History: Connacht 7 a Side Tournament

2009:

Connacht Council decided to pilot a 7 a side tournament. This was a wonderful success where sixteen teams entered. Eight in senior and eight in intermediate.
Breaffy House Resort teamed up with us for this event in which we used their facilities as well as Breaffy GAA Pitch and facilities. The follow up years the tournament entries kept on growing where at the end of three years our clubs entries have reached 33 clubs participating.

2009 Finals:

Senior: Breaffy House Resort Connacht Senior Cup Final:

Carnacon of Mayo took the first title of 2009 by defeating Corofin's B of Galway, Carnacon 6-16 Corofin B 1-3 referee Seamus Regan.

The first Breaffy House Resort Connacht Senior Shield Final was won by Corofin A of Galway 7-10 Swinford of Mayo 0-4 referee Gerry Carmody.

Intermediate: Breaffy House Resort Connacht Intermediate Cup Final stayed local when Breaffy scored 2-9 against Curry of Sligo 2-5 referee Pat Costello.

Breaffy House Resort Connacht Intermediate Shield Final was captured by St. Michaels Sligo5-9 and Grainne Mhaols of Galway 2-2 referee Gerry Carmody.

2010:

This year we extended the competition to junior with a total of eighteen clubs participating.

2010 Finals:

Senior: Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Senior Cup Final, two in a row for Carnacon 4-10 also over Corofin 4-7 referee Liam McDonagh.

Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Senior Shield Final, St. Nathy's of Sligo 6-10 beat last year's intermediate champs Breaffy 2-6 referee Pat Costello.

Intermediate: Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Intermediate Cup Final, Knockmore of Mayo 2-4 beat Glenamaddy Galway 1-3 referee Liam McDonagh.

Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Intermediate Shield Final,

Drumcliffe/Rosses Point Sligo 2-7 beat Hollymount of Mayo1-4 referee Michael Lynott.

Junior: Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Junior Cup Final,

Glinsk 2- 10 of Galway beat Moy Davitts of Mayo 0-4 referee Gus Chapman.

Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Junior Shield Final,

St. Farnan's 5-3 of Sligo beat Lahardane MacHales of Mayo 4-3 referee Seamus Regan.

2011 Finals:

Third season of 7's we had a total of thirty three teams where we went to Ballyhaene GAA pitch for the junior tournament.
Senior: Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Senior Cup Final,
Kilmovee Shamrocks 4-6 of Mayo over St. Nathy's of Sligo 2-10 referee Seamus Regan Roscommon.
Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Senior Shield Final,
Corofin 5-10 of Galway over Breaffy of Mayo 0-1 referee John Niland Sligo.
Intermediate: Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Senior Cup Final, KilkerrinClonberne/Galway 1-8 Tuam/Cortoon/Galway 2-5 all square it took a shoot out to separate them, KilkerrinClonberne 0-4 Tuam/Cortoon 0-1 referee Gus Chapman Sligo.
Connacht Gold - Breaffy House Resort Connacht Senior Shield Final,
Drumcliffe Rossies Point/Sligo 2-10 Caltra Cuans/Galway 2-5 referee Gerry Carmody Mayo.
Junior: Connacht Gold - Junior Cup Final, St. Marys/Sligo 7-2 St. Brigids/Mayo 6-3.
Connacht Gold - Junior Shield Final, Moy Davitts/Mayo 2-9 Claregalway/Galway 3-6, another shoot out: Moy Davitts 0-2 Claregalway 0-1.

We also ran U-12 and U-14 blitzes that commenced in 1998.

U-12: Leitrim won the first, Sligo the second '99, and Galway the next two. Mayo won in '02, Galway in'03 and back to Mayo again in '04. In 2005 Galway and Mayo entered two teams with Leitrim and Roscommon and it was the Galway B team who finished tops against Mayo's first team.

2006/2007 we changed the format and decided to eliminate a final and have a fun day of matches and skills. Galway, Mayo and Sligo entered two teams with Leitrim and Roscommon one each.

2008 all counties as well as Connacht held an U-12 Blitz. In 2009 Galway and Mayo hosted one including Connacht. 2010 Roscommon and Sligo with Connacht held a U-12 blitz. 2011 it was the turn of Leitrim and Mayo with Connacht to host an U-12 blitz.

Winners of the U-14 blitzes are Mayo won the first three 1998 to 2000 inc, and Galway the next two 2001 and 2002. Mayo in 2003 and Galway in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 2009 and 2010. 2011 after many three attempts we failed to get more than one county showing an interest to participate.

All of our Counties have won different grades of the U-14 Blitz's tournament at National level.

On the National front our Counties have featured reasonable well from the very beginning, we have captured eighteen All Irelands at under age and sixteen at adult county status.

Six U-14, four by Mayo and one by Galway and Leitrim.
Four U-16, three by Mayo and one by Galway.
Eight minor, Galway three, Mayo two, one each by Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo.
We have won six Junior titles, two intermediate, two Senior B and six Senior.
Junior Galway two. One each for Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo and Roscommon.
Intermediate Roscommon and Leitrim.
Senior B champions Galway and Mayo.
Four Senior for Mayo and one each for Galway and Roscommon.

Mayo, Roscommon and Galway are the only three Counties who have reached U-14 All Irelands championships. Mayo played in five, Galway five and Roscommon one. In the first All Ireland played in 1990 Wexford beat Mayo. Cork beat Mayo in 2000 and 2003. Dublin beat Mayo in 2004 after a replay. In 1993 Kerry beat Roscommon. Mayo was the first in Connacht to win a U-14 All Ireland in 1994 where they beat Kerry. Cork ended Galway's hopes in 2002 where they defeated them by two points in St. Lomans Mullingar. Galway played in three in a row finals and lost the three, 2007 defeated by Dublin, 2008 defeated by Kerry and 2009 defeated by Cork. 2010 Galway won U-14 A Cup All Ireland Final Championship by defeating Dublin.

2009 there was an U-14 A Shield with Mayo taking the honours against Kerry.

2010 Mayo won U-14 A Shield All Ireland Final Championship by defeating Kildare. 2011Leitrim were beaten by Kerry in the U-14 A All Ireland Shield Championship Final.

In 2006 National Council introduced a B championship competition. Roscommon were the first Connacht team to compete in the 2007 but was beaten by Wicklow. In 2008 Mayo won against Tipperary. Roscommon were back again in the

2009 final where Clare beat them. 2011 Roscommon were beaten by Tipperary in the U-14 B All Ireland Championship Final.

2009 there was an U-14 B Shield with the title going to Leitrim over Offaly. Leitrim won U-14 B Shield All Ireland Final Championship by beating Longford in 2010.

2011 Mayo were defeated by Waterford in the B Shield replay.

Mayo were the first County in Connacht to bring glory across the Shannon, in 1975 when they captured the U-16 All Ireland Final at the hands of Kilkenny, and added another U-16 All Ireland the following year by beating Kerry. Roscommon in 1977 was runners up to Cavan, and again in 1978 to Tipperary. In 1987 and 1994 Mayo was runners up to Clare. 1991 Waterford defeated Roscommon. 1996 Waterford took another title when they defeated Mayo. Galway lost three before they won one in 2003 when they defeated Cavan, Meath beat Galway in 2000 and 2001 and Cork beat them in 2002 and 2008.

2009 there was an U-16 A Shield All Ireland competition, Mayo reached this final with Dublin where they had a second day out before the Capital took the title, the following year Mayo were once again in the A Shield final this time against Cork and the Leesiders took this title.

Like the U-14 B in 2006 National Council also introduced a B competition for U-16, Roscommon reached the B final in 2006 where Down defeated them. Sligo made it to the B final in 2007 but it was Clare that took the title on the day. 2009 Roscommon reached this final but were defeated by Tipperary. 2010 Mayo defeated Wexford for the title.

Leitrim were our first County to play in the Minor all Ireland Finals in 1982 and again in 1983 only to be beaten by Wexford each time. Mayo once again won the first Minor All Ireland for Connacht in 1987 where they beat Cork. Roscommon contested the 1991 All Ireland where Waterford beat them. Mayo played in four All Irelands in a row in 1996 and 1997 Waterford beat them. 1998 and 1999 Monaghan beat them. Galway reached their first Minor All Ireland in 2002 and did the business by beating Monaghan and in 2005 Galway took their second title by defeating Donegal.

Mayo again reached the final again in 2003 against Cork and Cork won. Galway were back again in another Minor All Ireland in 2006, this time it was Cork who were their opponents, they finished level the first day in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. The second day in Birr Cork did the business. 2010 Galway won the Minor A Cup All Ireland Championship Final by defeating Donegal.

2009 National Council introduced a Minor A Shield with a B championship and Shield, where Connacht had three teams participating in finals.

2009 Cork defeated Mayo in the A Shield. 2010 Mayo won the Minor A Shield All Ireland Championship Final by defeating Westmeath.

2009 Roscommon beat Tipperary in the B Championship.