Montreal Championship Series 2002
Denis Leyne 9-a-side Tournament 2002
Powerscreen 7-a-side Tournament 2002
Ottawa Gaels 3-13 Montreal Shamrocks 3-11
In this thrilling Toronto Championship quarter-final match, Ottawa Gaels edged out a gallant Montreal Shamrocks team by only two points. The game was played at the Douglas Hospital grounds in Verdun, as part of the Montreal International Celtic Festival. In the stiflingly hot & humid conditions, both teams produced a fine exhibition of Gaelic football in front of an appreciative crowd of several hundred spectators.
The game began at a frenetic pace as soon as the ball was thrown in by the referee, Kevin Loughnane from St. Mike’s, Toronto. A quick point from Ottawa was answered by a Mick Martin goal for Montreal, following a mistake by the Ottawa goalkeeper. Shamrocks immediately tagged on further points from Mick Martin (2), Murdoch Fitzgerald and Neil McGrath to race into a 4 point lead. Ottawa replied with several points of their own, but were also guilty of shooting some very bad wides from scoreable positions. That coupled with some excellent defensive play by the Montreal backs kept the locals in front up to half-time. A couple of pointed frees from substitute Ger Heffernan left the half-time score as Montreal 1-6, Ottawa 0-7. Not according to referee Loughnane, however, who had scored the game as a draw, 1-5 to 0-8! One can only assume that one of Montreal’s points was inadvertently marked down for Ottawa!
The pace of the game slowed somewhat in the early part of the second half as both teams began to struggle in the intense heat. Following a couple of quick points from Ottawa to give them the lead for the first time, the game turned on an incident at the other end of the field. Montreal substitute Paul Cantwell took exception to a foul committed on him by the Ottawa full-back, but unfortunately exacted his retribution in full view of the referee, who promptly sent him off. Down to twelve men, Montreal really struggled for the next 15 minutes and allowed Ottawa to surge ahead with three unanswered goals. With ten minutes left there was ten points between the teams Ottawa 3-13, Montreal 1-9. However, Ottawa failed to score again and Montreal roared back with goals from Heffernan and Fitzgerald and 2 points from substitute Camilo Muzard. At the end Ottawa were on the ropes, but they managed to hang on to their slim lead to seal a semi-final place against Toronto Gaels.
Best for Montreal on the day were Sean Heavens in goal, Stephen Bourke, Darryl Edwards, Bill Morris, Brian Nolan and Ger Heffernan in defence, Murdoch Fizgerald in midfield, and Mick Martin, Neil McGrath, Jay Bradley and Camilo Muzard in attack.
Montreal Shamrocks team: Sean Heavens; Stephen Bourke, Darryl Edwards: Bill Morris, Joey Fitzmorris, Brian Nolan: Nigel Harney, Murdoch Fitzgerald; Neil McGrath, Mick Martin, Vincent Perez; Conor Brogan, Jay Bradley.
Subs: Ger Heffernan for Fitzmorris, Camilo Muzard for Perez, Paul Cantwell for Brogan, Ed Stokes for Martin, James Sclater for Bradley, Jon Li for Nolan, Joey Kramar for Morris.
Montreal Scorers: Ger Heffernan 1-4; Mick Martin 1-3; Murdoch Fitzgerald 1-1;
Camilo Muzard 0-2; Neil McGrath 0-1