Month / October 2017

by thesaffrongael

U21 Championship takes another step forward

0R6A5434

Under-21 Championship Preview

The under-21 football championship takes another step forward at the week-end but this will certainly not be a giant stride as the competition falls behind schedule.

There’s a preliminary game remaining to be completed, which involves St Brigid’s who’s senior team are on the Ulster trail, and the opening round of both the A and the B competition cannot proceed at present.

There are a couple of games scheduled for Saturday and one for Sunday but it will take several weeks before the competition gets back on schedule and it might not be completed until late November or early December.

Sat 28th October

Under-21 A Football Championship at 2-00pm

St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v Gort na Mona

Moneyglass impressed in their opening game of the competition when they travelled to Ballymena and returned home victorious when they recorded a ten point win over All Saint’s.

The St Ergnat’s side which includes quite a number of seniors within their ranks are back on home turf this time and will look forward to the arrival of Gort na Mona.

Ryan Mc Greevey, Seamus Devlin, Callum Mc Stocker and Patrick Mc Cormick have certainly gained from their experience in the first team this term while Antrim minors, Dermot Mc Erlaine and Eamon Kelly figure prominently in a side which includes Conal Prenter, and the Duffin brothers, Tiarnan and Seanaghan.

Gort na Mona enjoyed a good win in their preliminary round game and the West Belfast recorded a good 3-06 to 1-06 win over a fancied Casement’s side.

That was an excellent opener for Liam Enright’s charges and they will travel down the M2 looking for further progress.

The Gorts will include more than a few from the senior ranks and will look to Michael Savage, Thomas Mc Gouran, Brendan Corr, Andrew Mc Donagh, and Chris Carson to lead them on the road to the next phase.

This may well be a close one with ground advantage possibly enough to tip the balance in favour of Moneyglass.

 

Under-21 B championship at 2.00pm

St James Aldergrove v Cuchullian’s Dunloy

Having endured a reversal and a heavy defeat to Rossa on a 7-11 to 1-01 scoreline in the grading round Dunloy will be looking for a better return this time as they travel to Crumlin and meet up with Aldergrove in the opening phase of the B section.

The Cuchullain’s, having won the minor title in 2016 were expected to make a mark in the under-21 grade this term but they failed to deliver despite home advantage when they lost heavily to Rossa.

Dunloy will look to Keelin Molloy, Callum Scullion, Ryan Elliot and Conal Scullion to lead them on the come-back trail but improvement is required.

Aldergrove lost out to the visiting Johnnies in what was a feisty encounter on the artificial surface at the Crumlin leisure centre in their grading round game but they may look on this as a less taxing affair.

The St James’s men will look to Seamus Mc Garry in front of posts to lead the way while James Brazier, Ryan Owens, Brendan O’ Callaghan and Padraig Hanna are others who could swing it in their direction .

This may well prove a close one which could go either way with just a tentative nod going the way of the visitors.

Sunday 29th Oct

Under-21 A Football Championship at 2.00pm

St Gall’s v O’ Donovan Rossa

Having won this year’s  minor championship Rossa, last year’s beaten under- 21 finalists carry the burden of favourites this year and indeed they impressed in their opening grading round.

They travelled out to Dunloy in the opening round with more than a few expressing the opinion that the home side would test them but with Dominic Mc Enhill leading from the front they were never tested.

Mc Enhill bagged a personal haul of 4-05 in a 7-11 to 1-01 win with a number of the 2017 minor championship winners included in their side. With Eoghan McMenamin, Michael Close, Daire Matthews and senior players Tiarnan Murphy, James Connolly, Gerard Walshe, Deaglain Murphy and Noel Crossan they look potential champions.

St Gall’s produced the goods in an opening round win over the visiting St Paul’s but this looks a more difficult test for the Milltown men as they welcome Rossa.

The home side will give of their best but a Rossa win looks the most likely outcome.

 

 

 

 

by thesaffrongael

South West Antrim presentation evening another great success

South West Antrim 2017 Presentation

The South West Antrim GAA board held their annual juvenile presentation in the Elk bar on Thursday night and once again the event was a resounding success. Representatives from every club in the South West attended an event which marked the retirement of chairman, Colum Walsh who has given outstanding service to the divisional board during his five years as chairman.

Colum Walsh paid tribute to all the winners of the various competitions, to the referees who had made the games possible and to all those who had participated regardless of whether they had won trophies or not “you are all a success story” he concluded.

Mr Walsh thanked all the sponsors of the various competitions for their generosity and pointed out that it would not be possible to run these competitions or provide trophies were it not for those sponsors.

He then presented a cheque to the ‘Saffron Gael’ and paid tribute to the website stating that it had brought coverage of Gaelic games in Antrim to a new level and wished all involved in the project success in the future.

Prizes were then presented to the winners of the various competitions with All Saints Ballymena collecting the U14A League and Feile, the U14A All County league and the Breslin Shield and Laverty Cup. Con Magee’s Glenravel were U16 Cup and Breslin Cup winners and were also presented the McStocker trophy for the club with the best disciplinary record. Ronan Campbell was the Feile skills winner.

Cargin won the U12 Cup; the U12 Shield went to St. Joseph’s Glenavy while Tir na nOg were U12 Plate winners. Tir na nOg were U14 Shield winners and the Randalstown club were also Feile Shield winners, All County hurling B league winners and North Antrim B winners. The Feile Hurling winners were St. Olcan’s.

Sean Stinson’s were Og Sport winners and winners of the U16 Plate while the U16 Shield went to Cuchullain’s Dunloy.

Aldergrove were All County Minor B Football champions while Creggan won the All County Minor league Division 1 and Cuchullain’s were All County Minor league Division 2 winners. St. Enda’s won the All County Minor B Hurling League

In the senior competition Erin’s own Cargin were ACFL Division 1 winners, O’Cahan Cup and Reserve Cup winners, Glenavy were ACFL Division 2 winners and Moneyglass won the Reserve Shield. Portglenone won the ACFL Division 1 Reserve and McCormick Cup while All Saints were ACFL Division 2 Reserve winners

by thesaffrongael

Tipperary star Noel McGrath a big hit at Cross & Passion College

CRLL5755Tipperary star hurler Noel McGrath was a big hit with students at Cross & Passion College Ballycastle on Thursday where he and Dublin singer-songwriter Simon James were the guest speakers at the school’s Wellbeing Day. The brilliant Loughmore-Castleiney star spoke of his battle with testicular cancer and how he battled back to full fitness. After his two talks McGrath took time out of his busy schedule to pose for pics with students and staff, and even took part in an impromtu training session with some of the school’s young hurlers.

All Star hurler Noel McGrath chats with Cross & Passion College’s very own All Star, Paul Humpy McKillen

 

Dublin singer songwriter Simon James who gave a talk and performed some of his songs at the Cross & Passion Wellbeing Day 

by thesaffrongael

Knock up the pace in second half to claim Fontenoy Cup

Liatroim Fontenoys Cup final

15Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock 3-11 St Killian’s Garron Tower 2-6

When Shauna McDonnell opened the scoring by hand-passing a goal and St Killian’s added two further points from Caoimhe McNaughton and McDonnell to lead by 1-2 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter, Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock appearing in their first Liatroim Fontenoys’ Cup final looked to be very much on the back foot.

However their defence dug in with Tara Monan dropping back as a sweeper and they weathered the storm, hitting back with a goal from Beth Coulter after a great catch and hand-pass from Aoibheann Brethnall in the 20th minute and they trailed by just a single point at the break 1-5 to 1-4.

Knock replicated St Killian’s start to the opening half with an excellent goal from Tara Monan in the first minute and they were able to push on with five more points in the third quarter, as Hannah Toner, Sarah Clancy and Aoife Bell time and again cleared ball from defence and Monan, Coulter and Cliodna Kane all carried ball into the danger area.

St Killian’s battled hard throughout with Beth McAuley, Anna McNeill and Niamh Donnelly driving them forward and Shauna McDonnell a huge scoring threat until she was forced to move to midfield after an injury to Caoimhe McNaughton.

Donnelly’s goal direct from a long distance free eventually closed the gap to a goal as injury time beckoned, but Beth Coulter put the game to bed by finishing to the net at the other end and she topped off a fine individual performance with the final point in the 6thminute of injury time.

OLSP’s Knock : A McCreanor, M Ennis, H Toner, M Dorrian, A Coulter, S Clancy, A Clarke, A Bell, N Dempster, C Kane, A McKee 0-2, 0-1 free, T Monan 1-2, B Coulter 2-4, A Bretnall 0-3, O Blaney.

Subs : O Wilson for O Blaney

St Killian’s : M Mooney, O McKeegan, J Woulahan, M McKenna, C O’Hara, B McAuley, O Donnelly, C McNaughton 0-2, N Donnelly 1-0 free, A Delargy, A McPeake, A McNeill, M O’Hara, S McDonnell 1-2, N McKay 0-2.

Subs : C Kerr for C McNaughton, S Woodhouse for A Delargy.

Referee : Owen Elliott (Ballymena)

 

by thesaffrongael

Journey into the unknown could prove rewarding for Lamh Dhearg

0R6A7367

Ulster Club Football Championship

Cavan Gaels (Cavan) v Lamh Dhearg (Antrim)

Lamh Dhearg head to Breffni Park in Cavan this Sunday and for the Hannastown side it is a journey into the unknown. No doubt they will be well briefed on the considerable talents of Cavan Gaels, their opponents in this weekend’s Ulster club championship but for the Belfast side it will be something most of them have never experienced.

Its 25 years since Lamh Dhearg last had their hands on the McNamee cup but the Hannastown side came through a tough battle with old rivals St. John’s at Glenavy a couple of weeks ago to lift the trophy and once the euphoria had died down it was time to plot the downfall of the Cavan champions.

Cavan Gaels represent a stiff challenge for the Antrim men and on their own patch Breffni Park, the challenge looks all the more formidable. Cavan Gaels defeated Castlerhavan at Kingspan to collect their first title since 2014 and are a team laced with talented players.

County player Seanie Johnston turned in a man of the match performance in that final, scoring five points but he is only one of many excellent players who the Lamh’s will face on Sunday. Michael Lyng is another name familiar to Antrim supporters but the new golden boy of Cavan football, a few year’s ago had a promising county career hampered by injuries. Lyng appears to back to something like his former best and with Robert Derham and Michael Dunne will take some watching.

CAVAN FINAL REPORT

Cavan Gaels 0-13 Castlerahan 0-8

Cavan Gaels captured their first county SFC title since 2014 with the minimum of fuss at Kingspan Breffni.

Veteran Seanie Johnston collected his tenth county medal and the man of the match award in what was a real tour de force.

Castlerahan were their own worst enemies, though, as they set about trying to claim first ever title.

They let the Gaels off the hook when Paul Smith blasted his shot over instead of under the black spot on 16 minutes and then Cian Mackey’s effort from the penalty spot – after Daniel Lynch was brought down – flashed wide of the junction of crossbar and upright in the 23rd minute.

Seanie Johnston and Robert Maloney-Derham compounded Castlerahan’s travails by splitting the posts with consummate ease.

Thereafter, Johnston’s points proved pivotal in steering his side into a 0-7 to 0-2 interval lead but points after the break from Oisin O’Connell, Oisín Kiernan and Mackey kept Castlerahan in touch.

Castlerahan kept nipping away at their opponents’ heels but to no avail and the dismissals of influential duo Cormac Daly and Stephen Cooney only served to rub salt into their wounds.

Cavan Gaels: C Flynn; L Fortune, N Murray, K Meehan; S Murray, B Fortune (0-1), L Murphy; P Graham, R Maloney-Derham (0-2); N Smith (0-2), M Lyng, A Graham; P O’Connor, S Johnston (0-5, 2f), M Dunne (0-2, 1f). Subs: D Sexton for S Murray (42 mins); D Meehan (0-1) for A Graham (49 mins); S Fitzsimons for B Fortune (BC, 61 mins); V Coyle for P O’Connor (62 mins).

WHAT OF LAMH DHEARG

While Cavan Gaels will start Sunday’s encounter as firm favourites they would do well not to underestimate their opponents, Lamh Dhearg. The Antrim champions are there on merit having defeated former Ulster and All Ireland champions St. Galls in an epic battle in the semi-final where they recovered after conceding two early goals to the Milltown side.

In the final they were pushed all the way by a St. John’s side who had defeated reigning county champions, Cargin after a replay in the other semi-final. With the game finally balanced Paddy Cunningham and Declan Lynch hit the all-important late scores to see the Hannastown side home.

Those two games will surely have brought the Hannastown side on both in terms of fitness and confidence and with a number of county and former county players in their ranks they will feel they have nothing to fear.

Cunningham has been a member the Lamh Dhearg side for nearly two decades and has experienced the bitter disappointment of defeat in five final over the previous 14 years before this year’s success. For a lot of those years he represented Antrim County with distinction and still carries a considerable scoring threat.

Indeed the side has quite a number of players who have represented the county and Declan Lynch and the Murray brothers, Conor and Ryan were part of the county team over the last few years while Ciaran Flaherty is a former Fermanagh county player.

John Finnucane captains the side and the former county keeper brings experience to a defence where Michael Herron, Brendan McComb, Declan Lynch and Aaron McAufield have impressed this season. Donal Nugent is likely to line out at mid-field with Paul Fitzsimmons while Cunninham and the Murray’s will be joined in attack by the flying Kevin Quinn and Eognan McKeown.

Paddy Cunningham’s free taking could be vital if Lamh Dhearg are to progress and they will need to settle quickly and not concede too many early scores. If their defence can contain a lively Cavan Gaels attack then they certainly look to have the fire power to trouble the Breffni men and don’t be too surprised if the Antrim flag is still flying in Ulster come Sunday evening.

1) DECLAN LYNCH CELEBRATES AT THE END OF THE ANTRIM FINAL 2) PADDY CUNNINGHAM’S FREE TAKING WILL BE VITAL IF LAMH DHEARG ARE TO PROGRESS 3) EOGHAN McKEOWN ADDS PACE TO THE LAMH DHEARG ATTACK WHILE CIARAN FLAHERTY BRINGS EXPERIENCE AND GUILE