They might not have got the result they wanted, or even the display they were expecting, but the hurling fans braved the bitter cold to come to Cushendall yesterday to cheer on the Saffrons. The Saffron Gael grabbed a few shots of some of the brave souls.
Month / February 2018
Glenann and Glenariffe pupils get their day in the sun…
It was a big day for the young hurlers of St Patrick’s PS Glenariffe and Glenann PS yesterday as they got to play on the big stage during the half time interval of the Antrim v Limerick NHL game in Cushendall. The Saffron Gael captured a few images of the boys and girls who we hope will be stars of the future
Harbinson Reflects on trip to London and Looks Ahead
Antrim manager Lenny Harbinson having viewed the Saffron’s come from behind to gain a hard earned, four point win over London on Sunday was more than delighted to see his charges regain composure and retain interest in promotion.
‘After being closed down and held to a draw to Wicklow last week we were most certainly not underestimating the challenge which faced us here as we travelled to London’.
‘The home side have been in excellent form thus far and Ciaran Deely has got his charges well organized and results gained have certainly underlined the fact that they are on an upward curve and we knew that a mammoth task awaited’
We did face a strong breeze in the opening period and conditions were far from ideal but we kept ourselves well in contention at the end of the 35 minutes and went on to play intelligent football in the second portion’.
‘Perhaps we should have kicked on a bit better in the latter stages of the second period said Harbinson, we had opportunities to do so which were not taken and when there is only a kick of the ball between the sides a silly error or a misplaced pass could have proved fatal’.
‘London came from well off the pace last time and they have already proved more than capable of grabbing a late goal against Limerick, and that late point from CJ Mc Gourty eased concerns’.
Antrim did require a full return of the points in the trip to London to keep their promotion aspirations alive and with table topping Laois continuing in stylish progress with a 1-16 to 0-10 win in Wicklow and second place Carlow leaving Waterford with a three point win Lenny Harbinson is more than aware of the task ahead.
‘We do face a stiff run in, said the Antrim manager with trips to Laois, Limerick, and a home game with Carlow in prospect’.
‘Our destiny does remain in our own hands, he continued, and as I said previously further twists and turns are more than possible and indeed the next few weeks are interesting’.
Ruthless Wicklow blow Antrim away in dominant second-half showing
Wicklow 3-16-1-03 Antrim
From Kevin Herron at Roundwood
Antrim ladies suffered their second league defeat of the campaign after they were comfortably beaten 3-16-1-03 by table toppers Wicklow in Roundwood this afternoon.
The Saffrons showed battling qualities in the opening half an hour to keep their chances alive at the break and trailed 1-08-1-02 thanks to Anna Finnegan’s second goal of the campaign, but in the second period they were easily blown away by a ruthless Wicklow side who tagged on 2-08 with only a solitary point in reply courtesy of substitute Bronagh Devlin.
Antrim travelled to Roundwood looking to build on victory over Kilkenny last time out and test themselves against the side who were favourites to gain promotion this season, Seamus McKenna was dealt an early blow before throw-in as Eimear Gallagher was only deemed fit enough to start on the bench – Anna Finnegan replaced the St Gall’s forward in a reshuffled front six.
Wicklow made a terrific start to the game and quickly found their shooting accuracy through Jackie Kinch – who converted an early free in front of the posts and Katie Miley, Niamh McGettigan and Meadhbh Deeney were on target from play to give the hosts a 0-04-0-00 lead within the seven minutes.
Jackie Kinch stretched Wicklow’s lead with her second score of the afternoon to make it five scores on the bounce as Antrim played second fiddle in the opening ten minutes.
Anna Finnegan had Antrim’s first chance from play but misfired in front of the posts and Cathy Carey dropped a free just short of target, however a foul in the aftermath gave Carey a second opportunity from closer in and the St Ergnat’s midfielder converted to open Antrim’s account for the afternoon.
Jackie Kinch responded for Wicklow to edge the hosts 0-06-0-01 in front but midway through the first-half Antrim found a lifeline, a free inside the 45’ was quickly laid into the path of Anna Finnegan who rifled high into the corner of the net – giving Wicklow keeper Kim Connor’s no chance to reduce the deficit to two-points, 0-06-1-01.
Alanna Conroy and Aoife Taggart shot wide for their sides in the aftermath of Finnegan’s strike and just shy of the twenty minute mark the second goal of the game arrived –the Antrim defence was caught flat footed and Katie Miley exploited the gaps and fired past Anna McCann, despite the Moneyglass native getting fingertips on the shot as Wicklow restored their five-point lead.
Kinch converted a second free of the half to bring her tally to four shortly afterwards and then conjured up her sides last score of the half on 22 minutes.
Antrim tried to force the issue in the final ten minutes but could only muster a fine individual point from corner-forward Aoife Taggart, with Aine Devlin and Cathy Carey both going close with efforts which dropped wide and short respectively as the Saffrons trailed 1-08-1-02 at the break – although they were still very much in the reckoning.
The visitors targeted a few early scores at the beginning of the second period, but it was Wicklow who took a firm grip on the game with Kinch opening their second-half account and back to back scores from Deeney giving the table toppers a 1-11-1-02 advantage with almost ten minutes of the half elapsed.
Things went from bad to worse for Antrim on 40 minutes, a quick free from Meadhbh Deeney picked out Jackie Kinch in space and the Wicklow number eleven swivelled and shot high into the corner of the net past McCann – who in truth stood in chance as Wicklow went 2-11-1-02 ahead.
Clodagh Fox and Marie Kealy increased the hosts lead and Antrim offered little resistance to the Wicklow onslaught but when an opportunity did present itself Bronagh Devlin was thwarted by Kim Connors in the home goal. On 51 minutes the home side struck for the third time, in almost a carbon copy of the second goal – another angled free caught Antrim napping as Deeney picked out Kinch who got in ahead of Anna McCann to stab the ball home and make it 3-13-1-02.
Half-time substitute Bronagh Devlin would ensure that Antrim ended the second period with a point to show after sister Aine claimed Anna McCann’s kick-out, but Wicklow tagged on a further three-points before the afternoon was out. Meadhbh Deeney converted a free and Wicklow’s talisman Kinch added the last two scores of the day to bring her personal tally to 2-10 and ensure her side ran out comfortable 3-16-1-03 winners at the end to cement their place at the top of the Lidl National League Division Four standings.
Wicklow: K Connors, E Mulhall, SJ Winder, A Gillen, R Fagan, S Hogan, L Fusciardi, N McGettigan (0-01), A Conroy, G Conan, J Kinch (2-08,0-02f), M Deeney (0-04,0-02f), C Fox (0-01), K Miley (1-01), M Kealy (0-01). Subs: A Gorman for R Fagan (31 mins).
Antrim: A McCann, S Haughey, E Kelly, N McKeown, N McIntosh, S Cochrane, C Stewart, C Carey (0-01f), D O’Kane, A Devlin, A McFarland, N Enright, A Taggart, A Finnegan (1-00), C Taggart. Subs: B Devlin (0-01) for A Finnegan (31 mins), O Corr for N Enright (40 mins), O McCrory for C Stewart (44 mins), K Rafferty for N McKeown (48 mins), N O’Neill for D O’Kane (48 mins), E Gallagher for A Taggart (50 mins).
UU lose out to Maynooth Ryan Cup final
Electric Ireland Ryan Cup Hurling final – at Mallow GAA Club
UU who were beaten by Maynooth in the Ryan Cup final in Cork. Pic by Coilin Duffy.
By Cóilín Duffy
Ulster University faced a strong Maynooth University side in Mallow on Saturday, as their quest for a first Electric Ireland Ryan Cup hurling title ended in a 16-point defeat.
On the scoreboard Maynooth University looked dominant, particularly from early on, but UU battled bravely, where in the second half the likes of Antrim’s Ryan Eliott, Gerard Walsh, James O’Connell and Conor Carson; Down duo Malachi Magee and Daithi Sands, and Aidy Kelly of Tyrone were among those bursting their guts for Ollie ‘Badger’ Bellew’s side.
UU came into this game off the back of a hard earned semi-final win over pre-tournament favourites GMIT, but with eight freshers involved and without some of their Antrim county contingent, who weren’t released by the Saffrons management – added to an injury to Donal McKernan – it meant UU were very much up against it.
“In all fairness today Maynooth were deserving of their win,” Bellew said.
“We played GMIT yesterday and the lads threw everything at it, and the spirit and committment shown was top notch, but out onto the big pitch for the final.
“In fairness Maynooth were great in the final, and I think our semi-final win completely emptied the tank on us.”
Maynooth laid an onslaught on the UU defence from the off, and after 50 seconds opened their account from Kildare man Jack Travers.
By half-time they led by 0-11 to 0-4 – UU’s points equally split between the quarters. Kelly with three frees, and a fine individual score from Sands making up the first half tally.
Maynooth had Man of the Match Brian Hogan in outstanding form, as was Kilkenny’s Padraig Walsh as captain. Elliott pulled off some good blocks, and on the restart UU had their chances. Carlow’s Aaron Amond netted for Maynooth, before UU scored two of the next three points from Gerard Walsh and O’Connell.
But Laois’s MJ Lalor fired Maynooth’s first goal, and by the 48th minute they moved 2-15 to 0-6 ahead.
UU were only outscored by a point over the final 11 minutes – in fact they hit three in a row, but Maynooth finished with four unanswered points.
MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY (Dublin unless stated): E Byrne (Kilkenny); P Smith, E Moloney (Tipperary), S Stafford (Wexford); P Walsh (Kilkenny) (0-5), B Hogan (Tipperary) (0-2, 2f), R Donohoe (Wexford); J Travers (Kildare) (0-1), C Moloney (Tipperary); R Smith (0-1), B McDonnell (0-1), F Bass (Kildare); A Amond (Carlow) (1-2), S Buggy (Kilkenny) (0-5, 4f), M Lalor (Laois) 1-1. Subs: A Hosey (Carlow) (0-1) for Bass (22); C Kirwan (Offaly) (0-1) for Amond (52); G Egan (Roscommon) for Donohue (57); E O’Hara (Carlow) for Lalor (58); L Mulroney for McDonnell (60).
UU (Antrim unless stated): R Elliott; C Boyd, T Burns, C Carson; M Fisher (Down), P Burke, G Walsh (0-1, 1f); J O’Connell (0-2), L Dunphy (Kilkenny); K Rice (0-1), J O’Dwyer (Derry), J Ging (Laois); D Sands (Down) (0-1), A Kelly (Tyrone) (0-4, 4f), M Magee (Down). Subs: S Hunter for Ging (13); P McCallion for Dunphy (38); C McHugh for O’Dwyer (41); A Orchin for Fisher (48); S Walsh for Sands (55).
REFEREE: Cathal McAlister (Cork)