Football heroes return with cup
Hundreds of people gathered in Strokestown last Saturday evening to welcome home the victorious Scoil Mhuire team who had won the All-Ireland Colleges ‘C’ title earlier in the day beating De La Salle, Bagenalstown in an exciting final in Moate.
The team, with the Dr. Eamonn O’Sullivan Cup in tow, were met at the Westward Garage at 6.30 pm and members of the Raheen Pipe Band led the team to the welcome home podium which was located on Bawn Street. The Chairman of the Strokestown GAA Club Brendan Kelly, Scoil Mhuire Principal Eamon Corrigan, team manager and teacher Aidan Dooney and team captain Keith Murphy addressed the crowds and there were bonfires lit to welcome to team back to the town. The celebrations continued later at the Percy French Hotel where the team had a well-deserved meal.
This was the second time that the school won this All-Ireland title and the first since 2009. There are representatives from several local clubs such as Kilglass Gaels, St. Barry’s Tulsk, Western Gaels and Elphin as well as Strokestown. Having beaten Ballyhaunis CS in the Connacht final, Scoil Mhuire defeated Munster champions Dungarvan in the semi-final.
In the final against Bagenalstown on Saturday, the team withstood a late rally from the County Carlow school to take the title by two points 1-14 to 2-9 with full-forward Callum Fahey scoring 0-8 and corner forward Robert Regan scoring the only goal of the game in the first half. (See full match report on page 4 of this supplement)
The team is managed by St. Faithleach’s senior player and Scoil Mhuire teacher, Aidan Dooney, and the selectors are Johnny Murphy, Damien Rooney and Joseph Carroll.
