25 November 2013
Edmund Rice College have won the Year 11 Ulster Colleges Hurling Noone Cup. The Blitz competition held at MUSA featured group qualifiers from previous rounds. In their first game Edmund Rice encountered St Joseph's Donaghmore. Having raced off to a great start from some excellent goals from Michael Mc Greevey, the Glengormley school were sitting comfortably at half time. However a brace of scores from Donaghmore brought them back into the game, with the closing minutes producing a ding dong battle for supremacy and the winning score. Edmund Rice Captain Dan Moore scored a fantastic point, with Michael Mc Greevey securing victory with a goal after a defence splitting solo run from his centre half forward position. Edmund Rice edged the game with a score of 6-6 to 5-5.
Next up were St Marks of Warrenpoint. The Warrenpoint lads had a number of players on the Co Down development squads, and were probably considered the favourites to win the competition. After a very low scoring and very tight affair Edmund Rice won the game 2-5 to 1-5.
Edmund Rice's final game in the group was against Abbey CBS of Newry. This game was also a very tight affair, with the physically bigger and stronger Abbey lads proving to be very dogged opposition. At the 10 minute half time mark the Edmund Rice lads were 1-3 to 1-2 up. In a closely contested second half Edmund Rice produced a battling performance to snatch victory with another Michael Mc Greevey goal, winning the game by the narrowest of margins 2-6 to 2-5.
As winners of all their games Edmund College were crowned the Noone Cup Champions. Team Captain Dan Moore acknowledged Ulster Colleges GAA for organising a competition that all players thoroughly enjoyed, and heralded the efforts of his team mates in their successful efforts to win the Noone Cup. Team coach Eamon Graham commented that " this was a great achievement for the lads given that many of them do not actually play hurling with a club. That said, those same fellas proved that with courage, determination, and a positive attitude, they could compete against other schools, and as the competition progressed, they grew in confidence and were determined to win it. Every player gave of their best, which is exactly the attitude we try to engender in all our school teams, and in all sports we participate in. "
Indeed, every Edmund Rice player played their hearts out, but special mention must be given to their star player , Michael Mc Greevey, who time and time again tore through defences to score top quality goals.
