Saturday 19th August
P6/7 B Go Games
Cuchullains B v Kickhams Creggan 2pm
Naomh Éanna B v Tir na nOg 2pm
Na Seamróga B v St Ergnatts 2pm
Shane Ui Neill v Naomh Padraig B 2pm
Con Magees v Clooney Gaels 2pm
U13B League
Shane Ui Neill v Naomh Padraig 3pm
OB Construction Antrim Intermediate Football Championship Group 2
Ardoyne 0-13-0-07 St Pats Lisburn
Kevin Herron reports from Fennell Park
Ardoyne hit six unanswered points in the second period and that was the springboard to victory over St Pats as the North Belfast outfit bounced back from defeat to St Teresa’s with a 0-13-0-07 win at Fennell Park on Saturday evening.
The hosts had to battle back and restored parity on three occasions in the opening half and were reduced to 14-men for a ten-minute period, though Marty Kane’s charges dominated after the break and restricted Lisburn to two late points- that were very much consolation in the pattern of the game.
Ardoyne went into the game knowing that defeat would bring their season to a close on home turf after a 2-09-2-05 defeat to St Teresa’s in their group opener a fortnight previous.
St Pat’s were first off the mark in Fennell Park with Francis McMeel swinging over a 2nd minute free and they doubled their lead through Che Smyth’s fine hanging shot at the near post midway through the half.
Prior to doubling their lead, St Pat’s were afforded a numerical advantage for a 10-minute period after Conor McLaughlin of Ardoyne was black-carded for a high pull down.
The North Belfast side were without a score until the 18th minute when Kevin Lynch picked out the run of Aidan McNeill- who claimed the mark and then converted.
McNeill turned provider for his side’s leveller within 60-seconds, slipping a pass to Cormac Mullan who guided a tricky looking shot inside the posts.
McMeel temporarily restored his sides advantage from a free, but Mullan replied from the same scenario a few minutes before McLaughlin re-entered proceedings.
St Pat’s went two ahead for the second time in the half. Josh McMullan steered an angled effort between the posts and a minute later full-forward Mark Chernek got underneath a dropping ball close to the by-line and fisted over under pressure to move Lisburn 0-05-0-03 ahead.
Ardoyne fought back and levelled at the break however, Kevin Lynch had his run checked at the edge of the box and Cormac Mullan tapped the close-range free over.
Mullan would tie things up at the break with his third converted free of the half and at the break the sides went in the score 0-05 apiece.
A minute after the restart Ardoyne hit the front for the first time thanks to Aidan McNeill’s second point of the evening.
Cormac Mullan doubled his sides advantage with his second point from play and after Jack McMullan was penalised for touching the ball on the ground, Mullan was able to stretch the lead from the resulting free.
Mullan made it five from five on the midway point of the half and further points followed through Kevin Lynch and Aidan McNeill to give the hosts a 0-11-0-05 lead by the 53rd minute.
It took St Pat’s until five minutes from time to initiate a response in the form of a Che Smyth point.
Aidan McNeill kicked his second advanced mark of the evening, though Oisin Gorman replied after a quick attack and pop over the bar.
The visitors would end the game a man light after Mark Torbitt was black-carded for a deliberate drag-back a minute from time.
Ardoyne completed a routine half’s work in injury time when talisman Cormac Mullan steered over his sixth free of the contest to ensure his side ran out 0-13-0-07 winners at the conclusion to leap into second place behind St Teresa’s.
Although their place into the quarter-final isn’t confirmed yet with St Pat’s due to host St Teresa’s in the last group game in two weeks’ time.
Ardoyne: T Hughes, M McGreevy, D McCormick, C Curran, K McCallin, C McLaughlin, K McLaughlin, S Rooney, O McVicker, E Corrigan, A McNeill (0-04, 0-02m), G McFarland, C Keown, C Mullan (0-08, 0-06f), K Lynch (0-01). Subs: C Barnes for K McLaughlin (41), D Moore for C Keown (57).
St Pat’s Lisburn: R McKenna, J McMullan, T Burns, P Law, O Gorman (0-01), M Torbitt, B McMullan, C Burns, A Patterson, R Kennedy, J McMullan (0-01), C Smyth (0-02), T McMeel (0-02f), M Chernek (0-01), E Dixon. Subs: C Ewing for T McMeel (HT), D Taggart for R Kennedy (43), T McMeel for M Chernek (48), C Dixon for A Patterson (56).
Referee: Fionntan McCotter (Sarsfields)
Northern Switchgear SFC Group 4
St. Brigid’s 2-10 Moneyglass 0-8
St. Brigid’s made it two wins from two starts to qualify for the quarter finals of the Senior Football Championship when they recorded an 8 point win over St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass at Musgrave Park on Sunday.
It took both teams some time to settle, with the torrential rain that fell just before throw in making conditions slippery and it was St. Ergnat’s Conor Boyd who fired over the game’s opening point in the 5th minute with Enda Downey brining the side’s level with 7 minutes on the clock.
There followed another sustained period of play where defences were on top and mistakes aplenty followed before the deadlock was broken by a Colum Duffin free to give the visitors back the lead.
It was end to end at this stage and Paul Bradley replied once more for the home side to tie the contest for the second time with 13 minutes gone and the teams continued to trade score for score with Pat McCormick regaining the lead for Moneyglass before a brace from James Smith and Enda Downey gave St Brigid’s the lead for the first time in the 23d minute.
Downey’s point was quickly cancelled out by a superb Sean Boyd score from play at the other end to bring the sides level for the third time and there was nothing separating the sides as half time approached.
With conditions poor and defences on top a major would be a massive score and it was St. Brigid’s who struck with a goal through Enda Downey in the 25th minute when he took advantage of a quick free to fire to the net from close range, giving Danny McErlaine no chance.
With the visitors looking shell shocked St Brigid’s finished the half strongly and pushed home their dominance as they added late points through Paul Bradley and Enda Downey to give them a 5 point lead at the break, 1-06 to 0-4, which on the balance of play was a little cruel on the battling visitors.
Moneyglass needed a good start to the second half but it was St. Brigid’s who opened strongly and John Blaney announced his arrival with a goal in the 6th minute to move the Musgrave Park side 8 ahead.
St. Ergnat’s faced an uphill battle but they got the much needed next score through a Colum Duffin free in the 12th minute but again St. Brigid’s replied through Enda Downey and James Smith to move 2-8 to 0-5 ahead after 21 minutes and it was as good as over.
With the clock ticking down Moneyglass were now playing for their pride and they did get the next score through a Conor Boyd free but this was cancelled out again as Paul Bradley replied at the other end.
St Brigid’s
Declan Heery, Finn McKernan, Joseph Finnegan, Conor King, Reuben Carleton, John Morgan, Fergal Meenagh, Peter King, Jack Dowling, Shea Downey, Oran Downey, James Smith (c), Enda Downey, Conan McNicholl, Paul Bradley.
Moneyglass
Moneyglass continued to fight to the end and Conor O’Kane struck a fine point from play and Conor Boyd followed from another free to cut the deficit to 7 with 28 minutes gone.
The closing minutes saw St. Brigid’s run down the clock with Paul Bradley firing over the game’s final point to give them a comprehensive 8 point victory and send them into quarter final as group winners.
All is not lost for Moneyglass however and it’s a case of dust themselves down for another tough assignment against the finalists from the last 2 years, St. Mary’s Aghagallon in a winner takes all game at Marian Hill on Sunday the 27th of August.
Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship Group 2
Lámh Dhearg 2-13-0-14 Portglenone
Kevin Herron reports from Toome
Lámh Dhearg registered their first victory over Portglenone in four years with a 2-13-0-14 win over the Bannsiders in Toome this afternoon.
Goals either side of the break from Declan Dunne and Pearse Fitzsimons ensured the Hannahstown side ran out winners.
Both sides were reduced to 14-men with Aidan McAleese departing before the break and Michael Hynes with little under a quarter of an hour remaining.
The duo headed into Sunday’s encounter with maximum points from their opening round victories on the road against Ahoghill and St Endas respectively.
Despite playing against the breeze in the opening half it was Lámh Dhearg who led on numerous occasions over the course of the first quarter of an hour.
Ben Rice got his side off and running with a fantastic, angled point and Paddy Kelly replied from his first placed ball of the afternoon from the 45’.
The Lámhs edged back ahead through a Marc Jordan point, only for Aidan McAleese to swing a fine leveller.
It was a familiar pattern of cat and mouse with the Hannahstown outfit taking the lead on two further occasions through points from Conor Murray and Shaun McManus (advanced mark).
Portglenone hit back each time though as Paddy Kelly dropped over his first from play and Francis Cassidy bent a shot over to tie things up at 0-04 apiece.
On the quarter hour mark the Bannsiders took the lead for the first time through a sensational long range Michael Hagan effort that sailed over.
Back-to-back Paddy Kelly free’s in the aftermath moved their side 0-07-0-04 to the good and momentum was now with the league champions.
A superb Marc Jordan point lifted the Lámhs, and Declan Lynch then sold two dummies and kicked over to bring things back to within a point.
The opening goal of the game arrived four minutes before the break. Declan Smyth slipped a pass into the path of Marc Jordan who cut inside and headed towards the target before popping the ball off to Declan Dunne- who swivelled and fired a ferocious shot high into the top corner past Ryan O’Neill to give his side a 1-06-0-07 lead.
Paddy Kelly (free) and Conor Murray traded scores in the aftermath, but Portglenone suffered a further set-back before the half time whistle as Aidan McAleese was cited for hitting out off the ball and was shown a red-card by referee Conal Roberts.
Despite their numerical deficiency, Portglenone were first off the mark in the second period through Paddy Kelly’s fourth converted free of the afternoon.
Ben Rice doubled his personal tally in response and a second goal was almost forthcoming for Dunne- who eventually tapped over at the second time of asking after Pearse Fitzsimons saw his effort blocked on the line.
Dunne would play a prominent role in the goal arriving 60-seconds later, Declan Lynch popped the ball off to Eoin McKeown and the pacy wing-half back set off on a trademark burst, found Dunne who slipped the ball off to Fitzsimons for a palm to the net past O’Neill to give their side a 2-09-0-09 lead.
Portglenone would half the deficit with three Paddy Kelly scores in succession. The Bannsiders talisman dropped over his second 45’ of the afternoon and expertly landed two further frees against the breeze.
In-between Kelly’s two frees, Conal Roberts was forced to issue his second red card of proceedings as Michael Hynds was adjudged to have struck out under the nose of the linesman who prompted Roberts to take action.
Lámh Dhearg were under the cosh, but evergreen Paddy Cunningham stepped up to the mark and curled an angled free between the posts.
Oisin Doherty would twice reduce arrears to back to three, the second of his points just about squeezing between the posts, but Paddy Cunningham kicked his second free in between times.
Cunningham would notch up a third free since his introduction and the insurance score arrived for Lámh Dhearg three minutes into added time when Conor Murray landed his third point of the afternoon- even having the luxury of affording to see a further scoring chance sail wide in the immediate aftermath.
Nonetheless, Murray and his team-mates were the happier at the final whistle as victory ensured that they take control of Group 2 ahead of hosting St Enda’s in their final group game in a fortnight.
Portglenone will look to dust themselves down and get back to winning ways when they take on Ahoghill at Kelly Park in two week’s time.
Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, M Hynes, P Mervyn, M McGarry, E McKeown, D Lynch (0-01), B Rice (0-02), M Jordan (0-02), P Fitzsimons (1-00), D Smyth, S McManus (0-01m), E Matassa, T McCrudden, D Dunne (1-01), C Murray (0-03). Subs: P Cunningham (0-03f) for E Matassa (36), R Murray for B Rice (55), J Quinn for S McManus (58), C Maxwell for P Fitzsimons (60+2).
Portglenone: R O’Neill, R Delargy, S Delargy, J Convery, C Tierney, F Cassidy (0-01), C McGee, S Kelly, N McKeever, P Kelly (0-09, 0-02 45’, 0-06f), M Hagan (0-01), C McKenna, O Doherty (0-02), A McAleese (0-01), O McGarry. Subs: K O’Kane for J Convery (45), C Delargy for C McKenna (46), C McAleese for O McGarry (52), R Kelly for C Tierney (59), D McNicholl for M Hagan (59).
Referee: Conal Roberts (St Johns)
Northern Switchgear SFC Group 3
Naomh Eanna 3-14 Ahoghill 0-11
Naomh Eanna produced a sparkling performance to keep their Senior Football Championship qualification alive with a comprehensive win over St. Mary’s Ahoghill at Whitehill on Sunday.
A goal from the impressive Donal Walsh in the 13th minute proved the turning point after the Clooney side had started well and led by 0-3 to 0-1 after 11 minutes despite playing up the hill and into the breeze.
Walsh’s goal changed all that and the Hightown side never looked back and added further second half goals through Tomas Gilmour and Michael Morgan to run out convincing winners.
The early exchanges in this must win encounter in Randalstown belonged to St. Mary’s Ahoghill and Fionnbar O’Neill rose to fist over a long delivery from Gerard Graham to point them ahead after two minutes.
James O’Connell added a second before the Glengormley side threatened for the first time and James Magee had to be alert to block a shot from roving centre-half, James McAuley.
A fine long range point from Cormac Morgan got Naomh Eanna off the mark after 8 minute but Ahoghill responded and James O’Connell moved St. Mary’s two in front once more following a foul on Conor Crossey.
The Ahoghill men were moving the ball around with confidence and building slowly but all that changed when St. Enda’s struck from a turnover and Donal Walsh got on the end of a defence splitting counter-attack to finish to the net.
Walsh followed with two quick-fire points and Odhran Eastwood hit another and suddenly it was St. Enda’s who were calling the shots as their opponents struggled to regain the initiative.
Fionn Nagle extended their lead to move them five in front by the 19th minute before Gerard Graham replied with Ahoghill’s first point for 13 minutes to close the gap to four with 22 minutes gone.
James McAuley and Sean Murray for St. Enda’s and Ronan Graham and James O’Connell for Ahoghill exchanged points in the minutes leading up to half time to leave it 1-7 to 0-6 for the Hightown side as Karol Doherty sounded his half time whistle.
Walsh had been at the forefront of everything good that St. Enda’s produced in the opening half and he extended their lead with a point on the restart before James O’Connell replied with a great point at the other end to keep the gap at four.
St. Enda’s continued to edge the exchanges however as Cormac Morgan fisted over and Walsh added another to take his tally for the evening to 1-5 by the 6th minute and move his side six in front.
The Ahoghill management introduced Colla McDonnell for PJ O’Connell in an attempt to turn things around and James O’Connell pointed another free but again St. Enda’s responded and Bobby Magee made a fine block to deny Ronan Kalla at the expense of a ‘45’.
Tomas Gilmour replaced Kalla in the St. Enda’s side as O’Connell from another converted free and James McAuley with a great point from play for St. Enda’s exchanged points and then Colla McDonnell had a shot on goal charged down.
It was goals that the Clooney men needed but they could find no way through a resolute St. Enda’s defence and it was the Glengormley men who would strike for a goal at the other end.
A promising attack resulted in a penalty following a foot block with James Magee receiving a Black card for his troubles and Tomas Gilmour stepped up to convert despite a valiant effort from Noel Crossey in the Ahoghill’s goal.
It was as good as over at this stage with Sean Murray adding his second point for the Hightown side and Dan O’Neill hitting St. Mary’s final point with seven minutes remaining.
The final score of the game would fall to an excellent St. Enda’s as another well worked build up resulted in Michael Morgan finishing to the net from close range.
St. Enda’s now travel to Lamh Dhearg on Saturday 25th August for their final Group game with qualification still very much in their own hands while Ahoghill travel to Portglenone for their final game on the same day.
St. Enda’s: Michael O’Boyle, Conor Maxwell, Diarmuid McNulty, Killian Jennings, Conan Lyttle, James McAuley, Ronan O’Neill, Phgillip Curran, Sean Murray, Ronan Kalla, Donal Walsh, Cormac Morgan, Michael Morgan, Fionn Nagle, Odhran Eastwood.
Subs: Tomas Gilmour for Kalla, Fionntan O’Connor.
Ahoghill: Noel Crossey, Bernard Graham, James Magee, Gerard Graham, Fionnbar O’Connell, Eamonn Brady, Donal Graham, Patrick Graham, Thomas McGlone, Dan O’Neill, James O’Connell, Diarmaid Graham, Conor Paul Crossey, Ronan Graham, PJ O’Connell.
Subs; Colla McDonnell, Patrick Dougan, Harry O’Donnell
Referee: Karol Doherty (Rasharkin)
