Melview National School, Longford - Slashers League Preview

On Tuesday October 22nd the 2002 Longford Slashers U-13 Schools League commenced with round one games and for the first time the league was played under lights on the new state of the art fully playable all-weather floodlit pitch. Once again this year the four local town schools of Melview, Stonepark, St. Michael’s and St. Emers are participating in the competition. The first two round games will be played this week with round three and both finals played the week straight after Halloween.

In the first round of games saw St. Emers and Stonepark playing the first underage football game on the new pitch with Melview and St. Michael’s playing in the second match. Round two games will be played this Thursday with St. Emers and St. Michael’s getting things underway at 6.15pm and Melview and Stonepark playing at 7pm.

Slashers U-13 Schools League Fixtures

Round 1 (Tuesday 22nd October)

St. Emers V Stonepark

Melview V St. Michael’s

Round 2 (Thursday 24th October)

St. Emers V St. Michael’s

Melview V Stonepark

Round 3 (Tuesday 5th November)

Stonepark V St. Michael’s

Melview V St. Emers

Finals (Thursday 7th November)

6.15pm: ‘B’ Final

7pm: ‘A’ Final

Competition Rules

1: Players must be pupils of the school.

2: Games to start at appointed times.

3: Fifteen a side with no limit on the number of substitutes used.

4: Permission from referee must be given before a substitution can be used.

5: Games of fifteen minutes each half.

6: Kick outs to be taken from the hand.

7: Square ball rule will not apply.

8: All other GAA rules on the field apply.

9: Referees decision is final at all times.

10: 3 points for a win. 1 point for a draw.

18 years of Longford Slashers Club Leagues

The 2002 Longford Slashers U-13 School League got underway last night (Tuesday 22nd October) with the new stars of the four local schools showing of their skills on the Gaelic field and going on all four schools form in this seasons Cumann na mBunscol League, we should be in for a very close and entertaining contest as all schools have had a number of excellent results in the competition and the added attraction of the competition played under lights should make for a very exciting competition for all as many of these kids will be playing under lights for the first time ever.

But the Longford Slashers Club League did not begin yesterday with it now running for the last seventeen years and over them years a lot of memorable moments have gone by and a few difference of opinions but most of all some very exciting and never forgettable games as most of the stars of Longford Slashers teams got their first taste of this club through this competition with almost all of their U-12, U-14, Juvenile and Minor teams all playing with their schools or street in the past and once again this competition will give all four schools some valuable practice for the County schools Championship.

It all began back in 1984 and until 1994 the famous Street Leagues were ran and from 1995 onwards the Schools Leagues took over and are organised each year for the four local schools and have seen 18 years of success, achievement and a lot of hard work by the Longford Slashers club. Looking at the great Longford Slashers underage teams of past years that have won U-14, Juvenile and Minor Championships and indeed this years Juvenile team who lost by a single point to Killoe in the Juvenile Final all would have lined out for one of the four schools when they were young men in fourth, fifth and sixth class at that time.

But going back in time down the years looking at the great Teffia, Templemichael and St. Michael’s teams who were the first to win the school league when they began all have played their part and gone onto greater things and are all playing and managing many teams of today. Once again we all hope that the fine young stars of today’s school teams will go on and played with local clubs and go on and win Leinster Minor Championships like our County minors did this year.

Over the years without the co-operation from the four local schools, teachers, parents and team mentors and to them well done for the work and effort put in with teams. Over the years we have seen many managers and organisers with Tom Chapman one of the main men behind these competitions and over the years Tom has put in so much work behind the scenes in the successful running of the competitions.

So hopefully the new stars of the this competition the likes of the Mark Valentine’s, Thomas Kelly’s and Robert Kennedy’s of Melview, the Tom Madden’s, Barry Trueick’s of St. Emer’s, the Shaun Hughes’s and Mark Mulligan’s of St. Michael’s and the Ruari Barrins’s and Conor Sheahan’s of Stonepark and many more will all write another chapter in this endless story and hopefully it will be a happy chapter for one school.

And the winners are …

The following is a flashback and list of the former winners of the competition:

Street Leagues (1984 – 1994)

1984: Teffia, 1985: Teffia, 1986: Farnagh, 1987: Templemichael, 1988: Teffia, 1990: Templemichael, 1991: Aughadegnan, 1992: Aughadegnan, 1993: Farnagh, 1994: Templemichael.

School Leagues (1995 – present day)

1995: St. Emers, 1996: St. Michael’s, 1997: Melview, 1998: Stonepark, 1999: St. Emers, 2000: Stonepark, 2001: Stonepark, 2002:????