Loughgiel is revelling in their latest GAC venture of Social Camogie.
Formerly launched in 2019 as ‘Caman and Chat’, Social Camogie is a recreational initiative that encourages participation in the game at any level. However, when Covid broke out in 2020 it had to be cancelled. The Camogie Secretary, Briege McIlhatton explained: “I received an email from the national Camogie Association (CA) in January this year advising that social camogie was re-launching in 2024 across Ireland and we decided this was a great opportunity to establish a Social Camogie team in Loughgiel”. The CA re-launched Social Camogie all across Ireland, hoping to advance this initiative under the newly established title of ‘Social Camogie’.
Speaking about how she set up a group within Loughgiel Shamrocks GAC, Briege explained: ” I got the Public Relations team to put up a graphic on social media to gauge interest in joining a Loughgiel Shamrocks social camogie team”. Describing the obstacles Briege said: “After a poor start with only four names signed up for it, a former Senior Camog, Joanne Gillan, set up a WhatsApp group adding names of who she thought might be interested”. This sparked enough interest to enable them to register a team with the national CA.
Their first training sessions began in the middle of March and their first tournament was in Magherafelt on the 23rd of March 2024. This was the first of four Ulster blitzes for the year, so. Under the rules, no scores were counted but if you were counting, the Loughgiel girls claimed they won every match! They played teams from Ahoghill, Ballinascreen, Rossa, and Magherafelt at that tournament.
Their next blitz was in Ballinderry. It was a competitive tournament in which scores were recorded. There was no stopping Loughgiel, who won this second tournament overall, winning all 6 matches. On Friday the 2nd of August, it was Loughgiel’s turn to host the second Ulster Social Camogie blitz of the year and it was held at the Fr Healy Park in Loughgiel. Briege said: “It was so special to see almost a hundred women from all over Ulster, on one pitch together enjoying the exercise and getting to play the game they love. It is just so special to watch”. Chatting about the atmosphere of the whole event Briege said: “The bonds and comradery they are forming with girls from other social camogie clubs like Ballinderry and Magherafelt, through these tournaments is lovely to watch, with great craic afterward in the bars or local halls”.
Speaking to Claire McKinley, a member of the Social Camogie team in Loughgiel, she explained her enthusiasm for the sport: “I am forty-four and I stopped playing Camogie when I was twenty-eight, however, I love this idea of social camogie- it feels like the good old days again, playing with girls that you would have played with whenever you were younger – it just feels like you are back to being twenty again”. Discussing Friday evening, Claire said: “I am nervous, I am far too old to break anything, but I am looking forward to it”.
A volunteer referee in Friday’s blitz, Ronan McCloskey commented: “It’s great to see, the atmosphere is great, the music is playing and everyone seems to be in good form”. Ronan discussed what he expected during the blitz: “I think people are going to come down to watch and thoroughly enjoy it”. Ronan is mainly into coaching as he humorously explained: “My experience in refereeing is very limited, so I am new to this but hopefully nobody gets hurt or falls out with me!”.
He added: “There are so many people who can’t access competitive camogie and hurling and it’s for people who love the sport but don’t want to see that real competitive edge, this is something for them and there is so much enthusiasm around it, I think it will grow”.
Following on from a successful night’s camogie and some great matches, Justin, from the local Pound bar in Loughgiel, fed all the teams and put on live music for them all to celebrate. Briege said: “The girls all individually thanked me for organising Friday’s tournament but to being honest I loved every minute and they all helped make it happen”. Well done girls, you did our wee village proud.
The only question now is will the ‘Dads and Lads ‘follow in their footsteps!!
The teams who attend the Loughgiel Shamrocks Gac Social Camogie Blitz were St Pauls, Belfast; Tattyreagh St Patricks; O’Donovan Rossa, Magherafelt, Michael Davitts, Swatragh, O’Donovan Rossa, Belfast and Ballinderry Shamrocks
Press Statement by Antrim county chairman Seamus McMullan
Antrim County Committee this evening appointed Davy Fitzgerald as Senior Hurling team Manager for a two year term, and he has an option of a third year.
Antrim county board chairperson Séamus McMullan said “we’re delighted to announce the appointment of Davy Fitzgerald.”
“Davy brings a wealth of experience to the role. His vision, drive and determination is a perfect fit with the ambition of our playing panel. We are confident, too, that Davy will bring the very best out of the emerging hurling talent that is present within our County. We are committed to further developing our underage structures in Antrim and welcome Davy’s interest in contributing to that – that is an exciting prospect for our young hurlers and their clubs. On behalf of the clubs of Antrim, we wish Davy the very best and look forward to working with him and his team.”
Antrim county chairman Seamus McMullan
Davy’s hurling career (From Wikipedia)
Clare legend Davy Fitzgerald began his hurling career at club level with Sixmilebridge. He broke onto the club’s top adult team as a 17-year-old in 1989 and had his greatest success in 1996 when Sixmilebridge won the All-Ireland Club Championship. Fitzgerald’s club career ended in 2011, by which time he had also won two Munster Club Championship titles and six Clare Senior Championship titles.
At inter-county level, Fitzgerald was part of a Clare minor team that won the Munster Championship in 1989, before he later lined out with the Clare under-21 team. He joined the Clare senior team in 1990. From his debut, Fitzgerald was ever-present as a goalkeeper and made a combined total of 148 National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2006. During that time he was part of two All-Ireland Championship-winning teams – in 1995 and 1997. Fitzgerald also secured three Munster Championship medals. He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 31 March 2008.
Davy in action for Clare in the National Hurling League final against Kilkenny in 2005
Fitzgerald won his first All-Star in 1995, before claiming a further two All-Stars in 2002 and 2005. He is currently Clare’s record championship appearer, having played in 60 championship games. At inter-provincial level, Fitzgerald was selected to play in seven championship campaigns with Munster and won Railway Cup medals in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2005.
Even as a player, Fitzgerald became involved in team management and coaching at club level. After coaching every grade of Sixmilebridge team from juvenile to senior, he later had an unsuccessful tenure in charge of Nenagh Éire Óg. Fitzgerald subsequently became director of hurling at the Limerick Institute of Technology with whom he won two Fitzgibbon Cup titles.
Fitzgerald’s first managerial role at inter-county level was with Waterford in 2008. In his four seasons in charge he guided the team to a first All-Ireland final appearance in 45 years as well as the Munster Championship title in 2010. Fitzgerald later spent five seasons as manager of the Clare senior team who he guided to the All-Ireland title in 2013 and a first National League title in 38 years. After stepping down as Clare manager he took charge of the Wexford senior team, winning the Leinster Championship in 2019.
On 26 September 2019, Fitzgerald confirmed that he would be staying on with the Wexford senior hurlers for another two seasons. He had been linked to vacant Galway hurling managerial position but said that he never spoke to anyone other than the Wexford County Board.[4] He announced his departure from Wexford on 30 July 2021, and began a second term as Deise manager in August 2022 where he remained until the end of last season.
Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 2
Con Magees 0-14 Cloney Gaels 2-19
Cloney Gaels joined neighbours Tir na nOg at the top of the Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 2 table when they travelled to Fr Maginn Park on Saturday and beat the Con Magees to maintain their 100% record in the group, Tir na nÓg’s superior goal difference giving them the edge.
The Glenravel men did not make it easy for their visitors during the opening half and trailed by just three nearing half time, but the Ahoghill men finished the first half with a goal to lead by six at the break. The goal, brilliantly taken by right half forward Patrick Graham jnr., gave them the boost they needed and started to really press home their advantage in the second half to pull away and win in the end with a bit to spare.
Cloney Gaels started strongly and early points from Colla McDonnell and Eamon Brady were followed by a goal from centre forward Ronan Graham to put them five clear. Declan Traynor opened the Con Magees account with a point, and though James O’Connell came back with one for the visitors soon afterwards, Traynor and Declan McKeown kept the home team in touch with two well taken scores. Gael’s Fionnbar O’Neill sent one over direct from a sideline cut on twelve minutes and Patrick Dougan added one from play to push Cloney 1-5 to 0-3 ahead, but three in a row from placed balls by Sean McKay brought the Glenravel men back to within three points with just two minutes of the opening half remaining, but Patrick Graham’s brilliant goal, which he kicked to the net following a spectacular high catch, put the visitors six clear at half time.
Cloney Gaels treasurer Gerald McGarry presents a sponsorship cheque for £900 to Dylan McIlwaine of Saffron Gael at Sunday’s Con Magees v Cloney Gaels game in Glenravel.
Cormac McKeown hit the opening score of the second half and Sean McKay added another from a free, but the visitors responded well and two points by James O’Connell and one from full forward Eoin Graham stretched his team’s lead even further. Declan Traynor pulled one back for the home side, but three more without reply by the Gaels pushed their advantage out to eight by the end of the third quarter.
The final quarter was less intense and the scoring dropped off from both sides with Cloney adding just three more to their total while Sean McKay hit one for the home side from a free.
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Match report and photos from Michael Corcoran in Páirc Phádraig Mhic Laibheartaigh
Sitting on the lee side of Collinward Hill, St. Enda’s was enjoying a spell of summer weather for Sunday’s opening game in Group 1 of the Antrim GAA Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship. Early arrivals would be treated to an U12 match between St. Enda’s and Loughgiel. The nimble footed participants would betray to the sandy loam the pounding Páirc Phádraig Mhic Laibheartaigh would receive over the next sixty minutes or thereabouts.
Regardless of what might have been said in recent days regarding the operation of the draw, both sides had come fully committed to setting out their championship stall. St. Enda’s supporters would enjoy the nip and tuck of the first half and Loughgiel supporters were entertained with an almost equal number of points and two goals to nourish the talk on the journey home.
Match referee, Colum Cunning from Dunloy, would oblige the gathering ‘snappers’ and roll the sliotar towards a peaking Slemish Mountain in the distance, in case the throw-in would offer up an early Pulitzer shot of eager action. St. Enda’s won today’s toss and opted to play away from the clubhouse, towards the cooling breeze.
No sooner had Cunning started his timer, when St. Enda’s Eddie O’Conner drifted the first attempt to score, wide of the mark. Loughgiel’s puck out would work its way to James McNaughton and pushing up beyond his half back position, Damon McMullan collected the pass and pointed to have the Shamrocks up and running.
Loughgiel’s Declan McCloskey had an opportunity to make it two rapid points for the Shamrocks but the sliotar found the upright and St. Enda’s recycled the ball so that Niall O’Connor could bring the scores to one apiece.
St. Enda’s would have to sit out the next three points from Loughgiel as Paul Boyle hit a soaring sixty-five metre ball to split the uprights, a foul on Dan McCloskey had James McNaughton opening up his tally and Paul Boyle from a piece of nifty clearing from Tiernan Coyle, much to the approval of the Shamrock supporters lined up on the Baile Bocht hillside.
When St. Enda’s Philip Curran carved his sideline ball with loft, Luke O’Connor made good of the chance to get the Enda’s back in the game with a safe point.
Two points separated the sides but seven minutes in, Damon McMullan offloaded to a wide Tiernan Coyle. Coyle planted the sliotar onto Rian McMullan for Loughgiel’s fifth point to St. Enda’s two.
As the game ebbed and flowed, Loughgiel would sit out the next two points from St. Enda’s, as Cunning awarded two consecutive frees, fouls on Cormac Jennings and Eoin Conlon. And it could have been three at eleven minutes as Cormac Jennings drew another foul. Jennings’ ball would soar high and faded in the wind to become a dangerous dropping ball, but Loughgiel’s defence swept it away to the relief of supporters.
Loughgiel’s Christy McGarry was on the move and entered the danger zone on the thirteen metre line when Cunning spotted a foul that stopped McGarry on his tracks. McNaughton stepped up and dropped that over the bar to put only two points between the sides.
St. Enda’s were building a move into Loughgiel’s half, when Declan McCloskey won a loose ball. McCloskey used the support of Coyle, finding McMullan once again for a fine point.
St. Enda’s were sharp and able to punish a pass that wasn’t perfect and that was ably demonstrated by Luke O’Connor to close the gap to two before McNaughton had his first point from play, twenty minutes into the first half. The large LCD scoreboard, tucked into the corner of the pitch announced St. Enda’s 0-05 Loughgiel 0-08.
The next passage of play would witness one point out of six attempts as both Loughgiel’s Damon McMullan and Shan McGrath shot wide of the mark, both initiated from great catches from Boyle and McGrath himself. St. Enda’s marksman, Cormac Jennings, pulled a free wide and Niall O’Connor wasn’t able to make the advantage work after Cunning’s hand went up for a foul on Jennings. It would be twenty-two minutes in, before the scoreboard purred into action as a St. Enda’s attack deep in Shamrock territory was ground down and collected by Tiernan Coyle, offloaded to Boyle and a calling Dan McCloskey brought Loughgiel to 0-09.
St. Enda’s would close the gap once again, as Joe Maskey dragged a running sliotar away from an outstretched Paul Boyle and was rewarded with a fine point for determination. St. Enda’s Dan Lowry kept the scoreboard going once more with his point two minutes short of the break and before Loughgiel’s James McNaughton dropped the sliotar over the bar from a free that resulted in two yellow cards for St. Enda’s Brendan Cormican on Paul Boyle and Ruairí Donaghy for off the ball reaction.
Cunning was happy to blow at almost thirty on the watch with only three points the difference, St. Enda’s 0-07 Loughgiel 0-10.
You could have been forgiven to imagine that the wind would give you a four-point advantage, so on commencement of the second half, there was everything for St. Enda’s to play for but it would be Loughgiel’s Paul Boyle who would stamp his mid field presence off the throw-in and gaining possession, offered the sliotar to Dan McCloskey who in turn spotted Eoin McGarry in space. McGarry wasn’t getting his point easily and St. Enda’s Ronan Eager closed in on McGarry forcing him to improvise room to swing for his point.
Christy McGarry inched the Shamrocks up the scoreboard with another point before St. Enda’s Niall O’Connor dropped in a dangerous diving sliotar to Loughgiel’s keeper, Cormac McFadden. The sliotar found a safe hand in McFadden despite an infringement that had Cunning blow for McFadden’s foul.
A Shamrock’s ‘throw ball’ had St. Enda’s back in the game, whenever Cormac Jennings ploughed the sliotar into the breeze and over Loughgiel’s bar. St. Enda’s were busy trying to build momentum to make moves into their scoring range but with just six minutes into the second half, a busy James McNaughton rewarded the Shamrock supporters with the first goal of the game. Christy McGarry quickly followed that up with his point from the right side of the pitch.
St. Enda’s Luke O’Connor attempted a point from just beyond the forty-five metre line but it started wide and stayed wide with the breeze. Niall O’Connor kept the Enda’s from going dormant with a simple turn over in mid field from a Loughgiel puck out and Cormac Jennings made use of a free from all of seventy metres into the breeze, much to the cheers from St. Enda’s supporters.
Loughgiel mid fielder, Cahal Hargan, found possession of the sliotar at around eleven minutes in the second half and spotted Shan McGrath moving into space. McGrath successfully took control of the sliotar and pointed to move the Shamrocks on by a goal and four points the difference.
But Cormac Jennings would be back in action quickly for the Enda’s. Jennings caught the sliotar and went for a solo run to close the distance. Draped in red jerseys, Jennings had to offload but quickly found the sliotar coming back into his hand and over Loughgiel’s bar it sailed to make that a goal and three points the difference.
Despite St. Enda’s breaking down incoming wide balls for a large portion of the game, Shan McGrath found a way around and a running McNaughton was his target for the offload. McNaughton delivered a rasping sliotar to the back of Martin Curran’s net for his second goal of the match.
Midway through the second half, calls for a sideline ball to St. Enda’s and equal shouts of ‘the player was out not the ball’, Rian McMullan was happy to make his point out of the cauldron of noise. With St. Enda’s 0-11 to Loughgiel’s 2-15, this felt like a stage in the game where St. Enda’s might drift away, but substitute Cian O’Connor floated the ball over the bar from a well won engagement.
St. Enda’s continued to battle relentlessly and tracked Loughgiel almost point for point with an acute angle score from Eoin Conlon from the right side towards the clubhouse. Conlon would reappear in Cunning’s note book, but not for a score. A heavy hit that lifted James McNaughton off his feet found a yellow card being flashed high in the air. McNaughton would shake the sandy soil off his stick and reaped some satisfaction from dropping it over St. Enda’s bar.
The Glengormley side would close out the scoring action with a fine point from Conlon after an intense ruck won by the Enda’s near the Loughgiel dugout before the Shamrocks worked up a tasty move, Rian McMullan to Christy McGarry, back to McMullan and forward into Conor O’Mullan. An Outstretched O’Mullan could only pull on the sliotar but it was travelling hard enough to warrant Curran going to ground to smother the attempt on goal.
With thirty-three minutes on Cunning’s watch, Paul Boyle’s sideline brought the long whistle to close this afternoon’s game St. Enda’s 0-17 Loughgiel 2-21.
St. Enda’s Starting Panel:
Martin Curran, Dara McGuire, Malachi McGibbon, Ronan Eager, Eoin Conlon, Ruairi Diamond, Joe Maskey, Brendan Cormican, Niall O’Connor, Luke O’Connor, Cormac Jennings, Philip Curran, Ruairí Donaghy, Eddie O’Connor, Dan Lowry
Scorers:
Eoin Conlon 0-02, Joe Maskey 0-01, Niall O’Connor 0-03, Luke O’Connor 0-02, Cormac Jennings 0-08 (6f), Dan Lowry 0-01
Loughgiel Starting Panel:
Cormac McFadden, Tiernan Coyle, Rory McCloskey, Caolan Blair, Damon McMullan, Declan McCloskey, Ruairi McCormick, Paul Boyle, Cahal Hargan, Daniel McCloskey, Darragh Patterson, Christy McGarry, Rian McMullan, Shan McGrath, James McNaughton
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pairc Rossa, Belfast
Reigning champions Cushendall got their campaign off to a winning start on Sunday afternoon but they were made to fight all the way by a determined Rossa side. Three points the difference at the end of an hour that had a wee bit of everything thrown in and not many wanted to see an end to such was the nature of this contest.
It was the Ruairi’s ability to create and take their goal chances that proved to be the difference, scoring two in the opening 10 minutes and passing up the chance of more on another couple of occasions in the first half.
Yet, Rossa’s determination and desire to keep fighting to the end in the second half had the ‘Dall on the ropes. A run of three points reduced Cushendall’s lead to four before a penalty was awarded with the impressive Joseph McLaughlin duly obliging.
Rossa will look at the start of the second half when reviewing this one and rue their profligacy in front of target. Trailing by six, they had the wind at their back but in the opening exchanges of the second half, a run of five wides from six shots did little to help any momentum they were looking for.
When the game entered the final stages, the home side rallied and scored 1-6 in the last 10 minutes but Cushendall weren’t to be denied. The Ruairi’s had leaders when they needed them most with Eoghan Campbell’s third of three second half points a glittering example of how to drag your team from trouble. Collecting the sliotar from a ruck deep in his own 21, Campbell soloed clear from safety and after a 1-2 with Fred McCurry, he split the uprights. As good as anything you’ll see on any pitch in Ireland.
McCurry was another who was outstanding for the champions. Five points from play overall and a dogged tenacity in the middle third, Fred is fast becoming a vital cog in the Ruairi Og machine.
With the sun beating down on the perfect Shaws Road surface, the home side were ahead two points to one before the first goal chance of the game. McLaughlin found Ciaran Neeson in space and while the angle was acute, it took the width of the post to deny him with his near side shot hitting the inside and somehow spinning across the goals and out for a Rossa side line.
He was presented with a similar opportunity moments later and made no mistake with a riffled effort in the 6th minute and while Aodhan O’Brien responded for the hosts, Cushendall were celebrating another major with their next score. Andrew Delargy applied the finish but it owed much to the work rate of Dominic Delargy and vision of Joseph McLaughlin to find him in space.
With Dominic Delargy playing on the edge of the square and the wind at their back, Cushendall were happy to send long ball on top of him and work from the breaks. Their ability to win that second ball was paying dividends and putting the Rossa defence under immense pressure.
A rejig in defence to counteract the Cushendall threat helped the home side to settle down as the first half progressed and with O’Brien, McEnhill and Walsh (free) all finding their range, they had the Cushendall lead back to three with 10 minutes of the half remaining. Cushendall responded with a trio of unanswered scores of their own, McLaughlin (two) and McCurry splitting the posts.
That six point difference would remain with Seaghan Shannon (free) and McEnhill splitting the posts either side of a brace of scores from Fergus McCambridge and McLaughlin to leave the half time score 2-9 to 0-9 in favour of Cushendall.
Six points was probably the bare minimum that Cushendall deserved to lead from in the first half. They reached double figures in wides and passed goal chances and while it was far from an insurmountable lead, it was going to take everything to go right for the home side to get back into this.
It just didn’t happen for Christopher McDonnell’s side. Two points in 15 minutes while trailing, six wides in that same period and the Ruairi’s had stretched their lead to seven. A brace of scores from Campbell came in typical fashion, running from deep and giving an option in support. It’s a score you see Eoghan hit on numerous occasions and underpins his hurling intelligence.
The lead remained at seven with 10 minutes remaining when Rossa found another gear. A run of four unanswered scores for the first time in the match from centre half Declan McCartney and frees from messers Walsh and O’Brien had thoughts of Rossa comeback with time running out.
Those thoughts were pushed to one side with five minutes of the hour remaining however. With Paddy McGill on the charge and with a glimpse of Donal Armstrong’s goal, referee Barry Winter’s awarded a penalty for an infringement on the Cushendall man. The Rossa protests fell on deaf ears and McLaughlin dispatched the resulting penalty with aplomb.
The home side continued to push with Walsh and Stephen Shannon reducing the deficit and as the home side laid siege on the Cushendall goals in search for goals, Eoghan Campbell proved to be the coolest man in west Belfast. The sliotar had bounced loose and he collected among a crowd before going clear and scoring one of the points of the day after a neat interchange with McCurry.
As the clock ticked into the third minute of injury time, the home side were awarded a 21 yard free. Walsh’s ferocious drive found the back of the Cushendall net despite being guarded by a maroon and white wall but time was not the friend of the home side.
A scintillating end to a pulsating game of hurling and while Rossa tasted defeat, they will have taken plenty of positives from this performance. Cushendall probably had to win this one on three different occasions, such was the tenacity of Rossa throughout and their thoughts now turn to a meeting with St John’s in two weeks time.
TEAMS
Rossa: Donal Armstrong; Chris McGuinness, Ciaran Orchin, Conor Boyle; Stephen Shannon, Declan McCartney, Gerard Walsh; Seaghan Shannon, Diarmuid Rogan; Stephen Beatty, Pearce Short, Aodhan O’Brien; Dominic McEnhill, Eoin Trainor, Thomas Morgan
Subs: Eoghan McMenamin for D Rogan (HT); Conall Shannon for Seaghan Shannon (43); James Connolly for P Short (54); Ruairi Murray for S Beatty (58)
Scorers: G Walsh 1-4 (1-3fs); A O’Brien 0-5 (1f); D McEnhill 0-4; T Morgan 0-2; Stephen Shannon 0-1; Seaghan Shannon 0-1 (1f); D McCartney 0-1; E McMenamin 0-1
Cushendall: Conor McAllister; Liam Gillan, Paddy Burke, Martin Burke; Scott Walsh, Eoghan Campbell, Ruairi McCollam; Francis McCurry, Alex Delargy; Andrew Delargy, Ryan McCambridge, Fergus McCambridge; Ciaran Neeson, Dominic Delargy, Joseph McLaughlin
Subs: Stephen Walsh for S Walsh (HT); Andrew McNaughton for Alex Delargy (31); Sean McAfee for Andrew Delargy (46); Paddy McGill for R McCambridge (56)
Scorers: J McLaughlin 1-6 (1-00 pen, 3fs); F McCurry 0-5; E Campbell 0-3; Andrew Delargy 1-00; C Neeson 1-00; R McCambridge 0-1; F McCambridge 0-1Referee: Barry Winters (Dungannon)
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