Back row. Left to right. Frank Fitzsimmons, Pat O’connor, Chris Murphy, Gerry MCConville, Dominic Mc Enhill, Paul McErlean, Enda McAtamney, Aidan Donnelly. Front Row L to R Donal Armstrong, Locky McCurdy, Ciaran Hamill, Andy Healy, Joe Kennedy, Sean McKenna, Lenny Harbinson
Pics an report by County Camogie PRO Michael Corcoran
Under a cloudy cool January morning, Armagh obliged Antrim in their first match onto the grass, forming part of their preparations for a new All Ireland campaign. Ahoghill’s turf presented well considering the time of year and the recent weather and no doubt helped in sustaining a pacy physical encounter between two teams impatient for a game on grass.
Antrim, wearing their green kit, took the small element of wind on their back in the first half, playing back towards the clubhouse. As a challenge game, effort and focus was placed on translating the winter programme into play though a goal followed with persistence from Antrim within the first five minutes from a high dropping ball and Armagh were shaping up to finish the first half with two goals on the board until a thirty first minute goal from Antrim evened up the scoreline with Antrim adding two points, one from play and a free to welcome the half time whistle Antrim 2-02 Armagh 2-0.
Despite a slight wind advantage in the second half, Armagh were unable to prevent another early goal from Antrim and with two points on top, Armagh replied with two of their own to keep the match within reach, though an Antrim twenty sixth minute overhead sliotar tapped in at close range left Armagh’s keeper no chance of the save. Armagh would though, take the last score of the day with a point from an incredible narrow angle coming in from the right-hand side of the pitch.
You can view photos from today’s game in our album by clicking on the following link…
Feastured Image: Mickey Devlin new Antrim senior ladies manager
As Antrim Ladies Footballers kick off their National League Division 4 campaign this weekend with an away trip to Kilkenny, the Saffron Gael speaks to their new joint manager, Mickey Devlin.
Saffron Gael: Mickey you have been appointed as new Antrim Ladies manager. Tell me a bit about your previous experience in management and how your appointment with Antrim came about?
Mickey Devlin: My-self and Chris Scullion were appointed joint managers back in October. I have been managing senior men and senior ladies teams for the past 25 years both in Antrim and Armagh. I have been lucky enough to have won club championships in both codes, the most recent one was with my own club Glena where along with Chris and Neil Markey we won the ladies intermediate championship and agonisingly lost the Ulster final in extra time. We are only 7 weeks into the job and of course we have our own vision and plan, but like everything in life you have to lay a foundation, enjoyment, togetherness and belief are part of the foundation, developing the players to a top standard and creating a pathway with our minors as well are key.
Saffron Gael: Who are your backroom staff for the coming season?
Mickey D: Backroom staff is Shane O’Neill our goalkeeping coach from aldergrove, Sean Duggan originally from Tipperary is our physic, current St John’s and Down hurler Oisin Mc Manus is sports psychologist, Michaela Monaghan from Glenavy is our statistician and she does an unbelievable job,
Neil Markey is one of our leading coaches and comes to us with great experience, Tierna Kennedy is our female liaison officer and Colette Ward is team administrator along with anything else that needs doing and she works tirelessly within this group. Chris and myself coach and manage the team.
Though to be honest we all chip in and do what needs done.
Chris Scullion joint senior managerCollete Ward
Saffron Gael: Tell me about this year’s panel. Who have left from last year and who are the new players coming in and what you think they will bring to the panel?
Mickey D: This is a new panel based solely on the girls that came to the trials. We have 36 in our panel which we picked from the 58 who attended the trials. As regarding last year we asked no questions on that as this is a different year and a completely new approach for a new Antrim.
Listen every panel has some great players. Experienced players like Theresa Mellon, Sarah and Maria O’Neill, Maeve Mulholland, Duane Coleman and Aoife Kelly will always bring quality to any group.
The likes of Nicole Jones and a few of our younger players like Carla McKenna Luisne Adams, Aine Kelly, Blaithin Ni Cahill and one of our minors Aiobheann Monaghan certainly bring added quality to the group.
Our captain Bronagh Devlin from Moneyglass is an exceptional talent and always leads from the front and works tirelessly at every aspect of her game but is also always encouraging everyone else and giving encouragement to all the other girls. She has unbelievable leadership qualities.
She is assisted by Ana Mulholland and Ciara Brown who are vice captains and both these girls like Bronagh play with their heart on their sleeve and this filters right through the group.
Saffron Gael: You travel to Kilkenny this weekend for the opening game in division 4. What do you know about Kilkenny and how do you see this one going?
Mickey D: what we know about Kilkenny we will keep to ourselves at this stage but obviously like them we will be looking to get off to a good start. The hungrier team on the day and the team that makes the least mistakes plus the team that takes their scoring chances will come out on top.
Antrim captain, Bronagh Devlin
Saffron Gael: Antrim were relegated from division 3 last year following a couple of very successful years. I assume the priority will be getting out of division 4 this season?
Mickey D: As I said earlier we are in our infancy and at the minute are working on creating a group that enjoy playing for the flagship team in Antrim ladies football. Again we are in the process of building a foundation so over the course of the national league we will see where things take us. It’s important that our full group get experience of playing in this league and enjoy every minute of being part of it.
Just to sum things up this group are all working hard to develop as individuals and as a group in order to take Antrim senior ladies to where we would all aspire to be. They give up so much of their time for their county and are all really looking forward to Sunday and wearing the Saffron jersey with pride.
We at the Saffron Gael wish Mickey Devlin and his Antrim team all the best as they begin their National League campaign away to Kilkenny this weekend and we hope to bring you a report and photographs from the game.
St Patrick’s Rasharkin completed an impressive double when they claimed the Allianz Ireland Cumann na mbunscoil indoor hurling title in Antrim Forum. The Rasharkin lads lifted the football title earlier in the year and were impressive throughout the day to claim another trophy.
10 schools were present at the indoor competition, giving an initial two groups of five.
Group 1 consisted of Mount St Michaels Randalstown, St Mary’s Portglenone, St Colmcille’s Ballymena, St Oliver Plunkett’s Toome and St Joseph’s Crumlin.
Group 2 comprised St Patrick’s Rasharkin, St Brigid’s Ballymena, Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel, Moneynick PS and Millquarter PS.
The top three in each group qualified for the cup and bottom two for the shield, the eventual finalists of the cup, Mount St Michael’s and St Patrick’s came through their groups with 100% records. They were given titanic battles in the semi-finals with both coming through extremely tight games to overcome Mary Queen of Peace and St Brigid’s respectively.
The final saw St Patrick’s race into a 3 goal lead only to be pegged back by 2 Mount St Michael’s efforts leading to a tense few minutes. The Rasharkin boys held firm however to continue what has been an extremely successful year for them.
The shield also saw a very tight final between St Oliver Plunkett’s and Moneynick with extra time and penalties required before the Toome School emerged victorious.
A big congratulations to both schools and indeed all the boys who took part in a great days hurling.
The famous Sam Maguire, the most iconic trophy in Gaelic Football will be making an appearance in Glenravel this coming Sunday. The visit comes courtesy of a connection between the victorious Armagh team and the Con Magees club. Ciaran Higgins, who played for the Orchard county in the group stages of the 2024 championship and was a substitute in the All-Ireland final, is the son of former Glenravel player Paul Higgins. Paul who now resides on the lough shore in Maghery is still a member of Con Magees club and remains a loyal supporter.
Ciaran Higgins is actually the third son of a Glenravel man to be part of an All Ireland winning team. There have been a couple of other connections with the famous trophy down the years, dating as far back as 1934 when Hugo Carey, son of Henry J Carey of Rathkenny, played at corner back on the Galway team who beat Dublin in the All Ireland final.
Ciaran Higgins lifts the Sam Maguire on the steps of the Hogan Stand after Armagh’s win over Galway Ciaran Higgins with his parents Pats Ann and Paul after the win over Galway
When Down made the famous breakthrough by beating the mighty Kingdom in the 1960 All Ireland final Jarlath Carey, son of Paddy Carey and Bella O’Loan, both from Glenravel, lined out at midfield and he was there again in the middle of the park the following year when the Mourne men beat Offaly before a crowd of 90,556, the biggest ever attendance at an All Ireland final.
Sam Maguire has visited the ‘tenth glen’ a few times over the years. In 1981 Mick O’Dwyer brought Sam and the great Kerry team north and spent a weekend in Glenravel. It was there again in the early nineties courtesy of Ross Carr of Down. and then in 2003 when Tyrone won their first All-Ireland the Sam Maguire made its way to the club and the local schools. So 22 years since its last appearance, the people of Glenravel will once again welcome Sam. To mark the occasion the Con Magees club are hosting a coffee morning this Sunday 19th January from 10am to 1pm. All locals and those further afield are welcome to attend and will have an opportunity to get their hands on arguably the most famous trophy in Irish sport.
Hugo Carey (left) who was corner-back on the Galway team who beat Dublin in the 1934 All Ireland final. Hugo is seen here with his father Henry, mother Margaret and brothers Joe and PádraicJarlath Carey who won All Ireland medals with Down in 1960 and ’61
Entry is by voluntary donation with proceeds going towards equipment for the next generation of budding GAA stars at FUNdamentals and Con Ógs Nursery.
