The Crebilly 5K Run, which has been part of the All Saints GAC calendar for quite a number of years goes ahead again next Friday 20th August. The Crebilly Run fell foul of the pandemic last year but has been scheduled for next Friday night and promises to be bigger and better than ever.
The race it set to get underway at 7pm with registration from 6-00 to 6.45pm, race is chip-timed.
Entries are on the evening, with a donation in lieu of entry fee to our nominated charity which is St Vincent De Paul this year, all for good causes.
So why not come along and give it a go. The event always attracts a number of top runners but is also a great fun event for the not so serious runners including families who come along for the craic.
Exciting news on the eve of the start of the Antrim Football and Hurling Club Championships as the Devenish Complex in Belfast launched the Devenish Antrim Club All Stars, the awards to be presented at a Gala Dinner on Saturday 27th November at the Devenish.
Antrim county chairman Ciaran McCavana (centre) with Jim Conlon (right), Managing Director of the Devenish Complex and Fra McGuinness, General Manager at the launch of the Antrim Club All Stars.
There will be awards for the top 15 Hurlers and Footballers, Young Players of the Year in both codes, top scorer in both codes, plus overall Footballer and Hurler of the Year.
Anyone from clubs in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior Championships can be selected with a panel of journalists including Brendan Crossan from the Irish News, David Mohan from Belfast Media Group and members of the Saffron Gael team who will nominate the top 3 players for each position, before the final selection is decided by a public vote.
Each player will receive a specially designed O’Neill Sportswear playing kit and kit-bag and complimetary plus two complimentary tickets for the awards Gala at the Devenish
The Gala dinner will be hosted by Mark Sidebottom of the BBC with Jerome Quinn Media covering the star studded evening.
Devenish MD Jim Conlon and Antrim County Chairman Ciaran McCavana with the Antrim All Stars jersey which will be presented to the winners.
Speaking at Tuesday’s launch at the Devenish Antrim county chairman Ciaran McCavanna said “I am delighted to attend the launch of Devenish Club Allstars. This is a very positive initiative which will put our club players front and centre, giving them, and our club championships, the respect and coverage they deserve.”
Devenish Managing Director Jim Conlon said “We are delighted to be teaming up with the Antrim County Board and O’Neill’s Sportswear for the first year of the Antrim Club All Stars to recognise the talent in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior Championships in both codes. We already have a well-established relationship with GAA clubs in the Belfast area and the Antrim County Board and we look forward to strengthening those ties with the launch of the Antrim All Stars. I am looking forward what is going to be a great awards evening, hosted by Mark Sidebottom.”
John Tumilty from O’ Neills Sportswear said
“O’Neills Sportswear are honoured to be associated with the inaugural Antrim Club All Star Awards for both Football and Hurling. Our association with Antrim GAA and our ongoing work with the Antrim County Teams and Board has led to a very successful partnership over many, many years. We are delighted to have the opportunity to be involved in this showcase of local GAA, grass roots talent and look forward to what’s sure to be a spectacular evening at the prestigious Devenish Complex later this year.”
All Saints travelled to near neighbours Glenravel for the all county Div 2 Semi Final on Tuesday evening. A tight contest was expected as both teams had shown good form during their league campaign and have had close games over the last couple of years.
In the early stages the Glenravel boys put it up to the visitors with some fierce tackling from both sides. All Saints were the more clinical side though with good points from TP McGurk, Joseph O’Rawe, Matthew Mullen and Aodhan McGarry.
At this stage the home side had a few wides but a goal from Cormac McKeown kept them in touch however the visitors then pulled clear when a goal from full forward Daniel McCoy put the Saints in total control. As expected the Glenravel boys came out firing at the start of the 2nd half and a goal early on looked like it might stir a comeback.
However the Visitors regrouped and scored the next 4 points with great scores from McGurk and Senan OBoyle. All Saints were now in total control and a 2nd goal from Matthew Mullen followed by points from Conor Ohara and Pearce Martin put the game to bed.
A great game of hurling with both teams displaying no shortage of skill. A good team performance from All Saints who were very efficient with their shooting and tight and tenacious at the back with Senan OBoyle and Archie McGreevey impressive at half back.
Ciaran McQuillan had a solid game in goals behind a tight full back line. All the forwards contributed well following sterling work at midfield by Kevin OBoyle and Aodhan McGarry, especially Dara Martin who was a constant threat.
All Saints now move onto the League Final on Sunday against a Corpus Christi Gaels side who were equally impressive in defeating Ard Na Ri in the other semi-final and are sure to face a stiff test from the amalgamation side while Glenravel will regroup ahead of the Championship and no doubt come back strong.
All Saints: 1.Ciaran McQuillan 2. Diarmuid Casey 3. Conor McKenna 4. Rhys Haveron 5. Senan O’Boyle 6. Conan McMullan 7. Archie McGreevey 8. Kevin O Boyle 9. Aodhan McGarry 10. Fintan Brady 11. Joseph O’Rawe 12. TP McGurk 13. Matthew Mullen 14. Daniel MCoy 15. Dara Martin Subs: Daniel Kelly, Conor ORawe, Ryan Thom, Rory Taggart, Rory Dunne, Dara Killough, Conor O Hara, Pearce Martin.
Three first half goals saw Corpus Christi Gaels run out 4-11-0-09 winners over Ard Na Ri in the U-17 Division 2 hurling semi-final at Milltown on Tuesday evening.
The hosts made the quickest start, hitting the opening two scores through Niall Fallon and a converted Fintan Cleary free.
Corpus Christi restored parity though – Jamie McNally converted back-to-back frees to level at 0-02 apiece.
The opening goal arrived shortly after with Luke Loughlin crashing home a sweet strike past Pearse Hamill in the Ard Na Ri goal.
The Gaels County representative Deaglan Mooney swung over a further point before Loughlin powered home his second of the half to give his side a 2-03-0-02 lead.
Ard Na Ri face an uphill battle and responded with back-to-back frees from Fintan Cleary- though Luke Loughlin steered over his first point of proceedings and Jay Maguire angled over another shortly after.
Maguire converted a free and it was from the same scenario that Corpus Christi extended their advantage.
Jamie McNally stood over a placed ball which he floated high towards the target, it dipped towards the goal and Pearse Hamill was unable to keep it out and the visitors were now 3-06-0-04 to the good.
Niall Fallon was on hand to land successive frees from Ard Na Ri in the aftermath- though the hosts trailed by double figures at the break after Maguire fired over from Luke Loughlin’s pass on the stroke of half-time.
Corpus Christi hit the opening point of the second period through Deaglan Mooney, at the other end Niall Fallon landed his third free of the evening from the angle and a further score was forthcoming when James Sloan slipped the ball to Fintan Cleary for a nice score.
The hosts were in need of goals, but they were unable to forge an opportunity in the final third- not for the want of trying.
It was game over ten minutes into the second half, Luke Loughlin drew a fine stop from Pearse Hamill and the loose ball fell to Conan McKinney who was unable to get his shot away and he instead offloaded to Stephen Thompson to drill in the fourth and make it 4-08-0-08.
Points followed in the aftermath from Conan McKinney, Deaglan Mooney and a converted Jamie McNally free- which finished the visitors scoring for the evening.
James Sloan replied with a point from a late free for Ard Na Ri but the game was well over as contest as Corpus booked their place in the Division 2 league decider against All-Saint’s Ballymena.
Ard Na Ri: P Hamill, T McAleenan, O McCarney, N McDonnell, O Corey, E O’Mainnin, G Mac Adhaimh, F Cleary (0-04, 0-03f), J Sloan (0-01f), A McDonagh, N Fallon (0-04, 0-03f), N Duffy, C Barnes, D Prenter, T Graham. Subs: O Kelly for A McDonagh (HT), C Baird for N McDonnell (41).
Corpus Christi Gaels: O Quinn, B Maguire, O Gorman, R Quinn, C Rainey, S Hughes, M Darragh, J McNally (1-03f), D Mooney (0-03), S Thompson (1-00), J Maguire (0-03, 0-01f), J Wilson, C McKinney (0-01), L Loughlin (2-01), J Robb. Subs: C Corr for J Robb (26), R Donnelly for S Hughes (45), C Darragh for J McNally (56).
With the football championships set to get under way tomorrow night (Wednesday) we at the Saffron Gale will once again be striving to cover as many games as possible. Unfortunately with games scheduled in all three grades, Junior, Intermediate and Senior we will not be able to get someone to every game so we appeal to club P.R.O.’S to send us a short report from your game.
It doesn’t have to be long. You can send us the report yourself or alternatively send us teams, scorers, times of scores, score at first water break, score at half time etc. We will endeavour to put a report together.
Once again we make an appeal for financial help. The Saffron Gael is now in its 5th year and during that period we have had 6.4 million views on the site. These figures tell us that the site is very popular with our readers. Coverage on the Saffron Gael helps to promote Gaelic games amongst our young players and as well as covering club games in Antrim in all codes we have carried reports and photographs of all our county games in football, hurling camogie and ladies football.
We have a dedicated team of photographers and reporters who are there primarily through their love for Gaelic games but these people have to be paid for their time and expenses. Because of the generosity of our sponsors and clubs we have been able to survive and grow.
We thank those clubs who have given us this valuable financial assistance from the start and we ask any of those clubs who have not made a donation this year to do so. We also appeal to those clubs who have never donated to consider making a donation this year.
To our loyal band of sponsors, once again we say thanks. Your contribution has been invaluable and without your support we quite simply could not keep going and we appeal for your continued support and for new sponsors to come on board.
Anyone wishing to enquire about sponsorship should contact one of the two e.mail addresses above for further information.
We also appeal to our readers to support these sponsors wherever possible. It is through their sponsorship that you are able to read our reports and follow your team.
Finally as the various championships get underway tomorrow night (Wednesday) we offer businesses in the area of clubs taking part the opportunity to take out an advert supporting your club and wishing them good luck in the championship.
Your Business-company logo will appear on the advert. The cost of these adverts is only £60-00 and the advert will be carried on each game that the club plays in right up to and including the championship final should they progress to that stage.
