RECAP - 2025 Bryan Cullen Invitational Tournament

By Mikey Daughton

The Bryan Cullen Invitational Under 16 Football Tournament was held in Skerries Harps GAA grounds on Saturday 16 August, 2025 – its seventh hosting of the event, originally played in 2017.

The tournament honours the career and achievements of Bryan Cullen as a successful inter-county player at all levels, captaining Dublin to a senior All-Ireland football win in 2011, his juvenile and adult club football career with Skerries Harps and his representation of Ireland in the International Rules series on three occasions. Bryan is still actively involved in Dublin GAA and has made a significant contribution to all of Dublin’s successes over the last decade. He is also heavily involved with Skerries Harps and coaches the Under 16 team.

The tournament also commemorates the huge contribution of Oliver “Skipper” Moore to the GAA in Skerries and Dublin, over a 25-year period, including holding the position of Club Chairman for three terms with a strong focus on juvenile development. Oliver was also a highly respected delegate at Dublin County Board level and was elected as Dublin Junior Board Chairman in 1997, before he passed away suddenly in 1998.

2025 Competition

The teams represented in this year’s competition were:

Newtown Blues, Louth

St Kevins/Kilians, Dublin

St Judes, Dublin

Wolfe Tones, Louth

St Barrys / Kilglass Gaels, Roscommon

Skerries Harps, Dublin

The 2025 tournament was played as a 15-a-side competition and it proved to be a huge success. High quality football was played right throughout the day with outstanding individual and team performances. Feedback from the competing clubs was hugely positive regarding the format and organisation, the smooth running of the tournament, facilities and the hospitality provided.

The Oliver Moore Memorial Shield was won by Wolfe Tones who beat St Judes in a close and competitive final.

The Oliver Moore Cup Final was contested by Skerries Harps and Newtown Blues who had won the competition in 2024. This was a high quality game between two excellent teams with Skerries Harps coming out on top. This is the second time that Skerries Harps has won the Oliver Moore Memorial Cup since the competition started in 2017. The Skerries Harps players were very appreciative of their winning set of jerseys which were worn with pride following the presentation.

Many thanks to our partner, Masita, for designing and sponsoring the winners’ jerseys.

Both the Cullen and Moore families were well represented on the day. Bryan Cullen and Oliver Moore’s son, Alan delivered the post tournament speeches. Bryan presented the Oliver Moore Memorial Shield to the captain of the Wolfe Tones team.

Alan Moore and his son Conor presented the Oliver Moore Memorial Cup to Oliver Moore’s grandson, Oliver Daughton who captained the Skerries team. In his acceptance speech, Oliver thanked the organisers of the tournament, the visiting teams, the coaches and mentors and Newtown Blues for a great game in the final.

Club and Community

The tournament continues to focus on Club and volunteers and the competition was played in a sporting spirit by all clubs.

Our local and regular sponsors continued to support us including, Moriarty’s SuperValu, Conor McGloughlin Catering and Masita. A big thank you to them for helping us make it possible to continue to hold this great event in our calendar each year.

A big thank you to the organising committee for all of the work put into organising the tournament and to all of the people that helped out on the day. Thanks to Pat Delaney who was MC for the day, Ian Howley and John O’Brien who refereed the matches, Fionn O’Leary as physio, Gordon Kehoe and Peter Mullarkey as game co-ordinators, Bobby Rogan for playing the national anthem and Ian Morgan on photos. Finally thanks to Skerries Harps GAA Club and Club Chairman Martin Kenny for the ongoing support of this tournament.

The organising committee and a large group of volunteers and parents, succeeded in putting on a great gaelic games event ensuring that our facilities were looking their best and hosting our friends and visitors with a warm Skerries welcome and with excellent hospitality for the day.