News 5-9-05

Senior Championship
Gortletteragh were our opponents in the Masonite Senior football championship semi-final on Saturday last. A good first half ultimately set us on the road to victory with a goal from Brian Conroy the crucial score. The second half was a backs to the wall defensive performance and we just held on for victory on a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-6.
We are now into our first county final since 1957. Congratulations to all of the boys, to manager Paddy Maguire and his backroom team of Shane Reynolds and Noel Mc Closkey on this achievement.
The final will be against our old friends Kiltubrid who have been knocking on the door for the last two years, being knocked out in the championship by the eventual champions in both years by a single point. It will be a huge challenge for us to try and overcome the men in red and green and there is much to look forward to on Sunday week.
The team and scorers on Saturday evening was: Feargal Mc Gill, Damien Mc Guinness, Seamus Mallon, John Mc Guinness, Jason Conroy, Colm Farrell, Shane Conroy, Gary Mc Closkey, Michael Duignan (0-3), Mark Mc Closkey (0-2), Trevor Howard (0-1), David O Connor (0-1), Jonathan Duffy, Philip Howard, Brian Conroy (1-0).

Junior C Championship
Gortletteragh didn’t waste time in extracting their revenge as they overcame our Junior side by four points in the championship on Sunday morning.

Harvest Day Festival and Vintage Day
The Harvest Festival and Vintage Day is in Rooskey again this year. We’d ask everyone in the parish to come out and support what is traditionally a most enjoyable day out. All of the usual attractions and many new innovations will be there with something for all ages. All club members who are free to act as stewards are asked to make themselves available as there is much work to be done on both Saturday and Sunday.

Flags
Car flags and ordinary flags in the Bornacoola colours are currently available from shops in the local area

Last County Final Appearance
Much reminiscing locally at the weekend about the last Bornacoola team to play in a County final, way back in 1957. It was the year that Louth won their only All Ireland title, John Joe Mc Girl was famously elected a TD for Sligo/Leitrim, the Russians launched Sputnik 1, “That’ll be the Day” by Buddy Holly and the Crickets was at number 1 and the Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community. In Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, Bornacoola and Melvin Gaels went head to head for the right to be crowned champions of Leitrim.
A special train on the Narrow Gauge from Dromod carried Bornacoola supporters to the final where they saw their team emerge victorious on a scoreline of 3-7 to 0-5.
The team on that occasion was: Packie Greene, Charlie Devine, Jack McNally, John T. McGushin, Gerry McGarry, Eddy Duffy, Tommy Shanley, Michael John Beirne, Tony Hayden, Vincie Faughnan, Mick Hussey, Noel Hayden, Frank Donnelly, J.P. Newton and Stanley Cox.
An inordinate number of those players have sadly passed to their eternal reward, but we hope the spirit they embodied can still be seen in the black and amber jersey today. The majority of the players are thankfully still with us and no doubt will be hoping to see their feat matched in ten day’s time.
Bornacoola’s three other titles were won in 1938, 1943 and 1953. Beaten in four finals, incredibly only one of these was actually on the field of play (the final of 1940) as in 1904, 1905 and 1955 titles won on the field were later lost to objections from other clubs.