One of the highlights of the clubs year was the success of the Under 18 team in winning the Division II League and Championship. At the recent Presentation night the players presented their manager John Kelly with a scrap book of match reports, photos and personal comments and memories of the year by the players. Included in the memento for John was a poem written by Niall Cosgrove and he recited this on the night. Below his the poem composed by Niall.

 

What A Season

 

Well February came

And the sprints they commenced.

Our forwards worked hard

As did our defence.

 

Ran ragged in training

And forced to race.

With Colm McKee

Often setting the pace.

 

We practiced our shots

And aimed between the poles.

And Rory Gray scoring

Them sneaky wee goals.

 

We had a comfortable win

At home to St. Joe’s.

With a shot from BT

Breaking poor John’s window.

 

Between hard tackling drills

And boys getting mangled.

And Cathal Hughes shooting

From impossible angles.

 

We took a jaunt to Mullaghbawn

Where they lost and didn’t know how.

A rare point from Packie Watters

That left Raymond and Ciara proud.

 

Also on the scoreboard

Was Conor Murdoch with 3:02.

He ran about all night

Like a cheetah in the zoo.

 

We tried our very best

In the hypothetical situation.

But with a defeat to the ‘Blues

We couldn’t hide our frustration.

 

We went to the Ogs

For a challenge game.

Where a great goal from McClelland

Made the town side look lame.

 

Kieran Hughes took scores,

“The Gooch” would have been proud of.

Some under the crossbar

And some hit above.

 

Fintan always took his scores

With excellence and care.

Before marching back to his corner

And resuming fixing his hair.

 

We booked our place in the league final

In the upcoming weeks.

It was set then for Whitecross

Where the victory we would seek.

 

Oisín Fearon and John McManus

Both renowned for their guts and blockin’.

Any forward who marked them

Were in for quite a shockin’.

 

Aodhan Toner taking hard scores

Making them look like a sinch.

When Lyncher gave him them rubs

He musta gave him a magical pinch.

 

It wasn’t all good though

When a freak injury hit BT.

But he got back just in time

To help us claim the league.

 

The championship final came

Where Barry roasted his man to the ground.

And the bravest man on the team in nets –

McGivern was solid and sound.

 

McCone won every ball that came

And was never off his feet.

As Brendan watched down at him

Sat up in the President’s seat.

 

The ‘Nab were crowned the champions

And Paudy lifted the cup.

And John thought to himself,

“Yiz are some bits ’a stuff.”

 

Then the league final came

And Crossmaglen they hosted it.

John reminding us that ‘Cruppin,

“They’re a good outfit.”

 

When a half-time speech was needed

Micky McGivern helped give just that.

I don’t know who came out the worst

That table, or Micky’s oul hat.

 

We clawed our way back in the second half

And ended up 2 points down.

But a last minute goal from Grugan

Was sure to turn it around.

 

Then the final whistle sounded

And the crowd they swarmed the field.

And Petey Doran went mental

Cuz we’d just won the league.

 

He jumped around with joy

And accidently burst Leonard’s nose.

But sure Conor didn’t care

Cuz he’s a machine, as everyone knows.

 

At the start of the year the shooting

Of both myself and Paudy was ket.

He fancied himself to get more than me

So we put on a bet.

 

I’d scored just 2 more than him

At the end eventually.

But the fiver we’d placed on the bet

Well, that, I’ve yet to see.

 

Not to forget a special man

Who was there when we’d get scattered.

Was Declan McClelland who was always there

To provide the lads with water.

 

Now the year has come to an end

And we hope we did you proud.

And can you believe that after 15 games

Joe didn’t start one row.

 

What a season it has been

And all thanks to John Kelly.

Now back to work you go John

In McAnerney’s fine deli.

 

 

By Niall Cosgrove