January 28, 2020January 30, 2020 by thesaffrongael

Antrim teams in Ulster League action this weekend

Ulster club football league

The Ulster club football club leagues get under way at the week-end with a total of six Antrim sides taking part. The Antrim football leagues are scheduled to begin early in March and most clubs will be in pre-season training and welcoming the early preparation offered in the Provincial competition.

Four teams from Antrim take part in the senior competition as Cargin, Casement’s, St Brigid’s and Aghagallon have posted entry.

Casements Portglenone in Ulster league action on Sunday away to Claudy John Mitchell’s

Glenravel are the sole entry in the Intermediate grade as Tir na nOg, who claimed the silverware at this level last term are not taking part this year with North Belfast based Pearses the sole entry at Junior level.

Aghagallon are first in action when they play hosts to Tyrone side Thomas Clarkes from Dungannon on their own Pairc na Gael sod on Friday evening 31^st Jan at 7.30pm.

Cargin are also favoured with ground advantage in their opening game as they play hosts to Eoghan Rua of Coleraine with an early throw in at Toome on Sunday 2^nd Feb at 11.00am.

Antrim champions, Erin’s Own, Cargin face a tough opener agains Eoghan Rua, Coleraine

Both Casement’s and St Brigid’s will make respective journeys into the Oak Leaf county for their opening games as the Bannsider’s visit Claudy, John Mitchells with St Brigid’s travelling to Steelstown where they will cross swords with Brian Og’s. Both games at 11.00am

Con Magee’s, Glenravel are entered in the intermediate grade and they will be on their travels for the opening round.

The Glensmen will pay a visit to Derry with a visit to St. Malachy’s Castledawson and this one is scheduled to get under way at 11.00am. Patrick Pearses have an afternoon game scheduled and the North Belfast side play Fr. Rocks of Cookstown at Cliftonville at 2-00pm

St Mary’s Aghagallon get the action under way on Friday night when they entertain Thomas Clarke’s from Dungannon

St. Brigid’s of Belfast start their Ulster league campaign away to Steelstown Brian Og’s

Con Magee’s travel to Castledawson on Sunday where they face the local St. Malachy’s in the Ulster Intermediate league

January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 by thesaffrongael

Who is Mark Gardiner?

Saffron Gael interviews Antrim’s latest football recruit

As Antrim took the field at Glenavy on Sunday for their NFL Division 4 opening game against Wexford the question on many peoples lips was, who is Mark Gardiner? Gardiner made his National League debut wearing the number 4 jersey with his club listed on the official programme as Gaeil Baile Shiomoin so I was anxious to find out more about the man who had just turned in a solid performance in Antrim’s win over Wexford.

Saffron Gael: Like many others, I was asking when I saw your name on a McKenna Cup team sheet a few weeks ago, who is Mark Gardiner? Hopefully this article will let them know who you are and I believe you went some way to answering that question by your performance today. How did you find your National League debut and how do you think you did?

Mark was reluctant to speak about his own contribution, saying he would let others judge that but was delighted by Antrim’s performance and he wore a broad smile as he celebrated with his Saffron colleagues after the game.

Saffron Gael: Congratulations on a good performance in what I believe was your debut for Antrim. You’re from county Meath. How did you come to be playing for Antrim?

Mark Gardiner: I was born and lived in Antrim until I was 10 or 11. We moved South to Dublin for a year and then onto Meath where we’ve settled and where I began to play football. It was actually our club manager that got in contact with the Antrim management to inform them of the Antrim connection. After that Lenny and Brendan came to watch a championship game I was involved in with the club and they asked me if I would be interested in joining the set up there and then. It was too good an opportunity for me to turn down so I was delighted to say yes!

Mark Gardiner closes down Ben Brosnan during his league debut for Antrim against Wexford on Sunday.

Saffron Gael: Tell me something about your GAA career in county Meath. What club do you play for? What division of the Meath league do they play in? Have you won any honours for your club?

Mark Gardiner: I play my football with Simonstown Gaels in Navan. We’re a division 1 senior club. I was involved in the first Simonstown team to win an U21 championship and then a couple of years later we won the Meath Senior championship and retained it the year after.

The Simonstown Gaels man did enough on Sunday to suggest he will be a useful addition to the Antrim side. He made himself available for short kick-outs during the opening half and gave Wexford’s Ben Brosnan little time or space throughout the game.

After the game he wore a broad smile which reflected his satisfaction on a job well done. Mark makes the journey from Navan to Belfast twice a week for training and at present is clearly enjoying life with his new Antrim colleagues and I’d expect him to be in the starting line-up when they face Sligo on Sunday at Markievicz Park.

Games against Sligo have been difficult for Antrim over the years and too often the Saffrons have come out on the wrong side of the result but there was a confidence about Lenny Harbinson’s side on Sunday that augers well for the season ahead.

A win in Sligo would set them up nicely for a strong promotion bid and wouldn’t it be a dream come true for their latest recruit if they could go on to gain promotion from division 4 in his first season with Antrim!

January 27, 2020 by thesaffrongael

Darren Gleeson thoughts on Antrim’s NHL Div 2A win over Wicklow

January 27, 2020January 27, 2020 by thesaffrongael

McQuillan’s take Section 1 title on a great finals day

McQuillan’s 3rds won Section 1 of the P5&6 North Antrim Indoor Hurling tournament at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre on Sunday, the Ballycastle boys just getting the better of a very good Michael Davitt’s Swatragh side by 3 goals to 2, the goals coming from Patrick Campbell, Matthew Donnelly and Peter Laverty. Campbell and Laverty had given the ‘Town’ a 2-0 lead but just before half time the Swatragh boys pulled one back from a penalty. Laverty put Ballycastle back in front early in the second half, but Swatragh hit back almost immediately to leave just one in it again. It was tough and intense in the final minutes but McQuillan’s managed to hold out to take the title.

In a great day’s hurling Eoghan Rua Coleraine captured the Section 2 title with a 5-0 win over Naomh Padraig while Section 3 was claimed by Kickhams Creggan who beat McQuillan’s 2nds by 6 goals to nil with a terrific display.

Omagh St Enda’s hit five goals in their final win over Oisins Glenariffe in the Section 4 final while in the Section 5 decider, the first final of the day, Tir na nÓg of Randalstown beat Eoghan Ruadh Dungannon 4ths by 5 goals to 4 in a really tight game.

Afterwards Paddy Gray of North Antrim presents the trophies to the winning captains

**Paddy Gray presents the Section 1 Shield to McQuillan’s captain Ronan McBride**

**Paddy Gray presents the Section 2 trophy to Darragh Cassidy of Eoghan Rua Coleraine**

**Eoghan Rua Coleraine celebrate their Section 2 victory**

**Paddy Gray presents the Section 3 Trophy to Cregann captain Ronan Colgan**

**Omagh St Enda’s celebrate their Section 4 success**

**Paddy Gray presents the Section 4 trophy to Omagh St Enda’s joint captains Conor O’Reilly and Conor Keyes**

**Section 5 winners Tir na nÓg celebrate their victory**

**Paddy Gray presents the Section 5 trophy to Tir na nÓg captain Oisin Sisk**

January 27, 2020January 28, 2020 by thesaffrongael

Local derby half time entertainment

While Antrim and Wexford retired to their respective dressing rooms for a well earned half-time rest spectators to Glenavy at Sunday were entertained by an U10 encounter between the local club and serious rivals, St. James’ Aldergrove.

Both sides displayed a wide arrange of skills and commitment and the future of both clubs is in rude health if Sunday’s encounter is anything to go by. The Saffron Gael were there to capture the best of the action.