Month / November 2017

by thesaffrongael

Ballycastle Camogie Club juvenile awards

LEFT – Vice Chairperson Katrina McCaughan (left) presents the Camogie Club Person of the Year to Oonagh McCaughan. RIGHT – Team mentor Peter McQuillan presents the U14 Most Improved Player award to Christina Hamilton

LEFT – U14 Player of the Year  Riana McBride receives her award from team manager Úna Kelly. RIGHT – U16 Most Improved Cailtin Hunter with Team Coach Niamh Donnelly.

7aRianna McBride who was captain of the Regional Feile competition receives the trophy from team mentor Joe McCaughan.

LEFT – Karen Coyles’ Memorial Cup Winners, U14 2017. Captain Christina Hamilton RIGHT – Under 14 winning captains Christina Hamilton and Rianna McBride

LEFT – The Under 14 team who won the Regional Féile and Karen Coyles’ Memorial Cup. RIGHT – Aoibheann Donnelly Captain of U12 team who won the Jim Nelson Tournament

LEFT – The Under 12 team who won the Jim Nelson Memorial tournament RIGHT – Supporter of the Year Fiona McAuley (left) receives her award from vice-chairperson Katrina McCaughan5aU16 Player of the Year Enya McShane receives her award from Naimh DonnellybUnder 6 Camógs who were presented with medals by the 3 recently named Ulster Colleges All Stars from the Club, Bronagh McKeague, Catherine McShane & Maeve Kelly.cUnder 8 Camógs pictured with the Ulster Colleges All Stars who were Special Guests at the Juvenile Presntation.dBallycastle Under 10 Camogie Players pictured with Club Senior Players & College All Stars.

by thesaffrongael

Tower book place in final

Ulster PP CamogieIMG_8492

Fr Davies’ Cup semi-final : St Killian’s Garron Tower 5-13 St Catherine’s Armagu 1-10

St Killian’s Garron Tower grabbed this Fr Davies’ Cup semi-final by the scruff of the neck in the opening quarter and remained in control to book their place in next week’s final against St Catherine’s Armagh.

During that opening blitz corner-forward Anna McNeill forced home a hat-trick of goals and her team built up a lead of 3-5 to a single point in reply form Assumption free-taker Ann-Marie Smith.

Assumption had a good spell from the 15th to 25th minutes when they pulled back five points with two each from Smith and Alannah McCrickard, but St Killian’s hit two more goals just before the break, from Siobhan McKillop and Shauna McDonnell, to turn over with a 5-6 to 0-6 lead.

Exchanges were pretty even during the second half with St Killian’s only adding three pointed frees during the third quarter.

Assumption worked hard on and off the ball with Amy Devine, Eva Gallagher, Ann-Marie Smith, Saoirse Sands and Alannah McCrickard prominent.

But St Killian’s had established a strong lead and their defence under the leadership of Ellen Hynds held firm, despite a good individual goal from Ann-Marie Smyth in the 52nd minute that drew an immediate response of two points from Siobhan McKillop.

St Killian’s : Anna McNeill 3-0, Siobhan McKillop 1-3, Shauna McDonnell 1-2, Ellen Leech 0-3 frees, Mëabh Allen 0-3, 0-1 free, Molly O’Hara 0-1, Niamh Conlon 0-1.

Assumption: Ann-Marie Smyth 1-5  0-4 frees, Colleen McConnell 0-2, Alannah McCrickard 0-2  Saoirse Sands 0-1

by thesaffrongael

Gort’s ladies land Division Two title in first year of senior football

Gort ladies 4By Kevin Herron

Gort Na Mona senior ladies footballers capped off a fantastic first season as they were confirmed Division Two league champions last week. The Turf Lodge ladies lost just one game on route to their league success and in dream first season, they also made it to the final of the Junior football championship in September where they were beaten by a superb Con Magee’s side, themselves competing at senior level for the first time.

The heartache of losing their first Junior final made the Gort’s more determined to land the Division Two title and they did that in style, amassing 13 wins from 14 with All Saint’s, Ballymena the only side to slightly derail the Gort’s on route to their crowning glory. After a tough but enjoyable first campaign in Antrim senior football the Gort’s will rest well for a few weeks before their pre-season campaign gets under way and preparation starts for Division One football in Antrim.

Manager Tim Scannell was naturally delighted to witness the success of his squad and was full of admiration for how they gelled so quickly. “I’m delighted for the girls” said Scannell. “After a few early wins against well established sides the momentum started to build and the girls started to believe they could really push on and have a go at winning the league. On the way the girls had a fantastic run in the junior championship reaching the final but losing out by four points to Glenravel in a great game – it was heartbreaking for us all”.   Gort ladies 1                                                                                                                                       “But the mentors and girls put this behind them quickly and went on to do enough to be crowned Division Two champions and earn promotion to Division One. They’ve worked extremely hard all year and gelled very quickly as team to the win the league in our first year of senior football is an incredible achievement”.

Scannell is aware of the big step up in class that the Gort’s will meet in Division One next season and is confident they can step up to the challenge.

“Division One next season will be tough for the girls” acknowledged Scannell.

“But they know it’s all about continued development for this team and bringing more girls through on to panel over the next two years and beyond. I am confident our girls will put in a good preseason and prepare mentally and physically for the big games ahead next year”.

Scannell was also quick to praise the contribution of many members behind the scenes and the teams sponsors. “A lot of thanks and credit must go to Bridgeen Mulvenna and Joe Quinn for their assistance with the squad” admitted Scannell.

“Fiona McCotter captained the team superbly and our success wouldn’t have come without the support of the club committee and all the members who travelled up and down the county to cheer us on this season. It’s great to have the whole club behind us; it really helps to drive the girls on. We also want to thank our sponsors Subway Top of the Rock and Kolormaster”.

by thesaffrongael

St. Mary’s CBGS defeated in Oisin McGrath decider

Oisin McGrath ‘B’ Shieldthumbnail

Holy Trinity, Cookstown 3-09-2-02 St. Mary’s CBGS

By Kevin Herron at Ardboe

St. Mary’s CBGS year eight tasted defeat in their first ever Oisin McGrath shield final after a 3-09-2-02 defeat at the hands of Holy Trinity, Cookstown at Ardboe this afternoon.

Holy Trinity were in the ascendancy for the outset and with four minutes on the clock, captain and corner-forward Michael McElhatton burst onto a loose ball on the deck and had the composure to fire past Conor Corr in the St. Mary’s goals and give the Cookstown men a dream start to the decider.

Successive points followed courtesy of Liam Lawn and Eoghan Canavan struck a magnificent point under pressure to give Holy Trinity a 1-03-0-00 lead after 11 minutes.

Fionn Jemfrey almost responded for St. Mary’s midway through the first-half, but his high ball into the area from a free caused panic in the Holy Trinity defence and eventually came to nothing.

Instead it was the Cookstown school who added a further two-points to their tally, Michael McElhatton picked out Eoghan Canavan for the half-forwards second point of the afternoon, before McElhatton himself converted a free to make it 1-05-0-00.

With four minutes of the first-half remaining St.Mary’s conjured up a vital score to give them some hope at the break, Declan Carr picked up possession midway inside the Holy Trinity half and his through ball found Dara Cunningham whose strike on the turn found the corner of the net and gave Odhran McMurray no chance as Holt Trinity’s lead was cut to five at the interval, 1-05-1-00.

St. Mary’s sought a few early scores at the beginning of the second period and despite having the better of the early exchanges it was Holy Trinity who increased their lead through a Michael McElhatton free.

Deja vu struck four minutes into the second-half as Micheael McElhatton found the net, the corner-forward chased a loose ball out wide and his angled shot sailed over Corr and into the net to make it 2-06-1-00 and score his second goal of the afternoon in the process.

McElhatton converted his third free of the afternoon in the aftermath before St. Mary’s CBGS substitute Oisin Casey struck a reply for the Glen Road Side.

Ten minutes into the second-half the game was ended as  contest, Holy Trinity wing-half back Dara McNally let fly with a high shot midway inside the St.Mary’s half and Corr stood no chance as he could only fumble the ball into the net as Cookstown led 3-07-1-01.

St. Mary’s CBGS were playing for pride and with less than ten minutes remaining Fionn Jemfrey stood over a converted free than dipped into the net past Odhran McMurray to make it 3-07-2-01.

Wing-half forward Caoimhin Rainey followed Jemfrey’s goal with a point which was to be the Glen Road sides final score of the game, Holy Trinity weren’t quite finished however as Shay McCann successfully converted a free before Eoghan Canavan drove the ball over the bar for the final score of the afternoon as Holy Trinity ran out convincing 3-09-2-02 winners to lift the Oisin McGrath ‘B’ Shield for the second time, having lost last year’s final to St. Pats, Armagh.

The St. Mary’s CBGS players maybe disappointed with the final outcome but can take great credit to reaching the decider and they will hope to build upon it in the summer time when they contest the Ulster Colleges year eight blitz.

Holy Trinity: O McMurray, C Doris, P Quinn, C Hawker, D McNally (1-00), R Park, T McNally, O Hagan, C Heagney, J Quinn, E Canavan (0-03), S McCann (0-01f), L Lawn (0-02), R McGurk, M McElhatton (2-03,0-03f).

St. Mary’s CBGS: C Corr, E McGurk, G McBurney-Heggarty, C Parker, L Lynn, N McKenna, S O’Connor, M Darragh, M Flanagan, C Rainey (0-01), F Jemfrey (1-00f), S Henry, P Donaghy, D Cunningham (1-00), D Barr. Subs: C Magee for S O’Connor (20 mins), C Fegan for P Donaghy (26 mins), O Casey (0-01) for D Barr (30 mins), R McDonagh for S Henry (31 mins).

Referee: Maurice Corrigan (Doire)

by thesaffrongael

O’Boyle blasts CPC to Leonard Cup final

Danske Bank Leonard Cup semi-finalCRLL6431 copyMichael O’Boyle fires in the second of his three goals in Monday’s Leonard Cup semi-final win over St Mary’s CBGS at Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt

Cross & Passion Ballycastle 4-7 St Mary’s CBGS Belfast 1-5

A virtuosi display by full forward Michael O’Boyle helped Cross & Passion College to victory over St Mary’s CBGS in today’s Danske Bank Leonard Cup semi-final at the Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt. The Glenariffe sharpshooter accounted for 3-4 of his team’s total of 4-7. The first one came from a penalty in the opening half while his two superb individual finishes in the second period put the game beyond the Belfast boys reach.

There was little to separate the teams in the first half. St Mary’s gained an early edge when Ruairi Murray and Jay Burns (hero of the quarter final win over St Louis) knocked over points but though CPC had created chances they had nothing to show for it until O’Boyle was fouled close to goal. The left half forward drove the resultant penalty to the St Mary’s net to open his team’s account and they pushed on to lead by 1-4 to 0-3 at the break.

The Ballycastle boys practically shut up shop after the break and with Enda Og McGarry magnificent at full-back the scores proved hard to come by for St Mary’s. The scores weren’t exactly flowing at the other end either until O’Boyle stepped up to the plate again and after converting a 65 in the 36th minute he caught the poc-out and fired in his second goal. Ten minutes later he brought his total to 3-4 with another superb finish. Ruairi Murray gave St Mary’s late hope when he grabbed a goal and a point, but sub Christy ‘Bamba Og’ McAuley killed off any hopes of a late recovery to seal the win and book his team’s place in the final against either St Louis Ballymena or St Killian’s Garron Tower.

Cross & Passion : Michael O’Boyle 3-4, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees, Christy McAuley 1-0, Damian Quinn 0-1, Ryan McMullan 0-1, Caolan O’Connor 0-1.

St Mary’s: Ruairi Murray 1-2, 0-2 frees, Jay Burns 0-2, Darragh Murphy 0-1

CPC

1 – Kevin McAuley

2 – Christy McGarry

3 – Enda Og McGarry

4 – Jack Magowan

5 – Conall McGlynn

6 – Dylan Devlin

7 – Rueben McLean

8 – Conor O’Mullan

9 – Rian McMullan

10 – Eunan Laverty

11 – Caolan O’Connor

12 – Michael O’Boyle

13 – Oisin Elliott

14 – Conleth McKinley

15 – Damian Quinn

Subs – Christy McAuley

 

St Mary’s

1 – Ian Mullan

2 – Dalta Wilson

3 – Paul McLaughlin

4 – Aaron Carey

5 – Dylan Magee

6 – Dan Murray

7 – Conal McCabe

8 – Ruairi Murray

9 – Eoin Trainor

10 – Marcus Toner

11 – Liam Carr

12 – Mick McDade

13 – Niall Fallon

14 – Jay Burns

15 – CJ Sullivan

Subs – Darragh Murphy and Anton McLaughlin

Referee – Vincent Boyle (Dunloy)

Hard to beat a ham sandwich after a game Enda Og.