THE fonaCAB St Paul’s, Belfast minor tournament makes a triumphant return to the GAA calendar this December coming out of an enforced hibernation due to COVID.
The west Belfast tournament was paused in 2020 and 2021 and after negotiating a few hurdles club chairperson Caroline McLaughlin, CLG Naomh Pól, expressed her delight of its eagerly awaited return.
“CLG Naomh Pól is delighted to welcome back the fonaCAB Ulster Minor Football Tournament this year following a pandemic enforced break.
“The prestige this tournament is held in across Ulster is huge and it is great to see the buzz about our club, participating clubs and communities across the province since we have given the approval. Thanks to all Ulster Colleges and Ulster Council GAA for the continued support in facilitating this year’s tournament at U17.”
Tournament organiser Conor McCartan says the club had already been inundated with enquiries as to whether they would be returning in 2022, which is the competition’s 40th anniversary.
So many of the best players in Ulster played in the St Paul’s tournament and McCartan is excited about seeing which minor teams emerge from the Ulster counties this autumn as they get ready for their December 9 throw-in with an anticipated triple header set to run two weeks running with the semi-finals and final pencilled in for St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day, respectively.
“We’re very glad we’ve got the tournament back because there were times I didn’t think we’d get it back,” McCartan said.
This year’s event will be in keeping with the national age group of U17 and not the old minor age of U18.
“We don’t term it as an age group, we term it as the minor group,” explained McCartan.
“Whatever age group the minor age sits at, that’s what will determine the age group of our tournament.”
“It’s a huge shot in the arm for us as a club,” McCartan added.
“It also brings a financial benefit to us as well especially with fundraising and the cost of living crisis, that extra finance is much appreciated at this time of the year.
“But from my perspective, it’s the benefits of the kids participating in the competition. And you look at some of the massive names of the game that have come through the tournament, even in recent years – the likes of Rian and Oisin O’Neill, Conor Glass – it’s a huge statement for us as a club to say we’re back with the elite minor players coming through in each county.”
While unofficial, the St Paul’s tournament is regarded as the Ulster Championship for club minor teams.
Lavey of Derry were the last winners in 2019, defeating Termon of Donegal on New Year’s Day in 2020.
Watty Graham’s, Glen lead the roll of honour with four titles in a row (2011 to 2014). St Paul’s themselves won the inaugural tournament in 1982 and followed up with another title in 1986.
Clan na Gael (Armagh), Dungiven (Derry), Burren (Down) and St Patrick’s Donaghmore (Tyrone) have qualified for this year’s provincial competition with Antrim, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan and Fermanagh still to be decided.
