to involve themselves in some of the many sports which are catered for by Athlone Community College, there is little doubt that Gaelic football is the number one sport in the school. The sport has flourished in the school since it first competed in the Leinster Colleges SF ‘A’ championship in 2006 after winning back-to-back All-Ireland Vocational Schools junior titles in the preceding two years. “After the success we had in Vocational Schools football, the principal at the time, Val O’Connor, applied to have us entered into the Leinster Colleges ‘A’ championship, where the standard of football is that bit higher. It was an inspired move because Gaelic football has really taken off in the school since then,” explains Athlone clubman Joe, who along with Niall Finneran and Eunan Martin manage the senior team this year. March 9 2008 was a red-letter day for Athlone Community College who, after just two years in the competition, celebrated a first Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship success following a dramatic win over Franciscan College, Gormanston at Longford's Pearse Park. Four unanswered points against a strong wind in the closing quarter secured an historic 0-10 to 0-9 victory for the Niall Finneran and Chris Ford-managed outfit who brought the prestigious crown to the banks of the Shannon for the first time, and became the first Westmeath school since St. Mary's CBS, Mullingar in 1983 to claim the biggest prize in Leinster Colleges GAA. Athlone were subsequently denied a place in the All-
Athlone CC’s Killian Bannon under preessure from Luke Flynn of St. Mary’s, Edenderry
Ireland final by a strong St. Patrick's Academy, Dungannon team, but they could still look back on a momentous achievement. The success was not only a major boost for Westmeath football, but also for the surrounding counties of Roscommon, Galway and Offaly who were all represented on the panel. The team that started the Leinster final featured 10 Westmeath players and four from Roscommon, while 15year-old Padraig Cunningham from Ballinasloe in Galway made an invaluable contribution by kicking the winning point. Caulry, with five players, had the biggest representation of any club on the starting line-up, while Tubberclair provided the team with its inspirational An image of the new school building at Athlone Community College
Best Wishes To BAM & Athlone Community College, From
Edward Lavin C O N S T R U C T I O N 26 Heathervale,Garryduff, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Contact Edward On 087 9733040
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