The Kickhams GAC annual St Stephen’s Day Cycle/Walk/Run started off in extremely cold and wet conditions last Thursday. But for the hardy souls that turned out, it was a fresh and fulfilling experience.
The cyclists set off for a 20-30 mile journey at half 11 and as soon as the large group of walkers and runners set off at 12 o’clock around the planned 5k route, the rain stopped and it was a very enjoyable half an hour for everyone.
Tea, coffee and refreshments were ready in the clubhouse as soon as everyone finished with the cyclists and joining the walkers and runners to thaw out.
Over £800 was collected on the day for the chosen Charity NIKPA – NI Kidney Patients Association, which helped Kickhams club member Darrell Martin earlier this year.
The club would like to thank everyone for once again being so generous and supporting a very worthy cause and wish all their members and wider GAA family a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year moving into 2020.
With the 2019 season fading into the distance and the 2020
season just around the corner it is time to take a look back at matters in
Antrim over the past year. We will start with the football and look at the sides
that enjoyed success and some of the games that lit up the Antrim leagues and
championships.
We start with Erin’s Own, Cargin who collected their third
championship in the past four years and added a Minor championship and division
1 league title as the Toome men continue to set the standards that others
aspire to.
That championship title didn’t come easy and in the final
Cargin were taken to a replay by a Lamh Dhearg side who will feel that they let
it pass them by on day one when they were in top until late on the game.
Down but not out! Michael McCann is brought down during the Antrim SFC Final
Cargin refused to lie down however, coming from behind to
gain a draw and won the replay after extra time at a packed Corrigan Park. On
the day of their drawn game their minor footballers produced a sterling
performance to beat a St. Brigid’s side who went into the final as strong
favourites but were out fought by a determined Erin’s Own side.
In 2018 league specialists Cargin lost their title to
neighbours Creggan but regained the title after a titanic last day’s battle
against the same side on the Staffordstown Road. Creggan ended up with
something to celebrate however when they beat Ahoghill in the O’Cahan Cup final
to retain their title.
Cargin’s Paul McCann in action against Lamh Dhearg
Marty Kane, Cargin carries the ball out of defence
Cargin celebrate their Minor Championship victory over St. Brigid’s
Cargin’s Ulster campaign saw them lose on the opening day to
a good Derrygonnley side at Corrigan while their minors suffered a similar fate
to Enniskillen Gaels in the fonaCAB Ulster tournament at St. Paul’s but the
Toome side again look the side to beat in 2020.
In division 2 a strong Rossa side dictated matters from
early in the season to regain their place in division 1 in 2020. Rossa lost
just two games on their journey to league success with Tit na nOg, Randalstown
beating them at Rossa Park while All Saints pipped them in their league
encounter in Ballymena.
Changes in the league structures meant that the second
placed side in division 2 would face the second bottom side in division 1 in a
play-off for promotion-relegation. St. Mary’s Ahoghill came out on top in a two
legged battle with St. Ergnat’s, Moneyglass with both games somewhat bizarrely
played at Portglenone.
The first game saw Ahoghill come late to earn a draw and it
took a late Patrick Graham goal in the second game to ensure St. Mary’s
division 1 football in 2020 with Antrim’s great survivors producing another Houdini
act.
Action from Rossa’s win over Moneyglass in the ACFL Division 2 at Rossa Park
Spare a thought for St. Ergnat’s! They were well in the
running for promotion all season but suffered back to back defeats to eventual
league winners Rossa but looked favourites going into the Intermediate
championship final against an Aldergrove side that had an indifferent league
campaign.
Aldergrove manager, Paddy Nugent is embraced after his side’s Intermediate championship success against Moneyglass
Paddy Nugent’s side produced the goods when it mattered
however and at a wet and windy O’Cahan Park produced an excellent performance
to lift their first Intermediate championship for some time with Brian
McQuillan, Seamus McGarry and Fergal Burke superb for the Crumlin side.
St. James bid for Ulster success ended in defeat when they
lost to Naomh Naille of Donegal at Corrigan Park, Paddy Nugent’s men going down
2-10 to 1-10 in a game they could have won.
St Patrick’s Lisburn bridged a yawning gap, stretching away
back to 1995 when they defied the strong challenge of Kickham’s, Ardoyne to
gain the verdict after a keenly contested and hugely entertaining Junior championship
final in Glenavy.
St. Patrick’s Lisburn who added the McCormick cup to their JFC success this season
At the third attempt the Lisburn side took their first title in 23 years but it was a mixed season for the Kirkwood Park side as they suffered relegation from division 2 having gained promotion for the first time the previous season.
The Lisburn side completed a good season when they defeated Casement’s Portglenone in the McCormick Cup final in Ahoghill.
Their championship opponents, Ardoyne gained some consolation for their JFC defeat when they defeated St. Mary’s Rasharkin in the division 2-division 3 relegation-promotion play offs and will play their football in division 2 in 2020 while Rasharkin will join Lisburn for their first ever season in division 3.
St. Brigid’s celebrate their U21 final win over Tir na Nog
The U21 Football championship saw a good St. Brigid’s side retain their title with a win over Tir na nOg at Colaiste Feirste. The Musgrave Park side were pushed all the way by a spirited Whitehill outfit.
St. Gall’s celebrate after defeating Lamh Dhearg in the U21B final at Colaiste Feirste
In the U21B final St. Gall’s recorded a facile victory over Lamh Dhearg, Paddy Murray’s side chalking up a big win at Colaiste Feirste in the first of the U21 double header
Tir na nOg, Randalstown celebrated their Centenary year with
success in the Minor A League, pipping St. James Aldergrove to take the title
while combination side, Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh were division 2 winners.
St. Mary’s Aghagallon defeated All Saints Ballymena in an
U16A league play-off to take the title with the U16 2A title going to Gaeil an
tSeibhe Dhuibh and St. Joseph’s Glenavy the U16 2B title winners.
The meeting of Erin’s Own Lavey and Termon in the final of
the St. Paul’s-fonaCAB tournament on Wednesday looks an intriguing encounter
and one that should bring a big crowd to Shaw’s Road as the champions of Derry
and Donegal meet to decide who will become Ulster minor club champions.
Strong arguments could be made for both of these sides and
before last week’s semi-finals I fancied Termon to go on and win the tournament
and at half time against Down champions Kilcoo I was feeling a bit smug about
my prediction when the Tir Connaill side led 2-2 to 0-2 and were looking
comfortable.
Kilcoo staged a strong second half comeback however with
Termon only able to add two points to their first half total. Kilcoo finished
the game strongly, pinning Termon back in their own half and a 47th minute goal
from Jason Morgan saw the Down side back in contention.
Johnston converted a
free in the aftermath and added his third with 3 minutes remaining to make it a
two-point game approaching the dying embers at the Shaw’s Road (2-04-1-05).
Johnston added a further free four minutes into added time
and the Down side could have clinched extra-time but Jamie McKee shot inches
wide of the post with the last kick of the game.
Lavey had a much easier passage into Wednesday’s final when they defeated Enniskillen Gaels with Matthew Downey converting six frees in a comfortable 0-11 to 0-5 win over the Fermanagh champions. Matthew Downey kicked three successive placed balls to bring his first-half tally to 0-04 and give his side a 0-07-0-01 half-time lead.
Lavey and Downey picked up where they left off before the
break as he cut inside and popped the ball over for his first score from play
and the Gulladuff side went on to run out winners by six points but over the
hour their shoot on site policy didn’t produce the total that their overall
play deserved.
The strength of any side is the sum of its parts and Termon’s success to date has been based on possession football with slow deliberate build ups with a lot of players behind the ball followed by decisive breaks forward when the opportunity arises.
They are a strong side with Emmet Maguire in goals, Jamie
Grant, Marty Steele and Conor McFadden strong in defence with Grant prepared to
break forward if the opportunity arises. At mid-field Ryan McFadden is their go
to man and much of the play revolves around him and he has a strong partner in
Jason Alcorn.
Against Kilcoo twins, Stephen and Conor Black were sprung
from the bench early in the game, both making telling contributions and I’d be
surprised if both don’t start against Lavey while Bobbie McGettigan and Steve
McDaid are other useful performers in a big mobile Termon side.
Lavey play a similar but more expansive game than Wednesday’s
opponents and will go into this fonaCAB final in confident mood and certainly
look to have the fire power to trouble Termon and their mentors, Michael
Hasson, Brian Scullion and Seamus Scullion will surely have addressed the
number of wides they kicked against Enniskillen Gaels.
Jack Scullion looks a confident keeper and Shea O’Neill, Ryan Farell and Ryan Magill all impressed in a strong defence. Cormac Collins and Jamie Duggan form a strong mid-field partnership while the Downey clan, Matthew, Enda and Calum with the McGurks form a potentially lethal attack.
Prior to half time against Kilcoo my money was on Termon to go all the way but if they sit back as they did against Kilcoo in the second half of that semi-final then Lavey have the mobility and fire power to win the day and bring another Ulster Minor club title to the Oak Leaf county.
On Sunday 29th, Tír na nÓg hosted their annual health and well-being New Year event at Whitehill with over 100 participants taking part in the cycle, run or walk. The weather was very kind and stayed dry for the full duration. In the third year of the event Nuala McKay and Tony Scullion remain the two to beat, having come first in all three years in their category. Well done to both of them!! Simon Carey was again first cyclist home, Tony Scullion completed the 4 mile run in 25.05secs, second place was minor footballer Emmett Murray with 27.21secs and third place was Declan Magee. The first Lady home was Nuala McKay. Our first young male over the line was Emmett Smith at 30.32secs and closely followed by his sister Aisling at 30.51secs. Well done to all the winners and to all who took part. Once again the Randalstown club had a wonderful day and everyone enjoyed some mince pies and mulled wine back at the club. Tír na nÓg would like to thank everyone who came to finish off their amazing 100 years of celebration in 2019.
