Last year, we got a letter inviting us to a seven-a-side football competition in Buttevant with schools from North Cork only.  We trained very hard until the day came.  We had a challenge match against Ballyclough in Newmarket to get us ready for the competition.  I came on as a sub and played in goals and made some saves.  We ended up thrashing them in the end.  When the big day came we traveled on a bus.  There was a panel of fourteen going.  Our first game was against Buttevant, I think, which we won.  Next we played Doneraile.  We were losing by two points and we got a free.  Timothy Murphy quickly picked up the ball, took a shot and scored a goal.  The best of all was I started both games in goal.  We reached the North Cork final against Mitchelstown.  I was very nervous.  We went on and won it.  It was a great feeling.  Then we were through to the county finals.  We were drawn against Carrigthuohill, Ballyclough and Ballincollig.  It was held in Ballincollig.  We played our first game against Ballyclough and we won by a few points. 

In the second game, we came out on the wrong end of the scoreline losing to Carrigtuohill by a few points.  We were now out of the competition as only the top team goes through.  Our last game in the group was against Ballincollig and we lost because we knew we couldn't qualify.  But it was a great experience all the same and we got further than I thought we would.

by Nicky Flanagan  

7-a-side   

We have a 7-a-side team this year. Last year we were North Cork champions. We went to Cork to be county champions but we were knocked out in the first round of the championship.  We had a good team and we thought we would go all the way but we didn’t. I got on only 4 or 5 times last year.  This year I hope I get better and get more games. Football is my favourite sport. We have only started training recently and have had about 5 trainings. Last year the tournament was on in Ballincollig.  Our players who played the most were: Kevin O’ Sullivan, David Guiney, Michael Kenneally, John Ryan, Tim O’ Reilly and Timothy Murphy. This year we have a better team I hope.   24 people went for 7-a-side training but 14 only got picked and I was one of them. I hope we are more successful this year than last year - go a bit further & win cups or medals. We have training every Friday or sometimes Tuesday. It was usually called off because of bad weather. Our trainers are Michael O’ Keeffe  and Sheila Crowley.

The Newmarket B.N.S Football team this year have entered a seven a side competition. We have been training for about a month. There are two teams in training. These are the last teams we had in training.  

Team A.
In goals Jerry O Connor. 
The backs were Darren Drumm, Nicky Flanagan and Jerry Murphy. 
Midfield: Kevin O Sullivan and John Ryan. 
The forwards were Ian Flanagan Liam O Callaghan and Billy Hourigan. 

Team B. 
In goals Richard Shire. 
The backs were Anthony Lynch, John Scanlon and Paul Cashman. 
Midfield David Guiney and Brian O Riordan. 
The forwards John Lane, Hugh O Connor and Eugene Bodie. 

Newmarket have entered the 7 a- side as well.

By Darren Drumm

7 a side 

by Kevin O'Sullivan

Our School sports  

by John McAuliffe

SPORTS

Our school trains every Friday for seven-a-side football. Last year we won the North Cork competition out and went on to play in the County. In the County we weren’t good enough on the day to win the County. We also train for the Duhallow rural schools tournament. In the last two years we lost in the final to Kanturk in 1999 and Banteer in 2000. Next year we are going to beat Kanturk in the final ! We also train for hurling every Thursday. In the last two years we lost the hurling finals to Kanturk in 1999 and 2000. Next year we will beat Kanturk in that final too !

We had a football final against Kanturk around four months ago. We were winning in the first half but we lost in the second half. Football is a brilliant sport for me. I love it and hopefully I will play for Cork. The season is over but we play it in school we play on Fridays. The people that play football in my class are Bart Daly, John Ryan, Brian O'Riordan, Kevin O'Sullivan, Billy Hourigan, Jerry Murphy, Danny Quinlan, Billy Allen, David Guiney, Jerry McCarthy, Joseph Walsh, John Scanlan, Nicky Flanagan, Hugh O'Connor.  They are all very good. Sometimes it's very wet and we don’t go out.  Dan O'Riordan, Bertie Daly and Pat Flanagan train the under twelves.  Michael O'Keeffe and Sheila Crowley train us at school.

by David Guiney