Month / September 2024

by thesaffrongael

Race for the Volunteer Cup reaches the knockout stage

Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship

Quarter Finals

Brendan McTaggart looks ahead to this weekend’s knockout matches of the senior hurling championship.

Saturday 21 September 3pm at Pairc Rossa, Belfast

Naomh Éanna v St John’s Referee: Barry Winters

Sunday 22 September 2pm at Healy Park, Loughgiel

Dunloy v Ballycastle Referee: Tarlach Conway

A decent stretch of weather and the senior hurling championship has entered the knockout stage.  Like the great lyricist Dave Grohl once sang, It’s Times Like These You Learn to Live Again.  There is no greater feeling as a fan when it comes to the championship.  The thrill of last chance saloon, the adrenaline goes up a notch, the nails are bitten a little closer to the quick and as for the matches?  Well, it’s now or never.  It’s their championship fate on the line and we have four team who are 60 minutes from the last four or an extended winter.

After the groups, there’s a new name in the quarters.  Dunloy will play for a place in the semi’s for the first time since the inception of this current format.  Winners of the Volunteer Cup in five of the last seven years, they travel on Sunday to Loughgiel as huge favourites against Ballycastle while Naomh Éanna and St John’s kick proceedings off on Saturday.  The Whiterock Road men will start that one as favourites but there’s something stirring in Glengormley and maybe this is the year they make the step to the last four?

Being billed as the Battle of the Saints, the Hightown Road men and St John’s will play for the right to face Cushendall.  Naomh Éanna put in a battling performance against Loughgiel while snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat against Ballycastle.  They’ll go in as underdogs against a Johnnies side who performed superbly against their arch rivals Rossa the last day out.  They had eight points to spare over their Belast rivals, thanks largely to a strong finish and the sharpshooting of Shea Shannon, Conor Johnston and a first half goal from Stephen Tierney.  With Oisin Donnelly, Michail Dudley and Michael Bradley finding their starting places in the 15 and returning from injury, Mickey Johnston’s men could be timing their run to navigate the championship waters. 

Naomh Éanna trailed by just three points at half time against the Shamrocks and had the wind at their back for the second half but goals from All-Star nominated James McNaughton put daylight between the sides.  They needed an injury time score from county star Niall O’Connor to rescue a draw against Ballycastle but they’ll relish the opportunity that knockout hurling brings.  They are a team that has garnered a plethora of experience at this level now and with the sharpshooting of Cormac Jennings, Luke and Niall O’Connor and with the versatility of Joe Maskey, they’ll give the Johnnies their fill of it.

Ballycastle and Dunloy for some will seem like a forgone conclusion.  The Cuchullains will start as heavy favourites, despite their dual efforts in the last week.  Paddy Power having them as short as 1/14 while the Town are 7/1 to cause a massive shock.

Ballycastle put in a strong, defensive performance against Loughgiel last time out but looked toothless in attack.  Their defence was set up well with strong organisation but they made no impact at the other end of the pitch and you feel if they are going to get anthing out of this one, they’re going to need more than just the reliance of Tiarnan Smyth’s frees.

Having played for the footballers in their defeat to St Brigid’s in the championship, Dunloy could welcome back Coby Cunning to their ranks for his first game in the championship.  They have injury concerns with Deaglan Smith who had to leave the field with what looked like a hamstring injury during the same game but other than that, they should have a full hand to pick from.

Having tasted a chastening defeat to Cushendall in the last group game, the Cuchullains will be eager to get back to winning ways.  This might well be a bad time to face Dunloy in the championship and the Town may feel the full wrath of their frustrations.

Prediction Time…

1/14 would make you think this one is over before it starts but in knockout hurling you just never know.  That being said, it’s extremely hard to make a case for Ballycastle coming up against Dunloy.  I expect the Cuchullains to win this one comfortably to set up a semi final with Loughgiel.

The other quarter final has banana skin written all over it for the Johnnies.  They are expected to make the last four and they get the nod from me to do so, but this could go down to the wire if the Corrigan Park men don’t show the form they did against Rossa in their last group games.

To continue the Foo Fighters theme, for two of these teams there will be No Way Back but there’s nothing like knockout hurling to bring out The Best Of You. For Ballycastle Stranger Things Have Happened but the trip to Loughgiel could be the Long Road to Ruin.  While Naomh Éanna continue to rocket at the senior hurling ranks and continue to Learn to Fly, but St John’s have been The Pretender for a number of years now and should make the last four.

by thesaffrongael

Cuchullain Camogs take Shield honours

U16 ‘A’ Camogie Shield Final

Dunloy 3-12 St Pauls 3-5

Friday 20 September

Brendan McTaggart reports from Fr McGuigan Park, Ahoghill

Dunloy saw off the spirited challenge of St Paul’s under the floodlights of Fr McGuigan Park, Ahoghill on Friday evening to earn the Shield honours.  They had seven points to spare on the night, in truth this contest was a lot closer than the score line would suggest, the Cuchullains were just the little more clinical in front of the target when it counted.

It was a captains performance from Erin McMullan as she top scored for her side with 2-4 over the hour while the midfield duo of Adria McAllister and Mggie Kearns chipped in with five points between them.  The centre-field pairing were excellent throughout with their workrate and energy in the middle third always giving the Cuchullains an outlet.  Defensively, Brid O’Kane and Carly McNamee were excellent with Mya McKinley putting in a strong performance between the sticks.

St Paul’s were reliant on the talents of Amy Gault for scores, the midfielder would finish with 1-4 by the time the final whistle came and was a constant attacking threat for her side.  She was ably assisted by Aoife O’Hare who showed lightning pace throughout while Aoibhinn McDonnell was always a threat.  Orla Munce led the St Paul’s defence while Róise Stevenson was excellent on the edge of the St Paul’s square but it was the more economical play and ability of the Cuchullains to convert chances that was the difference between the sides.

The Cuchullains got off to a dream start with Caoilfhionn McShane scoring a goal inside the opening 20 seconds and when Erin McMullan converted a free soon after, it looked like it would be all one-way traffic.  St Paul’s soon settled however and in that opening 10 minutes, they had serious pressure on the Dunloy defence.  Aoife O’Hare managed to kick the sliotar to the back of the net in the fifth minute and it was just reward for their efforts. 

With just two between the sides, the second Dunloy major came in the 19th minute.  Standing over a free, fully 30 yards on the angle, Erin McMullan managed to find the back of the St Paul’s net to open some daylight between the sides.  Dunloy would keep the Shaws Road side scoreless in the last quarter of the first half while adding on further points from Adria McAllister and a brace of points from Maggie Kearns to leave the half time score 2-8 to 1-3 in favour of the Cuchullains.

Much like the first half, Dunloy opened the scoring with a major.  Erin McMullan finding the back of the net from range but St Paul’s showed plenty of character to respond with their second goal.  Munce delivering a long free to the heart of the Dunloy defence where Gault caught the sliotar in the air.  She turned and made a yard of space and despite being fully 25 yards from goal, managed to fire the sliotar high to the back of the net.

Dunloy responded with points from Erin McMullan (free) and Keeva McFerran but St Paul’s responded yet again with another major.  Aoife O’Hare this time turning provider with a strong, direct run at the Dunloy defence and finding Amy Heaney in space.  She made no mistake with her effort to leave six between the sides with 20 minutes remaining.

St Paul’s had plenty of momentum over the next ten minutes but struggled for accuracy with a series of wides hurting their challenge.  Erin McMullan managed to split the posts with a free to leave seven between the sides while Keeva McFerran was denied a goal by a brilliant double save from Roisin Brady.

Both sides added scores with Gault for St Pauls and Keeva McFerran for the Cuchullains as the north Antrim girls saw out the remaining time and never looked like letting this one slip.

TEAMS

Dunloy: Mya McKinley; Cliodhna O’Kane, Brid O’Kane, Ava Johnston; Lucy Cunning, Carly McNamee, Ciara McMullan; Adria McAllister, Maggie Kearns; Rebecca McGrath, Erin McMullan, Caoilfhionn McShane; Cliodhna Dillon, Keeve McFerran, Hannah Richmond

Subs: Sarah Doherty for H Richmond (43); Oliwia Czubinska for C Dillon (51)

Scorers: E McMullan 2-4 (1-3 f’s); C McShane 1-1; M Kearns 0-3 (1f); A McAllister 0-2; K McFerran 0-2

St Pauls: Aine Burns; Abigail Maguire, Róise Stevenson, Niamh Ní Duibhfinn; Deirbhille Killyleagh, Orla Munce, Roisin Brady; Amy Gault, Leila O’Rawe; Kayla McKee, Abaigh McNally, Aoife O’Hare; Niamh Curry, Aoibhinn McDonnell, Amy Heaney

Subs: A Gault 1-4 (4fs); A Heaney 1-1; A O’Hare 1-00

Referee: Ryan O’Reilly (Con Magees)

For more of Brendan’s photos from the Shield final click on the link below

https://myalbum.com/album/WR9kdGXUa6Drzr

by thesaffrongael

Individaul gongs for three men in Saffron

Many congratulations to Antrim players who have been honoured for their great displays throughout the season. On Wednesday All Saints Kavan Keenan was named on the Tailteaan Cup team of the year, the All Saints man catching the eye with some great defensive displays on the Antrim team who reached the semi-final before losing to Laois. Well done Kavan

Loughgiel’s James McNaughton
Kavan Keenan of All Saints, Ballymena
Paddy Burke of Ruairi Og, Cushendall

On Thursday the Saffrons had two nominations on the All Stars Hurling team with Paddy Burke of Ruairi Og Cushendall rewarded for some great defencive showings in the Leinster Hurling Championship and James McNaughton of Loughgiel Shamrocks nominated among the forwards.

Well done lads! Greatly deserved

by thesaffrongael

Shamrocks hold their nerve as they weather a late St. Gall’s storm for the Shield win

Antrim GAA Reserve Hurling Shield Loughgiel v St. Gall’s 18th September 2024

Loughgiel 3-14 St. Gall’s 0-16

Match report and photo album from Michael Corcoran at Dunsilly, Antrim

An immaculate Pitch 2 in Dunsilly with a crystal-clear sky provided 63 minutes of cliff hanging hurling and as many red cards as goals. Sporadic eruptions of short tempers were well diffused by mentors and officials so that the game could continue to provide supporters with the thrills and spills of tonight’s game.

Loughgiel would post a half time score five points ahead of St. Gall’s but it was by no means a comfortable margin as the Shamrocks covered an active St. Gall’s squad with the Shamrocks having only fourteen players after the first of three red cards in the game.

Both sides would go level half way through the second half and then as St. Gall’s took on water from two red cards, Loughgiel’s Odhran McGrath and Charley O’Hagan fired in two cannonballs to sink St. Gall’s hopes of closing the gap, despite an intense period from the Belfast squad in the last minute, making Loughgiel’s Mark Christie work hard to protect the Shamrocks’ bounty.

Match referee, Paul O’Neill, assisted by Mark O’Neill and Brendan Toland, got the Reserve Hurling Shield off promptly after St. Gall’s won the toss and opted to play towards the Antrim town end. Straight off the throw-in, St. Gall’s went on the attack and after floating a sliotar wide of the mark, returned again within the minute to post their first point of the evening and would make that two within two as Loughgiel’s Tony McCloskey foulded Cormac Sheehan. Owen Farrelly cruised the sliotar comfortably over Mark Christie’s bar before Loughgiel would reply from a free taken by Shay Casey.

Loughgiel’s Mark McFadden would build on Casey’s effort, air mailing in a free from the centre of the pitch, awarded by O’Neill as he spotted a St. Gall’s infringement on  McFadden as he attempted to make a run.

Casey made his second point from a free as Loughgiel’s Cahir McGrath was fouled, but St. Gall’s would come straight back to point from play as Gregory McGreevy levelled sides on 0-03 apiece.

For the next four minutes, four points would be traded, leveling out at five points apiece before Cahir McGrath offloaded to Shay Casey on the edge of the box, firing on the fifteenth minute for the first of Loughgiel’s goals.

Four more points would tally up on the scoreboard, as Loughgiel took three to St. Gall’s one, with only one of those coming from play in the eighteenth minute from Cahir McGrath, as Loughgiel opened up a small gap of five points. But as St. Gall’s Kieran McGourty took an illegal referee O’Neill had no hesitation in showing a straight red.

With six minutes left and one for injury, Loughgiel pulled a forward back to maintain formation in the back line and weathered a St. Gall’s torrent of activity for those seven minutes until O’Neill blew the short whistle for half time and a scoreline of Loughgiel 1-08 St. Gall’s 0-06.

The second half started well for St. Gall’s as they moved to take advantage of a weakened Shamrock squad for the most of twenty five minutes, levelling at 1-11 to 0-14 sixteen minutes in, but St. Gall’s would suffer a blow when they also lost a player to a red card for a foul on Loughgiel’s centre full back, Tony McCloskey.

Loughgiel were quick to seize the opportunity of equalisation and on the twenty sixth minute, Odhran McGrath would fire in a cannonball of a shot and as scores stood at Loughgiel 2-13 St. Gall’s 0-16, the Belfast men would suffer yet another blow another player was sent for an early shower after picking up a second yellow.

With the advantage sitting now with the Shamrocks, Charley O’Hagan would fire the sliotar deep into the top of Niall Burke’s net and despite St. Gall’s hopes of closing the gap standing at seven points, diminishing by the second, Loughgiel would have to weather a St. Gall’s storm as they went on the rampage around Mark Christie’s turf, with five goal chances and five rebukes until Paul O’Neill drew the match to a conclusion, ending Loughgiel 3-14 St. Gall’s 0-16, with the Shield going to Loughgiel.

North Antrim chairman Paddy Gray presents the Hurling Shield trophy to Loughgiel captain Cormac Watt after his team’s win over St Gall’s in Wednesday evening’s final at Dunsilly. Pic by Michael Corcoran

Loughgiel starting panel and scorers

Mark Christie, Cahir Connolly, Tony McCloskey, Cormac Watt, Conor Dallas, Aodhan McFadden, Patrick Bradley, Mark McFadden 0-06 (4f), Damien Quinn 0-01, Conor Gillan, Cahir McGrath, Patrick Laverty 0-03, Tomás McIntyre, Shay Casey 1-03, Danny McAuley, Odhran McGrath 1-01, Charley O’Hagan 1-0

St. Gall’s starting panel and scorers

Niall Burke, Michael McMullan, Sean Burke, Stephen McIlhatton, Oran McIlhatton, Ciaran McCaffery, Aodh Mullan 0-01, Conor Burke 0-02, Gregory McGreevy 0-02, Cormac Sheehan 0-01, Kieran McGourty, Owen Farrelly 0-08 (7f), 13 0-01, Christopher McCartney, 15, 21 0-01

Photos from this evening’s game can be found by clicking on the album link here…

https://myalbum.com/album/bTgSWof5pZbSEu/?invite=9943d620-6080-426e-ae86-1838e0c1d0f9

Don’t forget to enjoy all of our photos in the Saffron albums on a large screen such as a laptop or tablet. Click on a photo to see it larger, look at the album as either a photo book or web pages and you can order a copy online as a keep’s sake.

Follow Michael G Corcoran @keep_clickin on X (formerly Twitter) for match Gifs when available.

Follow The Saffron Gael @TheSaffronGael on X for links to match reports.

by thesaffrongael

Cushendall hold on under a harvest moon to reap their victory

Antrim GAA Senior Reserve Cup Final Loughgiel v Cushendall 17th Sept 24

Loughgiel 1-16 Cushendall 1-17

Match report and photos from Michael Corcoran in Quinn Park, All Saints GAA Club, Ballymena

A dazzling sun that dropped suddenly out of the sky made it difficult to distinguish between jerseys at one point in the game, complimented the fact that it was difficult to distinguish between the teams in tonight’s Reserve Cup final. Two halves of action-packed hurling gave supporters value for money as they lined both sides of Quinn Park, witnessing a classic toe to toe under a harvest moon.

It was the Ruairi’s that enjoyed spearheading the first half as they walked in with a two point lead, but the Shamrock’s would bounce back in the second half and with five minutes gone on the clock, took the lead for the second time in the game. Loughgiel held that position for the next ten minutes, then Cushendall would claw their way back up the scoreboard to win by the narrowest of margins, just one point.

Such was the interest in tonight’s game that the match was delayed by five minutes as we waited for an official to navigate the traffic up the Woodstock Road. Paul McSparran officiated tonight’s game and got the match underway, rolling away from the dugouts.

Cushendall would have the first opportunity to ledger a score from a free after only seconds on the clock, but Charlie McAuley would drift that wide playing towards the Slemish Park end. The Dall supporters would only be kept a minute before Stephen Walsh pointed after receiving a lobbed loose hand pass that wasn’t challenged. McAuley would drift another free wide of the mark but Dominic Delargy looked as though he was going to make amends as he struck the sliotar at close range into Loughgiel’s goal mouth. Goalkeeper Mark Christie would pull off a save that roused the Shamrock voices on the Quinn bank.

Loughgiel were defending well along the backline, despite the early pressure but a pushed sliotar wide at three and a half minutes, came with a penalty point as Joseph McNaughton cruised that over Christie’s bar.

Mark Christie’s puck out was in the process of being turned over but Loughgiel’s Odhran McFadden lunged to block the sliotar, managing to find Nicholas McNaughton for a high lobbed ball that probably was ball net bound, however the sliotar dropped viciously to fool goalkeeper Eoin Gillan for Loughgiel’s only goal in the game.

With some momentum building from the goal, the Shamrocks would tag on another two points from Nicholas McNaughton as Cushendall were unable to convert a free by Joseph McNaughton. The Dall were patient though and when McSparran blew for a foul on Stephen Walsh, McNaughton made sure that would find the ball net to close Loughgiel’s lead by two points, and Cushendall’s Sean McAfee would find Loughgiel’s net only minutes later and the Dall’s deficit was now a one point lead.

Now it was Cushendall’s turn to enjoy some momentum off the goal, as they ran up four points from Sean McAfee, Joseph McNaughton, Dominic Delargy and Paddy McGill, before Loughgiel’s Nicholas McNaughton went to ground, managing though to offload to Maol Connolly for a rescued point.

The pace of the game had by now throttled back a degree and with eight points amassed between sides over the final twelve minutes of the first half, almost on a point by point basis, it would be Loughgiel’s Conor O’Mullan that would raise the exception to the rule as he made a bee line to Eoin Gillan’s goal. A combination of a closing Alex Delargy with a possible hook and a brave body deflection from Gillan would deny O’Mullan his goal chance from very close quarters.

As McSparran blew for half time, the scoreboard illuminated the shadowy corner of the pitch Loughgiel 1-08 Cushendall 1-10.

The autumnal evening closed in quickly for the start of the second half, and All Saints obliged with switching on the floodlights as supporters lined up for warm drinks in the chilling air.

As the second half got underway, Loughgiel would be troubling Eoin Gillan with less than a minute gone, but the Ruairi had the better of the sliotar and Loughgiel would have to wait until Ben McGarry found the ball net minutes later.

Cushendall’s Joe McNaughton replied almost straightaway then Loughgiel would snatch the lead by just the one point as Odhran McFadden, Darragh Patterson and Eoin McGarry pointed from narrow angles. Cushendall’s Joe McNaughton would bring the sides all level as he fired over a foul that was advanced by ten metres as a small Loughgiel contingent protested the decision.

Loughgiel’s Eoin McGarry was making advances into close quarter scoring territory and a worried Dall group of supporters erupted in praise as Cushendall’s Senan Black blocked the Shamrocks’ incoming missile.

Loughgiel would raise their Cup hopes more as Donal McKinley flicked the sliotar back to a running Maol Connolly, who wasted no time in getting the sliotar safely over Gillan’s bar and with thirteen gone on the clock, Loughgiel’s Seamus Dobbin widened the gap by two as he too pointed over Gillan’s bar. But there still wasn’t daylight between the sides as the Dall’s Alex Delargy pointed from a sumptuous soft ball brought down from a towering Gillan puck out by Paddy McGill.

The Shamrocks would reply from a free taken by Nicholas McNaughton as McSparran blew for a body check on a dangerously advancing Roan McGarry. With fifteen minutes elapsed in the second half, Cushendall would enjoy a run of three frees from Joe McNaughton to take the lead by a point. Loughgiel however would level the match with a fine point from Roan McGarry stemming from a sideline cut pass, near to the scoreboard.

Cushendall’s Joe McNaughton would now offer the Dall a one point lead from a free with twenty eight minutes gone as McSparran disagreed with Loughgiel’s Seamus Dobbin as Dobbin tripped over a sprawling Sean McAfee, McAfee having gone down as he slipped on his turn.

Despite it not being readily easy to calculate the remaining time from the scoreboard, the Shamrock’s sensed the sands of time coming to an end and threw everything, bar the literal kitchen sink at Cushendall. Maol Connolly looked to secure at least a point if not a goal before being blocked, a nearby sideline cut by Loughgiel fizzled into nothing and a sure-fire goal attempt by Tiago McGarry as he set himself free from his marker, shaved the far post near the scoreboard and even a waiting Pearce Patterson wasn’t able to deflect the scorching sliotar into the goals. Having played close to three minutes of extra time, McSparran drew tonight’s Reserve Hurling Cup to an end, leaving the Tullyglass/Hassan scoreboard to announce into the darkened evening Loughgiel 1-16 Cushendall 1-17.

Loughgiel starting panel and scorers

Mark Christie, Connor Dickson, Daniel McPeake, Ciaran McKay, Damien Quinn, Ben McGarry 0-01, Tiago McGarry, Eoin McGarry 0-01, Ryan McKee, Nicholas McNaughton 1-07 (1f, 2×65), Darragh Patterson 0-01, Odhran McFadden 0-01, Conor O’Mullan, Maol Connolly 0-02, Donal McKinley 0-01, Roan McGarry 0-01, Seamus Dobbin 0-01

Cushendall Starting panel and scorers

Eoin Gillan, Michael Quinn, Daire Mort, Charlie McAuley, Padraig McKillop, Stephen Walsh 0-01, Ruairi McCollam, Alex Delargy 0-01, Austin Birt, Andrew Delargy, Sean McAfee1-01, Joseph McNaughton 0-11 (7f, 1×65), Ciaran Neeson, Dominic Delargy 0-01, Paddy McGill 0-02

Photos from this evening’s game can be found by clicking on the album link here…

https://myalbum.com/album/9KWf4rCjRqSSPs/?invite=7a3fb67c-698f-4182-a70b-dbf73cb8bb43

Don’t forget to enjoy all of our photos in the Saffron albums on a large screen such as a laptop or tablet. Click on a photo to see it larger, look at the album as either a photo book or web pages and you can order a copy online as a keep’s sake.

Follow Michael G Corcoran @keep_clickin on X (formerly Twitter) for match Gifs when available.

Follow The Saffron Gael @TheSaffronGael on X for links to match reports.