Con Magees Cul Camp attracted more than 180 children this week and while the weather has not been ideal most days have been OK. Regardless of the conditions everyone has had fun and met new friends, under the supervision of a great team of young people, with Seamus McMullan and Caoimhe Duffin overseeing it all
On Thursday we had a few special players come along to join in the fun. Michael, Johnny Dee, Michael, Aoife and Ben got special attention love and care from their tutors Ciaran and Rioghnach McCaughan and their daughter Naimh who gave up their time, and missed out on the Naomh Padraig Cul Camp, to be there.
Johnny Dee’s eyes light up when he sees his former teacher Ciaran McCaughan at the Con Magees Cul Camp
Catch me if you can. Amber Anderson show everyone a clear pair of heels as she holds a rugby ball beneath her arm. Maybe the fact that her dad is from New Zealand gives her and edge
The Saffron Gael welcomes on board our latest sponsor, Copytext (NI) Limited. The sponsorship came about through our association with Tir na nOg footballer and hurler, Kevin Sheerin, a big fan of the site and a player who has been regularly featured in reports on the site since its inception.
Kevin Sheerin is an Account Manager for Copytext NI Limited. Kevin is a dual playing member of Tir na nOg Randalstown, and has been playing in the senior ranks for the past 15 years. He is looking forward to both the forthcoming Antrim Intermediate Football and Hurling championships with his club. Kevin is captain of the Tir na nOg side who will face Rasharkin (Football) and Sarsfields (Hurling) respectively in the first rounds.
If your business could use the services of
Copytext (NI) Limited we would encourage you to contact Kevin whos details are
included.
Copytext (NI) Limited
Copytext is a 100% locally owned and managed Company
with two main Divisions, Print & Mailroom.
With offices in Belfast, Dungannon and Dundalk our
field-based engineers cover all parts of Ireland, North and South, making us
ideally located to ensure that our customers receive excellent service on all
products supplied across the two Divisions: –
Founded in 1995, Copytext employ 19 members of staff with over 200 years combined Industry experience. We currently supply and service over 2,000 customers throughout Northern Ireland.
Print
Supplying Sharp, Develop and Lexmark for
Printing, Scanning & Archiving.
Mailroom
An approved Royal Mail supplier, we offer the full range
of the
German manufactured FP Mailing franking machines.
Copytext is a ‘Service-focused’ organisation, capable of meeting and exceeding your service and product expectations with competitive world-class products.
Tir na nOg footballer Kevin Sheerin, Accounts Manager for Copytext
Casement’s GAC, Portglenone held a very successful and enjoyable Cup Camp this week and amongst ther coaches were Tyrone footballer Ciaran McGeary and Sean McKenna from Gaelfast.
The Saffron Gael attended today and captured some of the action as the children attending enjoyed the coaching and the craic in glorious sunshine as the childre were put through their paces before taking part in a questions and answers session with Ciaran McGeary and former Down player Brian Burns who is now a member of the Casement’s club.
Left to Right: Brian Burns Former Down player, Ciaran McGeary , Tyrone, Ciaran Convery and John McKeever, Cul Camp co-ordinators
Hes still got it! Sean McKenna from Gaelfast demonstrates his kicking skills during the Casements Cup Camp.
‘Goals win
prizes’, is the old adage and that was certainly the case at Shaw’s Road on
Wednesday night as Rossa defeated their closest rivals, Tir na nOg to lift the
division 2 title.
Three green flags hoisted in a five minute spell
during the opening half were the scores that separated the sides at half time
and although the Moneyglass men never gave up, three goals were still the
difference as Karol Doherty sounded the full-time whistle in the fading light.
The visitors
went into this game knowing that a win would put them a point ahead of their
opponents and leave the Rossa needing something from their final game away to Tir
na nOg but in truth they never really looked like gaining that win.
Moneyglass were first on the score board as Colm
Duffin and Conor Boyd hoisted back to back white flags in the opening couple of
minutes as the visitors opened brightly.
The home side took a time to adjust
to the slippery surface but were on their way when Colm Fleming punished a foul
on the incoming Sean Pat Donnelly by guiding the placed effort between the
posts in the 5th minute and when the latter added another and wing
half back Sean Finch followed suit they had claimed advantage.
Rossas Stephen Beatty fires past Mark Carey of Moneyglass for his sides second goal
Moneyglass drew abreast again in the
11th minute with a smart Paul Tohill point but Rossa responded and
Michael Armstrong raced clear to split the posts and regain the lead.
Rossa were starting to get on top at
mid-field with Michael Armstrong and Stephen Beatty gaining control and when
the latter combined with Eoghan Mc Menamin to send Colm Fleming in to grab an eye
catching 15th minute goal the home side were on their way.
A real body blow for the St. Ergnat’s
men and they were about to be hit with another as mid fielder Stephen Beatty nipped
undetected inside the last line of defence to collect from Colm Fleming before
finishing stylishly to the net.
The home side were on the march and
not about to ease off the accelerator as Sean Pat Donnelly sped ‘soccer style’
up the left hand side before delivering on a plate for Eoin Fleming to apply
the coupe de grace and ensure a more than healthy 3-04 to 0-03 advantage for
the blue and gold.
Points from Colm Duffin and Conal
Prenter (2) ensured that the visitors outscored their hosts in the latter
stages of the opening period but the home side took respite in the gathering
gloom with a more than useful 3-06 to 0-06 half time lead.
Joe Edwards presents the division 2 football league trophy to Rossa captain, Thomas Morgan
Moneyglass started the second half
brightly with two early scores as the hard working Colm Duffin and Jack Mc Coy
added points apiece but this provoked reply from their hosts as Thomas Morgan
and Michael Armstrong followed suit.
Such was the trend throughout the
second half as a score at one end would provoke reply at the other and those
three green flags raised in the opening period remained the difference
throughout.
The rain which had threatened for a
time finally arrived but the home side had the bit firmly between their teeth as
they continued to hold their guests at arm’s length.
The South West side needed a goal if
they were to make inroads and with Conor Boyd and Colm Duffin leading the
offensive they came close on a couple of occasions but when danger threatened net-minder
Michael Byrne was not found wanting.
The young keeper was on hand to make
a couple of exceptional saves in the last quarter as he stood tall to defy both
Jack Mc Coy and again in the 51st minute as he denied Seanachan
Duffin from close range.
Despite a lung bursting effort by the
visitors the home defence stood firm in the descending gloom and at conclusion it
was Rossa who celebrated their victory and a return to division 1 next season while
Moneyglass still have the opportunity to join them if they can win a play-off
against the side that finishes second bottom in division 1.
Rossa: Michael Byrne, Michael Mc Greevey, Ciaran Orchin, Niall Crossan, Sean Finch (0-01), Christopher Mc Guinness, Richard Gowdy, Michael Armstrong (0-01), Stephen Beatty (1-01), Sean Pat Donnelly (0-01), Eoghan Mc Menamin (0-01), Gerard Walsh, Eoin Fleming (1-03), Colm Fleming (1-05), Thomas Morgan (0-01)
Rossa manager Sean Fleming with his sons Colm and Eoin and the ACFL Division 2 Cup
Subs:
Conal Mc
Donald
Dominic Mc
Enhill
Oisin Mc
Vicar
Paddy Mc
Greevey
Damien Grego
Moneyglass: Mark
Carey, Myron Neeson, Tiernan Duffin, Peter Mc Cormick, Jack Mc Coy (0-01),
Conor Boyd (0-03), James Mc Meill, Niall Boyd, Sean Kelly, Paul Tohill, Colm
Duffin (0-06), Conal Prenter (0-03), Seanachan Duffin, Gareth Murray
Portglenone completed a league double over Lamh Dhearg and
ensured the Hannahstown men would miss out on a top four finish with a
0-19-2-09 win at O’Cahan Park this evening.
The visitors knew that victory would secure their first
finish amongst the elite since 2015 with the incentive of being a seeded quarter-finalist
in next seasons Championship – however Portglenone didn’t read the pre-match
script and began the game impressively.
Conall Delargy curled over his sides first point within the
first two minutes and the Ports were difficult to comtain in the early stages –
controlling the game and forcing Lamh Dhearg onto the back foot.
Indeed Portglenone should have forced the opening goal of the game – only for John Finucane to divert Kieron McKenna’s shot over the bar. Corner-forward Ronan Kelly added a brace of points in the aftermath as the hosts climbed into a 0-04 to 0-00 lead.
On the visitors rare ventures upfield Paddy Cunningham’s
shot was too short to trouble Ryan O’Neill in the Ports goal and Kevin Quinn
shot off target.
Cunningham would open his sides account for the evening with
a converted free and followed it up with a sensational point from play to half
the deficit.
Gerard McAleese and Cunningham (free) traded scores before
the opening goal of the game arrived on the 17th minute.
Terry McCrudden claimed the 50-50 ball and headed towards
the goal, a series of hand-passes between the full-forward and Marc Jordan saw
McCrudden go through one-on-one and he made no mistake – rifling past Ryan
O’Neill to edge his side 1-03-0-05 ahead.
Conall Delargy levelled the game from a converted free though
Paddy Cunningham instantly restored his sides slender advantage.
A third point from Delargy had the sides level once again
and late in the half the hosts hit the front through successive points from
McKenna and McAleese to claim a 0-09-1-04 lead at the interval.
Like the opening half, Portglenone began the second period
on the front foot and increased their lead through converted frees from Conall
Delargy and Ronan Kelly.
Kevin Quinn split the posts in response but impressive
corner-back Ryan Convery hoisted the ball over the bar and claimed a point that
his performance had more than merited.
A converted Terry McCrudden free closed the gap to three-points
again; approaching the midway point in the second half – though back to back
scores from Kieron McKenna and Delargy (free) gave the hosts a 0-14-1-06 lead with
little over ten minutes remaining.
An excellent solo run from Ben Rice yielded the Lamhs third score of the half and Paddy Cunningham followed that up with his third converted free of the evening.
Patrick Kelly saw his shot curl inside the large post for
the point to stretch his sides lead to four but with eight minutes remaining
Lamh Dhearg captain Declan Lynch gave his side renewed hope.
Lynch profited on a lapse of concentration in the home
defence and tucked his low shot beyond the reach of O’Neill to make it 0-15-2-08.
The sides traded converted frees through Delargy and
Cunningham with the game firmly in the balance going down the home straight.
However, Portglenone managed out the remaining minutes of time and added on three unanswered points to see them over the line.
Conall Delargy kicked his fifth converted free of the evening, in between Delargy’s free; Patrick Kelly added two further points – the second from the 45’ after John Finucane was forced to frantically scramble the ball behind with his kick blocked down by substitute Ryan McGuigan.
The Ports ran out deserved winners to complete a league
double over the Lamhs and ensure that the Hannahstown men would join them
outside of the top-four standings in the top half of the table.
Portglenone: R O’Neill, R Convery (0-01), S Delargy, J
Convery, C Tierney, D McAleese, R Delargy, M Donnolly, F O’Kane, C Delargy (0-07,
0-05f), N Delargy, K McKenna (0-03), R Kelly (0-03, 0-01f), P Kelly (0-03, 0-01
45’), G McAleese (0-02). Subs: R McGuigan for N Delargy (50 mins); M Kelly for
K McKenna (54 mins), S Kelly for M Donnolly (61 mins).
Lamh Dhearg: J Finucane, R Diamond, P Mervyn, P Larkin, M
McGarry, D Lynch (1-00), B Rice (0-01), P Fitzsimons, D Smyth, O McKeown, K
Quinn (0-01), D Bellew, P Cunningham (0-06, 0-04f), T McCrudden (1-01, 0-01f), M
Jordan. Subs: M Herron for P Larkin (35 mins), C Hannon for D Smyth (35 mins),
J Summersgill for D Bellew (39 mins).
