Sweet 16 for Erne Eagles in All-Ireland final

Rounders

The Rounders GAA Senior Championship All Ireland finals took place in the GAA National Games Development Centre in Dublin on Sunday last and, in a thrilling encounter between Erne Eagles Senior men and Breaffy, Co Mayo, Erne Eagles secured a 16-9 victory to bring back the Corn Aodh Rua to Cavan for the 16th time.

Breaffy started strong in the first innings. Erne Eagles were first to bat but the Mayo team got three batters out in quick succesion leaving the Cavan side scoreless.

When it came to field Erne Eagles showed their form and the quick reflexes of Michael Cullen, Darryl Dolan and Fionn Higgins, catching three batters out, ensuring that the Mayo team only put one run on the scoreboard. While Breaffy took an early lead in the first innings, it was the only time during the match as the Erne Eagles men got into their stride.

Erne Eagles quickly bounced back in the second innings, showing their offensive strength, scoring three runs and prevented Breaffy from adding to their tally making it 3-1 in favour of Erne Eagles. The three outs were achieved by Shane Sheridan on 1st assisted by Gary O' Reilly, Fionn Higgins in centre out field and Karl Dolan on 2nd base.

The Eagles extended their advantage in the third innings, adding another three runs, bringing their total to 6 . Breaffy however managed to pull one back ending the third innings at 6-2. The three outs in this innings were down to Shane Sheridan on first and Karl Dolan on 2nd who caught two batters out.

Breaffy mounted a fierce comeback in the fourth innings, scoring five crucial runs. However the Eagles held their ground and added two more runs to thier total. At the end of the innings, the score was a nail-biting 8-7 with the Eagles only one run ahead. With the pressure on in this innings, Fionn Higgins caught a ball deep in centre outfield and other two outs were thanks to Shane Sheridan on 1st, assised by the quick reflexes and stragegic play of Darryl Dolan. Nathan Loughnane came on for Sean Ó Brady during the fourth innings.

In a critical fifth innings, the Eagles stepped up again matching the five runs that Breaffy put on the scoreboard in the previous innings. A bit hit from Karl Dolan got two runners home and himself to second base. Paul Mollaghan struck a lovely ball down the line along third base - ensuring a safe progression on bases for him and his team mates. Owen Roe O'Reilly judged the pitches well and secured a walk-on, moving everyone on a base safely at a time that the team could not risk a runner getting out. Breaffy continued to fight when it came to their turn to bat but could only manage one run, making it 13 -8 in favour of the Eagles. Michael Cullen, Fionn Higgins and Nathan Loughnane were responsible for the three batters caught out in this innings.

The Eagles extended their lead further with three more runs in the sixth innings, while Breaffy couldn't find an answer keeping the score at 16 -8 going into the final innings. All the action in getting batters out in this innings centred on home and 1st base. Paul Mollaghan was on fire getting two balls to Shane Sheridan on first before the runner got there. One batter was fouled out and that's thanks to Darryl Dolan and the speed at which he was pitching the ball.

Despite being in the lead with eight runs, Erne Eagles were taking nothing for granted and rightly so. Breaffy were not going without a fight and got three runners out before the Eagles could add any further runs to their score. The pressure was on the Erne Eagles team to get three runners out before Breaffy could threathen their lead. Justin Perrin came on for Karl Dolan and Caolan O'Reilly came on for Gary Reilly as the Eagles went out to field for the last time. The first Breaffy batter was caught out by Paul Mollaghan and the remaining two catches were by Fionn Higgins, finishing off the game in the style he started. Breaffy managed to add one run to the final score, Erne Eagles 16, Breaffy 9.

Fionn Higgins was a standout performer in the Erne Eagles' 16 -9 victory over Breaffy, earning the well deserved Player of the Match title. Positioned in centre outfield, Higgins was a defensive wall, catching every single ball that went his way. His sharp relexes and impeccable judgement were crucial in securing key outs, keeping his team ahead at critical moments of the game. This was Fionn's first year playing with the Senior Men, an incredible start for such a young player.

Starting team: Owen Roe O'Reilly (Left Outfield, Joint Capatin); Shane Sheridan (First base, Joint Captain); Karl Dolan (Second Base) Gary O Reilly (Third Base);Darryl Dolan (Pitcher); Paul Mollaghan (Catcher); Michael Cullen ( Shortstop); Seán Óg Brady ( Right outfield); Fionn Higgins (Centre Outfield).

Panel: Nathan Loughnane, Justin Perrin, Caolan O'Reilly, Davin Dolan, Joshua Dolan, Conor Masterson, Ronan Halton, Forest Pierce.

The future looks bright for Erne Eagles, as the U16 girls' team also clinched victory in their All Ireland final on Saturday last, making this a very successful weekend for the club. Their impressive performance highlights the strength of the club's youth development, with the next generation of players showing great potential. The U16 girls demonstrated skill, teamwork and determination, reflecting the club's commitment to nurturing young talent as the future stars begin to emerge.