Underdogs, All Saints will be hoping to cause a major upset when they take on a strong Sarsfield’s in tonight’s U21B Hurling Final at Whitehill as they field an U21 Hurling team for only the second time in the club’s history.
The Ballymena club made their U21 debut in last week’s semi-final where two goals from Jakub Kaczmarek saw them overcome the challenge of Lamh Dhearg at Slemish Park in front of a good crowd.
They face a strong opponent tonight in Patrick Sarsfields who defeated Tir na nOg at Whitehill in the other semi-final and the Stewartstown Road club will be confident of taking the honours tonight.
Daniel Smyth was the star of the show for Sarsfields in the semi-final as they ran out 3-14 winners of a spirited Randalstown side who led 1-7 to 0-5 at the halfway stage.
Whatever happened during the half-time break, Smyth came out and put on a master class in scoring for Sarsfields as he picked up 3-06 during a second half in which Tír na nÓg just failed to get a handle on the men in green. Smyth dominated and a score looked on the cards every time he got his hands on the sliothar.
Anthony McGarrigle, Jay Ward, Fionn Jeffrey and Brian Healey were others to shine in a strong all round Sarsfields side who will go into tonight’s decider as firm favourites.
Luke Walsh, Peadar McGuckian, Harry Connon, Archie McGreevey, Sean McDermott, Darach Bradley and Kaczmarek will spearhead the All Saints challenge tonight but it will take everyone to be in top form if they are to cause an upset.
This evening, the emerging talent of Cushendall and Dunloy hurling will contest the Under 21 Championship Final. Both clubs have produced some fine young hurlers who have graced club, school and county teams during the past twelve months. This competition returns to Under 21, having been on a journey to first U20 and then U19 over the past few years. Last year, the U19 final was played on a crisp, sunny autumn day in Cushendun and delivered a fabulous hour of hurling for the large crowd in attendance. This evening’s affair promises to surpass that, and Ballycastle is certainly the place to be for all who appreciate the fine spectacle of hurling. Throw in is 7pm.
A goal from Matthew Rodgers in the 24th minute of the second half ended this Group 4 SFC opener as a contest as a well organised Kickham’s Creggan proved too good for a disappointing St. Mary’s Aghagallon in Aghagallon on Sunday evening. Rodgers took advantage as the home side made a mess of an intended short kick-out and in the scramble that followed the big number 15 finished to Luke Mulholland’s net.
There was little to separate the teams during a cagey opening half where the visitors employed a slow methodical build up as they dominated possession for long periods with St. Mary’s looking dangerous on the break. Aghagallon trailed by the minimum at the end of a low scoring first half but might well have been ahead but a Padraig Gowdy shot crashed back of an upright when a goal looked eminent.It was St. Mary’s who were first off the mark when Jack Lenehan pointed them ahead after 30 seconds but Jamie McCann replied with an equaliser for the Kickham’s with six minutes on the clock.
Keeper, Luke Mulholland briefly restored the home side’s lead with a well struck long range free in the 8th minute but Creggan replied with three on the bounce through Sean Duffin, Matthew Rodgers and Jamie McCann to lead 0-4 to 0-2 by the 21st minuteThe home side had been under pressure for a time but broke effectively at speed and Padraig Gowdy looked certain to score but his well struck shot cannoned of an upright and was cleared to safety. Johnny Hannon closed the gap to the minimum when he converted a long range free in the closing minutes as the driving wind and incessant rain that fell throughout continued.
HT Aghagallon 0-3 Creggan 0-4
When Gareth ‘Dinkey’ Magee pointed a free at the start of the second half to level the contest the home crowd must have felt that they were well in with a chance but in truth it never looked like materialising. Instead it was visitors Creggan who took control with Ruairi McCann pointing a difficult free and then adding another from a well struck ‘45’ to sandwich a Kealan McCann point from play. County man Ruairi McCann brought his personal contribution for the evening to three with another after 20 minutes and when Matthew Rogders punished a misguided kick-out, four minutes later it was all over. Tiernan McAteer was the man who created it as he intercepted Luke Mulholland’s misguided kick and he found Rogers with an astute pass and the big striker made no mistake from close range. Jack Lenehan, who put in a good shift for the home side at mid-field, replied with a point for Aghagallon a minute later but it would be the game’s final score and the visitors will be delighted with this opening day win in what has been labelled the group of death
Aghagallon: 1 Luke Mulholland, 2 Kieran Hamill, 3 Aidan Mulholland, 4 Daryl McAlornan, 5 Ciaran Maginnis, 6 Jamie Lamont, 7 Eunan Walsh, 8 Jack Lenehan, 9 Padraig Gowdy, 10 Pauric Maginnis, 11 Enda McCartan, 12 Johnny Hannon, 13 Gareth Magee, 14 David McAlornan, 15 Jack Hannon
Subs: Adam Loughran
Creggan: 1. Oisin Kerr, 2. Conor Mc Cann, 3. Ricky Johnston , 4. Aiden Maguire, 5. Ethan Carey-Small, 6. Ruairi Mc Cann, 7. Jamie Mc Cann, 8. Kealan Mc Cann, 9. Patrick Mc Auley, 10. Sean Duffin, 11. Conor Mc Cann, 12. Tiarnan Mc Larnon, 13. Dominic Mc Ateer, 14. Tiernan Mc Ateer, 15. Mathew Rodgers,
Subs: Joe Mc Ateer for 9, Sam Maguire for 12, Jake Mc Ateer for 2
Referee: Colm McDonald
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Moneyglass emerged victorious in this first round senior championship game having suffered defeat twice earlier in the league, and in the relegation play-off, against the same opposition. The decisive score of the game came from the penalty spot when Moneyglass midfielder Dermot McErlaine found the net despite a valiant effort from Glenravel keeper Shaun O’Boyle to keep it out. That was what effectively separated the teams at the end of a sometimes tempestuous affair where strong wind and rain made free flowing football impossible.
Callum Higgins put two good scores on the board for Glenravel in the opening five minutes but then with the wind on their backs Moneyglass started to dictate affairs with four consecutive points from Aidan McErlaine, Connor Boyd and two from Colum Duffin. Eoin Hynds and Callum Higgins levelled the game at 0-04 each before two well taken frees, one for each side took us to half time all square on 0-05 each.
The third quarter was a very cagey affair with Glenravel really struggling to take advantage of the strong wind. Teams exchanged points through Rian Lennon and Colum Duffin and then the penalty award with fifteen minutes remaining. McErlaine stroked it home to give the visitors the lead by three points – the largest margin that had separated the teams all game. Glenravel responded really well with three great points from distance to get within a single point of their opponents but Moneyglass made great use of possession in added time and put over two excellent points from Tyler Cassidy to run out deserving winners 1-09 to 0-09.
A great start for Moneyglass and with neighbours Portglenone to come in the next round they face the strongest team in the group, but a win would secure a place in the knock out stages. Con Magees on the other hand are now firmly on the back foot and with Ahoghill and Portglenone to come the Glenravel men face and uphill struggle to stay in the competition.
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St Brigids got their championship campaign off to the best possible start with a three-point win over St Galls at a rain battered Musgrave Park on Sunday afternoon.
Patrick Finnegan’s 6th minute goal was the cherry on top of a scintillating opening quarter as the South Belfast side aim to add a first senior championship to their recent league success.
Ruairi McErlean impressed with five-points in the opening half as St Brigids threatened to run away with the tie, and at one point the Biddies enjoyed a ten-point lead. However, a Niall Burns goal on the stroke of half-time helped ignite the fire that was missing from the bellies of the St Galls players, and despite a much improved performance in the second half, and the fact that the home side managed just two points in the second half, St Gall’s fightback fell just short.
St Brigids wasted no time in working the scoreboard. Only 35 seconds had elapsed when Conan McNicholl scored from play, following a quick ball inside from Patrick Finnegan.
Jack Dowling and Mikey Cummings added points in the opening five minutes before the games opening goal arrived a minute later. Patrick Finnegan’s run through the heart of the St Galls defence wasn’t tracked, and when he collected James Smith’s pass, Finnegan blasted past Chris Kerr to give his side a six-point advantage.
A Daniel Quinn point in the 7th minute eventually gave St Galls something to cheer about but by the time Ruairi McErlean converted a free in the 11th minute, it gave St Brigids a commanding eight-point advantage at 1-6 to 0-1.
Quinn and Niall Burns tried their best to take the fight to their hosts, and when Burns landed his second of the game in the 22nd minute, it left six between the sides with half-time approaching.
But a Shea Downey effort, two from McErlean and a James Smith point left ten between them before the visitors received a much-needed lifeline in the final minute of the half.
Following a defence slip Conor Ryan got in behind the St Brigids full back line and managed to pick out Quinn, who unselfishly passed the ball on to Burns who finished neatly to the net to cut their arrears to seven-points at the break, 1-11 to 1-4.
When the sides emerged for the second half, they were welcomed to the field to a downpour of biblical proportions, and it was the visitors who handled the worsening conditions better.
After Burns converted two frees, Brendan Bradley kicked two from play, and from a position of strength, St Brigids were fighting hard to hold on to a three-point lead with just ten minutes remaining.
Burns, who was St Galls standout player on the day, got in behind the home defence, but his pass across the face of the St Brigids goal failed to find a blue shirt, and the home side survived the scare.
Shea Downey settled the nerves for St Brigids, and as the game ticked into injury time, the contest threatened to boil over.
With time against them, St Galls kept up the pressure and a further Burns free left three between them again, but St Brigids did just about enough to hold on for an opening day win.
Teams & Scorers:
St Brigids: Declan Heery, John Toner, Joe Finnegan (0-1), Ronan Boyle, Reuben Carleton, Shea Downey (0-2), Shay Campbell, Mikey Cummings (0-1), Jack Dowling (0-1), Niall Duffy, Patrick Finnegan (1-0), James Smith (0-1), Conan McNicholl (0-2 1 Mark), Conor McAleer, Ruairi McErlean (0-5 3f).
Replacements: Ben Doherty for Duffy 13 mins, Callum Downey for McErlean (45), Deaghlan O’Hagan for Dowling (64), Brian McGurk for Doherty (65).
St Galls: Chris Kerr, Marcus Donnelly, Tiarnan Keenan, John McCaffrey, Ruairi Wilson, Conall McGirr, Conall McCabe, Marcus McCrossan, Aodhan Gallagher, Callum Walsh (0-1), Brendan Bradley (0-2), Conor Ryan, Niall Fallon, Niall Burns (1-5 0-4f), Daniel Quinn (0-2).
Replacements: Liam Lynn for Wilson (HT), Niall O’Neill for Fallon (49), Conor Burke for Walsh (53), Caolan Chada for Ryan (57).
Referee: Mr Mark O’Neill.
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