Montreal Shamrocks 0-9
Halifax Gaels 1-1

The Montreal Shamrocks took on the Halifax Gaels for the privilege to etch their names in history and be named the first ever Eastern Canadian Champions at sun drenched and wind swept Swilers Rugby Club in St. John's Newfoundland.

|Both teams came into the game with some momentum after defeating the hosts, St. John's Avalon Harps and the Quebec Patriotes earlier in the day in a 10-a-side, 15 minute each half format.

The Shamrocks lined out with Olivier Sakr in goals, a back line of  Manus MacDiarmada, Steven Owens and Martin Lawless. Damien Conneely was joined in midfield by Plunkett McCullagh. The front line consisted of Larry Greene, Elaine Gilmore and Paul McKenna on the edge of the square with Ronan Corbett playing in as yet to be defined role of roving around wherever he fancied. The subs were Michael Johnson, Lindsay Webb and Kathleen Zuk.

They were up against a determined and very intimidating looking Halifax Gaels side with unsubstantiated rumours flying around all weekend that they were also participating in a Paul Galvin sponsored beard growing competition.

But the Shamrocks however were well up for the task, overlooked by club coach, the stoic Brendan Patrick O'onnor who chose to adopt a novel management style of a non-interventionist approach, placing complete faith in his training ground preparations and methods to bring home the cup.

The game got under way with the Shamrocks starting well but lacking a killer instinct with wides early on from Corbett, Conneely and McCullagh. A great move involving Gilmore who turned her man well before feeding McKenna who broke the tackle to place himself through on goal but instead of putting Gilmore through who had made up the ground well to provide the option and who doesn't miss from that range, opted to shoot himself and choked, putting a tame effort wide. Club president Corbett finally settled things down after 5 minutes with a close range free following a foul on Larry Greene. More wides followed with McCullagh striking the ball well from the ground but found the swirling wind somewhat tricky to maintain accuracy. Some of the wayward shooting and accuracy can be put down to pressure from the Halifax backs who were trying to absorb the attacks before hitting the Shamrocks on the break but they were finding a vigilant backline with the Bash Brothers of McDermott and Owens to the fore and Lawless sweeping up any loose ball. Montreal finally got a deserved second point with good work from McKenna and a great lay off by Gilmore to Conneely coming from deep and slotting the ball over the bar.
A key moment in the game came when Halifax turned over the ball in their own half back line, got a whiff of blood in their nostrils and went for the jugular, they saw Owens out of position having drifted forward to possibly show the forwards how to kick the ball over the bar. The Gaels swarmed forward like a gang of Hell's Angels in a Mighty Ducks style flying V formation, overrunning the outnumbered McDermott and Lawless at the back with the biggest beard drilling a low hard effort into the corner of the net giving Sakr no chance and putting the Maritimers ahead for the first time in the game. Montreal responded well with a well taken long range free from Conneely following a foul on McCullagh. The scores were level at half time: 0-3 to 1-0.

The Shamrocks made two changes at half time with Zuk and Johnson replacing Gilmore and McKenna who were carrying injuries. Halifax started the stronger in the second half pointing following a strong run through the middle. Shamrocks' shooting was again letting them down and frustrations were starting to come through the team with the travelling Montreal support also getting restless. Team captain Conneely started getting a bit tetchy with his teammates demanding only the highest standards from everyone around him Roy Keane shtyle, but following a few choice words from a couple of the lads, he concentrated on his own game and delivered a ten minute tour de force showing great leadership and grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck. This started with a point on the run following great play down the right by Johnson and Zuk and a slick lay off by Greene to feed Conneely breaking through the middle to hit the equaliser. Another two points from Conneely gave the Shamrocks a bit of daylight and with McCullagh coming more into it in the middle, the Shamrocks were beginning to overpower the Gaels, vindicating O'Connor's training methods.

Then came the move of the tournament that could've come from a Jim McGuinness playbook, starting deep in their own half, the ball was worked well through the middle with quick hands and good support play before McCullagh picked out the well-rested Lindsay Webb who had just come off the bench, she laid it off to the on rushing Corbett who bore down on goal like a train, expertly drawing his marker before feeding Greene who had elegantly peeled away in front of goal and with just the keeper to beat, he made an absolute balls of it and scuffed his shot into the advancing keeper. The Montreal Ultras were starting to let their frustrations boil over with some colourful language from the sideline that would make Effin Eddie Moroney blush.

The Shamrocks kept up the pressure with Corbett who had now figured out how to play his roving role, doing some serious damage, literally, as he broke the cross-bar with a shot that went over to leave it three points between the sides. Following a step ladder/duct tape intermission, the Shamrocks picked up where they left off with Conneely continuing his exhibition, kicking another point with the outside of the left. The crowd then finally got to see what they paid in for, Corbett broke out his world famous Ja Fallon-esque shuffle sending two defenders the wrong way leaving him one on one with the keeper but in keeping with the theme of the day, made a dog's dinner of the finish, something that will give O'Connor plenty of food for thought ahead of the next training session. After Corbett then kicked a shite free 13 metres out, followed by another wide from McDermott after a strong solo run down the right wing, people were beginning to question if the guys were trying cover the spread on Betfair. Corbett soon made up for it with a fine score on the run. Halifax were now running on empty but kept plugging away with the Shamrocks' back line keeping their concentration and snuffing out any danger that came their way and ensure that the cup would be heading back to the banks of the lovely Saint Lawrence and cue some enthusiastic celebrations.

A fine team display all around with very impressive performances throughout.

Captain Conneely accepted the Cup on behalf of the team from Chairman of the Canadian County Board, Brian Farmer and acknowledged the fine effort of the Halifax Gaels as well as the organisers, St. John's Avalon Harps who put on a fantastic day with the Hurling tournament also being played in great spirit as well as a demonstration of ground hurling and a kids' coaching clinic. Coneely summed up the weekend very well in five words; "Kissing cods and kicking points". He also picked up a well deserved Player of the Tournament Award and now insists on being called 'MVP' Conneely.

It's doubtful whether there'll be a cow milked in Montreal this week following the well-deserved celebrations with bonfires expected down Rue St. Catherine along with a back of the trailer homecoming in Place des Arts!!

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