Football

As the 2023 season fades into the distance and the season ahead looms large, more than a few clubs have management in place. The County team have been in early action with an away game against Monaghan in the McKenna Cup and another this Sunday when they took on Fermanagh in Ahoghill.

Today we take a look back over the past season in adult competitions, to those who reached their goals in the wide range of competitions.

(League)

Division 1

Casement’s were quick starters in the top division and John McKeever’s men retained positivity from flag fall to conclusion.

They finishing winners, bringing the Division One title to Portglenone for the first time with the Eddie Fitzsimons Memorial Trophy taking up winter residence on the banks of the Bann.

Cargin were nearest challengers but the Portglenone men held on to deliver the title.

St Enda’s endured the loss of several prominent players for their league campaign and St Ergnat’s Moneyglass finished bottom of the table but a change to league structure as suggested may well offer reprieve to both from relegation.

Division 2

Division 2 saw Con Magees Glenravel claim the title. A good start to their league campaign saw Joe Cassidy’s charges lead all the way but they were to find the going tough as the season progressed, losing twice to St James Aldergrove and All Saints but the Glensmen they did hang tough in the latter stages and finishing a point ahead of St James and All Saints to claim the title.

St Patrick’s Lisburn struggled in 2023 season with just a single point gained despite their honest labours they return to division 3 for 2024. Lisburn will be accompanied by Dunloy which came as a huge surprise to most observers, though the new league structures might well remedy that before he season gets underway.

The dual club did get it together late in the season but in the event it proved as too late to save status.

Dunloy underlined their real potential in the Senior championship and progressed to the final in which they gave Cargin a run for their money and underlines the fact that the Cuchullian’s will not dwell for long in the bottom grade.

Division 3

In Division 3 it was St. Mary’s Rasharkin who recorded a memorable double when they won the league and completed a championship double. O’Donnell’s pushed them all the way however and the MacRory Park side were the only team to record a win over St. Mary’s in the league and pushed them all the way in a championship final where they had built up a healthy lead before succumbing to the South West side

Championship

In the Senior Championship holders Cargin set out on the trail of another title and the Toome men were not asked set any sertious tasks as they moved through the group stages undefeated following wins over Rossa, Tir na nOg and St Johns.

The Toome men were asked serious questions before gaining a quarter victory over Aghagallon and again in their semi-final win over St Brigid’s.

Cargin were strong favourites to get the better of surprise packet Cuchullian’s in the final. Dunloy had caused a major surprise when they defeated Lamh Dhearg in the quarter-final  and they went on to beat league winners, Casement’s Portglenone in the semi’s and matched Erin’s Own for long periods in the final before losing to the holders at Corrigan Park, going down to the strong favourites in the latter stages 2-10 to 0-10.

Ulster championship

Cargin gave Derry champions, Glen Maghera a run for their money in the 2022 Ulster club series and were drawn against the reigning Ulster champions again in 2023. The Antrim champions were giving as good as they got at Celtic Park but fate intervened and a harsh red card to Tomas McCann proved fatal. With 14 men Cargin battled all the way before going down to the  Maghera side who would go on to retain Ulster and the Toome men were left to reflect on what might have been as that red shown by the Cavan official was later rescinded.

Intermediate Championship

Con Magees were installed as firm favourites for the Intermediate football championship and in the event Joe Cassidy’s men, with the league title secured went on to make it a double adding the Intermediate championship to their haul.

The Glensmen had impressed on the way to the decider with wins over Gort na Mona and Sarsfield’s before coming out on top in a close encounter in the decider with a 2-11 to 0-14 victory over All Saint’s  to complete the double.

The Con Magees went on to face their counterparts from Derry, Glenullin in the Ulster Intermediate championship and like the Toome men Glenravel failed to cope with the challenge posed by the Oak Leaf men at Celtic Park.

Junior Championship

Having secure the division three league title St Mary’s Rasharkin were installed as firm favourites to complete the double.

The Dreen men had only lost one game in the league to O’Donnell’s and in the event the MacRory Park residents were to provide the opposition in the championship decider.

Both had impressed in their respective trails to the decider but on the day it was the Dreen residents who came from behind to edge the decider and finish 3-07 to 0-14 winners over the West Belfast men.

Rasharkin faced a very strong challenge in the Ulster Junior Championship, , coming up against a very strong Monaghan side,  Blackhill, in the opening round with the Breffni  men proving too strong for St Marys’ to run out 5-11 to 1-07 winners.

HURLING

In hurling it was Ruairi Ogs of Cushendall who set the standards when they collected the Antrim Senior Championship after defeating Loughgiel Shamrock’s in a closely contested final in Corrigan Park. Only a point separated the sides at the finish with a James McNaughton free with virtually the last puck of the sliotar drifting just outside an upright. Loughgiel got some consolation when they lifted the Division 1 league title.

Cushendall would go on to defeat Portaferry in the Ulster club semi-final but it took a late free from Neil McManus to send the game into extra time. The Ruairis would go on to defeat Slaughtneil in the Ulster final before losing by 1-17 to 1-16 to Kilkenny champions O’Loughlin Gaels in the All Ireland semi-final Cushendall dedicated their season to their most famous son, wee John McKillop who passed away earlier in the year and the men from the North Antrim coast did him proud.

Intermediate Championship

In the Intermediate Hurling Championship it was surprise package Kickham’s Creggan who lifted the title by defeating Sarsfields in the final at Dunsilly. After a poor league campaign that saw them relegated to Division 3, the Kickham’s came good in the championship and went on to defeat Bredagh in the Ulster quarter-final but fell to a good Carrickmore side in the Ulster semi-final at Dungiven.

Robert Emmet’s Cushendun put a string of good performance together on their way to winning the Division 2 league title with Clooney Gaels in second place. The Emmets were hot favourites to go on and add the Intermediate crown but Creggan shocked them in the semi-final at Glenravel.

Junior Hurling Championship

It was St. Brigid’s Cloughmills who claimed the Junior Championship title after defeating Glen Rovers, Armoy in a good final in Waterfoot. St. Brigid’s began their championship campaign with a 1-19 to 0-13 win over Gort na Mona at Enright Park in the opening round of their Group 2 qualifying section and followed that up with another victory over All Saints in Cloughmills. They went on to beat Lamh Dhearg in the semi-final where they had the advantage of a home fixture as a result of topping their group. They went on to defeat rivals, Cloughmills in the final by 1-12 to 0-13 to set up a meeting with Castleblaney Faughs in the first round of Ulster. Ahoghill was the venue and the ‘Biddies’ looked favourites to advance to the semi-final but lost by a goal to the Monaghan champions.

In Division 3 of the league it was Cuchullain Hurling Club of Armagh who topped the table with Cloughmills finishing second.

Liam Watson won the Antrim Poc Fada at Feystown while Teresea McAllister of St John’s Carnlough won the Senior Ladies event

In Division 4 Kickham’s Ardoyne had a great season as they finished tops with 28 points from 14 starts and the North Belfast side would go on to claim the Junior B Championship to complete a remarkable season.

Cushendall won the Reserve Cup while Ballycastle won the Senior Reserve league

CAMOGIE

In Camogie it was Loughgiel Shamrocks who added another Division 1 League and Senior Championship double and they would go on to defeat old adversaries, Slaughtneil in the semi-final before recording a facile victory over Liatroim of Down in the final to retain their Ulster title. Dicksboro of Kilkenny got the better of the Shamrocks in the All Ireland semi-final at Ashbourne. They had a brilliant first half and appeared to be on course to make it through to another final, but the Kilkenny champions finished strongly to book thier place in the final for the first time. Loughgiel’s dissapointment was made even worse when the Boro went on to win the final. However they continue to set the standards in Antrim and Ulster that the chasing pack need to emulate.

Loughgiel also claimed the Intermediate title when the beat Cargin in the final, but they were beaten in the first round of the Ulster by Granemore of Armagh, who went on to win the All Ireland title.

In the Junior there was success for St. Mary’s Rasharkin and the girls from Dreen had a great run in Ulster in the Bridie McMenanin Shield, before losing to Drumsurn in the Ulster final.

Ballycastle, won the Division 2 League while St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass won the Development League trophy

Bridini Oga deserve a mention for their great All Ireland Junior B win on January 8th against Wicklow champions Knockanana at Kinnegad. It was of course the 2022 final, but because of a variety of reasons the final was held over until 2023 and the Glenravel girls made history by clinching the title.

Ladies Football

Moneyglass were once again the stand out team in the Ladies Football senior competitons, winning the league and championship double, beating St Paul’s in the Championship decider. When they beat 14 times winners Donaghmoyne of Monaghan in the Ulster quarter final in Monaghan, the first time in over 20 years Donaghmoyne had lost at home, hopes were high of going all the way this time. However they were shocked in the semi-final by Armagh champions Clann Éireann, who went on to take thier first Ulster senior title by beating Down champions Bredagh in the final.

Glenavy won the Intermediate title in Antrim, beating local rivals Aldergrove in the final at Hannahstown before setting off on a brilliant run in Ulster. They had to make the long journey to St Mary’s in Donegal in the preliminary round and victory there gave them home advantage in the quarter final against Ballyhaise of Cavan. They put on a great show at Chapel Hill as they booked their place in the semi-final against Down champions Rostrevor with an impressive win. Conditions were horendous as they again used their home advantage very well to see their great run continue as the added yet another win at Chapel Hill to set up a final against the competitions’ hot favourites Steelstown of Derry.

The final turned out to be an epic battle. Glenavy appeared to be on the road to victory when they lead going into injury time, but the Derry champions saved the game with a late score before going on to win it in extra time, and break Glenavy hearts, but the memory of their great campaign will live long in the memory.

St John’s, under the management of county football star Patrick McBride, won the Junior title but were beaten by Down champions Carryduff in the Ulster quarter final at Corrigan Park.