Lisburn - St Patricks
Under 12 Footballers retain SW Antrim Shield
St Patrick's Lisburn retained the South West Antrim Shield on Sunday 28th September against a determined Creggan Kickams side.
The match was played on a glorious sunny afternoon, perfect conditions for football. St Patrick's got off to blistering start with a point on 2 minutes from centre half forward Mark Boylan. Most of the early possession was with the St Patrick's lads and a point from roaming full forward Mark Walsh quickly followed. Creggan bounced back with their first point before a beautiful move from the St Patrick's forwards ended in a superb goal from corner forward Luke O'Neill. St Patrick's were rampant at this stage and another couple of goal chances were missed by the Lisburn lads.
Creggan then took control of the game for the rest of the first half scoring five unanswered points, leaving the lough shore side ahead 1-2 to 0-6 at half time.
The second half started much as the first had commenced, Mark Boylan scored a point to bring the sides level. Possession was fairly equal until ten minutes in Michael Brannon drifted onto a loose ball and scored a cracking goal, two minutes later and Brannon was on the end of another ball that ended in the net. St Patrick's were now firmly in control holding a six point lead.
Both teams defences held strong for the next ten minutes as neither side were able to score, until deep into injury time St Patrick's had a lapse of concentration and Creggan scored a marvellous goal to leave it only three points between the sides. With almost five minutes of additional time played again the Creggan boys drove through the Lisburn defence and the ball ended up in the net, to leave the referee blowing the fulltime whistle with the game drawn 3-3 to 2-6.
The fear for both teams was that perhaps they had given their all and little would be left in the tank for extra time. The St Patrick's management had to lift their team for a final effort, having thrown away a handsome lead, the danger was that they would continue on the slide.
St Patrick's seemed to have lifted their spirits and a quick free by Luke O'Neill put them ahead and when midfielder Conor O'Doherty got his first point of the afternoon, it seemed Lisburn were in control. In the second period of extra time St Patrick's began to dominate and it was clear that Creggan had given all they could and the sharp shooting Luke O'Neill scored another two points followed by points from Conor Stinton and hard working mid fielder Eamonn Compston, the game was over, St Patrick's winning 3-9 to 2-6.
Team : S Heslip, C Marshall, C Flynn, P O'Neill, M Chernek, C O'Hanlon, M Beeton, C O'Doherty (0-1), E Compston (0-1), C Stinton (0-1), M Boylan (0-2), C O'Kane, M Brannon (2-0), M Walsh (0-1), L O'Neill (1-3) subs C Romano, R McFaul, J Frazer, C Portis
Victorious U12 footballers after retaining SW Antrim Shield
Football Report
In U8 and U10 grades, St Patrick's are continuing their tradition of working with local schools to introduce children to Gaelic games. Our youth development officer ran weekly training sessions in St Joseph's, St Colman's and St Aloysius' Primary schools. The popular, annual ABC tournament is run on the 5th October and this year it will involve Éire Óg, Clann Éireann, St Gall's, Glenavy & Aghagallon competing for the coveted Séamus McGrath Memorial Trophy.
As well as retaining the SW Antrim shield (see report above), the U12 team finished a respectable 5th in their league.
The U14 team had a good start to the league campaign but in the end only won 4 games. They did progress into the SW Antrim Shield semi-final but lost out to Aldergrove.
The U16 team won 5 games in the league and exited in the 1st round of the SW Antrim Shield. They lost narrowly in the quarter final of the SW Antrim championship to Glenravel.
St Patrick's did not field an U18 team this year but hopes are high that we will enter a team for 2009.
This was St Patrick's best season in a long time for our senior footballers. Seniors. They completed all their fixtures in full, in contrast to last year when the team was on the verge of folding. A lot of hard work put in this year by the squad and management left St Patrick's in mid table, Division 6 having won 2 and drawn 3 games. There is now plenty of optimism for the 2009 season
Under Age Hurling Progress
St Patrick's made further strides in under-age Hurling during 2008. Saturday training sessions for U8, U10 and U12 were enthusiastically attended and our young hurlers enjoyed taking part in various tournaments including the South Antrim Hurling Go Games events.
Juvenile Awards Evening - Oíche na hÓige
Lisburn GAA held its annual juvenile awards evening, Oíche na hÓige, at St Aolysius' Primary School on Friday 11th April 2008. The venue was packed for what turned out to be a very memorable event. Fear an Tí for the evening was Dr Martin McMullan and special guests included Alfie Hannaway, Former St Patrick's Schools Development Officer and Terry O'Neill, St Gall's and Antrim Senior Footballer.
| U10 Hurling Club Person | Rory Flynn |
| U10 Hurling Most Improved Player | Gareth Walsh |
| U10 Hurling Manager's Player | Conor Stinton |
| U10 Club Person | Eamonn Compston |
| U10 Most Improved Player | Ruairi Cormican |
| U10 Manager's Player | Mark Boylan |
| U12 Club Person | Martin Beeton |
| U12 Most Improved Player | Mark Chernek |
| U12 Manager's Player | Seán O'Doherty |
| U12 Player's Player | Aaron McDonald |
| U14 Club Person | Martin Catney |
| U14 Most Improved Player | Corey McGarry |
| U14 Manager's Player | Mark Torbitt |
| U14 Player's Player | Joe Porter |
| U16 Club Person | Johnny French |
| U16 Manager's Player | Peter Casey |
| U16 Player's Player | Patrick Agnew |
Scór na nÓg grúpa ceoil playing at St Patrick's Oíche na hÓige