St Louis started Thurday’s Foresters Cup final against St Pat’s in impressive fashion, hitting two points in as many minutes and for a brief spell it looked like maybe they could match hot favourites St Pat’s Maghera. However the Derry boys soon showed their true credentials and by the time St Louis got their third point, St Pat’s had eight on the board.
Sean Fleming of Ulster Schools GAA presents the Foresters Cup to St Pat’s captain Padraig O’Kane after his team’s win over St Louis in Thursday’s final in Portglenone
It should have been closer had Fiontan Bradley not been uncharacteristically wayward with his first four frees, but to his credit the Cushendall man recovered well and landed a series of top class scores during the remainder of the game. When he straightened his radar he helped close the gap to just three points but the score that really saw Maghera take a firm grip on the game came from corner forward Dara O’Kane who cut in from the left corner and drilled a low shot to the St Louis net.
Fiontan Bradley who top scored for St Louis with seven points
St Louis got the gap back to four again with points from Bradley and team captain Eddie Smyth but St Pat’s pushed on and a second goal, this time from the excellent Ruairi Biggs swung the momentum back in their favour, and when they went in at the break holding a 2-10 to 0-7 lead it was clear it was going to take something special for the Ballymena school to turn things around.
To their credit St Louis did start the second period well and got two early points, but they would get just two more scores for the remainder of the game as St Pat’s took complete control. Playing some great hurling the Maghera side went through the gears, picking off a series of great points with Rian Collins, Niall McNicholl and Padraig O’Kane and Dara Hasson leading the way, while Dara O’Kane got his second goal to put them 17 clear at the end.
St Patrick’s: D O’Kane 2-1, R Biggs 1-2, R Collins 0-5, N McNicholl 0-3, C McFlynn, P O’Kane and D Hasson 0-2 each, O Doherty and D McCloskey 0-1 each
St Louis: F Bradley 0-6, E Smyth 0-2, C McCollum, D McKay and D O’Boyle 0-1 each
St Patrick’s Maghera: O Mulholland, C McLarnon, O Burke, M McMaster, D McCloskey, P O’Kane capt, D O’Neill, N McNicholl, O Doherty, R Collins, P Bradley, R Biggs, D O’Kane, D Hasson, C McFlynn
Subs: F Cartin, R McGuckian, F Hardy.
St Louis: Conal Boyd, Joe McFadden, Aaron Doherty, Rory Blaney, Niall McCloskey, Eddie Smyth capt., Domhall McKay, Seamus McMullan, James McGarry, Eunan Curry, Fionntan Bradley, Caolan McCollum, Dylan O’Boyle, Neil Rodgers, Euan Molloy
Subs used: Cian Higgins, Robert Crooks, Ryan O’Boyle.
The feel good factor that was created by Antrim wins over Limerick and Offaly on day one and two of the National Football League has abated somewhat following defeats to Down and Sligo in Round 3 and 4.
Those victories over Limerick in Rathkeale and Offaly, a week later at Corrigan Park left Antrim followers daring to believe that a shot at promotion to division 2 was very much on the cards.
Two weeks later Down travelled to Corrigan and the favourites for the division 3 title punched holes in those promotion dreams though Antrim matched them for a time before being blitzed by a late Down surge.
Colm McCabe has partnered Paddy McAleer at mid-field for Antrim in recent outings
Last week the Saffrons looked back on course when they led Sligo by a point at the halfway stage at Markievicz Park but were outscored 0-12 to 0-4 in the second half.
Suddenly those promotion dreams have been replaced with the need to secure division 3 survival and while Antrim sit four points ahead of the chasing pack of Offaly, Wicklow and Limerick, survival can’t be taken for granted.
Never the less Antrim look more than capable of making survival absolutely safe with another win in the three games left, securing their status for another season and with two of those games at Corrigan they still have an outside chance of getting back into the promotion race.
Sunday provides the first opportunity to get back to winning ways when Westmeath visit but it will take a big performance if they are to overcome the challenge of the Leinster side who sit at the top of the table with Down, both sides with 8 points from 4 games.
Eoin McCabe made a return to the Antrim side as a substitute against Sligo
Our recent results against Westmeath don’t inspire confidence with the Lake County coming from behind to beat Antrim at Sunday’s venue back in 2022 before inflicting a heavy defeat in Mullingar last year.
Andy McEntee’s Saffrons have proved that on their day they are a match for any side in the division as shown away to Limerick and at home to Offaly but they must produce their best for the full 70 plus minutes if they are to overcome the challenge of Dessie Dolan’s high flying Westmeath.
The Meath man’s selection options have been greatly curtailed by a long injury list that has shown little sign of easing and has deprived him of many of his more experienced campaigners.
Necessity has seen a host of young players given their opportunity this season and while recent results have been disappointing there has been much to feel positive about his new look side.
Mick Byrne has been excellent in goals and Ronan Boyle, Kavan Keenan, Dominic McEnhill, Cormac McGettigan, Colm McLarnon and Niall Burns have all shown promise and will only get better from playing at this level.
Aghagallon’s Ruairi McCann has been a bad miss for Antrim this year as he recovers from injury
Marc Jordan, Joe Finnegan, Paddy McAleer, Ruairi McCann (Creggan), Dermot McAleese, Declan Lynch and Paddy McBride, who was superb in the first half against Sligo, add a bit of experience to what is essentially an inexperienced side.
Eoghan McCabe is one of the long term injured who saw game time for the first time this season at Markievicz Park but just where Peter Healey, Ruairi McCann (Aghagallon), Cathal Hynes and other injured players are at in terms of recovery remains to be seen.
All Star nominee, Ronan O’Toole, Nigel Harte, Kieran Martin and Danny McCartan were to the fore as Westmeath defeated Limerick in Mullingar last Sunday but Antrim can take heart from the fact that only three points separated the sides in the end.
Hopefully we will have another big crowd to cheer on the Saffrons at Corrigan on Sunday and if we can get off to a good start and produce what we are capable of over the 70 minutes then we can gain the victory that would move us onto six points and dreaming of a promotion push instead of looking nervously over our shoulders at the chasing pack.
Dominic McKinley of Gaelfast presents the Year 8 Hurling Shield to St Louis captain Cillian Gillespie
St Louis won the Gealfast Year 8 Shield at Dunsilly on Wednesday evening when they beat St Malachy’s, Belfast by 2-2 to 0-1
St Louis full forward Harry McQuillan were grabbed a goal after four minutes to give his team the perfect start and centre forward Conor O’Kane added a point seven minutes later to give his team a 1-1 to 0-0 lead at end of the twenty minute first half.
St Malachy’s were having plenty of possession, but just found it hard to find the target in difficult conditions and when Cillian Gillespie sent over a free the gap was out to five. A goal Rory Garrett sealed the win for St Louis but St Malachy’s kept on battling and a great run from his own defence by Dylan Quinn led to a free for the Antrim Road boys, and Dillon Foy sent it over the bar for a deserved score.
St Malachy’s Dillon Foy in action against St Louis Seanan Hughes during the Gaelfast Year 8 Hurling Shield final at Dunsilly
Following a second successive defeat Antrim will hope to get back to winning ways when high flying Westmeath visit Corrigan Park on Sunday. The men from the midlands made it four from four last day out as they beat Offaly 0-14 to 1-8 in Mullingar while Antrim lost to Sligo at Markievicz Park.
Westmeath last visited Corrigan back on the 22nd March 2022 and recorded a four point win over Enda McGinley’s Saffrons while Antrim suffered their heaviest defeat of the season away to Sunday’s opponents in 2023.
Here is the report published on the Saffron Gael from the 2022 game.
The Antrim side who lost to Westmeath in 2022 at Corrigan Park
Allianz National Football League Division Three
Antrim 0-12-1-13 Westmeath – March 22nd 2022
Kevin Herron reports from Corrigan Park
Antrim’s hopes of promotion were fading fast- long before a second half collapse saw their five-point lead diminish in the space of two minutes as they fell to a 1-13-0-12 defeat to Westmeath at Corrigan Park on Sunday afternoon. Truth be told, it required a lot for the Saffrons to claim a top-two spot with a win at Corrigan not enough- they needed Fermanagh to overcome Limerick in addition.
In control early on, a black-card issued to Tomas McCann briefly halted the hosts in their tracks, but McGinley’s men regrouped and put themselves in the position to keep up their end of the final day bargain.
Paddy McAleer in action against Westmeath in 2022 at Corrigan Park
Things were still going well for the Saffrons until their five-point lead disappeared in the blink of an eye, as John Heslin thumped home a penalty and two-points quickly followed. Westmeath had the momentum thereafter and made the most of it, outscoring Antrim 1-06-0-02 in the final twenty minutes to leave Corrigan Park with a win- that looked unlikely for the majority of the afternoons proceedings.
Enda McGinley made a raft of personal changes from last weekends defeat to Louth as Mick Byrne, Declan Lynch, Pat Shivers and James McAuley all came into the starting fifteen.
Antrim were first off the mark in Corrigan Park after Conor Murray held onto the ball and kicked a fantastic score. Murray was hauled back by Westmeath full-back Kevin Maguire and that allowed Ruairi McCann to extend his sides lead, with Pat Shivers then bending a shot over the bar after nice work between Marc Jordan and Conor Murray in the build-up.
Kevin Small drives through from mid-field. The Creggan man has not featured this season due to a long term injury
Despite making a super start to proceedings, Antrim were reduced to 14-men for a ten minute period after Tomas McCann checked the run of David Lynch and was shown a black-card for his troubles. Westmeath made the most of their numerical advantage during McCann’s absence. Nigel Harte kicked a terrific point to get his side on the scoreboard for the afternoo
They then forced a goal chance through Sam McCartan, but Mick Byrne did really well to get down and deal with the low drive. Alex Gardiner played a short ball to Ray Connellan to pop over his sides second and parity was restored through a Gardiner side footed effort that had the score 0-03 apiece after 21 minutes. Westmeath should have led for the first time two minutes later when they cut the Saffrons open after Jack Smith had led a breakaway attack, the play was switched into the path of Lorcan Dolan- who scuffed his shot under pressure from James McAuley. A converted Ruairi McCann free had Antrim back in front and their confidence was beginning to grow again.
Marc Jordan burst forward and bore down on goal, but lifted his shot high over the bar. A third point in succession arrived through Pat Shivers and Dermot McAleese sliced a goal chance over to open up a 0-07-0-03 lead. John Heslin converted a free for the visitors before the break, with Murray brothers Ryan and Conor linking up for the later to claim an advanced mark and stroke over for his second of the afternoon to give his side a 0-08-0-04 lead at the midway point.
Antrim’s Michael Byrne who made his first start of this league campaign in goals, gave a good account of himself
Pat Shivers kicked his third point of the afternoon as Antrim set about their business quickly upon the resumption, although John Heslin responded with a free at the other end. The hosts restored their five-point advantage through a Ryan Murray point after Declan Lynch scooped the ball into his path. Enda McGinley’s side looked comfortable in the early exchanges but on 49 minutes things took a turn for the worse when Martin Johnston blocked Jonathan Lynam’s shot with his foot in the area and referee James Molloy signalled for a penalty.
John Heslin took responsibility and sent Mick Byrne the wrong way to make it 0-10-1-05. Subsitute Luke Loughlin steered over a point and a further score from Ronan O’Toole had the visitors back on terms for the second time with twenty minutes remaining. The pendulum had firmly shifted in the game with Heslin swinging over his first from play in the afternoon and converting his third free a few minutes later as Westmeath were ahead for the first time.
Only for a smart save from Mick Byrne, things could have got much worse for Antrim as the keeper parried over a goal-bound effort from Jamie Gonoud.
Declan Lynch made his first start of the season in Sligo on Sunday and was in action against Westmeath back in 2022 at Corrigan
Ryan Murray shot over a free in response- his sides first score in almost twenty minutes to ensure they remained in contention. Loughlin and Murray traded scores in the aftermath but Westmeath pulled clear in injury-time. Marksman Heslin angled over his second of the afternoon to finish with a personal tally of 1-05 and subsitute Robbie Forde would get in on the act before the games conclusion. Antrim finished the game with 14-men after Ryan Murray body-checked Ronan O’Toole and was black carded at the end of a frustrating afternoon for the Saffrons.
Antrim: M Byrne, J McAuley, R Johnston, P Healy, D Lynch, M Johnston, D McAleese (0-01), M McCann, K Small, T McCann, M Jordan (0-01), R McCann (0-02f), R Murray (0-03, 0-01f), P Shivers (0-03), C Murray (0-02, 0-01m). Subs: P McAleer for T McCann (HT), J Gribbon for D Lynch (57), J Laverty for M Johnston (62), O Eastwood for P Shivers (62), E McCabe for M Jordan (64).
Westmeath: J Daly, J Smith, K Maguire, J Gonoud (0-01), D Giles, N Harte (0-01), D Lynch, J Lynam, S Duncan, R Connellan (0-01), R O’Toole (0-01), S McCartan, L Dolan, J Heslin (1-05, 1-03f), A Gardiner (0-01). Subs: K Martin for S Duncan (5), L Loughlin (0-02) for L Dolan (HT), K O’Sullivan for K Martin (64), B Kelly for A Gardiner (70+1), R Forde (0-01) for J Lynam (70+4).
Cross & Passion College 6-5 St Killian’s Garron Tower 2-4
Cross & Passion College retained the Gaelfast Year 8 Antrim Hurling Cup when they beat north Antrim rivals St Killian’s in Wednesday evening’s final at Dunsilly. Leading by 2-4 to 2-1 at the end of a well contested opening half, CPC team captain John Og Darragh struck a second half hat-trick for the Ballycastle school to cap a memorable night for the big centre forward.
Sean Og McKeown gave St Kllian’s and early lead and though Tom Richmond brought CPC level, a Harry Blaney goal on ten minutes got St Killian’s back ahead again. A pointed free from CPC full forward Tom Richmond got CPC in front for the first time and that lead was out to five soon afterwards at Pearce McMullan and grabbed his team’s first goal and John Og Darragh added a point.
Sean Og McNaughton got his team’s second goal and Lorcan McNaughton added a point to put St Killian’s back in front, but the Ballycastle school finished the first half with Tom Richmond’s second goal which gave his team a 2-4 to 2-1 lead at the break.
CPC made the perfect start to the second half when John Og Darragh fired home from close range, and though Oliver Mooney pulled a point back for Garron Tower, two more goals from cousins Killian Cassidy and John Og Darragh all but sealed the win for CPC. Tom Richmond added a point for the Convent to stretch their lead to twelve, and though Oliver Mooney and Sean OgMcKeown pulled a point back for the battling St Killian’s boys, John Og Darragh completed and incredible display as he completed a second half hat-trick
