Rounders Presentation  (AGM 28/2/04 in Tralee)          Primary Schools' Championships May 2004

HOMEPAGE

Mon, 24 May 2004

Schools Rounders Programme Off to a Flying Start.

St. Joseph's, Killeenan, return to the fold.

The longest running Rounders competitions in Ireland, the Primary  Schools' Championships, pitched into action at Carrickmore, on Thursday (20th. May 2004), with four schools providing eight teams, in three sections, for the Tyrone area qualifiers in the annual Ulster Primary Schools' Rounders championships.   The standard was extremely for the first schools' action of the season, and St. Joseph's, Killeenan, Kildress, a regular strong bastion of the game in the 1970s, 80s and early 90s, looked like they had never been out of the game.
Fun and enjoyment were the key aspects of the occasion and the teachers were very enthusiastic about the benefits of the game, which is still much less competitive than other field games. Prematch coaching points were presented to all players.  As each match progressed there was a lot of learning evident, in addition to the skilful wielding of the bat and two handed catching displays.

Holy Trinity Cookstown (Mixed) 8 St. Columbcille, Carrickmore  (Mixed) 4
Two two-base hits by Cookstown's Owen devlin and Jamie Mc Garrity contributed a first innings total of eight runs for the town school.   Carrickmore had serious hard luck getting on base and when number four Liam Armstrong was called there were already two out.   Liam's strike went through the middle of the infield, but his team mate Tarlach Mac Giolla Chearr had too far to run and the innings ended 8-0.   St. Columbcilles came back strongly and Aidan Mc Callan in a two base hit brought the Carrickmore score to four, just on the final out.
Teams and Scores: St. Columbcille: Maria Groogan 1, Aidan Mc Callan 0, Tralach Mac Giolla Chearr 0, Liam Armstong 0, Eamonn Kelly 1, Noel Coyle 0, Aine Canavan 1, Carla Groogan 0 and Bronagh Gallagher 1.
Holy Trinity: Lizzie Redmond 0 Jamie Mc Garrity 2, Matthew Carberry 1, Mairead Mullan 1, Aoife Cullan 1, Jamie ONeill 1, Owen Devlin 1, Ciaran Sharkey 1 and Natasha Wright 0.

St. Columbcille, Carrickmore (Girls) 15  St. Mary's Dunnamore (Girls)  1
Much excitement accompanied most plays in this very interesting match, with the very close first innings ending 2-1 in favour of Carrickmore, whose soreres were Denise McCann and Emma Mullan.  Kelly Wilson was the onoly scorer for St. Mary's.   St. Columbcille's hit just a little harder for most at-bats  for the rest of the game and they were a little sharper in reading and retrieving the ball.   St. Mary's were very unlucky to in several excellent hits to find the opposing defence mastering the fielding strategies early in the game, and just beating them in plays at all the bases.   By the final out Carrickmore had eased in thirteen more runs and the match ended with a rather flattering score for the winners, Carrickmore, by fifteen runs to one.
Teams and Scores: St. Mary's: Julianne Quinn 0, Kelly Wilson 1, Laura Mc Garrity 0, Ailish Mc Kenna 0, Larissa Loughran 0, Charleen Quinn 0, Caroline Mc Gurk 0, Tamara Scullion0 and Ailish Mc Namee 0.
St. Columcille's: Denise McCann 3, Emma Mullan 3, Shannon McCallan 2, Cara Grogan 2 Sheila Mc Callan 1, Lisa McCrory 2, Eimear Kelly 1, Aine Corain 1 and Amy Fox 0.

St. Mary's Dunnamore (Mixed)  3   St Joseph's, Killeenan, (Mixed) 10
A drawn first innings contributed to this very lively match, both schools aiming to sporting princes of Kildress.  Both teams had eight batters called, and both sides earned their scores from four of the first five hitter.  St. Joseph's Cherelle Quinn, Carla Mc Gurk, Owen Connolly and Caolán Mc Namee did the eighty metre tour, while the opposition were well served in scorers Laura Mc Garrity, Michael  Shannon, Patrick Hegarty and Kelly Wilson.  For every runs scored by Dunnamore for the rest of the match St. Joseph's ran in two, to win the match 10 -7.   St. Mary's hit well but just couldn't get the ball deep enough into the outfield area, and the opposition, struggling at times, did just enough work to win.
Teams and Scores: St. Mary's Dunnamore: Julieanne Quinn 1, Laura Mc Garrity 2, Michael Shannon 1, Patrick Hegarty 2, Kelly Wilson 1, Caroline Mc Gurk 0, Charleen Quinn 0, Shane Mallon 0 and Christopher Mc Guigan 0.
St. Joseph's, Killeenan: Cherelle Quinn 2, Carla Mc Gurk 2, Owen Connolly 2, Adam Mc Veigh 1, Caolán Mc Namee 2, Conor Mc Aleer 0, Laura Devlin 0, Owen Brannigan 0, Jessica Crilly 1.
 

St. Mary's Dunnamore (Boys)  9  St. Columbcille, Carrickmore  (Boys) 9
After losing two runners, St. Mary's found spaces in the Carrickmore defence and scored a first innings total of six in reply to Carrickmore's one.   St. Columbcille's came back with some great hitting from Martin Fox and Liam Armstong in particular, who between them earned five of their team's scores For the final 'at-bat' St. Mary's re-entered the game at three runs down, and enough confidence to take the match points.   Carrickmore, a little shakey in defence, slowly got to grips with the fielding strategies and after conceding one run took batters out.  There were two runners on (third and second) bases when number one Mark Mc Gurk sent the ball well outfield in one of the best hits of the day.   Home came Conor Jackson and Patrick Hegarty to score the equaliser, but the match ended as Martin Mc Gurk tried for an extra base and was isolated between second and third.   A misreading of the score sheet suggested a win for Dunnamore, but the match was actually drawn at nine runs each.
Teams and Scores: Carrickmore: Ryan Mc Gurk 2, Padraig Connon 1, Patrick Mc Elroy 1, Ngel Mc Kernan 0, Martin Fox 1, Patrick Conlon 1, Christopher Moore 2, Liam Armstrong 1  and Christopher Gormley 0.
St. Mary's: Martin Mc Gurk 1, Padraig Keenan 0, Brendan Mc Bride 0, Darren Mc Kenna 1, Owen Mc Garrity 2, Shane donnelly 1, Conor Jackson 2, Colm Wilson 1, Corey ONeill 0 and Patrick Hegarty (for Corey ONeill) 1.

The Ulster Schools Finals are scheduled for 2nd. June 2004, probably at a Derry venue.