Month / March 2020

by thesaffrongael

Late Dungiven points seal semi final passage

Liam Tunney reports from Bellaghy

St Canice’s (Derry) 0-10

Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) 2-02

An injury time brace from Feargal Higgins and Conor Kelly tipped the balance in Dungiven’s favour after an absorbing hour of football in the incessant Bellaghy rain.

St Canice’s played three quarters of the game with 14 men, Daire McKeever dismissed for his involvement in the scenes directly after Conor Love’s 16th minute goal had put the Gaels ahead.

In a cagey encounter, the Derry side battled back to go in at the break one point ahead, but only after Enniskillen missed a glorious goal chance on the stroke of half-time.

The Gaels took the lead again with a 36th minute Paddy Cassidy goal , but again Dungiven showed grit to battle back and clinch victory in the closing stages.

Cahir Higgins opened the scoring with a 1st minute free, but Enniskillen almost took the lead when Conor Murphy flashed a shot across the face of Cahir Hasson’s goal on 7 minutes.

A further Higgins free doubled Dungiven’s advantage on 13 minutes but three minutes later, Conor Love reacted to a breaking ball and fired low to the corner to give the Gaels the lead.

The goal sparked an unsavoury exchange around midfield and when the dust settled, referee Eamonn McAuley delivered Dungiven midfielder Daire McKeever his marching orders.

St Canice’s then had a chance to make amends from the penalty spot after the referee spotted some pulling inside, but Cian Newman brilliantly turned Cahir Higgins’ effort away for a 45.

A Richie Mullan free levelled matters on 24 minutes and as the game entered first half stoppage time, Fintan Murphy added his first of the evening to edge his side into a half-time lead.

With the rain worsening, Feargal Higgins opened the second-half scoring to double his side’s advantage, only for Johnny Cassidy to float over a beauty in response.

Eoin Beacom’s 35th minute point levelled the match and Enniskillen continued to ride their momentum to a second goal.

Johnny Rehill cut along the touchline and squared for the racing Paddy Cassidy to fist home.

Dungiven hit back immediately through a Richie Mullan free and gradually began to work at closing the gap

A 39th minute Cahir Higgins free left just one between the sides and when a 44th minute Richie Mullan free levelled matters, the stage was set for a tense final ten minutes.

Enniskillen’s Brandon Horan rattled the post from range as his side looked to make their patient build-up count, but with extra time looming, St Canice’s found a winner.

Feargal Higgins collected the ball in the full-forward line, held off his marker and squeezed over a right-footed effort on 60 minutes almost from the end line.

Conor Kelly fired over the insurance point on the stroke of the final whistle and ensured Dungiven’s progress to an intriguing semi-final meeting with St Eunan’s of Letterkenny.

This was the first game in the tournament played away from Creggan and both sides deserve credit for producing an exciting battle in difficult conditions.

ST CANICE’S: Cahir Hasson, Eoin McKeever, Thomas McClarey, Niall McNicholl, Darragh McGilligan, Sean McKeever, Conor McKelvey, Feargal Higgins (0-02), Daire McKeever, Pauric McNicholl, Richie Mullan (0-03f), John Mullan, Fintan Murphy (0-01), Conor Kelly (0-01), Cahir Higgins (0-03f).

SUBS: Odhran McKeever for Darragh McGiilgan (53), Seamus Higgins for Cahir Higgins (54)

RED CARDS: Daire McKeever (18)

ENNISKILLEN GAELS: Cian Newman, Josh Horan, Aaron Nolan, Paddy Cassidy (1-00), Ryan McDonnell, Johnny Cassidy (0-01), Ronan Beattie, Eoin Beacom (0-01), Brandon Horan, Timmy Boyd, Conal Quinn, John Rehill, Conor Love (1-00), Conor Murphy, Matthew Dixon.

SUBS: Matthew McAleer for Matthew Dixon (45), James O’Donnell for Timmy Boyd (51).

YELLOW CARDS: Aaron Nolan (23), Matthew Dixon (33), Eoin Beacom (61)

REFEREE: Eamonn McAuley (Antrim)

by thesaffrongael

Ciaran Barr back among his own as Rossa celebrate

Rossa hold presentation evening in Balmoral 

Report and Pics by Kevin Herron

O’Donavan Rossa held their annual presentation evening at the Balmoral Hotel on Friday evening – celebrating success at juvenile and senior level across as a variety of codes. 

Distinguished guests for the evening included chairwoman Margaret Flynn, long time club coach Joe Quinn, current Antrim hurling star Aodhan O’Brien and club legend and Antrim All-Star Ciaran Barr. 

The Shaws Road club had a fantastic year in 2019 with 15 teams being recognised for their achievements throughout the year in football, hurling, camoige and hand-ball. 

Teams honoured: 

Div2 Senior Football League winners 

South Antrim hurling league winners 

Senior camogie winter league champions 

Camogie junior champions and league winners 

Minor camogie Championship runners-up

Minor B hurling Championship and league winners 

U-16 Football Championship winners 

U-16 hurling league champions

U-14 Feile B champions 

U-12 football champions, O’Donnell Cup plate, Sarsfields blitz, Joe McDonnell Shield

Handball champions 

LGFA U-16 winter league champions

LGFA U-15 Sarsfields blitz champions 

LGFA minor Championship runners-up 

by thesaffrongael

McCabe inspires St. Comgall’s to opening day win

ACFL Division 3

Laochra Loch Lao 1-5 St. Comgall’s 0-16

A fine exhibition of point taking by half-forward James McCabe inspired St. Comgall’s Antrim to an opening day win over Laochra Loch Lao in division 3 and the Antrim town side will be hoping it will set them up for a good season.

McCabe scored seven of his side’s 16 points and with Paddy O’Connor also making a substantial contribution with four Laochra Loch Lao struggled to keep pace with the Antrim men. Peter McAuley and Tom Patchett added two apiece with Conoir McAuley also on target and with Adrian Dougan back at the helm St. Comgall’s could again be amongst the challengers for honour in the division.

St. Comgall’s: Ben Johnston, Stephen Webb, Arron McGaw, Dannan O’Hara, Rory Griffin, Dylan Murdock, Caolan McKeown, Daryl McNeill, Oisin Crilly, Paddy O’Connor 0-4,Conor McAuley 0-1, James McCabe 0-7, Rory McLarnon, Peter McAuley 0-2, Tom Patchett 0-2, Subs: Michael McCabe for Stephen Webb, Colm Logue for Oisin Crilly, Colm Griffin for Dannan O’Hara, Paddy Cooke for Rory McLarnon

by thesaffrongael

Time to get your ‘Saff’ on…..

By Brendan McTaggart

The roller coaster of emotions that was Tullamore has come and gone.  A relative calm had been restored until the news broke we all had hoped for.  Thoughts of a venue soon began to do the rounds with a fantasy trip to Nolan Park as part of a double header muted while those being more realistic thought potentially Parnell Park.

Some joked about Croke Park and how good it would be for the game in both Antrim and Kerry to play the league final there, the notion was soundly laughed off as a dream.  That dream is now a reality.

Trips to Headquarters are few and far between these days as an Antrim fan and not the annual pilgrimage there used to be for an All-Ireland semi-final in August.  Our last journey to the Jones Road for the small ball was for the Christy Ring Cup final against Carlow, that’s three years coming in June.

The Antrim team who beat Kerry in the 2003 National League Division 2 final in Croke Park.

The last victory at GAA’s answer to Mecca came 10 years ago and that memorable victory over the Dubs under Dinny Cahill.  Neil McManus the only survivor from that side but everyone has a story to tell about that day.  The occasion, the dream of mixing it with the big guns in the Liam McCarthy Cup, who they sat beside and maybe the odd quip thrown across the bows during the game.

The last time we met the Kingdom in the league final was 2003, in Croke Park again and the same year Antrim pushed Wexford close in the All-Ireland quarter-final.  Goals from Liam Watson, Michael Heron and Colm McGuckian not enough on the day but any time Antrim play in Croke Park is an occasion.

For some those days will have been their first time at Croke Park.  For some the love of Croke Park will have started there.  Sunday could be that day for a whole new generation of Antrim supporters.  The numbers following the fortunes of the hurlers have increased this season with a good support last Sunday in Offaly while I was surprised at the number who made the long journey to Tralee the week before.

Saffron fans celebrating an Antrim goal against Tipperary in the 2002 All Ireland quarter final in Croke Park

How good would it be if there was a sea of saffron and white bedecked around Croke Park?  A roar full of Antrim accents when Conor McCann leads his side out onto the pristine carpet like surface with the City and the Glens uniting as one.  The hairs stand on the back of my neck when I begin that dream.  It’s one I’ve had since I was the height of two turf and one I cling onto since my first trip to Croke Park many moons ago.

In the journey to Tullamore on Sunday, Curly McIlwaine had stories by the dozen of his bus journey’s around Ireland in supporters buses in the 80’s and early 90’s.  As an Antrim fan, that would be the dream scenario.  It’s time to make our own memories and have our own stories to tell.

In recent years, clubs up and down the county have run buses for their underage teams to All-Ireland semi-finals.  That in itself is fantastic but how good would it be to run a bus for tomorrow’s generation to watch their own club mates?  The men they see down at their local shop or sit beside at Mass.  The men they idolise in their club colours gracing the greatest stage of them all.

Get the word out, get the buses booked.  If you have any affiliation to Antrim the time is now.  If no-one has approached you about going down, take the bull by the horns yourself.  It’s time to get your ‘saff’ on.