Larkin Cassidy Solicitors Intermediate Football
Championship
Sarsfields 3-15 Davitt’s 0-8
Sarsfields booked their place in the quarter final
of the Intermediate Football Championship when they scored a comprehensive win
over Davitt’s in Sunday’s preliminary round at Hannahstown. Ahead by 1-8 to 0-2
at half time they were briefly pegged back when Davitt’s hit the first three
points of the second half but once they settled there was no stopping the
Paddies and in the end they had sixteen points to spare.
Tomas Skillen and Sam Walsh had Sarsfields two clear
by the fourth minute but a fine strike from Declan Walsh brought Davitt’s back
into contention. Two points from Gary Lennon and one by Niall McKenna stretched
the Paddies advantage, but Davitt’s kept in touch when left half back Daniel
Wallace broke through from defence and struck an excellent point. However the
remainder of the opening half was all Sarsfields and after Conor Laverty
grabbed his team’s opening goal Niall McKenna, Jack Daniels and Sam Walsh all
added points to put their team 1-8 to 0-2 in front at the break.
Davitt’s made a great start to the second half scoring the first three points, the pick of them a great strike from a free by goalkeeper Aaron Slane and by the 36th minute the gap was back to six. That was as good as got however for the Falls Road men as Sarsfields weathered the early storm and came back with points from Kevin McKernan, substitute Darragh McGuinness and right half back Jack Daniels before McGuinness sealed it with his team’s second goal. Davitt’s pulled a point back with eight minutes to go but Sarsfields pushed on with points from McKenna and Walsh before corner back Ehtan Mervyn grabbed their third goal.
SARSFIELDS: Michael Brady, Gary McPolin, Marty
McPolin, Ethan Mervyn, Jack Daniels, Niall McAlea, Conor Laverty, Cormac
Murray, Niall McKenna, Declan Laverty, Kevin McKernan, Caolan McKernan, Tomas
Skillen, Sam Walsh, Gary Lennon.
DAVITT’S: Aaron Slane, Nathan Maginn, Patrick
Maguire, Michael Rowntree, Conor Toner, Jason Park, Daniel Wallace, Anthony
Rowntree, Paul McKinney, Colm McKee, Declan Smyth, Ryan Park, Stephen Toner,
Caomhan Slane, David Nugent.
All Saints GAC’s Annual Crebilly 5K Fun/Run raised more than £1,000 for the charity, Love Hope & Faith as more than 100 entrants made the run over the gruelling Crebilly course.
Organised once again with the assistance of ‘Ballymena Runners’ who provided the expertise and had a number of very impressive runners taking part in the event the race attracted a big crowd to the club’s Slemish Park ground where the Run/Walk started and finished.
The club donate the entrance fee every year to a designated charity and this year Love Hope & Faith, a charity started by Darren McGinty, a club member and manager of the All Saints hurling team, were the recipients.
The chairty was set up to assist children with Spina Bifida and Darren’s dauhter Avah suffers from the condition and was there to present the awards to the various winners of the catagories.
All Saints GAC would like to thank Ballymena Runners, all those who assisted in the smooth operating of the event, those who took part and donated generously on the night and all those who helped in any way.
Thats my girl! Darren McGinty, founder of the charity Love Hope Faith and his daughter Avah receives a cheque for £1,095 from Jim Brady, All Saints GAC Chairman, proceeds of the clubs Crebilly Fun/Run on Friday night
Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship
Rossa 0-16 Gort na Móna 0-9
Four injury time points by Rossa gave them a seven
point win over Gort na Móna in Sunday’s Antrim Senior Football Championship
preliminary round at Hannahstown on Sunday. In a game played in sweltering heat
the Shaw’s Road men were good value for their win but the final scoreline would
suggest it was a stroll in the park which was far from the case. After trailing
by 0-6 to 0-7 at half time Gort na Móna must have felt they were in with a
great chance, and when they started the new half with two unanswered points to
move a point clear it looked like their optimism was well justified. They were
still level on 35 minutes when Patrick McCaffrey hit his fifth point of the
game, but they would not score again for the remaining 25 minutes plus injury
time and while Rossa weren’t exactly prolific either their more direct play
gave them the edge.
Michael Armstrong, who had a great battle throughout
the game with his midfield opponent Christopher Carson, got Rossa off to a
sharp start when he won the ball from the throw-in before soloing through for a
point inside 30 second. Armstrong added another two minutes later to give his
team a two point cushion but the Gorts hit back with a well taken point from
centre forward Patrick McCaffrey in the third minute. Colm Fleming stretched
the Rossa lead to 0-3 to 0-1 when he pointed a free from 40 meters but a
pointed free from Gort na Móna’s Dessie McClean left just a point between the
sides in the ninth minute.
Two quick points from Thomas Morgan moved Rossa 0-5
to 0-2 ahead by the midway point of the first half and it appeared the Division
2 champions were gaining the upper hand but back came the Gorts with points
from Dessie McClean and Patirck McCaffrey to cut the deficit to the minimum
once again. Once more the men in blue pulled away as Morgan and Stephen Beatty
split the Gort na Móna posts in the 23rd and 25th
minutes, but the Turf Lodge men once again had an answer and two excellent
points from David McErlean and Dessie McClean just before the break left them
just one behind at the short whistle. (0-6 to 0-7).
When they started the second half with further
points from McErlean and McClean the Gorts were in front for the first time in
the game and thinks looked promising. Points from Eoghan McMenamin and Colm
Fleming swung the game back in Rossa’s favour but Patrick McCaffrey brought his
team level once again with a point following a good flowing move in the 38th
minute.
At this stage it appeared this was going to be a
tight affair but incredibly Gort na Móna would not score again. Midway through
the half Dominic McEnhill gave Rossa back the elad and three minutes later he
put them two ahead. Colm Fleming pushed the Rossa lead out to three with a well
taken score from play in the 49th minute but they had to wait until
injury time for the insurance point which McEnhill duly supplied with a good
finish. That score seemed to kill off the Gorts and in the three minutes of
injury time that remained Beatty, McEnhill and Crossan all added points to put
seven between the side at the end.
ROSSA: Donal Armstrong, Michael McGreevey, Ciaran
Orchin, Niall Crossan, Sean Finch, Cricky McGuinness, Michael Armstrong,
Stephen Beatty, Gerard Walsh, Eoghan McMenamin, Darren Grego, Dominic McEnhill,
Colm Fleming, Thomas Morgan.
Subs – Oisin McVicker, Cormac McGettigan, Conal
McDonnell, James Cooley.
GORT NA MÓNA: Thomas McCaffrey, Conor Connolly,
Christopher Devlin, Mark Rea, Christopher Browning, Aidan McDonagh, David
McErlean, Christopher Carson, Caoimhin Magee, Padraig McHugh, Patrick McCaffrey,
Conor Browning, Shane Scullion, Paul Conlan, Dessie McClean.
Aldergrove moved impressively into
the final of the South West Laverty Cup decider and a meeting up with Tir na
Nog when they proved too strong for Cargin in Toome on Sunday morning.
Little had separated the sides in the
opening period although a trio of late points ensured the Crumlin men took
respite with a 0-10 to 0-07 lead but there was a different tale to tell in the
second half as the visitors seized complete control.
The home side did looked off the pace
as the second thirty minutes progressed while Aldergrove in contrast to their
hosts upped the ante in the closing thirty minutes and swift on the counter and
accurate in the extreme in the offensive they were full value for the 1-19 to
0-09 victory.
The St James’s lads were quickly away
from the start berth in perfect conditions on a Cargin sod bathed in late
summer sunshine and they had raised four white flags by the 8th
minute as Connor Morris collected a double with Aaron O’ Connor and Daniel
Shiels collecting one apiece.
Cargin having taken a time to get it
together saw Pat Shivers open account with a fine 10th minute point
and with Eunan Quinn racing through to add another and Sean Mc Auley on target
they were within range at the end of the opening quarter.
The home side were proving less proficient
than their neighbours in the early stages but seemed to be getting it together
somewhat and with full forward Pat Shivers causing problems for the visitor’s
rear guard, Cargin had done enough to draw alongside by the 25th
minute.
Pat Shivers had added three points to
his tally with Orrin Johnston also on target but the Aldergrove lads were soon
to reignite the blue touch paper again.
They were certainly back on top again
in the closing minutes and quick-fire points raised in excellence, both in
approach and finish from Eoin Hamill and Conor Morris ensured normal service
was resumed and a 0-10 to 0-07 interval advantage secured.
Having concluded in the first period
on the positive the Crumlin lads were to continue in such in the second and
when Eoin Hamill nipped through the home side’s defence to fire to the net and Kain
Jones added a point they were back in control.
Cargin were struggling to find the
target and although their target man Pat Shivers did raise a 36th
minute white and Eunan Quinn followed with another, three further whites raised
by Kain Jones without reply saw Aldergrove at 1-14 to 0-09 after 50 minutes and
the writing was on the wall.
Cargin were battling to stay in the
game but such was proving hard difficult and when the Aldergrove net-minder, made
an excellent save to deny Jack McAllister it was obvious that the die was well
cast.
The Aldergrove lads continued on the
offensive until conclusion and late scores by replacement Michael Blayney, Kain
Jones, and Aaron O’Connor saw them stroll over the finish line to a meeting
with Tir na nOg Randalstown in the Laverty cup final at 1-19 to 0-09.
Referee G Dougan (Kickham’s)
Cargin: Shea Laverty, Diarmuid Mc
Peake, Sean Og Quinn, Cahir Donnelly, Conan Johnston, Sean Og O’ Neill, Conan
Kennedy, Odhran Molloy, Paudie Mc Laughlin, Orrin Johnston (0-01), Eunan Quinn
(0-02), Jack Mc Allister, PJ Quinn, Pat Shivers (0-05), Sean Mc Auley (0-01)
Subs
Shane Gribbin for D Mc Peake
Tom Shivers for S Mc Auley
Sean McAuley for Shea Laverty
Aldergrove: Oisin Mc Garry, Sean
Bradley, Coary Fogarty, Logan Fleming, Lee Mc Cusker, Eoin Gough, Declan Gough,
Emmet Ervine, Oisin Graham (0-01), Glen Dunning, Conor Morris (0-05), Eoin
Hamill (1-01), Aaron O’ Connor (0-02), Kain Jones (0-05), Daniel Shiels (0-02),
Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship (round one)
Casement’s Portglenone 1-10 St Brigid’s 0-09
A 27th minute
goal by Michael Donnelly was to prove crucial as Casement’s advanced to the
quarter-final of the senior football championship at the expense of St Brigid’s
at Glenravel today.
The big full
forward was well stationed to receive on the left flank after a positive two
pronged approach and the finish was precise to ensure a 1-05 to 0-03 interval
advantage for the O’ Cahan Park residents.
The South West side were never headed
after that but they did require the aid of the wood work as Ronan Mc Grady’s 37th
minute penalty strike rebounded of the crossbar and was cleared to safety.
Jack Dowling was tireless in his
efforts in the St Brigid’s cause but despite efforts aplenty from the big man the
Bannsiders, with Jonny Convery leading by example in a resolute defence, were
not found wanting.
Back to back points by Ronan McGrady
and Michael Cummings in the 52nd and 53rd minutes, had
reduced the deficit to four, but despite a late revival this was as close as St.
Brigid’s got.
The Portglenone net minder Ryan O’Neill,
who had an excellent hour was called upon again in the dying minutes to ensure
Ronan McGrady was not to get a hand to a Cathal Conway cross.
Michael Donnelly whos goal in the 27th minute proved the crucial score as Portglenone defeated St. Brigids in the SFC at Glenravel
In the event the gallant city men were to be
thwarted in their efforts with Casement’s breasting the winning line at 1-10 to
0-09 and a place in the quarter- finals secured.
Little had separated the sides for
most of the opening period and it was all square, 0-03 apiece well into the
second quarter.
St Brigid’s had started positively but
were denied by the excellence of the Casement’s net-minder Ryan O’ Neill who
stood tall to deny Ronan Mc Grady with an excellent diving save with less than
a minute on the clock.
The city men opened account shortly after
when Rory Brolly split the posts and the corner man was followed in kind when
Pat Finnegan added a second in the 7th minute.
The Bannsider’s were soon to settle
to the task on hand after a tentative opening few minutes and with Dermot McAleese
leading the charge they took
the lead by the 15th
minute as Dermot Mc Aleese, Ciaran Mc Kenna, and Conal Delargy raised whites
apiece.
Ronan Mc Grady’s 20th
minute 40 metre free yielded a fine point to ensure they were back on terms and
he was then denied by the post from gaining the lead a couple of minutes later.
Ronan McGrady looks on as his second half penalty rebounds of the crossbar with Portglenone keeper, Ryan ONeill beaten
The South West men went a couple of
points ahead when a well laid counter attack and a foul on Conal Delargy saw
the wing man dust himself off to despatch the award between the posts and when
Niall McKeever rose highest to field the resultant kick out he sent the
industrious Gerard Mc Aleese in to add another.
St. Brigid’s pressed hard as the half
came to a close with Jack Dowling leading the charge but the Casement’s rear
guard stood tall and a Jonny Convery interception saw him send Ciaran McKenna
away with the wing half forward releasing Niall Delargy and the latter’s lay
off opened the way for Michael Donnelly to finish to the back of the net.
That late strike ensured a 1-05 to
0-03 interval advantage for the Casement’s men and that was extended shortly
into the second half.
Conal Delargy and Fergal O’ Kane raised
back to back white flags to move them 1-07 to 0-03 ahead and the O’ Cahan Park side
looked in control.
St Brigid’s were battling to get back
into the game and were offered an excellent opportunity when an under pressure
Casement’s defender was guilty of an ‘off the ground offence’ inside the square
with a penalty the resultant award.
Ronan McGrady steped up to take the
resulting kick but although the delivery was crisply despatched his effort
rebounded of the crossbar to safety.
Mc Grady gained some consolation when
he directed a 55 metre free kick between the posts with Peter Lundy following
on the same route a couple of minutes later.
Casement’s goal scorer Michael
Donnelly added a fine point to his tally when he fetched and delivered from
away out on the left side with Ronan McGrady replying at the end of the third
quarter with the Bannsider’s maintaining a five point advantage.
St Brigid’s refused to throw in the
towel however but after Michael Cummings popped up on the right hand side to
split the posts and Ronan McGrady followed suit, back to back Ronan Kelly
points ensured a 1-10 to 0-08 advantage for Casement’s with the end in sight.
Both sides looked to their bench in
the closing stages but Casement’s remained in charge despite Ronan Mc Grady’s
late strike yielding a point to reduce the deficit to four but that was as
close as they got with the Portglenone defence, well marshalled by net-minder
Ryan O’ Neill closing shop.
Casement’s: Ryan O’ Neill, Jonny
Convery, Shane Delargy, Ryan Convery, Ronan Delargy, Niall Delargy, Caolan
Tierney, Niall Mc Keever, Fergal O’ Kane (0-01), Conal Delargy (0-03), Dermot
Mc Aleese (0-01), Ciaran Mc Kenna (0-01), Ronan Kelly (0-02), Michael Donnelly
(1-01), Gerard Mc Aleese (0-01)
Subs
Michael Kelly for G Mc Aleese
Paddy Kelly for F O’ Kane
Ryan Mc Guigan for C Tierney
St Brigid’s: Stephen Magennis,
Diarmuid Mc Laughlin, Niall Mc Daniels, Finn Mc Kernan, Dara Mc Greevey, John
Toner, Peter King, Michael Cummings (0-01), Cathal Conway, Peter Lundy (0-01),
Ronan Mc Grady (0-05), Patrick Finnegan (0-01), Rory Brolly (0-01), Jack
Dowling, Eoin Mc Keever
