Today we take a look back at St. Ergnat’s GAC Moneyglass and their presentation evening in 2007. Hopefully these photographs will invoke fond memories of the night for those who attended.
Month / February 2021
My County Our County
Today we take a look back at an event in 2007 held in what was then, St. Olcan’s Secondary School, Randalstown. The event, I believe was to promote Gaelic Games within Antrim schools and a large number of both primary and secondary-grammar schools attended. Once again I’m relying on memory but I believe Rossa’s Sean Fleming was the county development officer at the time and Antrim jerseys were presented to the schools that attended.
The event was attended by a number of personalities from Antrim GAA including Terence McNaughton. Do you recognise your school?
St. Mary’s CBS
St. Louis Ballymena
Covid Update
Croke Park issue a statement
24ú Feabhra 2021
A chara,
As you will be aware by now, the Irish Government yesterday published their “Covid 19: Resilience and Recovery 2021” plan. There is no immediate change for sport outlined in the plan and as per our last communication to you, it is clear that no on-field activity will be permitted – even at inter county level – until Easter at the earliest.
We will be seeking clarity on certain aspects of the provisions on sport in the new Government document and while the document does envisage the return of inter-county games at Level 4 and of some club games in Level 3, it remains impossible to plan a revised Master Fixtures calendar for 2021, as there is no indication at this point of when these Levels may kick in. The exercise is further complicated by the need to align our plans with whatever is permitted by the NI Executive for Counties and clubs in that jurisdiction.
In the interim, and despite any speculation you may read or hear to the contrary, we would again reiterate that the GAA have not decided on what competitions may or may not be facilitated in any revised national fixture programme for 2021. Such decisions will be a factor of how much time is ultimately available to us, both for an inter county season and for the broader participation levels that will be necessary for a meaningful club season at both adult and underage levels.
The next signpost on the road for society is likely to come in the week leading up to Easter. We will again communicate directly with Counties and Clubs at that point and once Government make clear whether they see any further relaxing of restrictions (for example allowing inter-county training or games) being permitted.
We also want to assure you that we will publish a revised National Fixtures calendar at the earliest possible opportunity.
We thank you again for your patience and understanding of a very trying situation and we look forward with optimism to the resumption of GAA activities at all levels later in the year.
Is muidne,
Sean Ó hÓraín Tomás Ó Riain
UACHTARÁN ARD STIÚRTHÓIR
When Casement was heaving at the seams
| Antrim v Derry 2007 Ulster Championship quarter-final Today we take a look back at an Ulster Championship game between Antrim and Derry in the opening round of the Ulster championship at Casement Park in 2007. Casement has been very much in the news recently as Antrim Gaels ponder over as to when work will finally get under way on the Andersonstown Road but our photographs show how vibrant things were at Antrim headquarters back on that day in June 2007. On the same day Antrim minors played Derry at the same venue while our Cumann na mBunscoil lads enjoyed their day in the Casement sun against their Oak Leaf counterparts. A packed house were there to cheer their respective sides on in a game that unfortunately Antrim lost. Today we look back at that game as we look forward to the day when we can cheer the Saffrons on again at the new Casement. | ||
The Derry team who defeated Antrim in the Ulster SFC at Casement Park in 2007
| Antrim 0-10 1-13 Derry | ||
| Derry secured a six-point success over Antrim at a sunny Casement Park on Sunday to set up an Ulster SFC semi-final clash with Monaghan. The Oak Leafers led by five points early on but the Saffrons fought back to make it 0-6 to 0-6 at the break. Derry regained control after the restart and they pulled clear after Mark Lynch’s goal on 51 minutes. Oak Leak star Paddy Bradley, available after having a three-month ban lifted, came on for the last 10 minutes. Enda Muldoon put Derry on their way with a point after just 17 seconds. The Oak Leaf side took a grip of the game and stormed into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead after 23 minutes. Championship debutant Conor McGourty sparked Antrim’s comeback with two points in a minute. Paddy Cunningham added two points and Kevin Niblock was also on the scoresheet as the Saffrons made it all-square just before half-time. The second half started like the first with Derry on top and with Conleith Gilligan finally finding his range. The Ballinderry attacker pointed 13 seconds after the restart and put over another point a minute later. The decisive moment of the match came with Lynch’s goal – Gilligan fed the ball to Raymond Wilkinson, who sprinted into space before supplying a pinpoint cross for the full-forward to tap in. Antrim staged a mini revival through Cunninghan and McGourty points but Derry eased their way to the final whistle, with late Gilligan and Muldoon scores giving them a comfortable passage to a last four. Derry: B Gillies; M McGoldrick, K McCloy, G O’Kane; P Cartin, SM Lockhart, C McKeever; F Doherty, J Conway; B McGoldrick, C Gilligan, J Diver; R Wilkinson, E Muldoon, M Lynch. Subs: Patsy Bradley for Cartin (31), C Devlin for B McGoldrick (45), Paddy Bradley for Diver (61), L Hinphey for O’Kane 69. Antrim: S McGreevy; T Scullion, P Doherty, K O’Boyle; S McVeigh, G Bell, J Crozier; M McCann, J Quinn; A Gallagher, K Niblock, J Loughery; CJ McGourty, K Brady, P Cunningham. Subs: E O’Neill for Niblock (50), C Close for Brady (54), P Close for O’Boyle (64). Refere: C Reilly (Meath). |
Antrim minors v Derry
Antrim Cumann na mBunscoil v Derry
No sign of an early return to action
With announcements about the phased return to something near normality being rumoured there was high hopes among GAA fans that we might be moving in the right direction as far as getting our games up and running again, but that does not appear to be the case. Reports this morning would seem to suggest that the GAA have no intention of changing their plans that county hurling or football training will be allowed until at least Easter. That would mean that if the National Leagues were to go ahead they would not be commencing until at least the last weekend in April or the first weekend in May.
Some people were suggesting that because this lockdown went on so long that the Croke Park authorities may decide to re-jig the fixtures and play the club season first. That way there would have been a better chance of crowds being allowed in to the county games later in the year. However this is highly unlikely and it could be late summer or even Autumn before we see any action on the club front.