At a civic reception today in the County House, Lifford, the Donegal Hurling Team that won the Lory Meagher Cup in 2011 were honoured.
Speaking at this Civic Reception the County Manager, Mr. Seamus Neely said that he was delighted that Donegal County Council had an opportunity to recognise this special and historic won for the Donegal Hurlers.
This team reached the finals of the Lory Meagher Cup in 2009 and in 2010 but it was not until 2011 that the team achieved this victory with a 70th minute goal from Ciaran Mathewson securing this breathtaking win for Donegal.
The Lory Meagher Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the GAA since 2009 and is an extension of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the premier knock-out hurling competition. The winners of the Lory Meagher Cup are promoted to the Nicky Rackard Cup competition the following year.
This win was the first senior All-Ireland title for the Donegal hurlers and the Mayor of Donegal Cllr. Frank McBrearty remarked on the resilience of the team in their endeavour to win this cup which he described as ‘a lesson to all of us’. He stated that “their dedication to their sport, their training regime and their team work is a great example of what can be achieved by hard work, dedication and working together, these are all qualities that every one of us strive to achieve in our daily lives”.
He added that the last week has been a great week for sport in Donegal, with the visit from the FAI delegation to the various clubs and communities in the county, to Donegal winning the GAA Ulster Championship yesterday (Sunday) to this Civic Reception for the Donegal Hurlers who win the 2011 Lory Meagher Cup. This week highlights the importance of sport in our communities and sport is one of two key themes that I have for my year as Mayor. Sport can bring great benefits for everyone in our communities in terms of breaking down barriers, in providing people with opportunities to meet, for children to play and for communities to work together for the collective good of their own area.
Team Manager, Andrew Wallace formally accepted this presentation on behalf of his team which included Paul O’Brien, Shane O’Connor, Colm Breathnach (captain), Ardal McDermott, Jamsie Donnelly, Ciaran Dowds, Joe Boyle, Sean McVeigh, Paul Sheridan, Eugene Organ, Stephen Boyle, Ciaran Mathewson, Mickey McCann, Enda McDermott, Niall Campbell and substitutes Paddy Hannigan, Lee Henderson and Michael McGhee.
The Team were presented with a Painting by Fionntan Gogarty called “After the Game” – mounted with a border incorporating the text of “A Hurlers Prayer” by Seamus Redmond, which the Mayor read to those attending.
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