All Saints recorded another excellent win when they travelled to Shaw’s Road to meet Rossa and hit the net seven times in another polished performance. Two quick fire goals for Kaczmarek and Crooks got the Saints off to a flyer, followed by a McKeown point. Rossa came fighting back to knock in a goal of their own. The teams exchanged points but the Saints had 3 in a row from Bradley and McKeown. Rossa battled back with a goal and a couple of super points from their midfield No 8 who was dominating at this stage.
All Saints weathered the storm and added a couple of points to leave it Rossa 2-03 All Saints 2-07 at the break. Rossa started well in the 2nd half and were unlucky with a couple of narrow wides and a couple of efforts that fell short into the hands of goalkeeper Balmer on his debut for the Ballymena side
The visitors defence stood firm and their forwards clicked into gear with some great scores from Dowds, Bradley and McKeown to leave them in total control. Rossa never gave up and they created some chances but were unable to finish.
The scoring was rounded off when subs Leo Wright and Daniel Henry combined to find Joe McGarry who found the bottom corner of the net. Well done to both teams for an entertaining and tighter game than the final score suggests.
ACFL DIVISION 3 St Malachy’s 1-6 – 1-11 Na Piarsaigh A sunny but cold night over at Cherryvale saw St Malachys host Pearses, with both clubs needing a win to keep their chances of a top 5 finish alive before the league splits. St Malachy’s were looking to get back to winning form after disappointing results against Naomh Padraig and Laochra Loch Lao in previous weeks, whereas Pearses were looking to make it 4 wins on the bounce. First Half: The game started with St Malachys winning the throw in, controlling the ball early before lumping the ball forward to try and grab an early score but Ciaran McCavana done well to get the ball and play it out of defence. The first real chance of the game went to Pearses where the St Malachy’s keeper made a great save to deny Fionn Grew, and St Malachys themselves drove up the pitch with a chance of their own but denied by some great defending from the Pearses back line.
The first score of the game went to Oisin Grew after some great play from Piaras Donaghy, driving the ball forward and passing it off to Oisin. 0-0 to 0-1. The score was soon 1-0 to 0-2 after Naoise Ó Cuilín scored immediately after the first score of the game, before St Malachy’s #13 played a great ball into his forward line for the first goal of the game, all within the first 5 minutes. The game was very back and forward in the first 10 minutes, with St Mals working the ball forward from midfield, with their #11 winning and scoring a free to make it 1-1 to 0-2 before some great from Pearses from the resulting kickout to grab the second goal of the night. Naoise Ó Cuilín done well to hold a pass from Barry Harper, then from a few nice passes between Sean Moreland and Piaras Donaghy, Piaras plays a brilliant pass through to Naoise who smashes the ball home. The next 10 minutes was very much in Pearses favour with scores from Piaras Donaghy, Naoise Ó Cuilín & Phil Murray extending the lead to 5 points, with the St Malachy’s keeper making another good save to deny Sean Moreland during this time. St Malachy’s reacted to this pressure by breaking down a good attack from Pearses, running the ball through the middle of the pitch to grab their third, then fourth scores of the game, to make it 1-3 to 1-6 close to half time. Pearses fail to capitalise on some sloppy passes and kickouts from St Malachys right before half time to extend the lead going into the break. Half time Score: St Malachy’s 1-3 to 1-6 Na Piarsaigh Second half: St Malachy’s win the throw in and immediately try and get a score immediately but the ball falls to a pearses man and the North Belfast men win a free from a great turnover from Phil Murray, which allows Fionn Grew to get his first score of the game to make it 1-3 to 1-7. Another turnover in the middle allows Conall Hughes to get in on the action to make it 5 in Pearse’s favour, with St Malachy’s then missing a good chance themselves putting the ball wide from within the 21 immediately after this score. Both teams driving forward and missing chances themselves was the story for both teams over the next 5 minutes with St Malachys with some sloppy passing and Pearses hitting the post from a high free. St Mals then drove forward themselves, with their #20 scoring a free off the deck just inside the 45 to reduce Pearse’s lead back to 4. 1-4 to 1-8. Some more St Malachy’s pressure led to some attacks into the pearses defence, driving forward to reduce the difference to 3 from a score from St Malachy’s #13 halfway through the second half, with some good defending after thus denying St Malachys a second goal, before #13 puts the ball wide. A bad challenge from St Malachy’s #7 gave Pearses the opportunity to get back on the scoresheet with a quick free played between Piaras Donaghy and Liam Deegan to allow Piaras to get his second of the evening, making the score 1-5 to 1-9 in Pearse’s favour with 10 mins to go.
Another long ball into the box from St Malachy’s finally results in another goal, but the referee rules the goal out due to a square ball and pearses capitalise immediately after this by winning a free up the pitch to allow Naoise Ó Cuilín to restore Pearse’s 5 point lead. 1-5 to 1-10. St Malachy’s continue their pursuit of a goal during the last 5 or so minutes but some brilliant defending from the likes of Aodhan McCavana and James Smyth help pearses hold out the St Malachy’s attack. The threat from St Malachys resulted in a point scored to bring this back to a 4 point game with only a few minutes remaining. Pearses finished the game with a score from Liam Deegan to take the game to 1-6 to 1-11 in Pearses favour and help secure a 4th win on the bounce. Full time Score: St Malachy’s 1-6 to 1-11 Na Piarsaigh Na Piarsaigh: N’Largey, D’O’Neill, A’McCavana, C’McCavana, C’O’Neill, B’Harper, N’Gorman, P’Murray (0-1), J’Smyth, S’Moreland, P’Donaghy (0-2), C’Hughes(0-1), N’Ó’Cuilín (1-4), F’Grew(0-1), O’Grew(0-1) Subs: L’Deegan (0-1) for S’Moreland F’McCallan for J’Smyth
Our latest recrute to our photographic team, Paul McIlwaine was at Brustin Braes last night to cover a camogie game between Latharna Og and All Saints. He sent us these three fantastic photographs and we look forward to showcasing more of his work in the coming weeks.
Latharna Og out scored All Saints Ballymena camogs in another great warm night out at the Brustin Braes pitch followed up by an entertaining performance by both teams. It was end to end action with some great scores and acts of defending so well done both teams.
Again a big thank you from the lads and girls from both sides for the support again on the embankment it’s greatly appreciated and it makes it all the better for the girls to perform in front of a crowd. Getting to the game. Again- another great display shown by the girls, the improvement each week is night and day and it’s not surprising with the effort being put in at training.
All Saints took it to the Larne Ladies with the rapid speed in the middle of the pitch – they will punish most teams this year. Latharna Og stepped it up in the defence line and read the game well and fed their forwards who took their chances really well.
With each girl that lined out and all the subs that came on, we can’t ask for anymore. The effort put in is exceptional. Although standout performances were Laura O’Boyle in the back line and Beth McCauley up top scoring a brilliant 1-7 (1free). A special word of praise to Leigh Stepping up into the net this game…she done superb Speedy to recovery to the girls that got the knocks. Next game – Away to Loch Mor dal gCais
Latharna Og: Murphy Gillan O’Brien O’Boyle Duffy Mulvenna Dempster McKinley Martin McKendry Black Gillan Shield McKillop McCauley Subs Petticrew – Stewart – Black – O’Boyle – McKinley Scorers Beth 1-7 Megan 0-6 Bronagh 1-0 Darragh 0-2 Niamh 0-1 Erin 0-1
The Aghagallon novelty act did a photo shoot on Thursday evening with Bert Trowlen ahead of their All Ireland Final in Killarney this weekend. Zara McCavigan, Meabh McCavigan, Úna Maginn, Mairead Maginn, Cara Leathem, Aoife Lennon, Paddy Joe McStravick and Micheal Mulholland will represent the club with pride in the All Ireland Scór na nÓg Final in Killarney on Sunday. We wish them all the best.
Seven of the Antrim team that eclipsed the All-Ireland Minor B title in September received their Ulster schools’ camogie All-star awards on Thursday evening at a Gala Dinner in the Elk Toomebridge.The awards were presented by Antrim senior star and current Intermediate Player of the Year Maeve Kelly, herself a recipient of two successive awards while a student at Cross and Passion, Ballycastle. Four CPC students, winners of the Ulster senior title this year, picked up All-star awards, including Maeve’s sister and Antrim All-Ireland winning minor captain Fionnuala. The other three are Cassie McArthur (scorer of 6-3 in the recent Ulster minor final), Nuala Devlin and Orlagh Laverty.Orlagh is another player who matches an older sister with an award as Ciara Laverty was in the last team two years ago, as was Caoimhe Molloy, whose sister Katie made the team this season. Katie was also in the Ulster winning minor team earlier this month.
Eight of the nine Antrim’s players who recieved Ulster Colleges Camogie All Stars. Back L-R, Orla Donnelly, Fiounalla Kelly, Evanne Martin, Orlagh Donnelly, Sine Woodhouse. Front, L-R, Nualla Devlin, Cassie McArthur, Katie Moloy
Katie is a student in St Louis Ballymena who also have goalie Orlagh Convery in the selection. The second goalie is also from the same county; Orla Donnelly starred for Antrim in both All-Ireland minor finals, the drawn game and then the replay. Orla is a student in St Killian’s Garron Tower, as is midfielder Síne Woodhouse while another of the Antrim minors, Evanne Martin, is one of three representatives from St Patrick’s Maghera, the others being Doireann Donnelly and Aimee Lennon.Two players from the last All-star team two years ago received a second award, Ballygalget pair Beth Coulter and Tara Monan. Earlier this week Coulter won the Ulster Ladies’ Golf title. She will not be seen on the camogie pitches after June however as she takes up a four year golfing scholarship in USA. On Thursday she delivered a fine speech on behalf of the players recounting her experiences against her co-recipients in schools’ camogie and thanking the Ulster schools’ camogie council for all their work in providing games and opportunities for girls of all abilities.The Ulster All-stars normally represent the province in the schools’ inter-provincial competition, but that was shelved this season because of Covid.On Thursday evening each player received a specially commissioned trophy and jersey as well as a commemorative poster
Orlagh Convery of St Louis Ballymena with her mum and dad
