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Topic:
27th Tony Forristal/Sonny Walsh Tournament This Weekend.
An Fear Rua
(Editor)
Posted:
29-Aug-2008 08:16
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The annual Tony Forristal/Sonny Walsh Tournament will take place this coming weekend at venues across Waterford City.
This tournament traditionally is regarded as the first step to stardom by many a hurler and those attending this years tournament will be on the luck out for the next generation of inter-county hurlers that will prosper in the years ahead at the highest level.
This year will see the twenty-seventh playing of this tournament and it is expected that around six hundred young boys will take part, which surly is the biggest gathering of hurlers for any inter-county competition. In the past some of the finest hurlers in recent years have taken part in this competition. Ciaran Carey (Limerick ) , Liam Cahill (Tipperary ) , Rory Gantley (Galway ) , Eoin Kelly (Tipperary ) , Adrian Fenlon (Wexford ) , Paul Codd (Wexford ) and a certain Joe Canning (Galway ) has all played in this tournament. It must be pointed out that most if not all the current Waterford Senior hurling team would have taken part in the tournament in different years with either the Waterford `A` or `B` teams.
The tournament began in 1982 with just two counties taking part, Waterford and Kilkenny in an under 14 hurling competition which was set up in remembrance of Tony Forristal who died as a result of a road traffic accident in April of the year before travelling with the Waterford under 21 hurling team. At the time of his death Tony was an employee at the Waterford Glass Factory and was the trainer of the Waterford Glass team, the Mount Sion senior hurling team and the Waterford under 21 hurling team.
The `B` section of the tournament is dedicated to Edward "Sonny" Walsh who died suddenly in the spring of 1983 while training juveniles at the De La Salle Club grounds at Cleaboy. Sonny was a dedicated member of the Waterford Glass team, a talented hurler who played inter-county hurling on a number of occasions and who was someone that loved to coach the next generation of young hurlers.
In recent years, the name of Larry Quinn has also been added to those that are remembered in the annual competition. Larry was the driving force behind the tournament from its formation and was involved in the tournament until the time of his sudden death at the age of 48 in 2003. Larry was very involved in the G.A.A. through his club Mount Sion and was for many years involved in Bord na nÓg at an administrative level. To commemorate his involvement in the G.A.A. and with the tournament, a Waterford Crystal Trophy was designed and is presented to the Man of the Match in the Division one final each year.
Since 1982 the tournament has grown from strength to strength to what it has become today. In the second year of the tournaments history Tipperary and Wexford joined Waterford and Kilkenny. In 1984 four further counties got involved, Antrim, Limerick, Laois and Cork. In 1985 Clare, Kerry, Galway and Down got involved and in 1986 Armagh, Meath, Wicklow and Carlow all had teams at the tournament.
1987 saw the creation of a two-division tournament with the top teams playing in Division one with the weaker teams in division two. In 1989 Carlow did not enter a team and in their place Waterford entered a second team and in doing so gave the chance to more players to wear the county colours. Twelve months on Westmeath and Dublin got involved in the tournament bringing the number of teams taking part to eighteen. Because of the growing numbers taking part it was decided to create a third division in 1990.
In the late 1990`s moves were made in Croke Park to put a stop to the tournament with a number of excuses been made, the main one the amount of money spend by counties in preparing their teams for the competition. Those involved in underage hurling and football within the county at the time would not have this happen as the benefit of having such a tournament could be seen, and thanks to the then county Bord na Óg Chairman, Sean Whelan, all counties that were taking part were contacted and were told that there was no way the tournament would be left dies and the support of out counties would be wanted to fight what was happening in Croke Park. Thankfully the required support was found and those in Croke Park listened to what was been said and the Tournament has continued to flourish in the last number of years.
The draws for this year`s competition took place some weeks back and are sure to throw up some top class hurling. Division one is once again split between two venues. Group one games will take place at the St. Saviours grounds in Ballybeg. Galway, Limerick, Offaly and Kilkenny will play off at the venue with the winner going through to final on the following day.
Groups two and three in division one will as usual take place at the Mount Sion Club grounds. Wexford, Tipperary and Clare will play in-group two with Cork, Dublin and Waterford taking part in-group three. The winners of group two and three will meet in the semi finals at Mount Sion on the evening of August 30.
The games in division two will be split between two groups, one group at Roanmore and the other at the De La Salle club grounds at Gracedieu. In-group one, Carlow, Kildare, Meath and Antrim will play at Roanmore, while in group two, Westmeath, Laois, Waterford `B` and Kerry will play at Gracedieu. The two group winners will contest the final on Sunday.
Four counties are competing in division three. Tyrone, Wicklow, Mayo and Armagh will all play at Walsh Park. While all four counties will not set the hurling world alight at senior level, it is great to see these counties travel to Waterford for the competition and taking part will surly stand to them and to hurling in their respective counties in the years ahead. The top two teams in the group will contest the final on Sunday.
2008 Fixtures - Saturday August 30.
Division One - Group One, games at St. Saviours G.A.A Grounds, (Ballybeg ) .
11-30 Galway V Limerick
12-20 Offaly V Kilkenny
2-30 Limerick V Offaly
3-20 Galway V Kilkenny
5-00 Limerick V Kilkenny
5-50 Galway V Offaly
Division One - Group Two and Three Games at Mount Sion G.A.A. Clubs
11-00 Wexford V Tipperary (Group Two )
11-50 Cork V Dublin (Group Three )
1-00 Wexford V Clare (Group Two )
1-50 Cork V Waterford (Group Three )
3-00 Tipperary V Clare (Group Two )
3-50 Dublin V Waterford (Group Three )
Semi Final Group One Winner V Group Two Winner
Division Two - Group One, games at Roanmore G.A.A Grounds.
11-30 Carlow V Kildare
12-20 Meath V Antrim
2-30 Kildare V Meath
3-20 Carlow V Antrim
5-00 Kildare V Antrim
5-50 Carlow V Meath
Division Two - Group Two, games at De La Salle G.A.A Grounds. (Gracedieu )
11-30 Westmeath V Laois
12-20 Waterford `B` V Kerry
2-30 Laois V Waterford `B`
3-20 Westmeath V Kerry
5-00 Laois V Kerry
5-50 Westmeath V Waterford `B`
Division Three -Games at Walsh Park.
11-30 Tyrone V Wicklow
12-20 Mayo V Armagh
2-30 Wicklow V Mayo
3-20 Tyrone V Armagh
5-00 Wicklow V Armagh
5-50 Tyrone V Mayo
Finals
Sunday 31 August
11-00am Division three final
12-00 noon Division two final
1-15pm Division one final.
Previous Division One winners and Runners up
Winners Runners Up
1982 Kilkenny Waterford
1983 Tipperary Kilkenny
1984 Limerick Cork
1985 Cork Limerick
1986 Clare Galway
1987 Tipperary Galway
1988 Tipperary Cork
1989 Galway Waterford
1990 Clare Kilkenny
1991 Tipperary Galway
1992 Galway Kilkenny
1993 Tipperary Clare
1994 Galway Kilkenny
1995 Tipperary Clare
1996 Tipperary Kilkenny
1997 Wexford Galway
1998 Cork Clare
1999 Galway Clare
2000 Cork Waterford
2001 Tipperary Cork
2002 Limerick Clare
2003 Kilkenny Galway
2004 Tipperary Waterford
2005 Kilkenny Waterford
2006 Wexford Waterford
2007 Waterford Tipperary
Previous Division Two winners and Runners up
Winners Runners Up
1987 Wexford Kerry
1988 Waterford `A` Laois
1989 Waterford `B` Wicklow
1990 Wexford Wicklow
1991 Dublin Antrim
1992 Antrim Waterford `B
1993 Antrim Kerry
1994 Kerry Waterford `B`
1995 Antrim Waterford `B`
1996 Westmeath Laois
1997 Kerry Laois
1998 Kerry Laois
1999 Waterford `B` Wicklow
2000 Waterford `B` Laois
2001 Laois Waterford `B`
2002 Offaly Waterford `B`
2003 Kerry Laois
2004 Carlow Dublin
2005 Dublin Offaly
2006 Antrim Westmeath
2007 Westmeath Meath
Previous Division Three winners and Runners up
Winners Runners Up
1990 Westmeath Down
1991 Kildare Kerry
1992 Kerry Laois
1993 Down Laois
1994 Laois Kildare
1995 Westmeath Down
1996 Wicklow Down
1997 Meath Down
1998 Carlow Kildare
2004 Kildare Meath
2005 Westmeath Meath
2006 Meath Wicklow
2007 Wicklow Armagh
Waterford Panel`s.
Waterford `A`
1. Sean Barry Lismore
2. Nick Cannell Tramore
3. Killian O`Sullivan Cappoquin
4. Jack Lacey Abbeyside
5. Jack Walsh Portlaw
6. Sean Tyler Roanmore
7. Paul Coughlan Ballygunner
8. Colin Dunford St. Patrick`s
9. Tadhg de Burca Clashmore
10. Shaun Daly Clashmore
11. Shane McNulty De La Salle
12. Kieran Power Kilrossanty
13. Cathal Curran Dungarvan
14. Darragh Flynn Sacred Heart
15. Adam O`Sullivan De La Salle
16. Sean Whitty Ballygunner
17. Richard Hurley Passage
18. Tom Mullally Ballygunner
19. Conor Murray Cappoquin
20. Jack O`Donoghue Ballygunner
21. Mark Russell Ferrybank
22. Conor Sheehan Ballygunner
23. Craig Burke Tramore
24. Mossy Young Dungarvan.
Waterford `B`
1. Eoin Kearns Naomh Brid
2. John Hannigan Fourmilewater
3. Tom Tobin Naomh Brid
4. Kieran Bennett Lismore
5. Dean Roche De La Salle
6. Robert Daniels De La Salle
7. Craig Coad Portlaw
8. Paudie Coleman Lismore
9. Darren Finn Mount Sion
10. Ryan Donnelly Dungarvan
11. Brian Hayes Butlerstown
12. John Gartland Ardmore
13. Sean O`Donovan Naomh Brid
14. David O`Leary De La Salle
15. Brendan Phelan St. Oliver`s
16. Seamus Keating Ardmore
17. Aaron Coady Mount Sion
18. Laurence Houlihan Brickey Rangers
19. Mark Flanagan Mount Sion
20. Cathal Dower Mount Sion
21. Michael Harney St. Mary`s
22. Stephen Bennett Lismore
23. Geoff Tebay Roanmore
24. Patrick Fitzgerald De La Salle
An Fear Rua
(Editor)
Posted:
29-Aug-2008 11:49
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