Month / January 2020

by thesaffrongael

Saints & Slimmers at All Saints GAC

All Saints GAC Galgorm Resort “Saints & Slimmers” Up and Running

Ballymena’s All Saints GAC award winning health and well being programme, Saints & Slimmers, returned for a 5th successive year this week. Started in January 2016 the 6 week project has witnessed a record 160 participants sign up for this year’s programme. Those taking part are teamed with fellow “Slimmers” in a bid to be crowned overall Saints & Slimmers Champions, 2020.

With health and well-being at its heart Saints & Slimmers provides opportunities for regular team exercise, promotion of positive mental health, development of teamwork skills, dance and many social activities. Participants have been assigned to a team and are following a 6 week programme of activity. Those involved will be spin cycling in the early morning before winding down with a brisk walk that evening. Circuit training, aerobic workouts and the all important team challenges will keep everyone entertained while the finale dance-off in the splendour of the Tullyglass House Hotel will provide a fitting celebration of the participants efforts.


But don’t let the “Slimmers” reference mislead you. This programme is about far more than that as Club Chairman Jim Brady elaborates:

“Our annual programme places its emphasis clearly on the achievement of personal goals for all involved. For some that might be simply getting out of the house for an activity at a time of the year when the long nights and inclement weather may put you off leaving home. For others it may be an opportunity to meet new people, to try something new or indeed … to lose some weight. Whatever the goal the programme seems to have captured the imagination of local people in great numbers since it started 4 years ago with some 600 people in total taking part. As well as providing the participants with a range of activities to undertake we offer mental wellness sessions, a range of social events to attend and many opportunities to step outside of their comfort zone. All of our fitness tutors are locally based and that means that as well as channelling funding towards them during the programme they also get a chance to show off their product and attract spin-off business as a result throughout the remainder of the year”. 

In 2017 the programme was recognised at the Irish News Club & Volunteer Awards when it was awarded the prestigious award for best Club Health & Well Being initiative. This year’s programme sees participants range in age from 18 to 65 years of age and activities are tailored to individual need and fitness.

Charity features as an integral part of the programme and last year the organisers at All Saints designated the McMillan Unit at Antrim Area Hospital as the beneficiaries of their efforts. A sum of over £5k was raised principally through the team “Spinathon” at the Harmony Hub in the centre of Ballymena in February. This year a similar event on Saturday 8th February will raise funds to benefit the Children’s Hospice. 

The club would like to thank those local sponsors who have supported individual teams and events. They include Ballymena Running & Athletic Club, McKillop’s Spar Frys Road, Connolly’s Spar Dunclug, Tullyglass House Hotel and the overall programme sponsor Galgorm Resort and Spa. The theme for the teams this year are flowers and they are appropriately named as: The Teamkit Tulips, The Do-Jo Daffodils, The Doherty Meats Marigolds, The Fitzsimons Opticians Foxgloves, The Pizza Parlour Pansies, The Knockdene Healthcare Heathers, The Flamingo Forget Me Nots, The Sitting Room Snowdrops, the Studio 365 Sunflowers, The Steele Physio Primroses, the Prime Fitness Ponsettias and the Rafferty Property Roses. 

So over the next few weeks if you happen to see a group of Roses or Pansies jogging past you on the street give them a shout of encouragement and help them to bloom!

by thesaffrongael

Cumann na mBunscoil Indoor Camogie

The annual South West Cumann Na mBunscol indoor 5 a-side camogie competition took place on Thursday 16th January in Antrim Forum.  An amazing 11 schools participated, forming 15 teams and thus plenty of camogie to be enjoyed.

Schools involved included Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel, St. Mary’s Portglenone, St. Paul’s Ahoghill, Gaelscoil Ghleann Darach, Mount St. Michael’s Randalstown, Creggan, Millquarter, St. Oliver Plunkett Toome, St. Brigid’s Ballymena, St. Patrick’s Rasharkin and St. Colmcille’s Ballymena.

The 15 teams were split into two groups and played each team in their group once to decide semi-final spots.

In group one Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel, Millquarter and St. Patrick’s Rasharkin all secured opening wins and continued this fine form throughout their group games, only losing points to each other.  After all teams in this group had played their 7 games, it was Millquarter who topped the group only having lost one game.  On equal points and thus joint for second in the group was St. Patrick’s Rasharkin and Mary Queen of Peace.  To decide who would progress to the semi-final required reflecting on the result of the two school’s earlier meeting which had been won (2-0) by Mary Queen of Peace and so it would be the Glenravel side who would progress further in the competition.  Last year’s title holders St. Oliver Plunkett also provided noteworthy competition and determination in this group.

In group two Mount Saint Michael’s Randalstown dominated with a strong, skilful team, winning all games in the group stages and securing top points to make the semi-final with ease.  Taking second place was an energetic St. Mary’s Portglenone team, only losing one game to the group leaders.  Narrowly missing out on a semi-final spot was Millquarter’s second team and Creggan who both produced some promising performances.

The first of the semi-finals saw Mount Saint Michael’s take on Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel.  This fight for a final spot was hotly contested in an exciting game with team mates vocally getting behind their school friends.  Mary Queen of Peace were first to score and only in the final seconds did Mount Saint Michael’s come very close to drawing level only to hit the side of the net.  At the final whistle a goal separated the teams with Mary Queen of Peace victorious on a score line of 1–0. 

St. Mary’s Portglenone and Millquarter played in the second semi which required extra time to decide a winner.  The first to score a golden score was Millquarter who secured their spot in final.

With the finalists having already played each other in a close encounter early on in the group stages, which saw Millquarter win 2-1, it was time to see which team would win the title for 2020.  Both teams battled hard throughout the game with many significant saves made by the Millquarter goal keeper who denied Mary Queen of Peace any scores.  At the other end Millquarter managed three goals and thus the Millquarter girls excitedly received the winning shield.

Congratulations to all schools who participated in the 2020 South West Cumann Na mBunscol indoor camogie.

  • St. Brigid’s P.S., Ballymena
  • Millquarter P.S. A
  • St. Patrick’s P.S., Rasharkin
  • Mary Queen of Peace C
  • Mary Queen of Peace B
  • St. Oliver Plunkett’s P.S., Toome
  • Creggan P.S.
  • Mount St. Michael’s P.S., Randalstown
  • St. Colmcille’s P.S., Ballymena
  • Mary Queen of Peace, Glenravel A
  • Millquarter P.S. B
  • Gaelscoil Ghleann Darach, Crumlin
  • St. Mary’s P.S., Portglenone B
  • St. Paul’s P.S., Ahoghill
  • St. Mary’s Portglenone A
by thesaffrongael

St Louis go down to Red High in McLarnon Cup

Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup

Round 1 Eliminators

St Patrick’s Downpatrick 1-11 St Louis Ballymena 0-7

St Louis Ballymena bowed out of the McLarnon Cup at the Dub on Wednesday when they lost out to holders St Patrick’s Downpatrick. Playing with the strong breeze in the first half they opened up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead midway through the half but they failed to add to that tally as the Down side began to gain control and the Kentullagh boys were let to rue two goal chances, one from play and the other from an injury time penalty.

St Louis started brightly with two points from Aidan Scullion but as the first half progressed it became clear that defending champions St Patrick’s Downpatrick were the more accomplished team.

Although the Ballymena boys still led at the break by 0-4 to 0-2, the writing was on the wall with the pace of the Downpatrick wing-forwards and wing-backs plus the presence of Aodhan Harney, Tom Smyth and Ruairí Connor down the centre always a problem for them.

Red High goalkeeper Peter Kearney looks on as Aidan Scullion’s penalty flies past him. However unfortunately for St Louis it also flew past the outside of the post and the chance to take a five point lead into half time was gone.

St Louis looked good in those opening few minutes with Scullion lively and Ruairí Hagan and Ryan McQuillan pushing forward, but that penetration was arrested before the end of the first quarter and the scores dried up.

Their hopes of remaining in the tie against the strong breeze in the second half rested on a penalty in first half injury-time when Ronan McKillop fed Ryan McQuillan and the Glenravel man was taken down.

But Aidan Scullion pulled his shot wide from the spot kick and that two points’ lead did not look good enough.

Tom Smyth, Tom Savage, Chris McIlroy and Dermot Donaldson all pointed in the opening six minutes of the new half and the result was not in doubt from then on.

Some of these were well taken scores, but the cream of the crop was a seven player move down the left wing which finished with Conor Murray slinging over the second of his four second half scores in the 42nd minute.

Six minutes later the Red High slammed the door shut on Ballymena. Ryan McQuillan’s attempt at a point from a free dropped short into Peter Kearney’s arms. Kearney fed Odhrán Barlow who carried it 30 metres before firing the ball long over the St Louis defence into the arms of Ruairí Connor. The big centre-forward kept his cool to slot the ball home from close range.

St Louis hit back with points from two Ryan McQuillan frees and a fine effort from Daniel McNicholl but Murray (2), Smyth and, at the death, a free from Connor rubber-stamped the holders’ ticket to a second round tie with Carndonagh Community School.

St Louis : Rory McCloskey, Conall Killough, Daragh Donaghy, Sean Higgins, Shaun O’Callaghan, Oisin Connolly, Ryan McCartney, Ruairí Hagan, Daniel McNicholl (0-1), Ryan  McQuillan (0-3 frees), Ronan McKillop, Patrick Dougan, Aidan Scullion (0-2, 0-1 free), Callum Higgins (0-1), Patrick Ferris.

Sub : Conor Crossey for S Higgins (52)

St Patrick’s : Peter Kearney, Oran Gormley, Lorcan Guiness, Caolan Murray, Odhran Barlow (0-1), Aodan Harney, Tom Savage (0-3, 0-1 free), Oran Cunningham, Conor Murray (0-4, 0-1 free), Tom Savage (0-1), Ronan Connor (1-0, 0-1 free), Dermot Donaldson, Chris McIlroy (0-1), Tom McNeill, Odhran Sherry.

Subs : Jack Fitzsimons for D Donaldson (52).

Referee : Paul Hughes (Antrim)

  • Felix McQuillan, proprietor of Marksman presents a sponsorship cheque to Paddy McIlwaine who received it on behalf of the Saffron Gael

St Mary’s no match for Donegal boys

Abbey VS Donegal 8-12 St Mary’s CBGS Belfast 2-6

Meanwhile another Donegal school, Abbey Vocational, were really impressive in their 8-12 to 2-6 win over St Mary’s CBGS in Garvaghey, a victory that sees them line up St Paul’s Bessbrook in the next round.

Shay Travers was top scorer in the first half with two goals and four points for Abbey who led at the break by 4-8 to 1-2 with Barra McCaffrey scoring the goal for St Mary’s.

Abbey continued to dominate the second half and Cian Rooney banged home four goals as Abbey set up a second round tie with the Armagh school.

St Mary’s : Barra McCaffrey (1-2), Daire Murphy (1-1), Caolan McKernan (0-1), Darragh Gorman (0-1), Niall Fallon (0-1)

Abbey : Cian Rooney (4-1), Shay Travers (2-7), Alex McCalmot (1-1), Conor Campbell (1-0), Frank Cornyn (0-2), Thomas White (0-1).

St Mary’s : Barra McCaffrey (1-2), Daire Murphy (1-1), Caolan McKernan (0-1), Darragh Gorman (0-1), Niall Fallon (0-1