The Fermanagh Club Éirne U15 Development Squad travelled to Cookstown on Saturday 17th May to take part in the first U15 Ulster Council Blitz of 2008.
This was a two team blitz where the counties played two games at the same time involving even teams and then aggregate scores were used to determine the winners.
Fermanagh were placed in Group 2 with Derry, Antrim and Down where the games were 15 minutes a side. The 44 Fermanagh players were divided into two teams.
Team 1. Coaches: Brendan Rasdale and James Mellarkey.
Brian McAleer, John Joe Strain, Christopher Crudden, Eddie Courtney, Lee Cullen, Brian Hoy, Christopher Ferguson, Declan Duffy, Eugene McManus, Louis Leonard, Ryan Lyons, Stephen Gormley, Colman Corrigan, Kevin Officer, Brian Fitzpatrick, Niall Beggan, Shane Lynch.
Cahir McElroy, Tomás McCusker, Conor McNally, Sean Treacy, Ryan McMenamin.
Team 2. Coaches: Peter McGinnity and Seamus McMahon.
Gary Lynch, Philip Leonard, Martin Treacy, Peter Cassidy, Colin Lunney, Michael Gilroy,
Eoin Hamill, Michael Gordon-McBride, Killian Kiernan, Rossa Cox, James Duffy,
Aaron Davis, Ruairi Corrigan, Daniel Teague, Ryan Hyde, John Maguire, Conor Sherlock,
Nathan Cassidy, Ruairi McGrade, Liam Martin, Patrick McManus, Patrick Fee.
As usual it took the Fermanagh players a while to get up to speed and both teams were beaten by a few points in the first game against Derry. In the next game against Antrim it was one win and one defeat but Fermanagh won by 2 points on aggregate. Improving all the time Fermanagh had two great performances against the Down teams who had hammered Derry earlier.
A two point win by Team 2 and a two point defeat for Team 1 resulted in a draw overall.
This was a great learning experience for these U15 players and they now look forward to preparing for the second Ulster Council Blitz on Saturday 9th August 2008.
The one very disappointing incident during the day was a serious hand injury to Nathan Cassidy, St. Joseph's. Fortunately Ciaran Carey was available to bring him to hospital and all the players and coaches wish him a speedy and full recovery.
