At last it is official! The 2007/08 Forster Cup Champions are… INISHOWEN RFC.
May 13th 2008

On a warm Carndonagh Saturday afternoon, the peninsula men played a ‘Barbarian’ invitational XV to help them celebrate the awarding of the Forester cup.

The cup final was originally played between Inishowen and Academy at Ravenhill, Belfast on 19th April. The Academy side won the match 16 – 0, but were then found to have played ineligible players and subsequently were disqualified form the competition. The outcome meant the cup was to be awarded to Inishowen.

When speaking about the final on Saturday, Ulster Branch official, Davy Boyd told the large Inishowen crowd, “It is not about who wins on the day, it is about who plays & then wins within the rules. Because of this Inishowen are deserved winners of this competition.”

The Barbarian’s played the game with great spirit and at a fast pace with the skills of quality players from Derry YMCA, Strabane, Letterkenny, Donegal Town & City of Derry plus some promising youngsters from Inishowen 2nd XV on display.

The home side started the stronger with tries from Ollie McConalogue and Robin Hutchinson, plus a penalty & conversion from fullback Finn McCormack gave them a comfortable 15 nil half time lead.

The second half started fast & furious with the Barbarians’ knocking on the home teams door for large periods of the match. Repelling the pressure the home side made their way up the pitch & increased the lead to 18 nil with another McCormack penalty.

Then came the Barbarian onslaught! Running in two tries, one converted, brought the score to 18 - 12 & left the home side franticly defending their line for the last 10 minutes as the invitational side looked for the winning score. But it wasn’t to be.

Inishowen held out winning the match & lifting the Forester cup on what was a great occasion and advert for rugby.

After lifting the trophy, home team captain Shaun Craig said, “What an incredible feeling. To play this match, then to lift the cup here at home with all this great support…. UNBELIEVABLE.

“First we get promotion and now this trophy. It caps off a great season for the club, and is just reward for the hard work the players & committee have put in over the last 12 months.”