Month / May 2021

by thesaffrongael

Shane O’Neill’s good form continues at Dreen

ACHL Division 3

Rasharkin 1-11

Glenarm 3-22

Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm maintained their good start to the season when they travelled to Dreen on Sunday and recorded a comprehensive win over St. Mary’s Rasharkin. The visitors got off to a flying start with Daniel Black and Ciaran O’Boyle edging them two in front in the opening minute before Conor McKeever made quick reply for the home side.

The Feystown side were simply flying and came back with points from Liam Mulvenna, Daniel Black and Mulvenna again to move four in front by the 6th minute but again Rasharkin responded and Conor McKeever split the uprights.

It was only momentary respite however as the visitors continued to attack at pace with Daniel Black adding a couple of points and Aidan Scullion and Sean O’Boyle all on target as they opened up a six point gap with only 12 minutes gone.

Rasharkin were struggling to gain a foothold and were reliant on the accuracy of Conor McKeever and the number 10 was doing all in his power to get his side going and he hit his third point of the game to bring his and his side’s total to three but it failed to get a response from his side.

Shane O’Neill’s were simply flying as they came back with a point and then a goal from the splendid Daniel Black and Aidan Scullion and Sean O’Boyle added points to put them in a commanding position. Rasharkin Talisman McKeever hit the final point of the half but his side looked to have a mountain to climb as the half time whistle sounded with the visitors leading 1-12 to 0-4.

There was no respite for the men from Dreen on the restart as Daniel Black opened the second half scoring with a point for the visitors with Conor McKeever responding with a point from play and a converted free to bring his personal contribution to six but once again it brought a decisive response from Glenarm.

Aidan Scullion, Sean O’Boyle, Liam Mulvenna and Daniel Black were all on target as the visitors moved 1-17 to 0-6 ahead by the 9th minute and it was clear that there was going to be no way back for a Rasharkin side who were struggling to get their own game together.

One man who wasn’t struggling was Conor McKeever as he pointed a 10th minute free to bring his personal contribution to seven with Aidan Scullion replying before Fearghal Kennedy became the second Rasharkin player to score when he found the Glenarm net and Conor McKeever added another from a free.

Ciaran Magill and Aidan Scullion for Glenarm and that man McKeever for the Dreen side kept the score board ticking over before Liam Mulvenna got in for his side’s second goal in the 21st minute and Scullion tagged on another point.

The visitors refused to take their foot of the pedal as they continued to find the target as Aidan Scullion hammered home another penalty with Conor McKeever pointing a 27th minute free and Ruairi O’Boyle and Scullion exchanging late points to leave the men from Feystown comprehensive winners and now sitting on 5 points from three starts.

St Mary’s Rasharkin: Aidan Darragh, Liam Tunney, Aidan McKeever, Fergus Quigg, Daniel Hasson, Andrew Hasson, Shane Doherty, Conor Doherty, Thomas McMullan, Conor McKeever, Emmet McFerran, Declan McKay, Fearghal Kennedy, Ruairi OBoyle, Shane Hasson. Subs: Paul Reilly for Fergus Quigg, Kealan Darragh for Ruairi O’Boyle, Andrew Hasson for Conor Donaghy.

Shane O’Neill’s: Niall Hamill, Paul Magill, Barry Hamill, Hugh Pat McNeill, Christopher Matthews, Darren Hamill, Declan McDermott, Sean O’Boyle, Ben O’Boyle, Ciaran Magill, Daniel Black, Aidan Scullion, Ciaran O’Boyle, Dylan McLaughlin, Liam Mulvenna. Subs: Conal Ward, Aidan O’Neill, Kieran O’Boyle, Ryan McLoughlin, Liam McLoughlin, Ryan Millar, Ciaran Finnigan, Sean O’Hare, Darryl McMullan.

Referee: Ryan O’Reilly (Con Magee’s)

by thesaffrongael

Antrim Ladies off to a flyer

Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 4

Derry v Antrim at Celtic Park

Referee Philip Conway

Derry 3-4 Antrim 5-10

Antrim Ladies made a great start to their National Football League campaign when they travelled to Celtic Park, Derry and beat the home side by 5-10 to 3-4 on Sunday.

Antrim got away to a great start with points from Aoife Taggart, Meabh McCurdy and Caitlin Taggart in the opening minutes of the game, and they were in the driving seat when Aoife Taggart fired the ball to the Derry net in the 6th minute, the goal coming after a good  passage of play from Niamh Enright who put Taggart clear and she palmed the ball past the approaching Derry Keeper Cheree Mackey.

The home team got off the mark in the seventh minute with a point from Steelstown player Orla McGeough, but within seconds Antrim hit back at the other end with a major after Enright sent in another quality pass, this time into the hands of McCurdy.

Derry begin to claw back at Antrim’s lead courtesy of Ciara McGurk on ten minutes and the Saffrons received another set-back soon afterwards when Antrim captain Aisling McFarlane was sin binned for team minutes following a tackle on ?. Suddenly things were looking a little different but the 14 players dug deep and they were lifted when Caitlin McTaggart swung over a fine point on fifteen minutes.

Another set-back for the Saffrons came at the first half water-break when they had to replace the injured Saoirse Tennyson who had been  involved in a collision, her St Paul’s club mate Lucy Wallace coming on in her place.

On the restart Derry closed the gap with points from Orla McGeough (from a free just outside the 20m line) on sixteen minutes and another successful effort from Katie Holly soon afterwards, scores which brought the Oak Leaf girls’ total to four points.

Antrim re-established their control when centre half back Cathy Carey stretched their lead to 2.05 to 0.04, but Derry’s came back when McGeough teamed up well with her Steelstown colleagues Ktie Holly and Ciara McGurk to fire home her team’s opening goal, but just before the short-whistle Aine Tubridy sent a higl ball into the Derry area where Emma Ferran collected and slotted home to give the visitors a 3.05 Derry to 1.04 half-time lead.

Shelter from the storm. Antrim shelter in the Celtic Park stand during the half time break

Things looked comfortable for Antrim when Aoife Taggart stretched their lead to eight points when she sent one between the Derry posts early in the second half but when Derry’s Ciara McGurk grabbed another Derry goal on 36mins the gap was back to just five points. To their credit the Antrim girls responded to the threat and two minutes later they were back in charge when Cathy Carey grabbed her team’s fourth goal.

A torrential downpour, which left the pitch greasy underfoot saw possession given away from both sides, but after a scoreless spell Antrim got back on target on 47 minutes when McCurdy, Carey (free) and substitute Ellen Morgan all slotted over.

A Derry player is meat in the Antrim sandwich as the Saffrons and Oak Leaf girls battle it out in Celtic Park. Pic by Elaine Kelly

Derry’s experienced player Ciara Moore gave her team late hope in the 56th minute when she found the Antrim net, but it was to be the Oak Leaf’s last score and following a great pass from Aoibhean Enright Teresa Mellon fisted in her team’s fifth goal to seal a great opening day win.

  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography
  • Cathal McOscar Photography

Subs used: Antrim

Lucy Wallace for Saoirse Tennyson 16mins

Bronagh Devlin for Caitlin Taggart 38mins

Niamh Webb for Rebekah Hemsworth 38mins

Rebecca Bradley for Danielle Connolly 42 mins

Ellen Morgan for Emma Ferran 42 mins

Teresa Mellon for Niamh Enright 45mins

Aoibhean Enright for Lucy Wallace 53 mins

Natasha O’Neill for Aoife Taggart 58mins

Derry

Dervla McNicholl for Ciara Moore 42mins

Bridget McMullan for Breena O’Loughlin 42mins

Scorers Antrim

Cathy Carey 1.03

Aoife Taggart 1.02

Caitlin Taggart 1.01

Meabh McCurdy 1-02

Emma Ferran 1.0

Ellen Morgan 0.02

Teresa Mellon 1.00

Derry:

Orla McGeough 1.02

Ciara McGurk 1.01

Katie Holly 0.01

Ciara Moore 1.00

by thesaffrongael

Sarsfields too strong for understrenght Dungannon

Doherty Woodshavings All County Hurling League Division 2

Sarsfields 2-23 Dungannon 0-12

Paul McIntyre was at The Bear Pit.

A blistering opening quarter from Sarsfields saw them maintain their unbeaten start to the season as the easily accounted for an understrenght Dungannon with 17 points to spare in what was a long afternoon for the Tyrone outfit, who had the bulk of their first team away on county duty with Tyrone.

A second minute goal from Darragh McGuiness set the tone and when the visitors lost their full back Brian McGilloway to a straight red card five minutes later, there was only going to be one winner.

Sarsfields used the extra man to their advantage and were happy to keep the scoreboard ticking over as the hit 1-13 without reply in the opening 20 minutes.

Dungannon eventually got on the scoreboard after 22 minutes, and went on the register a further three points before the break, but at half time the homeside were well on top and lead 1-16 to 0-4.   

Sambo McNaughton’s side battled gainfully in the second period but missing fourteen players due to county commitments was a real stretch on their resources.

The second half was a much quieter affair with the only score of note being the ‘Paddies’ second major in the 36th minute as Darragh McGuiness reacted quickest after the Dungannon defence failed to deal with a high ball from Kevin McKernan.

From here on Sarsfield managed to close the game out with minimal fuss and top scorer Daniel McKernan claimed their final score with his 11th point of the day.

Teams & Scorers:

Sarsfields: David Ward, Kevin Ward, Niall McAlea, Malachy Campbell, David Johnston (0-1), Caolan Mervyn, Jim McKernan, Kevin McKernan (0-3, 1f), Jack Daniels (0-2), Daniel McKernan (0-11, 9f), Ryan Carson, (0-1), Garry Lennon (0-2), Darragh McGuiness (2-2), Daniel McKernan (0-1), Brendan McGibbon.

Subs: Michael Johnston for D. McKernan Snr (43), Noel Ferris for B. McGibbon (49), David McAlister for J. McKernan (54), Patrick Sheridan for D. McGuiness (55), Paul Carson for R. Carson (58).

Dungannon: John Devlin, Mark McCrory, Brian McGilloway, Sean Paul McKernan, Brian Rush, Stephen Donnelly (0-1), Padraig McHugh, Fionn Devlin, Cathal McErlean, Josh Ferguson, Branán Molloy, (0-1f), Cormac Hughes, Ciaran McCrudden (0-2), Matthew Mulgrew (0-2), Cormac Hughes (0-1).

Subs: Sean Donaghy (0-5, 2F) for C. Hughes (HT), Mark McCann for P. McHugh (40), Padraig McHugh for M. McCrory (47).

Referee: Mr Lorenzo McMullan.

by thesaffrongael

Rossa’s good league run continues

Doherty Woodshavings Antrim Hurling League Division One

O’Donovan Rossa 3-21 Ballycran 1-13

Rossa added another win to their league run when they beat visitors Ballycran at Rossa Park on Sunday, winning in the end by fourteen points against their understrength visitors

With the Murphy brother Deaglan and Daire to the fore the Shaw’s Road side were always in control of this game. They lead by double scores at half time (0-12 to 0-6) and with Daire Murphy grabbing two goals in the second half, and big brother Deaglan grabbing one they pushed on to a convincing win.

Deaglan Murphy and Seaghan Shannon opened with points for Rossa before the visitors came back through Aaron Dorrian and Niall Breen to tie things up at two apiece. However the home side began to gain and edge and by the first half water break they had pulled 0-7 to 0-4 clear. Deaglan Murphy’s accuracy from frees was proving a big asset for Rossa and he added a further three, Domo McEnhill and Seaghan Shannon one apiece as they stretched the gap to 0-12 to 0-6 by the short whistle.  

Playing down into the pavilion end in the second half, the traditional high scoring end of the ground, this young Rossa side began to stretch clear and when Deaglan Murphy got the second half going with his team’s first goal, after a Cormac McGettigan shot had been parried well by Ennis in the Ballycran goal, the scores began to flow.

The Ards men showed a bit of grit as they came back with three unanswered points for free taker Dorrian and Stuart Martin, but Daire Murphy grabbed the first of his two second half goals the destination of the league points was never in question.

ROSSA: D Armstrong; D Murray, E O’Neill, G McGrath; C Shannon, Stephen Shannon, O May; E Trainor (0-1), C McGettigan; Daire Murphy (2-2), Seaghan Shannon (0-4), D McEnhill (0-2); D Rocks, Deaglan Murphy (1-10, 0-10 frees), R Murray (0-1). Subs: C Walsh for D Armstrong (45), P Shortt for D Rocks (49), C Rocks (0-1) for D McEnhill (50), C McParland for C McGettigan (53), D Magee for E O’Neill (53).

BALLYCRAN: D Ennis; B Watson, C McAllister, S Ennis; J Clarke, A Dorrian (0-1 free), B Nicholson; S Nicholson (0-4, 2 frees, 1 65), C Dorrian (0-5, all frees); J Clarke, M Ennis, H Flynn; B Arthurs, N Breen (0-2), S Martin (1-2). Subs: E Bell for C Dorrian (40), L McCarthy for B Arthurs (50).

REFEREE: Barry Winters (Dungannon)

by thesaffrongael

Rice goals to give Creggan first win of the season

ACHL DIVISON 2B

Creggan 3-12 Oisins 0-20

Oisin’s, Glenariff, took to the field in Staffordstown confident they could overcome an under power, Kickham’s Creggan.  Most of the players on both teams would have been familiar with each other, having met before – 2011 All-County Feile, 2015 Minor Championship & 2019 All-County League – with the South West Side coming on top on all occasions. 

Referee, Darren McKeown, got proceedings under way and Oisin’s started the better with a point on four minutes from Michael Gettens.  This was cancelled out almost immediately with Morgan Nelson pointed from a free for the home side seconds later.  The said player had two more points from frees by the 10th minute while Seanie McHenry and Kieran McKendry for Oisin’s pointed to leave things level with 12 minutes gone.  The homeside bagged the next point from play from Liam McCann while Nelson added to his tally of frees with a 4th point.  Alex O’Boyle’s accuracy for the visitors was decisive when he added two further points from play in the 15th & 16th minute.  O’Boyle added to his tally yet again when he landed the only 65 of the game to push the visitors three points clear.  Creggan’s Kevin Rice chipped over a superb sideline ball on 40 minutes to narrow the gap to two, and the home side drew level again with a points from Sam Maguire and Nelson. However it was the visitors who took charge of the game as we came closer to the short whistle.  Shea McDonnell, David Kearney, Kieran McKendry and Alex O’Boyle all added additional points while Creggan only managed one more score of the 1st half by Kevin Rice on the 31st minute leaving the half time score: Creggan 0.09 v Oisin’s 0.12.

As the second half got under way, Alex O’Boyle had added to his tally with a point from the throw in.  The home side’s free taker, Nelson, scored two additional frees in the 35th and 37th minute while O’Boyle had bagged three more at the other end with by the forty seventh minute, leaving the score 0-16 to 0- 11 to the Oisins.  Creggan needed goals and were unlucky on a number of occasions while Oisin’s opted to to pick off their points, but this would lead to their downfall.  Although Kieran McKendry added to his tally, and O’Boyle put the next two frees over, the pressure was on for Creggan  as they struggled for possession.  Liam McCann threw them a lifeline with a major on the 48th minute while his team mate Sean Donnelly popped over a superb point to leave the score at 0-19 to 0-15 in favour of the visitors.  With four minutes left on the clock plus injury time, the lough-shore lads looked like they were heading for their third defeatof the season, but Kealan McCann struck a 60 metre free dropping short to be doubled into the net by Lee Johnston, to cut the deficit to a one point margin.  With time almost up the game was in the balance, but it was Creggan’s Kevin Rice’s who struck the telling blow for the home side with a goal that put them two in front with only seconds of injury time left. Oisin’s Niall Murray pulled on back for the Oisins, but it was to be the last score of the contest and Creggan clinched victory by the narrowest of margins to reiginte their season

 Referee, Darren McKeown, managed proceedings well allowing the game to flow as both sides were well up for a very physical encounter.

FINAL SCORE:  Creggan 3.12 v Oisin’s 0.20.

KICKHAM’S CREGGAN:  No.1 Tiernan McLarnon, No.2 Michael Maguire, No.3 Aidan Maguire, No.4 Dannan O’Hara, No.5 Jake McAteer, No.6 Ciaran Rice, No.7 Aidan McKeown, No.8 Kealan McCann, No.9 Liam McCann (1.01), No.10 Diarmuid Mulholland,  No.11 Sam Maguire (0.01), No.12 Morgan Nelson (0.07), No.13 Sean Donnelly (0.01), No.14 Lee Johnston (1.00), No.15 Kevin Rice (1.02),

No.16 Oliver Duffin, No.18 Joe Smith, No.19 Nial McAuley, No.20 Sean McAuley.

OISIN’S:  No.1 Paul McMullan, No.2 Michael Haughey, No.3 Conor Robert Patterson, No.4 Martin McAllister, No.5 Donal Kearney, No.6 David Kearney (0.01), No.7 Nial Murray (0.01), No.8 Shane O’Connor (0.01), No.9 Caolan O’Connor, No.10 Kieran McKendry (0.03), No.11 Michael Gettens (0.01), No.12 Alex O’Boye (0.11), No.13 Shea McDonnell (0.01), No.14 Seamus McDonnell, No.15 Seanie McHenry (0.02),

No.16 Seanan McToal, No.17 Dan McKillop, No.18 Oliver Kearney, No.19 Daniel Haughey, No.20 Ciaran Farrell, No.21 Michael McConaghie, No.22 Cahill McDowell, No.23 Ben O’Boyle, No.24 Aaron Crossgrove, No.25 Sean Leech, No.26 Ciaran Black, No.28 Daire Mort, No.30 Michael O’Boyle, No.31 Paddy Burns.