Month / August 2022

by thesaffrongael

Cargin hold off Creggan to book a semi-final spot

Antrim U-15 (B) Football Championship (Qtr Final)

Erin’s Own Cargin 3-09 Kickham’s Creggan 1-13

Cargin defied the late comeback from their near neighbours to gain a place in the semi-final stages of the under-15 B football championship following a hugely entertaining game on a firm sod at the Toome venue on Thursday evening.

The Erin’s own side under the watchful eyes of former players Gerard O’ Boyle and Dermot Mc Peake looked destined for a place in the last four when a well taken goal by Carl Mc Cann gave them five point advantage, 3-09 to 1-10 but the Kickham’s lads rallied and asked questions of the Cargin rearguard.

The last minutes saw the visitors mount a strong challenge with high fetching mid-fielder Conor Downey leading to way but although they did earn a three point total in the last minutes that was to be as close as they were to get to their hosts with Cargin breasting the line to claim a semi final berth holding a hard earned 3-09 to 1-13 winning advantage.

Having dominated in league fare and shared a win apiece in such the next meeting of near neighbours and close rivals, Cargin and Creggan attracted a big crowd in anticipation as they met in championship action on Thursday evening.

Both had gained easy access though their opening round affairs and a place in the semi final was the prize on offer for this one.

A close encounter was expected on a pristine sod at the Shore Road venue, and in the event that was about to be delivered.

Creggan with a height advantage in the mid field sector started in the positive and early points supplied in turn by Shea Mc Cann and Ronan Mc Guckian ensured the visitors were out in front.

Cargin soon regained parity after Patrick O’ Neill punished and indiscretion on Niall Quinn to send the 30 metre free awarded firmly between the posts before Fintan Donnell set up Jack O’ Neill who slotted over to leave the sides level on 0-02 apiece with ten minutes on the game clock.

Creggan, with the towering Conor Downey showing well in the central zone did went four points ahead by the end of the opening quarter, as Antoine Martin and Ronan Mc Guckian took advantage of a openings to raise back to back white flags and when a fine fetch by the afore mentioned Conor Downey opened the way for centre forward Antoine Martin to add another to put the visitors ahead.

The home side came close in the 17th minute as Fiontan Hardy gathered a Darragh Seanny Hazard delivery fired in a shot, only to be denied by the post when a goal looked probable.

Another Antoine Martin minor ensured the visitors nipped four points clear in the 17th minute but Cargin started to reduce the lead

Cillian Scullion who was to post a fine individual performance in the ‘fetch and deliver’ role sent Fiontan Hardy on his way to the posts again in the 20th minute and the strong running centre forward fired to the Creggan net in stylish fashion to hand the initiative back to the home team.

Invigorated by this score gained the soon drew level and a foul on Mc Peake was punished when Fiontan Hardy delivered the award between the posts to square the game at 1-03 to 0-06.

After delivering from the free kick to see the home side on par Fiontan Hardy was soon back in action when a Seanny Hazzard delivery sent him clear on the left wing to set up Darragh O’ Boyle, who was denied by the Cregaan keeper,  but Patrick O’ Neill was on hand to fire the leather to the back of the net.

Cargin having secured advantage extended such via the impressive Niall Quinn who came forward to despatch between the posts a couple of minutes later and after Albie Mc Keown and Patrick O’ Neill swapped points Cargin went in at the break with a four point advantage. (2-05 to 0-07).

A close fought and entertaining opening period ensured the big attendance anticipated more of the same in the second half and they were not to be disappointed.

Creggan were first to make impact within a couple of minutes after the restart when full forward Shea Mc Cann despatched to the back of the net to reduce the home side’s advantage to the minimum.

The Toome lads were quick to reply however and back to back points by Fiontan Hardy from play and Ryan Mc Peake from a free put them three clear again.

Creggan hit back again in the 40th minute as Shea Mc Cann grabbed a point but a Fiontan Hardy reply at the other end kept Cargin in control.

As the last quarter progressed the visitors Ronan Mc Guckian reduced the deficit with a fine point following a strong advance from mid fielder Conor Downey but a fetch and deliver by the eye catching Niall Quinn saw Ryan Mc Peake raise a white flag at the other to ensure a 2-09 to 1-10 lead for the Toome boys.

Creggan battled to get back in the game but a clearance from a defender saw Fiontan Hardy receive the clearance and after teaming up with Patrick O’ Neill they put centre forward Carl Mc Cann in for a goal to ease Cargin five clear.

The end did look in sight but To their credit Creggan kept battling and points apiece from Antoine Martin and Conor Loughran ensured only a score divided the sides. It was backs to the wall time for the Cargin lads but they stuck firmly to their task, and despite the addition of a couple of minutes ‘injury time’ the home’s defence was not to be breached again.

Cargin will meet up with another Kickham’s in the semi semi finals after the Ardoyne lads impressed with their quarter final win over Michael Davitt’s on a scoreline of 8-18 to 3-09.

Gort na Mona gained victory over St John’s wtih a 3-12 to 0-08 win at Corrigan Park and they will meet up with All Saint’s in the semi-final stages with the Ballymena lads concluding with a 6-12 to 0-05 win gained over St Joseph’s Glenavy up at ‘Chapel Hill’.

Referee C Mallon (Aghagallon)

Cargin

Conleth Hamill, Sean Mc Peake, Eoin Scullion, Darragh Mc Auley, Niall Quinn (0-01), Fintan O’ Donnell (0-01, Ewan Mc Laverty, Jack O’ Neill, Patrick O’Neill (1-02), Ryan Mc Peake (0-01), Carl Mc Cann (1-00), Sean Hazzard, Darragh O’ Boyle, Fiontan Hardy (1-4), Cillian Scullion.

Subs

Sean og Bovill for R Mc Peake

Creggan

Sean O’ Hara, Shea Mc Larnon, Jack Hamill, Jack Sweeney, Jude Mc Ateer, Cillian Mc Eldowney, Fintan Kelly, Liam Mc Larnon, Conor Downey, Albie Mc Keown (0-01), Antoine Martin (0-03), Shea Devlin (0-01), Ronan Mc Guckian (0-04), Shea Mc Cann (1-02), Conor Loughran (0-01)

Subs

Conor Mc Larnon for J Sweeney

by thesaffrongael

Four goal Kelly paves the way for All Saints victory

Antrim LGFA U14 B Final

All Saints 6-5 Glenavy 3-6

Four first half goals from flying corner-forward, Caitlin Kelly paved the way for this excellent victory for All Saints, Ballymena over St. Joseph’s Glenavy in a great U14B final at Dunsilly last night. Last weekend the Ballymena girls suffered a heavy defeat in the U16 final against St. John’s and the U14’s were determined that they would not suffer a similar fate.

They took the game to their opponents right from the start with the elusive Kelly pointing in the 4th minute before firing home the opening goal of the game with 8 minutes gone.

Glenavy looked shocked but replied with a point of their own when Aoibh O’Hare pointed a 12th minute free but it provided only temporary respite as the superb Caitlin Kelly came racing back with goals in the 13th and 15th minute to put her side in a strong position at the end of the first quarter.

For a time the Glenavy defence appeared to be getting on top of the All Saints threat and the Chapel Hill girls recorded their second score of the half and their first from play when Aoibheann Monaghan split the posts but it brought another response from the Ballymena side.

Caitlin Kelly brought her personal tally to 4-1 with a goal in the 25th minute and a well worked point involving several individuals in the build-up and finished by Cedhla Crawford, brought the first half scoring to a conclusion with the Slemish Park girls holding a commanding 4-2 to 0-2 lead.

If St. Joseph’s were to get back into this game they needed a strong start to the second half and when Aoibheann Monaghan pointed in the opening minute it must have given their good support some hope but Kelly O’Mullan, who had a great game in the middle of the field replied immediately with a point for the Ballymena girls.

The Chapel Hill side were faring a lot better than in the opening half and Aoibh O’Hare pointed a 9th minute free to bring their total to 0-4 but All Saints continued to hold the upper hand and replied with a good goal from Kara Dillon and a point from Caitlin Kelly.

It looked as good as over at this stage but to their credit St. Joseph’s kept battling away and were rewarded for their efforts when Olivia Mulholland finally breeched a solid Ballymena defence to finish to the net in the 13th minute to give her side a glimmer of hope.

This score seemed to give Glenavy a bit of impetuous and belief and they added another superb individual goal through the impressive Aoibheann Monaghan as they enjoyed their best spell of the game but it still looked a long way back.

All Saints regrouped and replied with a point from Orla Lemon and a goal from Kelly O’Mullan in the 25th minute to end the game as a contest but it was St. Joseph’s Glenavy who would have the final scores of the game as they kept going right to the full-time whistle.

Aoibheann Monaghan fired over a 27th minute point and Anna Rice got in for a great goal two minutes later before Niamh McDowell concluded the scoring with a point in injury time but the damage had already been done at this stage.

A great game of football and both sides deserve massive credit for the commitment, skill and sportsmanship they showed but in the end it was All Saints who had the greater scoring power and strength all over the field.  Aimee Kerr was rock solid at full-back with Aoife McCrory another who caught the eye in a strong All Saints defence.

Kelly O’Mullan was a real driving force at mid-field and in Caitlin Kelly they had the outstanding forward on view and her personal contribution over the hour was spectacular.

Glenavy deserve massive credit in the manner in which they kept battling right to the end and they certainly matched the opposition during the second half but by that time the damage had already been done.

Lydia Grant, Jessica Morgan, Aoibheann Monaghan, Anna Rice, Aoibh O’Hare and Olivia Mulholland were their best performers on the night.

All Saints: 1 Meabh O’Kane, 2 Abigail McLarnon, 3 Aimee Kerr, 4 Ursula O’Loan, 5 Aoife MacRory, 6 Ella McLaughlin, 7 Amelia Gallagher, 8 Kelly O’Mullan, 9 Maria Mitchell, 10 Kara Dillon, 11 Orla Lemon, 12 Jessica Spurgeon, 14 Cedhla Crawford, 15 Caitlin Kelly, 16 Ciara Connon, 17 Abi Innes, 18 Freya McGreevey, 19 Aoife O’Kane, 20 Iseult O’Loan, 20 Caoimhe Thompson, 22 Aimee Watt, 23 Cora Clerkin

Glenavy: 1 Aoife Mooney, 2 Aife McCrory, 3 Lydia Grant, 4 Meabh Culliton, 5 Enya Agnew, 6 Jessica Morgan, 7 Caoimhe McCartan, 8 Jessica Hotchkiss, 9 Anne Rice, 10 Katie Cassidy, 11 Aoibheann Monaghan, 12 Aoibh O’Hare, 13 Cara McNama, 23 Olivia Mulholland, 15 Summer McCallin. Niamh McDowell.

by thesaffrongael

Bremar Training CIC and Antrim GAA to join forces to deliver Mental Health seminar

By Kevin Herron 

On Saturday 27th August Bremar Training CIC in conjunction with Antrim GAA will deliver a seminar to raise awareness of Mental Health to club delegates in the County. 

Taking place at Dunsilly Hotel from 9.30am-2.30 pm, Bremar will deliver the PITCH Programme  (Positive Impact To promote Club / Community Health) to Antrim clubs and be joined by former Armagh star and GAA  pundit Oisin McConville- who will share his journey through the struggles of gambling and Mental Health as Barney Herron and Mark McNally from Bremar explain. 

“We’ve been employed by Antrim GAA to deliver our ground-breaking and popular programme based on Mental Health and Wellbeing and it’s called the PITCH programme (Positive Impact To promote Club/ Community Health)” they explained. 

“ The seminar will be opened by Carál Ni Chullín MLA who has been a great support to Antrim GAA in relation to delivering the Casement Park Project and she has a high level understanding of the mental health needs of our members and communities. We’ have Oisin McConville coming as a key-note speaker, and he will share his personal experience about his journey with gambling and the affects it can have on your Mental Health. Oisin has completed podcasts for us before and delivered the story of his journey through addiction whilst he was a very well-known Gaelic footballer and how it impacted on him, his family and his friends- he understands that he was fortunate to come out the other end in one piece. “

“That is a big story that people are giving their own overviews of it and we’ve lots of other people like Siobhan Kearney – from  At One Wellbeing who is an experienced programme designer and has a wealth of experience in delivering training to statutory, voluntary and community bodies as well as being a much sought after as a life coach by private business. She will chair the question-and-answer session after lunch”

“We’ve the four county captains in attendance in Gaelic, Hurling, LGFA and Camogie association. They’ll be coming with the trophies they won this year; it is a nice for people to have a photo opportunity for them as well”. 

Former chairman at Lámh Dhearg and Antrim GAA Children’s Officer, Herron hopes that the programme will reach out t all the clubs and provide them with a structure that will enable them to help members that may be struggling with Mental Health.  

“But the idea of the day is for us on behalf of Antrim GAA to get out and reach out to all the clubs and let them know that Mental Health is something that impacts all of us” Herron acknowledges. 

“It’s something that touches every one of us in our own lives and what we’re attempting to do is show them that they can work on themselves in terms of their own Mental Health and Wellbeing; but not only that- they can bring that message back into their own clubs. 

“Within the clubs, they can set-up structures, bring us in or set-up training that the members in their own club that are being impacted by Mental Health- have some way of dealing with it”. 

Fellow Bremar Director Mark McNally recalls starting out in delivering programmes to clubs and recalls that their feedback altered the approach to this weekend’s seminar. 

“What we’ve found a lot of the time was whenever we first started out- we were doing Suicide Awareness in the clubs” McNally recalls. 

“What the clubs then were coming back to us and saying, they wanted something more for early intervention. That’s where PITCH came from, so it’s an early intervention programme about how people can start to look after their own Mental Health – but also about promoting it within their club if people are willing to talk about and there is no taboo around it anymore. 

“That’s where Antrim GAA are really being proactive, they’re starting to push that they want clubs more open, and that people can talk about mental health and get support that they need early. There has been an awful lot done over  the years around awareness of Mental Health, what we’re doing is taking this a stage further by promoting early intervention” 

“We want to put people in a position where they are being proactive in dealing with these issues rather than wating for a crisis to happen. A number of our clubs have experienced members who have had poor mental health  which has led to people completing suicide and the impact it has on clubs and young people playing each code at Juvenile and Senior level is imeasureable.” 

“We’ve had a lot of people that have been impacted by the loneliness of the Covid pandemic and by separation from family and friends. It’s starting to come in clubs all over the country with males and females. The GAA has a strip line that ‘we are club and community’. We’ve stepped up and we’re offering this training to help our clubs and help the people within our clubs and community”. 

Bremar currently deliver services to University’s, Youth organisations and Schools and hope to work closer with clubs in the aftermath of the weekend in a spin-off programme aimed that training up youth leaders within local clubs. 

“Our programmes are being delivered out to St. Mary’s University, the Youth service and schools – we’ve a lot of work in the Irish Medium Education area” 

“We’re now pushing to get involved in all of the schools and in every club in the county and indeed in Ulster and this is an opportunity that we feel  Antrim have taken the initiative and employed us to do this and to start addressing the issue of Mental Health. 

“Mark and I are currently working with the Ulster GAA with a focus on how we chart what resources are currently available and how we get the message of hope out to those who are experiencing poor mental health, and  Antrim GAA has taken the initiative and are taking the lead in providing an opportunity to get this important programme out to our members and their communities”. 

“We hope to be invited after this seminar to clubs to come out and deliver the programme and obviously the clubs are going to have to get funding to do that through their local councils” 

“The spin-off with this is a programme called Positive Youth Champions – where we train a group of young leaders in the club around the positive impact of us working with them and Mental Health within their own community and club. 

“They can deliver that through a peer-education approach within their own clubs. They get a qualification From ILM (Institute in Leadership and Management). We recently completed this programme with a group from Dunloy GAA and Ballymoney Rugby club. At the completion of the programme the young people involved delivered a mental health type presentation to an audience made up of parents, coaches mentors and their peer group and it was magnificent to see how their confidence and presentation skills and knowledge base had improved. We see this seminar as an opportunity for the clubs in Antrim to engage with Bremar and to assist our members and their communities deal with and understand issues relating to their own mental health needs”

Remember the date Saturday 27th August at Dunsilly hotel , Antrim.

To attend please contact Barney Herron at  barney@bremartraining .com

by thesaffrongael

New sponsors for Antrim Senior Camogie Championship

Antrim Camogie are delighted to have Travel Ireland Coaches on board for the next 3 years as sponsors of our Senior Club Championship
We have quickly built up a great relationship with the bus company who have this year transported our Senior and Junior county teams to all their away games in both league and championship, along with our Minor and Underage Squads. This year they ferried our All Ireland winning Junior team to and from their successful run to Croke Park and onto Ballycastle for the homecoming .
We thank Travel Coaches Ireland for their help and wish them well in their future endeavours.

Captains of the four Senior Camogie Championship teams Dervla Elliott (Dunloy Cuchullains, Amy Boyle (Loughgiel Shamrocks), Sinead Cosgrove (Ruairi Og, Cushendall) and Emma Laverty (McQuillan’s Ballycastle) at the launch of the 2022 Senior Camogie Championship which has a new sponsor this season in Travel Ireland Coaches. The competition gets underway this weekend.

Doherty’s Woodshavings back on board in the Intermediate Championship

Doherty woodshavings have again teamed up with Antrim Camogie and very generously continue their sponsorship of the county Club Intermediate Championship
The Portglenone company has always been fully behind camogie in Antrim and their continued support of the intermediate championship has allowed this very competitive competition to thrive. This year there are eleven clubs hoping to come out on top and the competition is wide open with several clubs with a real chance of winning
We wish all clubs good luck in this years Doherty woodshaving Antrim intermediate Camogie championship

Eliane McAleese of Doherty Woodshavings with the captains in the Intermediate Camogie Championship at Wednesday evening’s launch in Portglenone. L-R, Roisin Kelly of Geraldines Portglenone, Maria O’Neill of Cargin, Clara Loughran of Rossa, Emier McAleenan of Glenravel, Cameron McGaughey of Tir na nOg, Finvola McVeigh of Loughgiel, Claire McGuckian of Dunloy, Caitriona Graham of Ahoghill, Niamh Anne Donnelly of Ballycastle and Evanne Martin of Creggan

by thesaffrongael

Rampant Donnelly powers Castle to semi-final

Reserve Hurling Championship

St. John’s 0-11 Ballycastle 4-26

Goals from Lorcan Donnelly in the 8th minute and another from the penalty spot from the same player in the 26th minute of the opening half paved the way for a one sided victory for McQuillan’s Ballycastle over St. John’s in the Reserve Hurling Championship at Corrigan Park last night.

Donnelly was in devastating scoring form and finished with 2-6 to his name in a Ballycastle side who were in control from early in the game and went on to build a commanding 2-17 to 0-6 lead with Michael Dallat 0-2, Fearghal McKiernan 0-5, Callin O’Connor 0-3, Cathal Connor, Cian Waldron 0-2 and Callum Campbell all on target for the North Antrim men.

St. John’s struggled to contain a lively visitor’s side and found scores hard come by as the Ballycastle defence gave nothing away despite the best efforts of Conor Hand who hit five of his side’s first half scores with the other coming from Gerard Cunningham.

Things didn’t get any better for the home side in the second half as the McQuillan’s continued to dominate though they did edge the exchanges during the third quarter but never looked like getting the goals they needed to effect the result.

Indeed it was Ballycastle who struck the next goal when Reuben McClean drilled home a 20 meter free and substitute Tiarnan Heggarty followed with another when he reacted quickest to a rebound in the 11th minute to return the sliotar to the net.

Conor Hand with a great point in the 5th minute and a couple of pointed frees from Niall McCallin increased the home side’s total but Ballycastle were always able to react, hitting six of the next seven points through Lorcan Donnelly 0-3, Callum Campbell, Callin O’Connor and Oisin Donnelly with the St. John’s reply coming from a Niall McCallin free.

The visitors continued to dominate going down the home straight, dominating the final quarter with the impressive Lorcan Donnelly and Cian Waldron concluding the scoring with late points and Stephan Hughes getting a late consolation point for St. John’s.

McQuillan’s will now meet Ruairi Og, Cushendall in the semi-final on Monday 29th August while Loughgiel face Rossa in the other semi-final on the same date and at the same time.

St. John’s: 1 Declan Cregan, 2 Matthew Mallon, 3 Joe Hand, 4 Darragh McCallin, 5 Louis Boyd, 6 Stephen Tierney, 7 Lorcan Heenan, 18 Stephan Hughes, 17 Michael Darragh, 10 Conor Hand, 11 Gerard Cunningham, 12 Jim Peoples, 13 David Robinson, 14 Niall McCallin, 15 Damien Fitzsimmons

Ballycastle: 1 Criostai McAuley, 2 Conal Colgan, 3 James Bakewell, 4 Oisin McAuley, 5 Rian Cook, 6 Mark McClean, 7 Jack McGowan, 8 Cian Waldron, 9 Reuben McClean, 10 Cathal Connor, 11 Michael Dallat, 12 Fearghal McKiernan, 13 Callum Campbell, 14 Callin O’Connor, 15 Lorcan Donnelly

Referee: Paul McDonnell