Cumann na mBunscol Louth Blitz Finals

Unlike last year the weather played ball in Term Two which allowed Cumann na mBunscol Louth to run off their ever-popular All County 7s Football Competitions to schedule with the final blitzes taking place last week just before schools broke for the Easter holidays.

On Tuesday, the boys from Dulargy NS, St Mary’s PPS, Tinure NS and Gaelscoil Dhún Dealgan descended on a sunny Stabannon Parnells pitch to do battle.

At the same time, the girls from Mullaghbuoy NS, Gaelscoil Dhún Dealgan, Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire and St Mary’s PPS duked it out the following day in the same venue.

READ MORE: Louth side named ahead of Leinster SFC quarter-final clash

(Dulargy National School Boy's team)

The boys’ competition was a fiercely competitive one with the four teams as evenly matched as any quartet in recent history. 

Despite losing all three games, Gaelscoil Dhún Dealgan were very unfortunate not to pick up at least two wins on the day, with their profligacy in front of goal, despite oodles of possession being their undoing.

As it was, we were treated to a three-way battle for glory by the schools from Ravensdale, Drogheda and Monasterboice. In Round One, Tinure had the tiniest of victories over Dulargy in a game that ebbed and flowed.

(Gaelscoil Dhún Dealgan team)

In Round Two Dulargy made up for their agonising loss with a stellar performance to defeat St Mary’s PPS by eight points.

It was set up for Tinure NS in the final game, but the boys from Drogheda had other ideas and scored goal after goal to put the Naomh Mairtín school to the sword.

A victory with eight points to spare was enough to help Dulargy, who dispatched the Gaelscoil on the other pitch at the same time, to the crown.

(Tinure National School)

On Wednesday the competition was just as tight, with Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire entering the day as favourites. In Round One however, they were given a mighty scare in the second half taking the victory over Mullaghbuoy by a single goal.

In game two their firepower was too much for St Mary’s PPS, but in the final game, they found themselves tied with a resolute Gaelscoil at the break.

As all good champions do, however, the girls from Ardee composed themselves at the half-time interval and came out hungry in the final half of football of the day.

(St Mary’s PPS)

A flurry of scores by the nippy Ardee forwards put paid to any potential upset as Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire added the 7s title to Corn Ní Bhraonáin and Corn Oriel which they have already captured this school year.

The attention now turns to the summer competitions throughout the county with a final date set for June 14th in Stabannon.

The bar has been set by the Dulargy Boys and Ardee Girls and we look forward to seeing what June will bring.