October 28, 2017October 29, 2017 by thesaffrongael

Gorts advance after extra time in keenly contested game

U21A Football Championship

Moneyglass 1-21 Gort na Mona 4-13 AET

It took extra time to separate Gort na Mona and Moneyglass in this first round of the U21A football championship in the closest and most keenly contested game in the competition to date. The visitors travelled to the changed venue of Ahoghill on the back of a good opening round win over Casement’s Portglenone while St. Ergnats had impressed in their opening round win over All Saints.

It was Gort na Mona who got off to the better start and a goal from the penalty spot after five minutes settled them and they went on to lead by six points at the short whistle with Ciaran Kelly and Conor McCabe prominent.

Moneyglass staged a fighting comeback during the second half with Seanahan Duffin, Paddy Mackle and Dermot McErlain leading the way and some excellent free taking by minor star, McErlain left it all square at the final whistle, sending the game into extra time.

With Conor McCabe kicking some fine points the Gorts took an early lead in time added on but St. Ergnat’s came fighting back and went ahead with four minutes remaining. The visitors kept plugging away however and two late points saw them advance by the minimum and earn them a place in the quarter-final against Lamh Dhearg.

Best for Gort na Mona were Conor McCabe who scored nine points with their goals coming from Aodhan McDonagh, Brendan Corr, Jude Reilly and Niall ‘Babby’ Meehan. Moneyglass will feel that they should have got something from this game and looked home when they edged ahead late in the contest.

They had excellent performers in Seanahan Duffin, Paudie Mackle, Sean Kelly and Dermot McErlain in a game that could have gone either way but it’s the men from the Mona bye-pass who will now go forward with some confidence to meet the men from Hannastown.

Gort na Mona:

Matthew Park

Colm Scullion

Michael Savage

Shay McStravick

Padraig Mulvenna

Aodhan McDonagh

Sean Campbell

Jude Reilly

Cricky Carson

Conor Healy

Conor McCabe

Brendan Corr

Niall Melaney

Ciaran Kelly

Thomas McGoran

Subs used:

Sean Doyle

Tommy McGreevy

John McCarthy

PHOTOGRAPHS NEIL O’BOYLE

October 28, 2017 by thesaffrongael

Dunloy Cúchullains host North Antrim GAA quiz

2015-12-04-0020 Who captained Dunloy to their first county title back in 1990?

All GAA members are invited to organise a team. Enter a team from your Camogie, Football, Hurling or LGFA teams and supporters

Dunloy Cúchullain GAA Club are looking forward to the craic and entertainment on Saturday 4th November when they host the annual North Antrim Table Quiz.

Tí Cúchullain, Dunloy Clubrooms, will be abuzz as clubs from all over Antrim convene to battle it out over questions on Culture, Current Affairs, General Knowledge, Geography, History and Sport.

The bar will be open before and after the Quiz and as no night is complete without tea and sandwiches, refreshments will also be served.

A wonderful night is guaranteed … so come along and enjoy the fun. The doors open at 8.00 p.m.

October 28, 2017October 28, 2017 by thesaffrongael

McErlain the Naomh Treasa hero as Dunloy pipped at the post

NWP Bridie McMenamin Shield final :

Dunloy players and manager Paudie Shivers try to take it all in after their one point defeat in Friday evening’s replay at Jordanstown. Pic by Dylan McIlwaine

Naomh Treasa (Tyrone) 0-7 Dunloy (Antrim) 0-6
Roisin McErlean must have created some kind of record when she pointed Dungannon’s Naomh Treasa to their first NWP Bridie McMenamin Shield title in a replay under the UUJ lights on Friday night. She had scored all 1-7 including a last minute goal in their drawn final with Dunloy Cuchulainn’s in Tattyreagh a fortnight ago and then posted all their scores in this replay. Despite her accuracy, this was a real team effort from the Tyrone champions and defender Cara Little picked up the Player of the Match award.
That award could easily have gone to either of the two goalkeepers, Eimear Colton or Dunloy’s Liza McAllister, who were responsible for keeping their teams in contention right until the end. Indeed both teams stepped up a gear from the drawn game to provide super entertainment for the siezeable crowd that attended
The game followed a similar pattern to the drawn final with Dunloy holding a lead after the opening quarter during which the sides shared four points.
Dearbhail Magill Elliott then pointed twice to open up a 0-5 to 0-3 lead, but Roisin McErlean pulled one back before the break. DYLN7778
McErlean pointed on the re-start, but didn’t bring the sides level at 0-5 each until the 44th minute.
Five minutes later Eilis Kearns tapped over a free to give Dunloy the lead again, but it lasted less than 60 seconds with McErlean pointing from play and then giving her side the lead with a 51st minute free.
Both sides had chances in the remaining ten minutes of play and both goalies had to be sharp. But Naomh Treasa held out to end Antrim clubs’ successful run in the competition.
Naomh Treasa : Eimear Colton, Marian Barker, Laura Barker, Aisling McLaughlin, Cara Little, Cora McNulty, Aine McNulty, Niamh Morgan, Mary Cassidy, Aoife Morgan, Catherine Casey, Louise Casey, Pauline Barker, Roisin McErlean 0-7, 0-5 frees, Cliodhna Colton.
Subs : Corrinna Donnelly for N Morgan (HT)
Dunloy : Liza McAllister, Lisa McConville, Jessica Rush, Siofra O’Mullan, Fiona Hills, Sorcha Conlan, Noelle Martin, Derbhail Magill, Claire McGuckian, Erin Traynor, Eilis Kearns 0-4, 0-3 frees, Orlagh O’Neill, Lisa McGuckian, Dearbhail Elliott 0-2, Caoimhe Quinn
Subs : Michaela Ingram for O O’Neill (50)
Referee : EP Cassidy (Derry)

Pics by Dylan McIlwaine

October 28, 2017October 28, 2017 by thesaffrongael

It’s a privilege for Lámhs to compete in Ulster: Lynch

Lámh Dhearg Coach Stephen Lynch (right) with his brother Martin (team manager) after the club’s win over St John’s

By Kevin Herron

Lámh Dhearg coach Stephen Lynch believes it is a ‘privilege’ to be involved in the Ulster senior club football championship as the Hannahstown men begin their campaign with a quarter-final clash against Cavan Gaels.

The red hands travel to Breffni Park on Sunday (2.30 throw in) to partake in the Ulster senior football series for the first time since 1992 when Down kingpins Burren ended the Lámhs dreams of glory.

Since then it has been a long wait to return to the provincial stage, however that long wait was finally ended almost two weeks ago thanks to a hard fought win over St John’s to bridge a 46-year gap without senior championship success on the pitch.

Lynch admits the Lámhs are hungry to take on Cavan Gaels on Sunday and feels it is a privilege to be amongst the elite clubs in the senior football stage.

“The mood in the camp has been brilliant” reflected Lynch.

“We are looking forward to Sunday a lot, it is a privilege to be part of the Ulster series and be in amongst the nine greatest teams in the province. Hopefully we can go out on Sunday and prove we are worthy of being there”.

After defeating St John’s to lift the McNamee cup, the Lámhs revelled in their success and took advantage of an extra day to celebrate in the wake of hurricane Ophelia which battered the country. Lynch insisted that once the initial day after had passed it was back to business and focus on Cavan Gaels.

“The players deserved to lap up their success and enjoy themselves after the county final” acknowledges Lynch.

“We enjoyed a few days and took it all in, but then attention turned to Cavan Gaels and the Ulster Championship campaign. We are focused and looking to give a very good account of ourselves on Sunday against what will be a strong and experienced Cavan Gaels side”.

Unlike Lámh Dhearg, Cavan Gaels are no strangers to the Ulster series and having landed fourteen county titles in the process.

Their latest Cavan triumph saw them run out 0-13-0-08 winners over Castlerahan a week before Lámh Dhearg tackled St John’s in the Antrim decider.

Lynch feels that week’s advantage and the opportunity to see the Antrim county final might give Cavan Gael a slight edge but expects there to be changes to both personnel come Sunday.

“Just the way the fixture schedule pans out in Antrim, Cavan Gaels were afforded the opportunity to get down and have a look at the final” said Lynch.

“It probably gives Cavan Gaels a slight edge, but we will adjust our game as necessary. I would be surprised if either side set-up with the same personnel that started their respective county finals because there are different players suited to different occasions”.

Much of the pre-match talk has surrounded how Lámh Dhearg will deal with the threat posed by experienced campaigners Seanie Johnson and Michael Lyng as well as Martin Dunne and Niall Murray to name but a few amongst a squad littered with Cavan county experience.

Lynch believes it would it be foolish of the Lámhs to ignore that threat, but feels the Hannahstown men have their own experienced campaigners that could cause the hosts a few headaches.

“It would be foolish to ignore the threat that Cavan Gaels possess” reflected Lynch.

“They have Seanie Johnson and Michael Lyng who are two fantastic footballers that are renowned throughout Ireland. Michael Dunne and Niall Murray are also there and there are no doubt a few youngsters who have represented Cavan in their successful U-21 teams of recent years”.

“We have our own county experience within the squad in Declan [Lynch], Domhnall [Nugent] the Murray’s [Conor and Ryan] and former county players in Paddy [Cunningham], Michael [Herron] and John [Finucane]. Paddy and John were part of the Antrim team to reach the 2009 Ulster final, but I would say that the Cavan boys have performed at a higher level in inter-county. It will be a level playing field coming Sunday”.

The Lámhs will give Pearse Fitzsimons every opportunity to shake off the knee injury which has caused him difficulties since the county final but Lynch insists they will listen to the professional’s guidance.

“Pearse [Fitzsimons] is a doubt” revealed Lynch.

“We will give him a late fitness test on Sunday to see if he can prove his fitness but we aren’t physios and at the end of the day we need to listen to the professionals and take their guidance on board before hand”. 0-20

October 28, 2017October 28, 2017 by thesaffrongael

Six goal saints grab McNamee glory

Danske Bank McNamee Cup final

St Killian’s College 6-5 St Louis Ballymena 2-7

By John McIlwaine

St Killian’s powered their way to victory over St Louis in Friday evening’s final of the McNamee Cup (Year 9 Hurling) at Quinn Park, Ballymena. In an absorbing game of hurling the strength and power of the St Killians team was a telling factor in their sides win, but there was also skill in abundance, on both teams. The scoring power of the St Killian’s full-forward line had a big influence on the outcome of this game with big John V Morgan grabbing three from full-forward, Joseph Laughlin two from the left corner and Orrin O’Connor one from the right. In truth they were strong all over the field with Joe McNaughton strong on the 40, the McSparrans Mark and Aidan at centre back and midfield, Aidan’s midfield partner Patrick McIlwaine and Frankie McCormick who played in a variety of positons from full-back to left half forward during the game.

There were stars on the St Louis team as well of course with Odhran McGarry at centre back as good as anyone on the field. The little All Saints dynamo gave his all, and then some in an effort to get his team over the line, but had to settle for second in the end. Kevin O’Boyle, Jack McCloskey and the highly skilful Ronan McCollum were also stars in a great game of hurling.

St Killian’s came at St Louis like a steam train from the start and they were two goals to the good inside three minutes as corner-forwards Joseph McLaughlin and Orin O’Connor found the back of the St Louis net. Joe McNaughton added a point to put the Tower seven clear before Ronan McCollum settled the nerves with his team’s opening point on five minutes. When he added another a minute later things were starting to look more promising for St Louis but they were dealt a body blow soon afterwards when St Killian’s full-forward John V Morgan rattled the net at the other end and when Brogan O’Connor tacked on a point the gap was out to nine.

McCollum settled things again with his third point of the game, Kevin O’Boyle grabbed one from play and when full-forward Jack McCloskey rattled the back of the St Killian’s net the gap was suddenly down to four. With just four minutes of the first half remaining Frankie McCormick stretched the Tower’s lead to five again with a well taken point, but another fine strike from St Louis McColum cut the deficit to four again by half time.

If St Killian’s first half start was impressive, their start to the second period was even more so as they hit a barrage of scores to in the opening ten minutes to put the game out of St Louis reach. Joe McNaughton started it with a point from play before John V Morgan grabbed his second goal of the game McNaughton popped another point over and after John V had completed his hat-trick McNaughton split the posts once again to all but seal the win.

To their credit St Louis kept up the fight and nearing the end they gained some reward when Odhran McGarry sent over a point from a free and the lion hearted defender added the goal that his performance deserved when he sent the ball through a wall of defenders high into the net from a twenty metre free. However St Killian’s had the final say when their gifted corner-forward Joseph McLaughlin, whose early goal had opened the scoring, closed it with an even better one as he soloed through to give the St Louis keeper no chance with the final strike of the game to spark scenes of celebration.

St Killian’s scorers – John V Morgan 3-0; Joseph McLaughlin 2-0; Joe McNaughton 0-3; Orin O’Connor 1-0; Brogan O’Connor 0-1; Frankie McCormick 0-1.

St Louis scorers – Ronan McCollum 0-5; Odhran McGarry 1-1; Jack McCloskey 1-0; Kevin O’Boyle 0-1.