Nineteen teams assembled in Clonduff Park on Saturday 30th July for the 35th running of the Gary Murray Tournament. The weather was excellent and so was the standard of skills exhibited by the young players from Down, Armagh and Belfast. In the group stages each of the teams got sixty minutes football which was refereed by Clonduff referees Paula Cairns, Shane McGreevy, John Francis Murray and Ben Brennan. The administrators were Anita Brannigan, Alistair McGilligan, Marie Walls and Mary McGreevy. A number of young Clonduffians acted as runners between the administrators and the pitches.
Clonduff A, Burren A, Clann Eireann A and Castlewellan emerged as table toppers from the four groups with Castlewellan and Burren meeting in the final. There was very little between the two finalists though Burren were able to put their scores away just that little bit better than the Lurgan side to lift the Gary Murray Trophy for the second year in a row. Liam Kerr also Burren lifted the Lily Murray Cup for the ‘Player of the Tournament’.
Cathal (Snr) and Damian Murray were on hand to make the presentations and a host of Murray relatives and friends kept the tea and sandwiches going whilst Goretta Cairns manned the shop.
