Month / May 2024

by thesaffrongael

All Saints hold on for a win at Fennell Park

ACMFL Division 2A

Ardoyne 1-5 All Saints 1-9

Ballymena All Saints were relieved to come away from Fennell Park with the 2 points on offer after a hard-fought victory over Ardoyne.

The home team made an excellent start to the game when they found the net in the 1st minute with a great finish. 

The Ardoyne boys continued on the front foot for the majority of the first half and missed a few good opportunities to extend their lead but eventually did with a pointed free. 

Ballymena responded with a good point from play and on 20minutes a scramble in the Ballymena defence saw the ball half cleared and returned to the box where it was flicked to the net but the goal was rightly disallowed for square ball. 

Ballymena were starting to gain more possession but were wayward in the final third. A pointed free from Bradley cut the deficit to 2 points but Kickham’s responded with a well worked point. A good team move resulted in a nice point for All Saints and another pointed free from a tight angle by Bradley saw the Ballymena sides go in at half time just a point behind the Ardoyne men.

A good second half start from the Ardoyne side saw them create a number of chances only for some good defensive work and some narrow wides keeping the scores the same. Eventually, the home side struck a good score from play to stretch their lead to two points. 

Ballymena made a couple of changes and this seemed to work as they began to dominate possession and rattled off two points from McKeown and McDermott to level the scores.

McKeown was also unlucky as a rasping shot at goal rattled the post and when Ardoyne gathered the rebound they moved the ball quickly up the field to take a fine score to get themselves back in front.

Ardoyne were defending well and creating chances on the break, but a turnover saw Ballymena break and a shot by McDermott from out wide dropped short but the keeper was unlucky as he palmed the ball against the underside of his crossbar and into the net.  

Ballymena were retaining possession better now and managed to find 2 more excellent scores from O’Brien and McDermott to stretch their lead to 4. Ardoyne piled on the pressure but some excellent blocks and turnovers by Murphy, Harry Connon and Laverty in defence kept the Belfast boys at bay and Ballymena held on for the win.

This win sees All Saints go top of the table with three wins from three starts where they are followed by Casement’s Portglenone who have two wins from two and these sides are due to meet in Ballymena on Sunday 19th May.

In the other game played in division 2A yesterday Rossa defeated Tir na nOg 0-13 to 1-7.

by thesaffrongael

‘Loaf’ snatches victory for the Emmet’s with late hat-trick

Antrim Hurling League – Division 2

Cushendun 3-10 St Paul’s 1-12

A hat-trick by Cushendun’s scorer in chief Conlaoith ‘Loaf’ McNeill in the last ten minutes of the game saw the Emmets snatch victory from the jaws of defeat as they came from behind to beat luckless St Paul’s in Sunday’s Division 2 Hurling League game at CushLig an Airgid, Cushendun on Sunday.

Just a point separated the sides at the end of a low scoring opening half, in which defences were on top, the home team just edging it by 0-7 to 0-6. However when the side re-emerged after the interval the visitors hit the front and were a point ahead going into the last ten minutes, but McNeill stepped up to the mark when his team most needed him, scoring three excellent goals in a magical ten minute spell to get team over the line.

Caolan Duffin who had a fine game for St Paul’s

Load had score two of the first three points of the game, both from frees, and Aidan Corbett grabbed one from play to see the Emmets lead by 0-3 to 0-0 after twelve minutes. St Paul’s right half forward Caolan Duffin got his team’s first score of the game on 14 minutes, but the home team came back with points from Sean McKay and Colm McKeegan to stretch the lead to 0-5 to 0-1 by the 17th minute.

Duffin knocked over another point from a free to keep St Paul’s in touch but when Dominic McQuillan found the target for the Emmet’s on 20 minutes they were 0-6 to 0-2 to the good and apparently on a good position. However they was to be their last score of the half as St Paul’s gained the upper hand, and finished the half strongly with three further points from Caolan Duffin and one each from Declan Chapman and Daire Stevenson to lead by 0-7 to 0-6 at half time.

 Duffin got the first point of the second half to increase the St Paul’s lead to two, and it could have been worse for the home side had goalkeeper Eoin Magee not made a sharp save to deny Declan Quinn a goal. McNeill pulled one back but St Paul’s hit back with a goal from Patrick Doyle, who rounded his marker and gave Magee no chance in the Emmet’s goal.

Cushendun’s Conor McHugh

A long range point from a free by Conor McHugh and one from play by Calum Kilgore brought the home side back to within two at the end of the third quarter, but St Paul’s pushed the lead out to four again  as Caolan Duffin and Thomas Duff hit the target with just ten minutes left to play.

Cushendun needed something special to get anything out of the game and Conaoth McNeill provided it in a hectic finishing burst. It started with a twenty metre free which he drove to the net on 24 minutes and for good measure he caught the resultant puc-out and returned it over the bar. Caolan Duffin came back with another point for St Paul’s but two minutes later McNeill struck again, driving in another goal from a free, this time from 30 metres. Goal number three came in injury time as a long ball was dropping in around the St Paul’s square. Loaf was running in from the corner but as the ball dropped short he dived across and somehow flicked the ball to the net to seal the win and complete a remarkable display.

by thesaffrongael

Gribbin leads Cargin to Minor success

ACMFL Division 1

Erin’s Own Cargin 1-15 Cuchullian’s Dunloy 2-06

A goal from top scorer Callum Gribbin in the 52nd minute proved decisive as Cargin earned the points from an encounter with the visiting Cuchullian’s in Toome on Sunday last. The home side had looked in control for much of the opening period with Gribbin leading the attack and Jack Harney and Carl Mc Cann edging control in the central zone as Patrck Matchyck looked comfortable at the centre of the defence.

The visitors did trouble the score keepers in the early stages of the game as Jack Martin opened their account with an early point and Oisin Mc Camphill followed with another shortly after but the home side soon got their act together and looked in control at the half way stage when they led 0-07 0-02.

Callum Gribbin had raised three white flags at that juncture with Patrick O’ Neill, Jack Harney, and Fiontan O’ Donnell also on target.

The Toome lads, having dominated in the opening half seemed set for victory as the second period progressed. Patrick O’ Nell increased the home side’s advantage with an early score created by a smart intervention from full back Matchyck and victory looked in sight.

The visitors looked on the way to defeat, seven points in arrears but the tide was about to turn in favour of the Cuchullian’s. Jack Martin added a point to his side’s total following a smart delivery from Sean Og Blayney and they looked in business.

The home side were quick to reply when Callum Gribbin and Killian Scullion added points and the Erin’s Own lads looked homeward bound.

The job looked done as far as the Toome contingent were concerned at such juncture, but Cuchullian’s were not about to call it a day as an excellent goal from wing half forward Oisin Mc Callin laid to waste the expectations of the home contingent.

Cargin had looked on the verge of victory but were looking vulnerable as the Cuchullian’s seized the initiative. Back to back points by Oisin McCamphill preceded a stylish delivery over the bar by Cahir McMullan and when Patrick McMullan added a goal a dramatic comeback seemed almost certain.

Cargin looked in trouble but recovered to stage a strong finish that would ultimately give them the victory.

Back to back points from the flame haired Patrick O’ Neill regained advantage for the boys in green and when the excellent Callum Gribbin followed with a further point and a 32nd minute major the home side breasted the winning line holding a 1-15 to 2-06 winning scoreline.

RESULTS

In the other game played in division 1 on Sunday St. Brigid’s recorded a 3-16 to 2-5 win over St. Enda’s and continue to lead the table on 5 points from 3 starts. St. Mary’s Aghagallon are second on the same number of points after their 2-12 to 2-6 win over St. John’s at Corrigan Park on Saturday evening but the Lough Shore side have an inferior score difference

by thesaffrongael

Moneynick’s Magical Year Continues

Moneynick Primary School added another honour to their growing list when they collected the Allianz Ireland Cumann na Mbunscoil SW Antrim quiz title at St Brigid’s Ballymena.

A record number of teams attended and competition was fierce. Moneynick were chased all the way by quiz specialists Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel and St Mary’s Portglenone.

A big well done to all schools involved. 

Participating School’s;

St Brigid’s Ballymena 

St Colmcille’s Ballymena 

Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel

Moneynick

Millquarter

St Mary’s Portglenone 

St Paul’s Ahoghill 

Gaelscoil Ghleann Darach

St Joseph’s Crumlin 

Creggan.

by thesaffrongael

Glenarm hurlers win in New York

2nd May 2024, Gaelic Park, The Bronx, NYC, USA
An 8pm throw-in, the perfect 4G surface, superb floodlights, and the travelling Shane Ui Nèill panel of 25 players and management accompanied with a dozen officials and supporters await the whistle to begin what is a famous chapter in the clubs 121 year history.
The opposition are a New York GAA Select, with players from all over Ireland and two from Co. Antrim
From the start the Glenarm men set down a marker with points on 1, 3 and 4 minutes from Niall McGarel, Ciaran Magill and Daniel Black. This spurred the hosts into action when they replied with three of their own to level affairs on seven minutes.
Two quick fire points – Darren Hamill for Glenarm and Darren Mannion for New York, one for Dylan McLaughlin and a reply from Ger McPartland maintained level pegging, but on the quarter mark A J Willis steered the sliotar past Abram in the Glenarm net to open up a three point lead.
The second quarter saw the visitors up the pace, and coupled with stern defensive play and the outstanding Michael Abram between the posts, they gradually pulled away with points from McGarel, Magill, McLaughlin and Black left the sides level at the inverval. Shane O’Neill’s 0-12 v New York 1-9.


The second half began and continued at a very high tempo, with no sign of jet lag setting in, given that the Glensmen had touched down only thirty hours earlier.
Points from Hamill and McGarel, two from Power and Deegan maintained the level game, until on six minutes, a fast and fluent sequence of passes out from the Glenarm defence set Dylan McLaughlin on course from thirty yards out.
He dodged a few tackles before driving the ball to the New York goal, much to the pleasing of the travelling crowd.
Still under relentless attack from the hosts, the blue defence repelled the best that was thrown at them, while at the other end the Ulster side were picking up some sublime scores from tallismen Black, McLaughlin, McGarel and Hamill.
A goal from AJ Willis on twenty minutes, and points from Deegan & Power were keeping the US men in touch, but cool heads were keeping the visitors ahead.
Three late points for McGarel, and a scrambled goal for the hosts before the ‘hooter’ signalled the end and euphoric scenes for the men in blue and the ref Chris Dalton called for the ball.
It would be unfair to signal anyone out for special praise, but on this occasion the performance of Dunga between the sticks shouldn’t go past without mention.
A day off on Saturday, a game with Kevin McKay’s team Rockland GAA on Sunday, and travelling home on Monday brings to an end a really historic tour – one that will be talked about for years to come
Final Score: 3-15 v 1-23
Shane Ui Néill Panel:
Michael Abram, Matthew Black, Barry Hamill, Paul Magill, Aidan Scullion, Darren Hamill, Declan McDermott, Kieran O’Boyle, Daniel Black, Dylan McLaughlin, Ciàran Magill, Sean O’Boyle, Blain McDermott, Niall McGarel, Brendan McDermott, Aidan O’Neill, Sean O’Hare, Ryan McLaughlin, Odhran Daly, Rory Mulvenna, Kieran O’Boyle, James Black, Kevin O’Boyle, Anthony McNeill and Connor McNeill
Management:
Ciàran Matthews , Darryl McMullan and Gerard Johnston