Scór – All Ireland Finals
Best of luck in the All Ireland finals to all concerned as Leitrim competitors and supporters prepare for the long journey to Killarney. Below is a reminder of the report from the Connacht finals.
An incredible night for Leitrim in the Connacht Scór Finals in Manorhamilton on Saturday when, for the second year in a row, Leitrim won 5 of the 8 events.
It brought success again to the long-standing Scór stalwarts of Glencar/Manorhamilton, Seán OHeslins and Bornacoola but also to total newcomers; Leitrim Gaels and to St Marys who have not figured in Connacht in a long time.
Rince Foirne
Glencar/Manorhamilton, on their own turf, won the Connacht title for the sixth year in a row. This was in fact the second time Glencar/Manorhamilton did a six in a row in this event, they also did it in 1995-2000. In all they have won Rince Foirne in Connacht on 16 occasions beginning in 1984. Their team this year was Nicole OHara, Aoife Duignan, Ciara Flynn, Michelle Kelly, Shane Conaire, Emmett McMorrow, Michael Joe Rooney and Aidan McLoughlin
Ceol
Pride of place must go to Leitrim Gaels, a club that has only taken up Scór in recent years. Indeed they were never represented in Music until this year and straight away they are in an All Ireland Final. They played wonderful music with their group of Cyril Geoghegan, Mick Mulvey, Mick Blake, Enda McDonagh and JohnÓgleeson
Bailéad Ghrúpa
It is all of 23 years since St Marys won a Connacht Senior Scór title in anything. By coincidence it was in Ballad Group that they won also in 1985. This year Laura Crossan, Brian Farrell, Clodagh Flynn, Laura Phillips and John Butler have done great work and made the big breakthrough again. The Ballad Group from St Marys that reached the final in 1985 was: Siobháin FinnÓgan, Ann Jennings, Walter Harmon, Joe Moore and Gerald OHalloran.
Trath na gCeist
Bornacoola are no strangers to Connacht success in Question Time. This is their third year in a row to win Connacht. Aidan Dockery, Fergal MacGiolla and Liam Rabbitt will be hoping it will be third time lucky in the All Ireland.
Nuachleas
Seán OHeslins are masters of the Novelty Act not alone in Leitrim and Connacht but at All Ireland level. On Saturday they won the Connacht title for the 14th time since their first in 2004. Raymond McHugh, Madge Murphy, Michael Fanning, Seán McKeon, Tommy Moran, Claire Fanning, Ross Dooner and Brid Sullivan made up the "Umpa" team.
Leitrims other performers: Elaine Duignan from Seán OHeslins in Solo Singing, Fenagh in Rince Seit and Louise Staunton from Bornacoola in RecitationÓgave of their best on a night when Leitrim was the only County to be represented in all eight events.
Tickets for the All Ireland.
Tickets for the All Ireland Finals in Killarney on Saturday 26 April must be ordered in advance. All orders must be in before next Monday 8 April. For the competing clubs, tickets must be ordered through your clubs Scór officer. For people outside those clubs they can be ordered directly through Co Scór Rúnaí, Maura Mulvey. It is not certain that all orders for tickets can be accommodated although the Killarney venue is usually adequate to hold everyone. However, clubs are asked to make sure that anyone who orders tickets pays for them with the order, as tickets cannot be returned and the clubs must pay for all tickets when ordering them.
25-Apr-08 by Brendan Doyle – PRO