St Mary’s Portglenone made history in Antrim today, winning the Allianz Ireland SW Antrim Cumann na mBunscoil girl’s football competition for the first time.
The progression in LGFA was very much in evidence at St Comgall’s both in the number of schools participating and particularly in the standard of football. A wonderful display of skills, sporting behaviour, team work and fun could be seen throughout the day.
After a hectic morning’s football, 16 teams were whittled down to 8 in the cup competition and 8 in the shield. All the girls were playing plenty of football!
The Semi-finals saw St Mary’s defeat Mt St Michael’s Randalstown and Moneynick over Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel. Over in the shield competition St Brigid’s Ballymena and St Joseph’s Crumlin qualified for the final defeating St Comgalls Antrim and Creggan PS respectively.
The finals saw two outstanding games with very little to choose in both games but there always has to be a winner and St Mary’s Portglenone were the victors in the cup by the narrowest of margins whilst in the shield St Joseph’s Crumlin overcame a rejuvenated St Brigid’s.
An excellent day’s football that will live long in the memory of all involved.
Cumann na Mbunscoil South West Chairman, Jim Brady presents the Cup to St. Mary’s Portglenone Jim Brady presents the Shield to St. Joseph’s CrumlinSt. Brigid’s BallymenaSt. Joseph’s CrumlinMount St Michael’s BSt. Comgall’s AntrimCreggan Primary SchoolMount St. Michael’s ASt. Mary’s PortglenoneMoneynick Primary School AMary Queen of Peace, GlenravelMillquarter P.S.Ballymacrickett P.S.St. Joseph’s P.S. CrumlinMillquarter BGaelscoil Glenn DarachMoneynick BSt. Colmcille’s P.S. B
THERE have to be questions over the timing and venues for the two main camogie games this weekend particularly in relation to Antrim.
No one who attends the senior final in Edendork will have an opportunity to attend Antrim’s Intermediate semi-final with Cavan in Ballinagh, while both camogie games clash with the county’s hurlers playing a Joe McDonagh Cup group game with Carlow in Corrigan Park.
The three Kelly siblings who will be a different venues on Saturday. Fionuala will be in Ballinagh to face Cavan in the Junior Camogie, Darragh will be in Dundalk to take on Offaly while Maeve, althought injured at present, will be cheering on her team mates in Edendork against Down in the Ulster Senior Final
There are families, such as the McNaughtons and O’Neills, who have their son Eoin, and daughter Nicole playing in Corrigan and a daughter in Edendork while other families such as the Lavertys (whose two daughters Orland Christine will both line out for different teams, and the Kellys have daughters in both Edendork and Ballinagh plus the Kelly’s who have a son playing with Antrim minor hurlers in Dundalk against Offaly in the Leinster Minor Hurling final.
A later start to the senior camogie final is not a solution as Down’s Paula O’Hagan will want to rush off to Clones to watch her husband Darren and the Down footballers in Ulster championship action against Monaghan at 4.30pm.
The McNaughton siblings James and Lucia will be playing at different venues at the same time
Although the final was in the schedule for Saturday, surely the counties would have agreed to move it back 24 hours for a head-to-head in the likes of Corrigan Park or Pairc Esler which would have been a better chance to promote the first provincial senior final in over 40 years between two counties who play at All-Ireland senior level.
I understand that the McDonagh Cup game between Down and Antrim was originally scheduled for Ballycran last Saturday and then postponed 24 hours as Antrim footballers were taking on Cavan in Corrigan.
A pragmatic move to maximise the possibilities. Surely it could have been done to avoid Saturday’s dilemma.
the Ulster Colleges Camogie All Star Awards dinner was held at the Elk Toomebridge on Thurday evening with 24 Camoges from throughout Ulster receiving their prestigious awards. We will post the full set of photos from the night later this evening
St Marys travelled to Gort na Mona on the back of a tough draw with St Brigid’s and the home team waiting for a first win. As it turned out the Gorts won the game and their first points. In a game where both teams were guilty of coughing the ball up easily at times and at different phases of the game it was the Gorts defensive set up that won out on the day as they managed to get back in numbers and shut out the Aghagallon attack.
When in attack the home team playing downhill the first half were able to pick of scores more easily. Gort hit two early points to settle them into the game and whilst St Marys had a fair share of good attacking possession they could not make the space to take on the scores. Two majors in the first half from space created in front of the keeper were crucial in the game. Johnny Hannon hit a free for St Marys towards the end of the half. Half time score 2-03 to 0-1.
Once again St Marys found themselves with it all to do second half. They did start really well, creating more turnovers themselves, minded the ball better and their defence was more cohesive. St Marys went on a scoring spree hitting 1-05 without reply. Keeping the ball better in the scoring third St Marys worked the ball well and this scoring spree drew them level going into the last period of the game. Then Eunan Walsh hit a major with a great finish after rounding his man and planting the ball in the top corner. The same player backed this up with a point from a great mark. Two point from frees from Hugh Hannon on the right, followed by a point from play by Mark Mc Afee put the St Marys lads into the driving seat. Oisin Lenehan at midfield hit a point point from play to further lift the confidence of St Marys to leave it all square. The Gorts were rocking, with about 10 minutes left on the clock and it seemed that Aghagallon would push on for an away win.
In the last period of the game St Marys seemed to revert to type and began spilling the ball and giving it away again. Gort na Mona capitalised on these mistakes and pushed forward. They were able to score off a free and a final score from play saw them run out two point winners, a valuable commodity at this stage of the League.
St Marys; Damian O’ Hagan, Kieran Hamill, Aidan Mulholland, Shane Devlin, Ciaran Maginnis, Jack Lenehan, Daryl Mc Alernon, Oisin Lenehan, Pauric Maginnis, Johnny Hannon, Niall Mc Shane, Mark Mc Afee, Hugh Hannon, Eunan Walsh, Enda McCartan. Subs used; Johnny Hannon and Pauric Gowdy.
A superb goal from Sean Kelly after 20 minutes of the first half and another from Dermot McErlain seven minutes from time propelled league leaders Moneyglass to a good victory over St. James Aldergrove in a bad tempered affair in Crumlin last night.
Kelly’s goal was worth the admission money on its own. He broke up an Aldergrove attack deep in his own territory and instigated a counter attack where he combined with several players before taking a final pass from Dermot McErlain to fire to the Aldergrove net.
Conal Prenter got the visitors off the mark with a point in the third minute and the same player took his tally to three by the 17th minute as Moneyglass dominated the opening quarter where the home side could not get a sight of the target.
Patrick McCormick added another in the 20th minute to move St. Ergnat’s 0-4 to 0-0 ahead and Kelly’s goal put the visitors in total control
It finally brought a response from the Crumlin men and Gerald Mallon opened their account with a point in the 22nd minute with Ronan Hanna and Ferghal Hanna following with two more in quick succession before the first half scoring dried up.
Dermot ‘Bugsie’ McErlain fires home St. Ergnat’s second goal
Still with only four in it at the break St. James’ would have been expected to find a response in the second half but it was the visitors who took control again at the start of the third quarter. Peter McCormick, Colm Duffin, Seanchann Duffin and Conal Prenter fired over unanswered points by the 36th minute to move St. Ergnat’s eight ahead and even at this early juncture it looked a long way back for a disappointing Aldergrove side.
James Trowlen finally got them on their way again with their first score in 18 minutes when he split the posts from a free but once again Moneyglass were able to respond as the impressive Prenter brought his personal tally to five with points in the 37th and 43d minute.
The home side, who have been going well this year quite simply could not get it together as move after move broke down but Trowlen added another free with 12 minutes remaining to bring their total to five.
A goal great from Ronan Hanna following a turnover in mid-field in the 50th minute briefly threatened an Aldergrove comeback but when Dermot McErlain fired home St. Ergnat’s second goal, three minutes later it was well and truly over.
Ronan Hanna added a couple of late Aldergrove’s points and Colm Duffin replied with one for St. Ergnat’s to leave them winners by six points and maintain their unbeaten league record to leave them in pole position at the top of the table.
