U14 Division 1 league captain Ross Nally
Keith Arnold
Martin Carr hands over the team sheet
commentator Micheal O Muircheartaigh was on hand to inform the large crowds of each club’s history as they marched through the town. On the Saturday morning, the Blues had an early start, travelling to Birr, County Offaly, where another good win was recorded over the hosts, 215 to no score. This set them up for the last group game against early pacesetters South London. The expats were a big strong, physical team who had won their opening games well but the Blues were on top throughout, winning by 6-8 to 1-0. It was on to Portarlington for the semi-final against Shandonagh of Westmeath. Many neutral observers reckon this was the game of the competition. It was nip and tuck all the way through with the Blues coming out victorious on a 2-9 to 2-6 scoreline. After a hectic day’s football it was back to Ballacolla for a barbecue laid on by the host club; the hospitality shown was in the true spirit of what the Feile is all about. The final was played in Portlaoise at 12pm on the Sunday against Longford champs Killoe Emmet Og, who had come through the stronger side of the competition, beating Castlehaven of Cork and Enniskillen Gaels of Fermanagh. The decider went right down to the wire, with a penalty in the last minute winning it for the Longford team on a scoreline of 2-2 to 0-5. The impressive Newtown Blues Feile squad was: Dean Martin, Adam McGinn, Donal Carr, Alan Connor, Jamie Doherty, Jamie Kelly, Ronan Levins, Robert Sullivan, Ian Connor, Reece Garry, Nathan Seery, Mickey Walsh, Declan McNamara, Cian Lynch, Oisin Doherty, Evan McGinn, Daire Nally, Niall O’Connor, Aaron Kierans, Ryan Levins, Craig McLoughlin, Lee Craydon, Ciaran Crowe, Ross Nally. Former Louth goalkeeper and captain Colm Nally has been working with this crop of players for the best part of eight years already. He notes: “I’ve been with them since they were six, seven, eight. I had an idea they were a decent bunch of footballers. This year’s team was backboned by
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the same players who also won the U14 league and championship double last year. Lads like Ross Nally, Nathan Seery, Jamie Kelly, Ian Connor, Robert Sullivan, Ronan Levins and Adam McGinn have all won two U14 doubles now. “We had a good mixture of U11s, U12s and U14s in the team this year. In total, seven of them will be eligible for U14 football again in 2013. We brought a panel of 24 to the Feile and we had that bunch of lads with us for the rest of the year.” Colm has thoroughly enjoyed working with this bunch of players: “Every now and then a club is lucky enough to get a crop like this. They never miss training, they’re committed and they’re all good friends. They’re just a good bunch of lads and I had no problem coaching them. “These lads want top-level coaching and they would be well used to this kind of stuff from also having played soccer, rugby and basketball at a high level.” For example, Colm’s own son Ross and Nathan Seery are both on the Irish U15 soccer squad. A time will come soon when they have to make a big decision… “They are tremendous at both soccer and gaelic so ultimately I suppose I don’t mind which they choose. It’s still sport. But I do know that Ross wants to play for Louth, which is a good thing. I think we’ll get two more years out of them at least. But they’ll have to make a choice at around 16 because, at that age, it won’t be possible to play two sports at a high level.” It was a long year for the players, who played around 18 matches and lost only two. “We got them going in February and our fabulous ladies committee got behind them with fundraising. They had a car wash and they did a bucket collection outside the Louth / Meath game at Pairc Tailteann. So they generated money to buy their gear and we headed to the Feile finals in June. They surpassed all expectations by getting to the Division Four final. “One of the hardest games we had all year was the championship semifinal against Baile Talun – a tough game against very strong opposition.”