Month / October 2019

by thesaffrongael

Underage Jersey presentation to St. Mary’s Ahoghill

This season saw the launch of new juvenile Hurling and Football jerseys to St. Mary’s GAC Ahoghill.

The new U8 Football jerseys were sponsored by Danny O’Connell, pictured presenting them to Assistant Treasurer, Colum Graham, with keen models showing them off in the background.

These football jerseys feature the logo of The Children’s Heartbeat Trust Charity. This was our chosen charity for our Registration Coffee Morning earlier in the year.

The charity supports NI families with children who have congenital heart problems and a charity close to the hearts of club members.

The juvenile hurling jerseys were sponsored by one of our under-age coaches, Paul Magee, and feature the logo of local charity, The Cancer Fund For Children, an organisation special to Paul and his family and a cause important to so many.

St Mary’s Ahoghill GA & CC are delighted to have these new strips and to be associated in acknowledging both charities, the club wishes to express heartfelt thanks to both sponsors.

Orla Magee (Jeresy sponsor Paul’s wife) Presents hurling jersey to Colum Graham

Danny O’Connell presents a  football jersey to Colum Graham Assistant Treasurer

Colum Graham & Cillian Scullion present cheque to The Children’s Heartbeat Trust.

Paul Magee presents a jersey to Daisy Hill cancer fund for children centre .

by thesaffrongael

Davitt’s win U12 Division 1 League title

South Antrim U12 Hurling Final

Davitt’s 3-9 St Gall’s 2-5

After the disappointment on losing out on in two finals this year in North Antrim and Nipper Quinn A by a puck of a ball, Davitts U12 hurlers put two weeks of hard work in training to ensure preparation for the Division One league play-off against St Galls.

After losing one game each in the league, the Davitts loss coming against St Galls so this decider was always going to be a tight affair.

Davitts hit the ground running and scored the first three points of the game – the first two points came from some great play between Ruben Rogan, Cormac Mulligan and Sean Smyth. Aaron Tierney who was superb in the half back-line throughout the game then pointed a long range free to give Davitts the perfect start. St Galls got off the mark through a well taken free from a tight angle which seemed to settle them; the St Galls defence got on top and they started moving the ball well into the forward line. St Galls created some openings in the Davitts defence but with the defence marshalled well by Oisin Heaney they kept out the attack. It was nip and tuck for the remaining 10 minutes of the first half with both teams trading scores until Daire Melady struck a wonder goal to give Davitts a deserved half-time lead of 1-05 to 0-02.

St Galls came out firing on all cylinders in the second half and only for Michael Kennedy in the Davitts goal they would have got their rewards. The excellent Sean Smyth who was dominate in midfield throughout got the first few scores of the second half to settle the Davitts lads. To St Galls credit they lifted their game again and got the next three scores; a goal and some well taken points.

St Galls continued to put pressure on the Davitts full back line but Oisin Heaney, Kevin Mullan and Jack Hughes were up to the task and were well on top. Both teams traded further goals and points; Davitts ran out deserved winners on a score line of 3-09 to 2-05.

This game must be commended for how both teams played; fast moving hurling, played in the right spirit with plenty of respect between the players and mentors. A big thank you to Terry Reilly for refereeing the game. Davitts would also like to thank Gareth Bellew for his kind words to the young Davitt gaels.

To the Davitts team all year their attitude, commitment, discipline and skill have shone through to which our club are very proud off.

by thesaffrongael

Walk/run /cycle in memory of Darryl Heatley

Around 500 people turned out yesterday at Tír na nOg Randalstown to take part in a Run/walk/cycle in memory of Darryl Heatley to mark what would have been Darryl’s 40th birthday.

Father John gave a blessing to remember Darryl and mark the start of the run.

 The sun shone bright as Darryl’s wife Oonagh, parents, and siblings were joined by many friends, family, colleagues and neighbours to help raise money for CRY (cardiac risk in the young).

As everyone returned to the club rooms the Kearney family provided lunch and refreshments.

To complete the day, 40 balloons were released to mark Darryl’s birthday.

All money raised will go to providing screening clinics for young people through CRY.

by thesaffrongael

St Galls claim O’Donnell Cup

South Antrim U-12 O’Donnell Cup final

St Galls 4-08-2-00 St Johns

From Kevin Herron at Woodlands

A dominant second-half display saw St Galls lift the O’Donnell Cup with a 4-08-2-00 victory over St Johns in this morning final at Woodlands.

It was the Johnnies who made the brighter start and went in front inside of three minutes through Lewis Rafferty, who rounded St Galls keeper Cillian O’Hare and slipped the ball to the net.

It took St Galls until the 14th minute to respond, the Milltown side went all out to close the deficit but ran into a resilient St Johns defensive structure that was eventually breached as Aodhan Piece popped the ball over the bar.

Daire Tracey then closed the gap further with a second point before the break and in first-half injury time the Galls had the chance to restore parity at the break and took their chance through Padraig Murray Jnr as the sides headed in with the scores level at 1-00-0-03.

There was a case of déjà vu in the air as three minutes into the second-half St Johns regained their lead with a goal.

Fionn McCallin’s free dropped into a congested area and Odhran Quinn appeared to get the telling touch to send the ball to the net and restore his sides goal advantage (2-00-0-03).

St Galls reply was almost instant this time as Padraig Murray converted his second free of the afternoon and then steered the ball over the bar under pressure to close the gap to a single point.

A minute shy of the midway point in the second-half the lead changed hands for the first time as St Galls forged ahead through a fine strike from Conor McVeigh.

McVeigh could have added a quick-fire second goal – though instead opted for a point to give his side a three-point lead (1-06-2-00).

St Johns were chasing for the first time in the contest but in the final ten minutes St Galls further flexed their muscles.

Dylan Stitt popped the ball into the path of Padraig Murray who shaped for a shot and then rifled low past Brody Braniff to make it 2-06-2-00.

Conor McVeigh increased his sides lead with an outstanding point and was denied a further goal with Brody Braniff making a brave block after some intelligent play by Conor Haughey.

A minute from time St Galls found their third goal as a high ball from Aaron Mackle was scrambled to the net by Barra Bellew.

Aaron Butler followed-up with a further point and with almost the last play of the game Padraig Murray let-fly with a sensational effort that flew to the net like a bullet to give his side a 4-08-2-00 win at the games conclusion.

by thesaffrongael

U21 Football Championship nearing play-offs

U21 Football Championship

Rossa – 0-04   Tir na nOg- 7-11

First round results would have suggested that today’s meeting of Rossa and Tir na nOg was going to be a close affair with both having recorded wins over St. Pauls and Glenavy but Rossa’s win over their neighbours was much more convincing.

Tir na nOg had only a point to spare over St. Paul’s and travelled to Shaw’s Road today knowing they needed a win to finish top of the group but few would have predicted the margin of victory they were to gain on their second visit into the city on two consecutive weekends.

Aaron McNeilly pointed the visitors ahead and when Ciaran Dobbin followed with a goal the Whitehill men were well on their way. Dobbin was to prove a real handful for the Rossa defence with his pace and direct running and after Emmet Murray pointed he added his second goal.

Points from Ciaran Dobbin, Aaron McNeilly and a Darren McCormick goal extended the Tir na nOg lead with Rossa only managing three points up to this stage of the game and when Darragh Fegan added a fourth goal for the Randalstown side the writing was firmly on the wall.

Leading 4-5 to 0-4 at the half way stage the visitors had this one in the bag but they refused to ease their foot of the pedal on the restart as Peter Cullen struck goal number five and after Joe Webb had tagged on a point, Ciaran O’Neill got in for goal number six as the visitors scored almost at will.

There was to be no let-up however with Darragh Fegan adding his second and Tir na nOg’s seventh major and the visitors finished as they had started, in complete control as Ciaran Dobbin, Ciaran O’Neill, Emmet Murray, Joe Webb and Darragh Fegan added unanswered points.

Tir na nOg team – Joe  Webb, Mark Porter,  Declan Mallon, Thomas Porter, Ciaran O’Neill, Peter Cullen, Aaron McNeilly, Darragh Fegan, Darren McCormick, Emmett Murray,  Aidan Tolan, Ciaran Dobbin, Daniel Hastings, Stephen Carey.

Tir na nOg Scorers   Ciaran Dobbin 2-02, Darragh Fegan 2-01, Ciaran O’Neill 1-01, Aaron McNeilly 0.03, Peter Cullen 1-00, Darren McCormick 1-00, Emmett Murray 0-02, Joe Webb 0-02.

This win ensure Tir na nOg a place in the A quarter-final and by my reckoning they will be joined by St. John’s, All Saints, Moneyglass and St. Brigid’s and Dunloy will join them if they overcome the challenge of Cargin and Glenravel in their respective mid-week games.

The remaining two places, I understand will go to the two highest runners up with Kickham’s Creggan certain to be one of them following a big win over Cargin in Toome today. Rossa look likely to occupy the last place despite today’s defeat.