Breslin Cup Final

Aghagallon 4-7 Creggan 3-7

A goal from Michael Grogan five minutes from time proved the winning score as St. Mary’s Aghagallon and Kickham’s Creggan served up an excellent Breslin Cup final today where fortunes swung in favour of both the protagonists at various stages of the game.

It was St. Mary’s Aghagallon who got off to a great start and the excellent Sean Gowdy fired to the net to give them the lead after only 30 seconds with Conor Johnston replying with a point for the Kickham’s with five minutes on the clock.

Gowdy extended the Aghagallon lead to three again before their keeper made a great save as Creggan threatened an immediate come back. St. Mary’s were calling the tune at this stage however and Gowdy got in for his second goal of the game to move his side six clear by the 13^th minute.

Creggan had been under the cosh for a time but an excellent goal from Fiontan Close when he chipped the keeper just before the water break brought them right back into contention to leave it 2-1 to 1-1 in favour of St. Mary’s

When play got underway again Ronan McGuckian and Shea McCann fired over unanswered point for the Staffordstown Road side to close the gap to the minimum but once again Aghagallon found a response and Eran Loughran fired to the net to move them four in front.

• 

• 

Owen Mallon added a point as the Aghagallon side finished the half strongly with the Creggan keeper making a good save to keep his side in the game just before half time but as the half time whistle sounded it was Aghagallon who led 3-2 to 1-3.

On the restart Sean Gowdy extended he Aghagallon lead with a point with Conor Johnston for Creggan and Michael Grogan for St. Mary’s exchanging further points with seven minutes of the new half gone.

The Kickham’s were in need of inspiration and Conor Loughran provided it when he fired to the net and it heralded a period of dominance for his side as Conor Johnston pointed and then Fiontan Close fired home from the penalty spot in the 12^th minute to put the Kickham’s two ahead.

Johnston added a point as Creggan dominated the third quarter but Sean Gowdy replied with a point for St. Mary’s to leave them trailing by the minimum at the second water break and it looked anybody’s game at this stage.

St. Mary’s appeared to have missed the boat when they missed a penalty at the start of the final quarter but they responded with a Sean Gowdy point to draw level before Fiontan Close edge the Kickham’s one ahead again and this was turning into an intriguing contest.

There was still 12 minutes remaining at this stage of the game but unfortunately for Creggan it was to be their final score of the game as Aghagallon staged a strong finish to dominate the closing stages.

• 

• 

The eventual winners looked in for a goal but the Creggan keeper brought off an excellent block with his feet to deny them but Aghagallon would not be denied for long as the impressive Gowdy pointed to draw the sides level again and in a strong finish Michael Grogan fired to the net to break Creggan hearts and give St. Mary’s the Breslin Cup to add to their All County Minor success a couple of weeks ago.

These clubs meet again next Sunday in the Senior Championship final with Creggan hoping to avenge today’s defeat and Aghagallon aiming for their first Senior Championship win which would put the icing on an excellent season for the club from the Armagh border.

Kickham’s Creggan: 1 Paul McNally, 2 Darach McCann, 3 Eoin Mclarnon, 4 Matthew Donaghy, 6 Liam McLarnon, 5 Peter Shore, 7 Cillian McEldowney, 8 Aidan McIlwee, 9 Tristan McCann, 10 Fiontan Close, 11 Conor Johnston, 12 Anton Martin, 13 Ronan McGuckian, 14 Conor Loughran, 15 Shea McCann, 17 Ailbe McKeown, 18 Fintan Kelly, 19 Sean Daly, 20 Colm McTeague, 21

St. Mary’s Aghagallon: 2 Darragh Smyth, 3 Christopher Hannon, 4 Cormac Mulholland, 5 Darragh Keightley, 6 Matthew Braham, 7 Sean Brankin, 8 Eoin Maginnis, 9 Ronan O’Connor, 10 Michael Grogan, 11 Aaron Kerr, 12 Owen Mallon, 13 Aidan Brady, 14 Sean Gowdy, 15 Eran Loughran, 16 Jamie Hatchett, 17 Ruairi Campbell, 18 Daniel McIlmoyle,

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Antrim LGFA Junior B Final

Con Magees Glenravel 5-4 Oisin’s Glenariffe 2-10

Goals at vital times saw Con Magees Glenravel get the better of Oisins Glenariffe in a highly exciting Antrim LGFA Junior B final on Sunday at Pairc Mhuire, Cushendall. Two quick goals in the 7^th and 8^th minutes got Glenravel away to a good start, but the sides were level at the end of hard fought first half, the Oisins goal coming from Gemma Black.

Two quick goals from county minor star Sarah Fyfe early in the second half put daylight between the sides again and Glenravel were five clear at the second water break. However Glenariffe came back strongly in the final quarter with Maeve McKendry picking off the points and when substitute Niamh O’Neill got her team’s second goal in the final minutes the gap wad down to just two. It was nerve wracking stuff for both sets of supporters as it could have gone either way, but a pointed free in injury time gave Glenravel a two point cushion and they held on to take the title.

Glenariffe had beaten their neighbours convincingly in the league earlier this season and when they went two points clear with points from Maeve McKendry and Patricia Claire Abram they looked like the might repeat that result. However two goals in two minutes from Caoimhe Higgins and Jamie Woulahan gave the Glenravel girls a major lift, and when Caoimhe Duffin stretched their lead with a point from play they were 2-1 to 0-2 in front at the first water break.

The Oisins fought their way back during the second quarter with some great play from Aileen Martin, Eimear McGarry and Maeve McKendry, and when Gemma Black goaled late in the half they were back on level terms at the short whiste. ( 2-2 to 1-5)

A brilliant individual goal from Sarah Fyfe within a minute of the restart got Glenravel back on top and when she got another one soon afterwards they were six clear. Glenariffe battled their way back with two points from Maeve McKendry and another from Abram as they closed the gap to three by the second water break. Two more points from McKendry, in reply to one by Fyfe at the other end, left just two between the side and the pressure was on Glenravel once again, but with their young stars Erin Coulter and Sarah Fyfe in great form they pulled away again, their fifth goal coming from corner forward Jamie Woulahan, which brought her tally to 2-1.

However the Glenariffe girls kept battling back and a goal from substitute Niamh O’Neill left just two points between the sides, before Sarah Fyfe settled it with a point from a free deep in injury time.

CON MAGEES

Caitlin McKeown, Cassie McQuillan, Emma Dillon, Clodagh McCann, Erin Coulter, Caoimhe McKeown, Bronagh McKay, Eimhear Higgins, Caitlin Law, Chloe McAuley, Alisha McPeake, Sarah Fyfe, Caoimhe Duffin, Jamie Woulahan, Caoimhe Higgins.

OISINS

Leah Cosgrove, Cara Kilgore, Marie Hamilton, Megan Carton, Clodagh McMullan, Gemma McCrudden, Síne Woodhouse, Eimear McGarry, Laura McMullan, Maeve Gillan, Maeve McKendry, Coleen Patterson, Maeve Gillan, Gemma Black, Aileen McManus, Patricia Claire Abram.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Ulster LGFA Intermediate Championship semi-final

St Brigid’s (Antrim) 1-6 Steelstown Brian Óg (Derry) 2-12

From Paddy Tierney at Musgrave Park

IT was certainly a memorable Saturday for Steelstown Brian Óg and their Ladies’ footballers lived up to their side of the bargain with a comfortable nine-point win over Antrim champions St Brigid’s at Musgrave Park.

Playing with the advantage of a strong wind in the first half, the Derry side built up a 10-point lead at the break with Leah McGonagle’s stunning goal helping her side to a 1-10 to 0-3 lead at the break.

Theresa Mellon scored all but one of her team’s 1-6 tally and her goal on the restart gave the South Belfast outfit a glimmer of hope.

• 

• 

However, a second major for Steelstown from Aoife Collins put the game beyond doubt as the Derry champions booked their place in the Ulster Intermediate decider.

With the men’s footballers also clinching the Derry IFC with a 0-9 to 0-8 win over Greenlough at Ballymaguigan, the Derry City side battling for provincial glory on two fronts in the coming weeks.

In truth, the Steelstown ladies’ weren’t flattered in the slightest by the margin of victory and they found themselves 0-5 to 0-1 ahead at the first water break.

Emma Doherty (free), Collins, Orla McGeough, Ella Rose Sainsbury and McGonagle all landed early points while the sole reply from St Brigid’s came from Mellon.

The Antrim ace converted a well-struck free on the restart, but Steelstown were forcing turnovers high up the pitch and their kick passing was outstanding with their full-forward line causing the St Brigid’s defence all sorts of problems.

Back-to-back scores from Sainsbury and McGonagle moved Steelstown five ahead before they struck for their first goal.

McGonagle played a neat one-two with Ciara McGurk before dispatching a wonderfully-placed shot into the top right-hand corner of Julie Curran’s net from 25 metres.

Further points from Sainsbury and Collins left the scoreboard reading 1-9 to 0-2 as the game approached half-time. A foul on Eimear O’Dohery was converted by midfielder Doherty before Mellon landed a much-needed point at the other end to leave St Brigid’s trailing by 10 at the interval.

A late foul by Lea Casey on the cusp of half-time was punished by a yellow card and St Brigid’s made the most of their numerical advantage at the start of the second half.

There was an element of good fortune about their goal as Mellon’s shot across the face of goal caught Ruagin Doherty off guard and the ball nestled in the far corner of the net to cut the gap to seven.

Brian Óg had the chance to reply in kind, but Curran made a fine save to deny McGonagle twice in quick succession and was called into action again to prevent O’Doherty minutes later.

St Brigid’s simply couldn’t break down a well-organised Steelstown defence and, before Casey returned to the fold, they plundered their second goal.

McGeough’s delivery was met by Collins at the back post and Curran was unable to prevent the ball from spilling into the back of the net.

The last quarter of the game saw the Derry champions defend their lead in numbers with St Brigid’s resorting to long, hopeful punts into their full-forward line, but McGurk played the sweeper role to perfection in the second half.

St Brigid’s managed to tag on points from Mellon (two and the industrious Abigail Carleton, but Steelstown had a much greater spread of scorers.

Collins and the excellent Ella Rose Sainsbury added to their side’s tally late on while a late free from McGeough completed the scoring for Steelstown who progress to the Ulster decider against Fermanagh kingpins Kinawley.

ST BRIGID’S: J Curran; E Boyce, K Ward, AB Carson; B King, M Blaney, C Leonard; E Ferran, C Austin; M Mitchell, T Mellon (1-5, 0-2fs), L Agnew; A Carleton (0-1, 0-1f), F O’Malley, A McDonnell.

Subs: S McGarvey for King (15), C McKendry for Mitchell (50).

STEELSTOWN: R Doherty; O McGough, A McGough, E Doherty; N Friel, K Canavan, L Casey; N Gilmore, E Doherty (0-2, 0-2fs); E O’Doherty, C McGurk, ER Sainsbury (0-4); O McGeough (0-1), L McGonagle (1-3), A Collins (1-2).

Subs: M Devine for O McGough (43), D McKeever for O’Doherty (56), L Henderson for Friel (58).

REFEREE: Declan Carolan (Armagh)

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•