October 21, 2017October 21, 2017 by thesaffrongael

McEnhill puts on a master-class as Rossa advance

ROSSA’S DOMINIC McENHILL WHO SCORED 4-5 AS HIS SIDE DEFEATED DUNLOY AT PEARSE PARK ON SATURDAY

U21 Football Championship Grading Round

Dunloy 1-1 Rossa 7-8

By Brendan McTaggart

It was seventh heaven for Rossa on Saturday afternoon as they reinforced their credentials as favourites for the U21 championship with a strong but professional display. The Shaw’s Road men bagged seven goals at Pearse Park as they ran a young Dunloy team ragged, booking a meeting with St Galls in the first-round proper of the ‘A’ championship in the process.

Fresh from his scoring exploits in the minor final just six days earlier, Dominic McEnhill again showed why he is one of the brightest prospects in the county. The Rossa starlet finished the match with an astonishing 4-5 with just one free in that tally in a man of the match performance while Darren Grego, James Connolly and Daire Matthews were the other major scorers throughout the hour.

Conal Cunning scored the Cuchullains goal mid-way through the first half while Keelan Molloy pointed in the eighth minute of the second half but that was all the Cuchullains could muster in response to the barrage of ruthless efficiency from Rossa.

Having won the minor championship with the same set of players, Rossa were expected to progress at the hands of their hosts on Saturday and they did with ease. They produced a display in the first half of power, pace, efficiency and blistering counter attacks to put the game beyond the Cuchullains by half time. The home side had plenty of possession in the first half but they couldn’t find any holes and struggled to penetrate an organised Rossa defence and the more they probed looking to find an opening, once Rossa turned the ball over, they were ruthlessly outstanding.

Playing with the aid of the elements in the opening half, Rossa scored the opening goal of the match in just the second minute. James Connolly with the finish after a flowing team move and giving Oisin McPoland no chance in the Dunloy goals. A brace of points from McEnhill either side of fellow minor championship winner Eoghan McMenamin gave the visitors to Pearse Park a six point lead by the tenth minute.

The home side were rewarded for their persistent attacks when Conal Cunning punched the ball beyond Michael Byrne in the Rossa goals for their first score of the half in the 12^th minute. Keelan Molloy with the assist and the Cuchullains were unlucky to not have doubled their goal tally moments later when Eoin O’Neill’s shot skewed wide but it proved to be a false dawn for the home side as Rossa resumed their bombardment on the Dunloy goals.

Full forward McEnhill bagged his first goal in the 16^th minute to cancel out Cunnings strike. McEnhill with a smart finish from 30 yards before adding a free after Padraig McParland scored his first point of the match to leave eight points between the sides with two minutes of the first half remaining.

Rossa finished the half superbly though with McEnhill and Daire Matthews finding the back of the Dunloy net in the space of 60 seconds to leave the half time score 4-5 to 1-00 at the short whistle.

The closing stages of the first half all but ended the tie as a contest. 14 points probably flattered Rossa at the interval but they were ruthless at the start of the second half to end any hopes the Cuchullains would have had of staging a dramatic turnaround.

Three points in the opening six minutes, one each for McEnhill, McParland and Connolly quelled the Dunloy challenge and although their spirits were lifted when Molloy pointed from fully 45 yards, it was the city men who dominated the remainder of the match.

Another brace of goals in the space of 60 seconds put them in the driving seat, McEnhill completing his hat-trick before Grego found the top corner with an exquisite finish in the 51^st minute. A brace of points from substitute Ruairi Currie either side of McEnhill’s fifth point of the match opened the gap to 25 points in injury time but it was McEnhill who had the final say as he scored his fourth major and his sides seventh of the match with the last touch of the contest.

A resounding victory for the Jeremiah’s as they sent out a warning to the rest of the county with an excellent performance on Saturday afternoon.

TEAMS

Dunloy: Oisin McPoland; Anton McGrath; Conor Kinsella; Aaron Crawford; Ciaran Doherty; Ryan Elliott; Chrissy McMahon; Keelan Molloy; Callum Scullion; Oran Shivers; Eoin O’Neill; Eoin McMullan; Liam McCann; Conal Cunning; Anthony Smith

Rossa: Michael Byrne; Jake Morris; Conor McGowan; James Cooley; Tiarnan Murphy; Conor Slane; Michael McGreevey; Eoghan McMenamin; Darren Grego; James Connolly; Padraig McParland; Deaglan Murphy; Daire Matthews; Dominic McEnhill; Michael Close

SCORERS

Dunloy: Conal Cunning 1-00; Keelan Molloy 0-1

Rossa: Dominic McEnhill 4-5 (1 free); James Connolly 1-1; Darren Grego 1-0; Daire Matthews 1-00; Padraig McParland 0-2; Ruairi Currie 0-2; Eoghan McMenamin 0-1

October 21, 2017October 21, 2017 by thesaffrongael

Long journey could be the motivation Dunloy need in Shield replay

Dunloy camogs face another long journey today as their quest for the Bridie McMenamin Shield

NWP Ulster club camogie Bridie McMenamin Shield final replay

Saturday 12.30pm in Granemore : Dunloy (Antrim) v Naomh Treasa Dungannon (Tyrone)

Dunloy camogs head to Granemore, Co Armagh today for the replay of the Bridie McMenamin Shield final after Dungannon’s Naomh Treasa and them finished level in Tattyreagh last Sunday.

Dunloy opened with an early goal and held an advantage of between four and six points throughout the game. However a late surge from Dungannon rescued a draw at the death with a rather fortuitous goal.

Dungannon’s trouble is that they don’t seem to have any other source of scoring power than Roisin McErlean. The St Joseph’s Donaghmore student claimed all 1-7 of their total on Sunday.

Their defence was pretty solid however and Mary Cassidy and Aoife Morgan troubled Dunloy with their drives forward.

The Antrim side lacked a bit of sparkle on Sunday last despite their strong opening. They didn’t really punish Dungannon when they were on top wind-assisted in the opening half.

Like their opponents their defence was on top and Jessica Rush was keeping Roisin McErlean under wraps throughout.

Both midfielders and four of the forwards made the score-board, but there was little consistency in their play and the Dungannon backs generally kept them in check.

O'Neill Electrical copy-texxt Antrim clubs have done well in this competition in recent years, but if Dungannon can get more players than McErlean on the score-sheet, that sequence could well end. The long hard season may have taken its toll on Dunloy and they have been asked to make the long journey today again. They face a 150 mile round trip, while St Teresa’s are just 20 miles from today’s Granmore. The management team tried in vain to get the venue changed to a more central venue but to no avail and understandably the organisers are keen to see the match played as a curtain raiser to the Intermediate final.

However that could be the wee bit of motivation the Dunloy girls need to get over the line. No doubt the management will have devised a plan to curtail the dangerous McErlain and with Derbhail Magill, Eilish Kearns, Dearbhail Elliott and top scorer Orlagh O’Neill they have the players to get the scores to win it and keep the Bridie McMenanin Shield in Antrim for another year.

October 20, 2017October 20, 2017 by thesaffrongael

Erin’s Own GAC Juvenile presentation

Erin’s Own GAC, Cargin held a very successful Juvenile presentation at the weekend at their club-rooms and the event was attended by a large crowd. The Toome club have enjoyed another successful season in both football and camogie with their U12 football team winning the South West U12 Cup. Presentation were made to players from both codes from nursery right through to U14 while senior team captain, Marty Kane presented the U12 and U14 Player of the year awards to Conhuir Johnston and Eunan Quinn

October 20, 2017October 20, 2017 by thesaffrongael

Gort na Mona one game away from Ulster decider

Gort na Móna CLG v Setanta (Donegal)

2017 Ulster Club Junior Hurling Championship Semi Final

Owenbeg 2:30 PM

Referee: Colin Murray

The pride of Turf Lodge, Gort na Mona head into Sunday’s semi-final of the Ulster Junior club championship hoping to keep their good run going and earn a place in the final. Standing in their way is Setanta from Donegal and the Tir Connaill side is likely to provide a stiff but not insurmountable hurdle for the Antrim Junior champions.

In the quarter-final the Gorts did it the hard way beating Armagh champions, Derrynoose after a replay. In the first game at Corrigan Park Gort na Mona and Derrynoose were inseparable after 60 minutes.

The men from the Monagh bypass were ahead at the end of normal time and extra-time; however Pete McKearney and Stephen Kennan came up with the decisive scores for Derrynoose to ensure the Armagh champions got a second bite at the cherry.

With two minutes remaining in that game Gort Na Mona’s chances were dealt a bitter blow when Dessie McClean received a red card following an alleged off the ball incident and Gort had to see out the game with 14 men.

Undeterred the West Belfast side showed tremendous character and resolve to lead by three in extra time but substitute Stephen Kennan’s shot sailed between the posts under pressure to level the game at 0-25-2-19 and ensure that both sides would meet again after an epic eighty minutes on the Whiterock Road.

In the replay in Lurgan Gort Na Mona saw off the fierce challenge of the Armagh men on a score line of 1-12-0-13 to advance to the semi-final of the AIB Ulster Junior Hurling Championship. Connor McCann, who has been solid in the Gort ha Mona goals converted three long range frees and Padraig Fryers with 1-1, Paddy McCafferty (0-3), Darren Boyd (0-2), Thomas McCafferty (0-1) Dermot McVeigh (0-1)and Padraig McHugh (0-1) saw them through on a scoreline of 1-12 to 0-13

Trailing by a point at the break, the Turf Lodge men turned it around in the second-half and Padraig Fryers goal was the difference between the sides after two hard fought contests.

Not a lot is known about the Donegal side. In the Donegal final they had eight points to spare over a youthful St. Eunan’s Letterkenny, 1-16 to 1-8 with Declan Coulter their top scorer with 0-07 (0-5 frees), Kevin Campbell who struck 0-4 from frees and their goal coming from Colm Melaugh.

Coulter should lead the attack at full-forward and the Gorts defence will need to be disciplined in their tackling but they have shown this year that they are a match for anyone and their replay win over Derrynoose must give them a lot of confidence.

That victory was all the more remarkable when you consider they were missing their talisman forward, Dessie McClean and at the time of writing I was unable to ascertain whether Dessie will be available for the final. It would be a great boost if he was but with or without him I expect Gort na Mona to win and advance to the final.

Gort Na Mona v Derrynoose (Ulster quarter-final replay) : C McCann (0-03f), C Devlin, G McKenna, C Connelly, P McHugh (0-01), M Rea, G Doyle, P McCafferty (0-03,0-02f), D Hughes, G Armstrong , M Ward, D McVeigh (0-01), T McCafferty (0-01), P Fryers (1-01), D Boyd (0-02). Subs: N Gibson for C Connelly (36 mins), S Doyle for G Armstrong (40 mins), T McGoran for T McCafferty (45 mins).

October 20, 2017 by thesaffrongael