Eoin Duffy, Enda Smyth, Filip Kuzniak and Finn Morgan-Longfield are lower-sixth students at St Colman’s College, Newry where they are studying BTEC Sports Science. All enthusiastic and talented sportsmen, they’re also budding sports journalists and have submitted articles on the game, fight or issue that mattered most to them this year…
I felt as if the world was going to end
By Eoin Duffy
Eoin is from Culloville and is a keen Gaelic Footballer with his club Culloville Blues and Armagh. He played at full-forward when the Orchard County reached this year’s All-Ireland minor final against Derry.
IT was July 7th, 2024, minor All-Ireland final day. I found myself waking up about to play the biggest game of my life. This was it! The scenario I had dreamt of my whole life! When I woke up, I could not distract myself from obsessing over every last scenario that could happen, visualising every play, every tackle, every shot, every fist and kick pass... I was raring to go.
Once the team bus entered Healy Park, I was trying to stay as calm as possible, which is easier said than done with such high stakes on the line. In the dressing room, getting changed, we were listening to the same music on the trusty speaker which we took everywhere with us. As I got onto the pitch and got onto the ball, I felt calmer, at that time anyways.
As for the game itself, where do I start? When Derry got the penalty and converted it, we felt an urge to push on and get back into the game, which we did.
Taking a free kick, I was never so nervous in my life, despite it probably being the easiest free I’ll ever get, from the 13-yard line.
What was going through my mind? What if I miss? What if I slip? I would be laughed at for years and years to come! Luckily, it went over bar.
Derry’s second goal was ultimately the huge turning point, the goal with which they won the game.
After the game, I felt as if the world was going to end. I was deflated. Like a bull, I was so disappointed to lose, but what a journey! Post-match in the changing room was like a funeral, until our manager, our guiding force, Aidan O’Rourke spoke.
He cheered us up and was so proud of what we had achieved, which meant the world to us players. Since the final, there hasn’t been a day gone by where I haven’t thought about this game. This has given me a drive and motivation to be better and hopefully we can get over the line at U20 level. This is the goal.
My first fight and UFC dreams
By Filip Kuzniak
Filip is a dedicated and ambitious Mixed Martial Arts fighter who trains at the Team Torres gym in Newry.
I AM in the novice level of MMA, searching for novice competitions to show off my experience.
So far, I have had one fight in MMA, which I won by decision. This competition was in Belfast and the nerves I had while warming up on the pads and talking to my coaches were immense.
I felt like the whole world was watching me and depending on me and my success and I was blanking out quite frequently due to the nerves.
However, when I got into the cage and the door was locked, I prevailed and beat my opponent quite easily. I remember getting my hand raised after winning and feeling so accomplished.
My passion for MMA was developed when a friend suggested that we go to training at a local gym near us, Team Torres Newry, which does free trial classes and it gave us the perfect opportunity to try it out.
We both loved it and continued going. Now, we have many friends there and we have learned a lot of lessons, about sport and life, to keep us motivated and on the path to success.
Not only this, but we are now all part of a huge family that provides vital support for all its members. My dad was also a huge role model for me, as he was always watching combat sports like boxing and MMA, which helped me build a passion for watching it and what the fighters do to become successful.
He was always asking me if I wanted to try my hand at such a sport. When I eventually did, he was ecstatic and is now always very supportive of myself and my ventures.
A week of MMA training for me usually goes like this:
Monday: Striking which will usually involve some pad work on a specific technique with a partner in any aspect of striking.
Tuesday: Grappling. This usually involves a deep dive into a specific technique, and then we try it out during a light simulation of a Jiu Jitsu match.
Wednesday: Striking and MMA sparring which is a simulation of a fight at a light pace. This is probably my favourite day, but it can be the most injury prone if you are not careful!
Thursday: Striking sparring and grappling training.
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: Grappling training.
Sunday: Rest Day.
In my future as an MMA athlete, I hope to achieve a high mastery of the skills in all aspects of the sport and to become the best I can, and possibly becoming a champion in my division and a Hall of Fame candidate in the biggest MMA organisation UFC.
No room to grow - Rostrevor GAC’s pitch crisis
By Finn Morgan-Longfield
Finn is from Rostrevor in county Down. He chose to write a piece on the St Bronagh’s club’s struggle to enhance their facilities
ROSTREVOR GAC, located in the scenic Mourne Mountains of county Down, is a hub for GAA enthusiasts. Despite the club’s growing membership and active participation in Gaelic football, Rostrevor GAA stands out as it only has one playing pitch.
While many clubs boast multiple pitches to accommodate numerous teams, games and training sessions, Rostrevor’s one playing field has made the day-to-day management of fixtures and training incredibly challenging not to mention frustrating.
Plans have been submitted to create a new Gaelic football pitch alongside a soccer pitch in Kilbroney park with changing rooms. Unfortunately these plans have been delayed due to several environmental objections. These include concerns about the cutting down of trees, changing the landscape of a popular nature trail and noise pollution.
As Rostrevor only has one pitch, we have no choice sometimes but to train in the existing facilities in Kilbroney Park. As a Rostrevor GAA minor player I know firsthand how challenging the conditions are there as our team trained there frequently throughout the season. There is a significant incline in the pitch which makes playing very difficult and the lack of changing facilities is not ideal.
Richie Reynolds, senior player, club PRO and pitch co-ordinator explained how hard it is to provide facilities to each team. His role as a pitch co-ordinator is extremely difficult as he is tasked with distributing pitch space for 30+ training sessions plus matches each week – all on one pitch!
He told me: “Some teams could go for four-five weeks without actually training on our own pitch.”
And added: “There were many examples from last year how our senior teams were starting trainings at 8.30pm in preparation for league games as there was a match on it earlier that evening.”
This outlines how only having one pitch is making it so difficult for players and other people around the club as well.
Healthy Club officer for Rostrevor GAA Emma-Jane Morgan told me: “Our committee has worked tirelessly over the years to try and deliver additional facilities but the time taken to progress these matters due to planning and other constraints has hampered the club’s ability to deliver the visions it has for this community.”
This truly shows how much this means to Rostrevor GAA and how the lack of pitches is limiting the overall success of Rostrevor GAC.
Emma-Jane added: “Our club is determined to strive to deliver our ambition to ensure we can continue to be at the very heart of our community.”
When Sam arrived
By Enda Smyth
Enda is from Ballymacnab. He plays Gaelic Football for the Round Towers club and soccer for Dungannon Swifts.
THE entire county was pandemonium. Everyone was trying to get their hands on the fabled All-Ireland final ticket. To get a ticket was like striking gold. Armagh fans had gone utterly crazy. With fake tickets being sold to people being scammed in all sorts of ways, Armagh fans were going to any lengths to get a glimpse of one.
The main tactical points going into this game were based around each team’s star players, with the game being seen as a 50/50 match-up by most pundits. This meant that Galway would be tasked with the problem of Conor Turbitt, who coming out of an outstanding League campaign with Armagh and remaining their top scorer, would be a behemoth of a problem.
In addition, Galway would need to deal with Rian O’Neill who had just came out from a stellar performance knocking out a strong favourite for the title, Kerry.
However, Armagh would be tasked with just as worrying a challenge on the other end, with Galway having one of the strongest full forward lines in Ireland, featuring Shane Walsh, Damien Comer and Rob Finnerty.
In the first half, both teams were easing themselves into the atmosphere and trying to remain composed in the face of pressure. Galway suffered a huge loss when Rob Finnerty had to depart the pitch due to injury and Armagh could sense the fear. However, Galway and Armagh were both more than capable of dealing with each other’s star players, with Conor Turbitt being held scoreless and likewise for Damien Comer.
Each team were able to handle each other’s fire power and were going to match scores for most of the first half.
In the second half, both teams were trying to find that bright spark in the game. After Rory Grugan (the creative maestro) was forced off through injury, Armagh needed players to step up, and boy they did!
There was one player Galway had overlooked, the soon-to-be Young Player of the Year, Oisin Conaty. He was electric as he broke down the pitch but the subs are where the game was really won for Armagh.
With Stefan Campbell coming on to give an injection of pace, Armagh could taste victory and he burst through the defence and Aaron McKay sent the ball rattling into the net.
The final whistle blew and the stadium exploded. Twenty-two years… Nobody could have ever imagined it. A Division Two team going all the way.
It really was a miracle and when Sam arrived in Armagh tears were brought to the eyes of many.
And rightly so.
