Strabane Sigersons hosted their 12th Gerald O'Doherty Memorial blitz on Saturday past to honour their past president and lifelong Gaelgoir. The tournament attracted an entry of 22 teams including club teams from throughout Tyrone, Donegal and Derry and also a team from Gaelscoil Uí Dhochartaigh who entered the tournament for the first time. In doing so they became the first Irish speaking team to enter the blitz named after Irish Language activist Gerald O'Doherty who passed away on 21st February 2003, surely a proud day for the local Irish language community who has carried on his good work in promoting our native tongue locally.

With the blitz growing in popularity a second trophy and an All-Star Team of the Tournament was introduced to ensure that every single team and player was competing for honours on the day. The Club is indebted to Gaelphobal an tSratha Bán and their funders Foras na Gaeilge for their kind sponsorship of the prizes for the blitz - go raibh maith agaibh.

The morning dew hadn't lifted off picturesque playing surfaces at Páirc Mhic Sioghair when the diligent parents and coaches of Sigersons turned up to set up the pitches and prepare the sandwiches for the blitz. There was a sense of calm which lifted as quickly as the dew and changed to one of excitement, energy and anticipation when the 300+ children descended onto the grounds.

A final roll call on teams, referees and coaches briefed on the set-up and we were ready to go. The first whistles were blown, balls were thrown in and we were down to business. The place erupted with noise as coaches and parents were all cheering in unison at their team's first points, tackles & turnovers. They can trial that silent sideline craic somewhere else as it's not happening here, the place was buzzing.  Young boys and girls were exchanging high fives after every score, pats on the back for putting in that point saving block and hand sakes with opponents after every game. This is grassroots G.A.A; the glimpses of brilliance, the discipline, the camaraderie, the innocence and the smiling faces of the youth are the reasons volunteer coaches give up so much of their spare time to the G.A.A. All those episodes of Home and Away that were missed whilst setting up for youth training are worth it when you witness one of your prodigies curl a wonder point over from the sideline or put in that last ditch block!

Omagh coach Tony McGinn must have missed a fair few episodes of Home & Away as his Omagh team were very well rehearsed. After giving all his subs a run out in the final group game Tony's Omagh team found themselves in the Shield competition where they qualified to play Gortin in the final. An Epic encounter ensued with the teams matching each other score for score until the St Enda's boys managed to sneak over a score in the dying seconds to win by the finest of margins.  

Former Armagh All Ireland winner Barry O'Hagan led a Naomh Colmcille side to the Cup Final to take on Tyrone side Carrickmore. Although the Donegal side won by a score line of seven points to nil the final was far from one sided as the Tyrone boys, in typical Carrickmore fashion, refused to lay down to their bigger opponents from Newtowncunningham and battled it out right to the final whistle.

Congratulations to both the Omagh and Naomh Colmcille teams on their victories and to all players who made the All Star Team of the Tournament which included Strabane players Rhylie Browne, Rory Barkley, Gerald Kelly & Josh McDermott. Thanks to everyone who helped out at the blitz and special word of thanks to the referees who ensured the fixtures all ran to schedule and to the Sigersons coaches and parents who have assisted with the team all year.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir to Gaelphobal an tSratha Bán represented by Máirtín Ó Maolmhuaidh for their kind sponsorship of the event, to all the referees, those who co-ordinated the fixtures diligently, those who made and looked after the refreshments and last but not least to all the clubs, parents and supporters who all played their part in remembering the late Gerald O'Doherty who passed away in February 2003 after a lifetime of service to the Irish Language not alone in Strabane but throughout Ulster as a full time organiser with Comhaltas Uladh. Gearalt Ó Docharataigh - Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Jason Foley - Youth Officer Strabane Sigersons

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