score line doesn’t reflect the immense effort the team put in, with most of Ballela's goals coming in the final quarter when injuries and tiredness caught up with Warrenpoint's youngsters, many of whom have two more years to play in this grade.
Darragh Murney was the Point's scorer on the day, with a tremendous free, one of many taken from distance. The side was captained by Ruadhan Williams and included Thomas Rohrs, Conor Rice, Tristan Dooley, Theo Gambold, Eddie Ng, Darragh Murney, Lorcán Rowntree, Morgan Brown, Ben
U15s win at home
Cumann Pheadaír Naofa 4-11
Bredagh 3-5
The blues welcomed Kilclief to Milltown on Sunday morning. Having missed several key players over the last few weeks through injury and other commitments it was a fully recovered side that took to the park. The welcome return of Conaire McMahon in goals was complimented by a steady and reliable Oisín McGivern in defence. Oisín Gambold & Mickey Keohane controlled the middle third of the field along with the hard-working Shea O’Hare & Ethan McFerran up front it wasn’t long before Mikey Keohane soloed through and smashed the sliotar to the roof of the net for an early lead the Strangford side battled back & three quick goals saw them in front by two points just after the first water break. Although the blues maintained their work rate & effort through points from Jamie Lock, Oisín Gambold & a second Mikey Keohane goal to lead by two at the break.
A great effort in defending along with some great clearances out of goals kept Kilclief scoreless until the dying minutes of the game as Oisín Gambold & Jamie Lock added goals to leave the home side nine-point winners at the final whistle.
Camogie News
On Saturday the U13 girls hosted an abundant team from An Riocht. The Blues were lead by the captain of the match Fíanna Murney and showed up to play. Their teamwork and effort were second to none. Goalkeeping was shared by both Blaíthnid Gambold and Lacey Close who never gave up. Tegan Carvill scored a goal and point as well as Abigail Naughton scoring two points. Come out and support Warrenpoint Camogie at their next match v. Newry Shamrocks
Training resumes each Friday, 6.15-7.15pm in St Mark's.
Ladies football News
Warrenpoint 2:12 V Saul 1:7
Outstanding performance from our Senior ladies in Saul on Saturday, starting off with the first point of the match to settle the heads, the ladies took the match in their stride leading at half time 0:2 to 0:8 with encouragement from the coaches the ladies knew the match wasn’t over as Saul were determined to get more points on the scoreboard but so were our ladies and they came away with the win! Brilliant performance from all players and subs on the night.
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The Euro Championships are underway signalling a feast of football in the coming weeks. But there’s nothing much to get excited about in the Newry area.
England, Scotland and Wales all qualified but neither the Republic nor Northern Ireland made it through to the last 24 this time.
Not like a long, long time ago when I was a wee boy.
Northern Ireland had made it through to the last 16 of the 1958 World Cup Finals in Sweden.
And Newry’s first sporting superstar was playing for the green-shirted Irishmen (and then they were all born and bred Irishmen).
In June of that year the Newry area was agog with excitement as a man from Chapel Street in our wee town set Sweden alight with his goal-scoring exploits.
It was the first time that Northern Ireland had qualified for the final stages of the World Cup and Peter McParland, then playing with English Division One side Aston Villa, was creating headlines all over the globe with his goal-scoring ability.
The then 24-year-old netted five times in the tournament and since then no player from Ireland has come anywhere near his tally in World Cup Finals.
I can vividly remember as a football mad youngster living in Linenhall Square watching the 1958 World Cup finals on a neighbour’s wee grainy14-inch black and white television set.
In those days, only one family in the Barracks, as it was commonly called, owned a television and when Northern Ireland played in the World Cup, I would tentatively rap on Mrs Linnie’s door and ask if I could come in and watch the match - and my hero Peter McParland.
“No bother,” the good lady would say as she ushered me into a packed living room. There every chair was taken and it was hard even to find a wee space on the floor to watch the games. Everyone wanted our local boy Peter McParland to do well and the player known to his own people as ‘Pricker’ most certainly didn’t disappoint.
But before the Finals in Sweden, Northern Ireland had to get there and they did so in a most remarkable manner. In December 1957 they were scheduled to play Italy in Belfast’s Windsor Park in their last qualifying match. I remember that occasion particularly well as my uncle Joe Morgan, (now reputed to be the oldest goal-keeper in the world at 92) had arranged to take me to see the game. I had never seen professional footballers in real life before and hadn’t slept for days before the game.
It was to be my first big match and Joe told me he would pick me up at the Stone Bridge at noon. As the match was on a Wednesday I got the day off school and excitedly made my way to my appointed pick-up spot. I arrived at 11.50am in eager anticipation. But my hopes of seeing the game were dashed as Joe forgot all about me and after waiting two hours, I trundled home in tears.
But the official match wasn’t played. That day the Hungarian referee Istvan Zolt was fog-bound in London and, with the Italians refusing to play the game under a deputy ref, the match was played out as a friendly. But never was the term ‘friendly’ more inapt as the match descended into a virtual free-for-all with players from both sides kicking lumps out of each other and at the end of the day the Italians had to be escorted off the pitch with the massive crowd of 58,000 fans baying for their blood.
The replay was fixed for January and this time my uncle Joe made sure I did get to see the game. That day Ireland qualified by beating the Italians 2-1 with goals from Wilbur Cush and Jimmy McIlroy. My late mother gave me three shilling (15 pence in today’s money) to pay into the match. I don’t know where she got the money as we were very poor and three shillings was a lot of money in the Bagnall household.
However, the money stayed in my pocket and probably went back to my mother as Uncle Joe and his brother Lou lifted me over the turnstyle into Windsor. And there I can remember standing pitch-side and gazing open-mouthed in wonder as my idols Peter McParland, and the Blanchflower brothers, Danny and Jackie, turned on the style.
I can recall the younger Blanchflower, then playing for Manchester United who were tagged ‘The Busby Babes,’ playing brilliant stuff at centre-half for Northern Ireland, tackling and heading like a colossus. Sadly this was to be one of his last ever matches as a few weeks later Jackie was seriously injured in the Munich Air crash and never played again.
Meanwhile at that time few fans had the money to travel abroad and only a handful of Northern Ireland supporters watched the games. Reputedly though a Newry man, Leslie Nichol made his way to Sweden on a moped!
Yet the Irish were not without fans as the Swedes adopted the boys in Green and gave them great support. And this support helped the Wee North to win their opening World Cup match against Czechoslovakia at Halmstad where our Peter set up Wilbur Cush to nod in the game’s only goal.
The second game in the competition was a disappointing one for the handful of Irish supporters, as Argentina won 3-1. But at least everyone in Linnie’s got to air their lungs as McParland scored Ireland’s goal.
The Wee North needed a result in their third game of the tournament to stay in the competition but this seemed a forlorn hope as their opponents were the current World Cup champions West Germany. Again the match was in Halmstad and after 17 minutes Linnie’s erupted as Peter McParland fired his side in front. Germany levelled, but once more that man McParland did the business with a second goal on 60 minutes. The champions squared the game again with 12 minutes left and would perhaps have won but for an amazing goal-keeping performance from Manchester United’s Harry Gregg – who shared the Man of the Match accolade with our Peter. Still Ireland could have won the game as, in the dying minutes, a McParland thunderbolt clipped the German woodwork.
Earning that draw meant that Ireland were then plunged into a play-off with Czechoslovakia. The match was played at Malmo and early on the Czechs edged in front. But cometh the hour cometh the man, and right on the half time whistle McParland latched onto a rebound from a Wilbur Cush shot to blast into the net. At full time the sides were still locked together at one apiece but nine minutes into extra time McParland surged onto a Danny Blanchflower freekick before volleying home the winner.
Ireland had made it through with an injury stricken side. They had a squad of just 16 players and after that match they had both their goal-keepers, Norman Uprichard and Harry Gregg injured as well as a host of outfield players. And in the quarter-finals they faced France, complete with hotshot striker Just Fontaine who would go on to crack in a record 13 goals in the tournament.
And, as expected, it was a no-contest game against a tired and crippled team and the French duly won 4-0. However, the exploits of Northern Ireland and in particularly Peter McParland will always be fondly remembered.
Incidentally our Peter scored just one goal less than a young Brazilian called Edson Arantes de Nascrimento, who was making his World Cup debut. In the final at Stockholm against Sweden that 17-year-old scored one of the greatest goals ever seen. Taking a long ball on his chest the youngster controlled it in a jiffy, hooked it over the head of a bemused defender before volleying into the bottom corner of the Swedish net.
Such a sweet score and that lad, known to all as Pele, who left the field in tears of joy, was to score a further 1000 goals in a dazzling career.
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The Ulster GAA Championship comes alive this Sunday when Down welcome Donegal to Pairc Esler.
Paddy Tally’s side goes into the game as massive underdogs as Donegal are favourites to lift the Anglo Celtic Cup and Michael Murphy’s reported return to fitness hasn’t dampened their ambition but that won’t matter once the ball is throw-in at 1pm.
The Down manager is confident in the side he has put together but he is aware it will take every player to be at the top of their game if they are to pull of a victory and he isn’t too concerned on how the bookies rate his chances.
“I’m not really a big believer in underdog or favourites tags. That’s someone’s opinion out there,” he said.
“We have to focus on our own performance and what we can do well and if that is good enough for us on the day then it will take us through. But really that is the key, we have to play well against Donegal, and it will take nothing less than a top-level performance to be able to compete.”
Down have already had a successful season, the win over Laois secured Division Two football and already it looks like a tough but exciting national league campaign next year.
“We knew the importance of the league; it was vitally important that Down maintained their status in Division Two and when you look at the teams that are going to be in next year it is a fantastic year,” Tally said.
Galway, Derry, Meath and Roscommon are some of next years opponents, no easy tasks but the type of games that Down can challenge and target results. It also breeds confidence ahead of Sunday’s big game and the Down manager feels his side are ready.
“You take the top or three teams in Ireland out of Division One there is nothing between the next five teams of Division One and the whole of Division Two,” he said.
“It is great to look forward to it but there is something special about the Ulster championship and the fact that we have a home game against Donegal who are one of the top teams in the country. “They have been pushing for an All-Ireland over the last number of years, so it is just mighty for these players.”
Down’s goalkeeper Rory Burns has been outstanding, with several magnificent saves against Laois and Westmeath. Donegal keeper Shaun Patton is an expert at kick-outs but if Down can disrupt him finding his target, they’ll have a great chance of springing a surprise. Ryan McHugh, Odrhan McNeilis, Ciaran Thompson, Patrick McBrearty and Michael Langan are all players that will need watching and stopped if possible.
Down have had to play this season without several key men, due to injury and commitment issues, such as Connaire Harrison, Pat Havern, Donal O’Hare and the Johnston brothers Jerome, Ryan and Sheelan, while their Kilcoo club-mate Dylan Ward didn’t return after getting taster last season.
They are all big game players and match winners, but Tally has put his faith in other players to step up and in many regards’ players such as Mayobridge’s Cory Quinn and Clonduff’s Barry O’Hagan have led Down’s attack, while their other star players such as Caolan Mooney, Gerard McGovern, captain Darren O’Hagan, Daniel Guinness, Burren’s Peter Fegan and Warrenpoint’s Paddy Murdock have all lifted their game.
And the Down manager has been happy with the response from his players and insists that competition for places is up for grabs ahead of Sunday’s game against Donegal.
“You have to accept that there’ll be changes on a yearly basis, Tally said.
“But if you look at this squad most have been in it for three years and we brought them in as development players from the U20s and they have established themselves as county footballers. “And that is part of the programme we are engaged with – to build a new squad. That is really positive, and this is a blank canvass for championship and whoever is playing well during training will be rewarded by being given game time.
“There will be places up for grabs until our last session, but if a player is in good shape physically, playing good form and tactically knows the gameplan and is a position to do what we need them to do then they are in a perquisite to put themselves forward. “
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