The sun shone in Clonduff Park on Saturday 9th July and so did the players from An Riocht, Longstone, Drumgath, Aughlisnafin, Rostrevor and Clonduff who participated in Clonduff’s first ever Inter Club Social Sevens Tournament. The fact that a number of teams had withdrawn because of the earlier start time (necessitated by Down’s Qualifier time being fixed in Newry for 3 pm) certainly didn’t dampen the enthusiasm or detract from the spectacle. Clonduff and An Riocht topped their groups and played the runners up in the other group in the semi final for the Cup. Clonduff played Rostrevor and it went to a 5-min period of extra time before Rostrevor emerged the winners. Mourne opponents An Riocht and Longstone faced each other in the other semi final with The Kingdom emerging winners. Whilst the two Cup Finalists took a well-earned rest before the final, Drumgath and Aughlisnafin played out a thrilling Plate Final with Drumgath emerging the winners. The Cup Final was a thrilling affair between An Riocht and Rostrevor – An Riocht had beaten Rostrevor in the Group stage – but in the final Rostrevor pulled out all the stops and emerged the winners of the game but in truth everyone who took part was a winner. All the players were treated to tea and sandwiches in the clubrooms afterwards where many stayed and listened to the Down v Leitrim game on the radio.
Of course the tournament could not have been run without the services of the Club referees Ben Brennan, Gerry Coughlin and John Anthony Gribben; the Tournament administrators Paul and Tommy Kelly, Marie Walls and Anita Brannigan and the very valuable tea maker Attracta Brown and to them all we say a very big ‘Thank You’.
