In 1993 Antrim won the Ulster title, but before they played their semi-final against Kilkenny they had to beat Meath in a quarter-final. The game was fixed for an unusual venue, Castleblaney Co. Monaghan where Jim Nelon’s team had too much in the tank for the All Ireland B winners. This is Gerry McLaughlin’s match report of the game..Thanks to Paul McLean for digging this one out
Ulster Club Junior Hurling Championship semi-final 2006
Cloney Gaels 1-15 Lisbellaw 2-5
Having dismissed Mullahoran of Cavan in the quarter-final with a convincing victory, the Ahoghill men entered this Ulster semi-final in a confident mood but also with a degree of caution having been paired against an unknown quantity in Fermanagh champions, Lisbellaw.
With so much at stake the first half was fiercely contested but it was their second half scoring blitz that helped the Gaels on their way to their first ever Ulster championship final. From the outset this one was played at a blistering pace and there was no doubt that both sides were up for a win.
The Cloney men showed signs of nerves in the opening 10 minutes and seemed a bit disorganised, Lisbellaw on the other hand settled down straight away and within two minutes Ryan Bogue had fired home the Fermanagh men’s first goal giving them a dream start.
Lisbellaw dominated in the early stages and when centre field player Kevin McGarry picked off a point in the fourth minute the Cloney men were forced to take stock. The Gaels never lost their cool however and upped their game in a bid to get back into the match.
Aiden Graham led the way with a point over his left shoulder eight minutes in and Captain Sean O’Connell added another five minutes later. When Neil O’Connell was brought to ground, free taker Gerard Graham brought the gap to the bare minimum between the sides.
No sooner had Lisbellaw keeper Peter McEvoy pucked the sliothar out than Gerard Graham gained possession again and made no mistake bringing the sides level much to the delight and relief of the large and vocal travelling Ahoghill support.
The Antrim champions began to get to grips with the game and began to dominate their opponents. Goalkeeper Declan Scullion took a puck out which was gathered by Aiden Graham, who found his man in Gerard Kelly. Kelly played a clever ball to Sean O’Connell, who had a goal chance but opted to flick the sliothar across to the unmarked Donal Graham who brought an end to what could only be described as poetry in motion as he rattled the ball to the top right hand corner of the net.
Lisbellaw, now trailing, pulled one back through Declan McGarry and when Kevin McGarry converted a free on the thirty minute mark they were on level terms for a second time. Cloney’s Declan Graham gathered possession from the puck out and when he was fouled, brother Gerard stepped up to send over the final score of the half leaving it 1-5 to 1-4 in favour of the Ahoghill side at the interval.
The second half saw the emergence of a rejuvenated, more focused and determined Cloney Gaels side as they came out all guns blazing. John Friel got his side going with a superb point from a sideline cut just two minutes from the restart.
Gerard Kelly too got in on the scoring action when he received a pass from Aiden Graham and when Gerard Graham added another to his personal tally, the Ahoghill men were four points clear. Lisbellaw were now struggling against a Cloney Gaels side who were now dominating throughout the field and were doing the simple things well.
Mid-fielder Kevin McGarry replied from a free in the 39th minute but this was to be their last point as the Gaels went on the rampage. The industrious Dominic Neeson found himself surrounded and opted for a long hand-pass which found John Friel who picked off a long range point and when Gerard Graham converted another free the game look out of reach of the Fermanagh champions.
Cloney introduced minor star, PJ O’Connell with ten minutes remaining and within seconds he had registered a score and in a four minute spell Declan Graham, Donal Graham, Sean O’Connell and PJ O’Connell added unanswered points for the Antrim champions.
With five minutes remaining Lisbellaw went in search of a goal with the Cloney men falling back in defence but in the dying minutes the Fermanagh side were awarded a 21 yard free and Kevin McGarry stepped forward to rifle an unstoppable shot to the net.
It proved to be only a consolation score however as referee, John Devine brought matters to a close leaving the final score, Cloney Gaels 1-15, Lisbellaw 2-5.
Cloney Gaels: Declan Scullion, Francis Neeson, Brian Kelly, Pearse Close, Neil O’Connell, Bernard Graham, John Friel (0-2 1 sideline), Dominic Neeson, Joe Downey, Declan Graham (0-1), Sean O’Connell (0-2), Gerard Graham (0-5 – 2 frees), Donal Graham (1-1), Aiden Graham (0-1), Gerard Kelly (0-1).
Subs: John Kelly for Joe Downey, Ryan Doherty for Francis Neeson, PJ O’Connell (0-2) for Gerard Kelly, Sean McMahon for Donal Graham, Diarmaid Graham for Aiden Graham. Subs not used: Malachy Friel, Jerard Keenan, Barry Drain, Michael Graffin, Martin Graham, Kieran Convery, Sean Gavigan, Dessie McGuigan, Fergal Doherty.
1995 Antrim Junior Football Championship Final
In 1995 Antrim Town bridged a 23 year gap when they won beat St John’s in the final of the Antrim Junior Football Championship at Hannahstown. It may well have been the Johnnies second string side, but the men from the Whiterock had in their ranks players who had played at the top level in the not too distant past, and had represented the county with distinction. Men like Mickey Darragh, Mickey Carlin, Eddie McToal, Rory Best and Shane Caldwell. A few weeks earlier the Antrim side had won the South West Antrim Junior title when they beat Glenravel, but this was a much bigger scalp for them and they celebrated in style afterwards.
This is the Ballymena Chronicle report of the match from back then
St Comgall’s Antrim 3-3 St John’s 1-7
It has been a long time since the men from Antrim had a triumph like this to celebrate – in fact it is twenty three years since they last tasted success at this grade.
Since then it has been an uphill battle to stay in business, and this success is just reward for those who have stuck with them through thick and thin. Winning the McCormick Cup earlier in the season was the first indication of the side coming good. They then put together and excellent run in the championship, culminating in this tremendous victory. The fact that they took out a team with a history like St John’s certainly added to their victory.
The victory was secured thanks to a late goal, plus a defensive display that will be talked about in Antrim for many a year to come.
From the off this game always looked like it would a close one and Antrim must have been greatly relieved that they turned in the first half display they did. Henry Quigg, operating at corner forward, opened their account in the second minute but St John’s bounced back when Mickey Darragh pointed at the other end. Then Damien Devine, the man who has transformed the image of football in the town, knocked over a sixth minute point to restore their lead, but once again the Johnnies refused to be shaken and their dangerman Darragh brought his side level again in the tenth minute.
Two minutes later Antrim got their first major break when a long ball from Cormac Allen beat Damien Rafferty in the St John’s goal and rebounded off the underside of the crossbar. It appeared the chance had gone but in the ensuing melee up popped Adrian Adams to crash the rebound to the net.
Another point from Mickey Darragh settled the ship for St John’s but four minutes later Adams was the toast of Antrim when he grabbed his second goal to put his side five clear. Darragh and Shane Caldwell pointed for the men from the Whiterock to cut the gap back to three but Devine hit back with a point for Antrim just before the break to send his team in at the break with a four point cushion.
What the second half lacked in score it certainly made up for in excitement as Antrim adopted the tactic of defend at all costs. To hold St John’s at bay for 30 minutes was a task of immense proportions. The defence and midfield did a tremendous job of keeping the Johnnies at bay for the first ten minutes of the new half until substitute Kevin Gough pulled a point back for St John’s. Things got worse for the Antrim men when four minutes later when a Rory Best free hit the corner of the Antrim net to bring the scores level at 2-3 to 1-6 and at this stage it looked that Antrim had blown their chances.
When Mickey Darragh pointed St John’s ahead their chances looked doomed, but to their credit that kept battling away and held their opponents scoreless for the remainder of the game. However they still need a score to save the game. They would have settled for a point to bring the game to extra time but they hit the jackpot when the mercurial Damian Devine, star of the McCormick Cup final win over Con Magees, caught a high ball before rounding his marker and planting the ball firmly in the back the Johnnies net to seal a famous win.
Antrim scorers – Adrian Adams 2-0; Damian Devine 1-2; Henry Quigg 0-.
St John’s scorers – Mickey Darragh 0-4; Rory Best 1-0; Brian McFall 0-1; Shane Caldwell 0-1; Kevin Gough 0-1.
Antrim Town – Peter Lennon, Euan McGrattan, Barry Draine, Robert Moore, James Sisk, Neill McLaughlin, Aidan McGovern, Cormac Allen, Peter McGratten, Adrian Adams, Paddy Quinn, Barry Fitzpatrick, Henry Quigg, Damien Devine, Peter Duffy.
Subs – Tommy McHenry and Liam Connolly.
St John’s – Damien Rafferty, Aidan Darragh, Kevin Cunningham, John Grinder, Kevin McGuinness, Mickey Carlin, Noel Darragh, Eddie McToal, Rory Best, Paul Montgomery, Conor McCafferty, Shane Caldwell, Mickey Darragh, David Knocker, Brian McFall.
Subs – Kevin Gough
Referee – Bobby Grant (Glenavy)
A couple of weeks ago I posted this photo I had colourised of members of the Antrim and Cork teams being introduced Bishop Mageean before the start of the 1943 All Ireland final. The photo generated great interest and I have to say the response was really good.
Last night I was scanning pics from the Antrim v Kilkenny All Ireland semi-finals at Croke Park in 1993. At the end of senior game I found these few photos of what turned out to be the Antrim team of 1943 being introduced to the crowd by the great Ó Muircheartaigh, in the interval between the end of the Antrim v Killkenny game and the start of the second semi-final between Galway and Tipperary. The one that stood out was Glenariffe’s Danny McAllister, full-forward on the 43 team, stepping forward to saltue the crowd with both hands in the air. Fifty years on from that famous day he was still a fine specimin of a man, full of self confidence as ever, revelling in the chance to take centre stage once again. His Oisins team mate Wille Graham is there too with John Butler of Ballycastle and I think it may well be team captain Jimmy Walsh leading the team out behind a member of the Artane Boys Band. Of course by that time a good few of the team were no longer with us and the decesed members were represented by sons, daughters or grandchildren, who were proud to shared the same ‘stage’ their fathers, or grandfathers, had done half a century before.
When the original photo was posted we had a great response and all the players were soon named, so if you know and of the names of the players or their representaives from the 1993 presentation please let me know, either on the Facebook link to this story or by emailing me at john.mcilwaine@yahoo.co.uk
Ulster Junior Club Hurling quarter-final
Clooney Gaels 5-16 Mullahoran (Cavan) 0-2
A few days ago we featured Clooney Gaels Antrim Junior Hurling Championship final success over keen rivals, St. Mary’s Rasharkin in 2006 and today we begin their journey to a first Ulster success the same year. Cavan champions Mullahoran were the opposition at Corrigan Park but they proved to be no opposition to the rampant Ahoghill side.
It was evident from the outset that the Clooney men had great determination and organisation. John Friel gathered possession at half-back and sent a cross-field ball to Aidan Graham and Aidan sent over the first point in the opening minute of play.
The Gaels pressed on and fought for possession at every opportunity and in doing so really got to grips with the game early on. Sean O’Connell picked off a point in the second minute for the Antrim champions and when Cousins Gerard and Donal Graham added three between them, Clooney Gaels went five ahead with five minutes gone.
Mullahoran looked disheartened and failed to make any impression on the game in the early stages and when Joe Downey set up Aidan Graham the latter fired to the net and Mullahoran were in serious trouble.
Clooney Gaels were now totally dominating their opponents and were scoring at every opportunity and Aidan and Gerard Graham picked off another two points before play maker, Gerard Kelly found Sean O’Connell just before the interval and he fired to the net to put his side 2-7 to 0-0 ahead as referee Ciaran McGennis brought an end to first half proceedings.
Mullahoran entered the second period of play with a mountain to climb but with the Clooney Gaels determined to get the job done there was no way back as they continued to dominate every area of the field. Donal Graham added another to his tally one minute after the restart and no sooner had the Mullahoran keeper pucked the sliothar out than the Cavan champions were in further trouble.
Aidan Graham gathered the sliothar and passed it on to Sean O’Connell who raised the Green flag for the third time and at this stage the game was out of reach of the Cavan champions. Mullahoran managed their first score of the day in the thirty-fifth minute when centre-back Anthony Sheridan converted a free but his effort was to no avail as John Friel launched a long ball into Donal Graham and the corner forward made no mistake for his first goal.
Donal’s goal paved the way for a Clooney onslaught as they effectively wiped the floor with Mullahoran. Neil O’Connell led the way with a long range point which was followed by six unanswered points through Donal and Aidan Graham, Sean and P.J. O’Connell and Joe Downey taking the honours.
Mullahoran managed a second point and it was again Anthony Sheridan who converted from another free but it was only a consolation score as Aidan Graham fired home yet another goal with four minutes remaining. Clooney’s Sean O’Connell scored the final point of the game with one minute remaining leaving the final score 4-16 to 0-2 in favour of the Ahoghill men.
This was a great start for the Clooney Gaels in their Ulster campaign and they will now play Fermanagh champions Lisbellaw in the semi-final. Best on the day were the Graham brothers Aidan and Donal who between them notched up an impressive 3-7. Captain Sean O’Connell showed great class with a personal contribution of 2-3 and Gerard Graham showed great poise with his free taking skills.
The Clooney defence were not really tested on this occasion but when the situation arose they cleared the danger with relative ease. Declan Scullion in goals marshalled his defence well. The mid-field pairing of Joe Downey and Dominic Neeson ran riot throughout and Dominic deserves special credit for the ground he covered, both in defence and attack.
Clooney Gaels: Declan Scullion, Francis Neeson, Brian Kelly, Pearse Close, Neil O’Connell (0-1), Bernard Graham, John Friel, Dominic Neeson, Joe Downey (0-1), Declan Graham, Sean O’Connell (2-3), (1 free), Gerard Graham (0-3 frees), Donal Graham (1-4), Aidan Graham (2-3), Gerard Kelly. Subs: Malachy Friel for Gerard Graham, Sean McMahon for Joe Downey, PJ O’Connell for Gerard Kelly, Jerard Keenan for Pearse Close, Diarmaid Graham for Donal Graham.
