As we approach the 28th Anniversary of Volunteer Martin Hurson, who died on Hunger Strike on 13th July 1981, the family of Martin Hurson has launched the Annual Martin Hurson Memorial Cup.
This Gaelic Football Tournament now in its 24th year gathers together teams from throughout Tyrone and beyond annually to commemorate the memory of Martin Hurson. There are two tournaments played out each year the Ladies Cup and the Men’s Cup.
All games are played in Pearse Park, Galbally, Co. Tyrone and we extend an open invitation to everyone to come along and support the participating teams throughout the tournament.
An historical exhibition of the 1981 Hunger Strike will be on show each night of the tournament.
Men’s Tournament
The Draw for the Men’s tournament was made on Tuesday 16th June and nine teams will battle it out for the Martin Hurson Memorial Cup over the coming weeks. The teams involved are:
MC ANESPIES – Aghaloo
DONAGHYS – Carrickmore
CORLEAGHAN EMMETTS – Clogher
LOUGHDOO – Kildress
GALBALLY
CAPPAGH
FINULAGH
ALTMORE
HURSONS
The tournament officially starts on Monday 29th June with a derby match between Cappagh and Altmore in the First Round at 7.30pm while Finulagh and Galbally will play for a semi final place in the first of the quarter finals at 8.30pm
The other quarter finals will take place on Monday 6th July starting at 6.30pm with the current cup holders Hursons taking on Corleaghan Emmetts (Clogher). Donaghy’s (Carrickmore) will play Mc Anespies –(Aghaloo) in the second fixture of the night while Loughdoo (Kildress) take on the winners of the first round tie between Altmore and Cappagh in the last of the quarter final ties.
The Semi Finals will take place on Saturday 11th July at 5pm and 6pm with the Final taking place on the 28th Anniversary of Martin Hurson - Monday 13th July at 4.00pm.
Ladies Tournament
The Ladies tournament will be a little different this year as we look back at how the Martin Hurson Memorial Tournament helped revive Ladies football in Tyrone in the late eighties.
In 1988 the first Martin Hurson Memorial Ladies Cup was played with teams such as Mountfield, Altamuskin, Oonagh Celts and Carrickmore. Carrickmore won the cup in its inaugural year with Captain Finola McKernan lifting the cup after defeating Mountfield in the final after extra time.
More teams entered the tournament in 1989 such as Galbally, Omagh, Aodh Ruadh, St McCartans and Kildress to name but a few.
This year we are planning to look back over the 21 Years since the tournament started, by hosting a special “exhibition match” which will include players from the early days of the Martin Hurson Memorial Cup.
The family of Martin Hurson would like to extend an invitation to players who have played in the Martin Hurson Ladies Memorial Tournament in the first five years of the tournament, between 1988 and 1993.
Those who are available to play in the exhibition match on Monday 13th July 2009 at 2.30pm are asked to contact Sean Hurson – 07720445642 / seanhurson@yahoo.com before Sunday 5th July.
We would encourage all players from this era to come along and support the players who have agreed to play this match. It will give everyone a chance to meet up and remember their playing days in the Martin Hurson Memorial Cup.
We would encourage all players from this era to come along and support the players who have agreed to play this match. It will give everyone a chance to meet up and remember their playing days in the Martin Hurson Memorial Cup.
Tournaments such as the Martin Hurson Memorial Cup, Kildress Tournament and the Glencull Ladies Tournament laid the foundations to the formation of the Tyrone Ladies County Board in 1991 and indeed to the current success of Ladies Football in Tyrone.
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