Gaeilge
Rinne Foireann Peile na Ceathrún Ghaeltachta eácht bhrodúil eile do Bhéal Feirste agus iad ag Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta 2010. Ghlac 25 d’fhoirne sán iomlán páirt sa chomórtas i mBéal Átha Mhuirthead thar dheireadh na seachtaine 4ú go 7ú Meitheamh, le cumainn ó Chorcaigh, Ciarraí, Tir Chonaill, Gaillimh, Maigh Eo, Port Láige agus Londáin. Thug Laochra Loch Lao cath fíochmhar do na Dúnaibh as Tír Chonaill agus chaill siad sa deiread leis an bhearna is lú de chúilín amháin i ndiaidh am bréise. Thaisteal timpeall 50 tacadóir an 250 míle do Bhéal Atha Mhuirthead don chomórtas náisíunta bliantiúil.
Bhí scuad na Laochra neartaithe i mbliana le réalt Aontroma Pádraig Ó Cuinneagáin, a scoráil dhá chúl gleoite agus slam de phointí agus a chríochnaigh le héacht scorála pearsanta do 2-8. Bíodh is gur thosaigh na Laochra go fadalach, d’éirigh leo go fóill comhscór a bhaint amach ag leath-ama i gcead do chúl álainn ó chos Uí Chuinneagáin.
Thóg na Laochra caighdéan s’acu sa dara leath agus bhí siad i bhfad ní ba láidre. Chuir pointí ó Niall Mac an Lia, Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, agus cúl spéisialta eile ó Ó Cuinneagáin chuir siad na Laochra ceithre pointí chun tosaigh agus gnáth-am thart, timpeall na hama céanna ar cuireadh fear lár pháirce na Dúnaibh, Shane Ó Gallchóir ón pháirc i ndiadh do dhá charta buí a fháil. Mar sin féin, sciob na Dúnaibh comhscór faoi dheireadh, tar éis 7 mbomaite d’am bréise inár scoráil siad cúl agus pointe.
Chuaigh na Laochra dhá phionte chun tosaigh sá chéad trémhse d’am bréise le dhá pointe ó Mhac Ionnrachtaigh agus pointí ó Ó Cuinneagáin agus Ciarán Ó Coinn. Tharraing na Dúnaibh trí pointe ar ais tar éis daofa ionadaí dleathach a chuir ar an pháirc in áit an fear lár pháirce a cuireadh ón pháirc, rud nár fhág ach pointe amháin idir na foirne ag deireadh na chéad thréimhse, 2-13 chuig 2-12.
Mar sin fein, is iad na Dúnaibh a thosaigh an dara tréimhse d’am bréise ní ba láidre nuair a scoráil siad dhá chúilíní gleoite sular bhain siad cic píonóis, a scoráil siad, rud a chuir ceithre cuilín idir na foirne. Tharraing cúl mall ó Chiarán Ó Coinn an bearna idir na foirne ar ais chuig an chuid is lú ar 3-14 chuig 3-13 .
Rinne an reiteoir, a raibh drochlá san oifig aige, neámhaird ar scairt dhéanach ar chic phíonóis do na Laochra tar éis feall ar Ó Cuinneagáin. Thug sé cic saor amach seachas cic éirice no cic 45. Rinne na Dúnaibh ceiliúradh ar bhua iontach s’acu i ndiadh coimhlint epiciúil a chonaic 89 bomaite de pheil. Chur trachtaire Ráidio na Gaeltachta, Seán Bán Breathnach síos ar an chluiche mar chath epiciúil, agus an cluiche ab fhearr sa chomórtas le 20 bliain.
Dúirt Cathaoirelach na Laochra, Jake Mac Siacais:
‘”Tugann an comórtas seo Gaeil le chéile ó gach cearh den tír agus iad ag ceiliúradh le chéile. Téann muid in adharca a chéile ar an pháirc ach tá comradaíocht ann as an pháirc nach bhfuighfear aon áit eile. Ó thosaigh muid ag imirt sa chomórtas, thóg muid cairdeas buan le Gaeil ó neart Gaeltachtaí, ó Oileáin Arainn chuig an Rinn, Port Láirge.
‘Bhí paineál iontach againn do 27 imreoir agus bhí am ar doigh acu. labhrann siad uilig Gaeilge agus dúirt lucht eagraithe an chomortais arís agus arís eile gur thug muid dea-shampla d’fhoirne eile ón Ghaeltacht oifigiúil, áiteanna ina bhfuil an Ghaeilge labhartha lág, ina measc. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an lucht tacaíochta a thaisteal an bealach uilig go Mhaigh Eo. Chuaigh siad i bhfeidhm go mór ar dhaoine óna Ghaeltachtaí eile a fuair spreagadh as úsaid na Gaeilge s’acu ar feadh deireadh na seachtaine. beidh an comórtas i gCloch Cheann Fhaola i nGaeltacht Thír Chonaill ar an bhliain seo chugainn agus tá muid ag dúil go mór le bheith ionadaíocht ar Bhéal Feirste agus tuilleadh dul chun cinn a dhéanamh ar pháirc na péile.”
Tuilleadh eolais feargal@forbairtfeirste.com
English
The Belfast Gaeltacht’s Irish language football team Laochra Loch Lao did their city and county proud last week 4th to 7th June in the annual Gaeltacht football competition 2010. In total, 25 teams took part from Cork, Kerry, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Meath, Waterford and London.
But the 50 supporters who travelled the 250 miles to Mayo’s Beal an Mhuirthead (Belmullet) for the Annual, national competition. The Laochra team were boosted by Antrim ace Paddy Cunningham, who scored two scorching goals and a hatful of points and finished with a personal tally of 2-8.
Laochra Loch Lao had a dramatic and heroic battle with Donegal’s An Dúnaibh (Downings) – losing by the narrowest margin after extra time.
Despite starting slowly in the first half, the Laochra still managed to come in level at half time thanks to a stunning goal from Paddy Cunningham. The laochra stepped it up in the second half and were by far the stronger team. Points from Niall Mac an Lia, Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh and another fantastic individual major from Cunningham put the Laochra four points up normal time while the Dúnaibh lost their midfielder, Shane Ó Gallchóir to two yellow cards.
But Na Dúnaibh scatched an unlikely draw when they scored a goal and a point late into a full seven minutes of injury time. The Laochra went two points up in the first period of extra time with two points from Mac Ionnrachtaigh and scores from Cunnigham and Ciarán Ó Coinn. The Dúnaibh pulled three points back having installed a legal replacement for their midfielder who had been sent off, leaving only a point between the teams at the end of the first period, 2-13 to 2-12. However, the Dúnaibh started the second period of extra time very strongly with two fantastic points before winning a penalty which put them they scored putting four points between the teams.
A late goal from Laochra midfielder Ciarán Ó Coinn brought the score back to the minimum deficit at 3-14 to 3-13 with a two minutes remaining. A late shout a penalty after a foul on Paddy Cunningham was ignored by the referee who had a difficult day at the office. He rewarded a free out rather than a penalty or a 45 before finally blowing time on an epic encounter after 89 minutes of football. The Dunaibh celebrated a fantastic victory while the heartbroken Laochra team and their fans rued what might have been.
Radio presenter Seán Bán Breathnach described the game as an epic battle and the best in the competition for 20 years.
Laochra chairman Jake Mac Siacais said:
“Since we’ve started playing here we’ve made long-lasting friendships with Gaels from many Gaeltachtaí, from the Aran Islands to the Rinn in Waterford.”
Jake added: “We had a great panel of 27 players and they had a fantastic time. All of them speak Irish and it was remarked upon many times by the organisers that they set a great example for other teams who may come from areas of the official Gaeltacht where Irish is not so strong.
“And I’d like to thank the large number of supporters who travelled all this way. Many people from the other Gaeltachtaí were impressed and even inspired by their use of Irish the whole weekend. Next year the competition takes place in Cloch Cheann Fhaola in the Donegal Gealtacht and we’re already looking forward to representing Belfast there – and to making more progress on the football field.”
“This competition is really about the Irish speakers around the country celebrating together. We go head-to-head on the field but there’s a camaraderie off the field that you don’t find anywhere else.
Further information feargal@forbairtfeirste.com
