Mark O’Sullivan, Susan Collins, Michael Hourigan, Helen Hourigan mother of the late Shane Hourigan, Shane Hourigan, Karen Fahy, Marie Hourigan wife of the late Shane Hourigan, Órla Fahy, Leah Cunningham, Shona O’Sullivan. Front row: Christine Mulcahy, Isobel and Chloe Hourigan.
George Daly Limerick Big Ball Club 7’s in memory of Shane Hourigan at Mick Neville Park on August 6th
Eighteen clubs from across County Limerick turned out in force last Saturday in Mick Neville Park for the inaugural Limerick Big Ball Club 7s, a football tournament dedicated to the memory of former well know G.A.A. personality and referee, Shane Hourigan.
Excellently organised by Rathkeale G.A.A. Club and sponsored by Downes Eurospar, it was a fitting tribute to a former club secretary and chairman, and the occasion was such a success that it is sure to be one of the eagerly anticipated dates annually on the G.A.A. calendar.
It was a feast of football, hospitality and entertainment and reflects nothing but the greatest of credit to the dedication of Rathkeale G.A.A. Club and the huge group of its volunteers who turned out on the day to make the event a runaway success.
After a competitive series of games, the chase for the Shane Hourigan Memorial Cup was eventually whittled down to four clubs. The hosts Rathkeale met Galbally in the first semi-final and after a goal feast the home side edged through 5-8 to 4-6.
The second semi-final featured Ballylanders and Adare and after an exciting and competitive 20 minutes of football, it ended all square at 0-11 each, resulting in a penalty shoot-out. Ballylanders prevailed 3-2 with well-known marksman in the 15-man game Kieran O’Callaghan playing a pivotal role. O’Callaghan slotted home his side’s first penalty before swapping poacher for gamekeeper and saving two Adare penalty attempts as hi side squeezed through to face the hosts in the final.
The final between Rathkeale and Ballylanders was a high tempo affair with lots of good football and some excellent scores. Rathkeale grabbed an early initiative with a couple of goals before Ballylanders fought back to level matters by the interval 1-7 to 2-4.
Spurred on by a couple of Eoin Walsh goals, Ballylanders took a firm grip on matters in the second period and looked to be comfortably closing in on victory until the home side produced a late rally and in the end the men from the south just held on 4-12 to 5-6.
The final was refereed by Mike O’Connor who on the occasion poignantly and fittingly used the late Shane Hourigan’s four regular umpires, Vincent Kiely, Derek Byrne, Pa Jones and Barry O’Donoghue.
After the final, James O’Connor, chairperson, Rathkeale G.A.A. presented the Player of the Tournament to Ballylanders’ Tommy O’Dwyer before handing over the glittering Shane Hourigan Memorial Trophy to Ballylanders captain Jason Leigh.
The Rathkeale chairman also presented the prize of €500 to Bill Fox on behalf of Ballylanders G.A.A.