St. Louis secured a hard-fought victory over Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in Thursday’s Foresters Cup quarter final at Coleraine University.
Making good use of the strong diagonal wind in the first half the Ballymena school built up a commanding lead in by half time, and as things turned out they needed every point of it as the Dungiven side fought back to close the gap, but St Louis held on to seal a semi-final meeting with St Mary’s next week.
With wind advantage in the opening half St Louis had four points on the board through Eanna McGuckian, Joe Casey, Neil Rodgers and Dylan O’Boyle before Gaelcholáiste Dhoire got their first score through Emmet Óg Mac Íomhair in the seventh minute.
Eunan Curry, Joe Casey and Neill Rodgers tacked on points for the Ballymena boys, before Mac Íomhair got his team’s second point and their outstanding centre forward Dylan Ó hEireamhoinn added another but a great scoring burst by St Louis Eanna McGuckian, which yielded a goal and two point had St Louis eleven to the good at the interval.
Cónan Ó Giolláin and Kian Ó Ceallaigh started to close the gap for the Dungiven boys with well taken points before Eunan Molloy replied with one for St Louis. However Gaelcholáiste Dhoire were starting to find their range and they closed within seven by the end of the third quarter. A goal and a point by St Louis Eunan Molloy appeared to have settled it, and so it proved, but the Derry boys never gave up and a goal on 45 minutes by Dylan Ó hEireamhoinn gave them hope.
St Louis were finding it hard to get the scores by this stage and a scoring burst by Gaelcholáiste Dhoire,, which included a second goal from hEireamhoinn brought them to within a goal of St Louis at the final whistle.
St Louis: Cody McGarry, Joe McFadden, Cillian Scullion, Rory Blaney, Ollie McClements, Domhnall McKay, Jamie McMullan, James McGarry, Eunan Curry, Dylan O’Boyle, Neill Rodgers, Joe Casey, Eanna McGuckian, Conall Boyd, Euan Molloy
Gaelcholáiste: Kevan Mac an tSaoir, Aaronn Mag Uiginn, Dylan Ó Ceallaigh, Ailbhe Mac Con Midhe, Sean Mac Con Midhe, Emmet Óg Mac Íomhair, Cónan Ó Giolláin, Cormac Ó Catháin, Peadar Ó Ceallaigh, Ódhran Ó Cléirigh, Dylan Ó hEireamhoinn, Kian Ó Ceallaigh, Seán Paul Ó Ceallaigh, Aidan Ó Ceallaigh, PeadarPio Ó Duibhne
St Killian’s Garron Tower 1-15 St Patrick’s Maghera 3-8
St Killian’s held off a spirited second half comeback from St Pat’s Maghera to edge their way through to the semi-final of the Danske Bank Foresters Cup at UU Coleraine. The Tower boy appeared to be in charge when they turned around at half time leading by 1-10 to 0-3, after having the use of a strong diagonal wind. They were still in the driving seat when they held a six point lead with ten minutes left to play, but the Derry side hit were now dominating possession and when they drew level near the end the smart money would have been on St Pat’s to push on and book that semi-final place.
However St Killian’s steadied the ship and good work on the left wing sent Shane McQuillan off on a run and he sent over what turned out to be the winning point. There was still a lot of anxiety for the Tower supporters to endure and it took a good save from defender Dylan McNaughton and a fantastic score saving ‘hook’ by corner back Brian McNeill to keep the lead intact.
Three points in the early stages of the opening half, two of them from midfielder Cadhan Graham and a monster strike from his own half by Odhran Kerr had St Killian’s four clear by the eighth minute, before midfielder PJ Glover got St Pat’s first score on the board. Midway through the half Connlaodth McNaughton stretched the Tower’s lead to four again and four minutes later the north Antrim school got a great break when a high shot for a point by left half forward Charlie Black hung up on the wind, deceiving the St Pat’s keeper and ending in the net. Things got even better as McNaughton added three more points, to one from Maghera’s Owen O’Neill, to stretch their lead to ten by the time referee Owen Elliott blew the half time whistle.
Centre back Ultan McCloskey pulled a point back for St Pat’s with a fine long range strike within a minute of the restart, but Donacha Laverty and Cahir McCambridge got the next two for Garron Tower to put eleven clear by the the 37th minute.
St Pat’s were in deep trouble, but the got themselves back in contention when Owen O’Neill fired in a brilliant goal from 25 metres, and when McCloskey added two quick points the gap was down to six. The danger appeared to have been averted when St Killian’s came back with points from Laverty and McNaughton, but a goal from corner forward Sean O’Kane and a point from full forward Fionn Cartin brought St Pat’s right back into the game.
When St Killian’s full forward Cahir McCambridge stretched the lead to four with just three minutes of normal time left to play it looked like the game was safe for the north Antrim team, but Cartin pointed in the last minute and followed it up with his team’s third goal to bring his side level, and it took that late Shane McQuillan point to get a very relieved St Killian’s home through to a semi-final meeting with CPC
St Killian’s: Ben Duncan, Jake Laffan, Paddy Morgan, Brian McNeill, Odhrán Kerr, Dylan McNaughton, Cadhan Graham, Ronan Magee, Christopher Leech, Shane McQuillan, Connlaodth McNaughton, Charlie Black, Donncha Laverty, Cahir McCambridge, Conal óg Trainor
Subs:
St Patrick’s: Fionn Wallace, Dan McEldowney, Ultan McCloskey, Brennan O’Kane, Dara McKenna, Cathal McCloseky, Owen O’Neill, Lorcán McMullan, Seán O’Kane, Neil McDermott, Fintan Hardy, Charlie Bradley, Ryan Tohill, Fionn Cartin, Seán O’Hara.
Referee – Owen Elliott (All Saints)
To see more photos from the game click on the link below
Leitrim visit Corrigan Park on Saturday in Round 4 of the NFL Division 3. The visitors are pointless after three rounds of league fixtures while their hosts, Antrim have one win from three starts and both sides will be keen to get some points on board.
The Saffron Gael takes a look back at the meeting of Saturday’s opponents back in 2023 in the Tailteann Cup in Corrigan and later we will be previewing Saturday’s league meeting.
Tailteann Cup Round 1
Antrim 3-18 Leitrim 2-12 (May 14th 2023)
The Aghagallon Armada, Adam Loughran and Ruairi McCann combined to sink Leitrim in this opening game of the Tailteann Cup at Corrigan Park on Sunday. Loughran justified his selection in the Antrim starting line with two second half goals and in between his St. Mary’s colleague, McCann climbed to palm home another to put the home side in control.
Last year Antrim travelled to Carrick on Shannon in the first round of the Tailteann Cup and suffered defeat and it wasn’t looking too good for the Saffrons on Sunday as late replacement Barry McNulty rose to meet Keith Beirne’s dropping shot to palm home in the 3rd minute.
Adam Loughran replied with a point for Antrim and the Saffrons looked to be in for a goal but Marc Jordan’s shot was saved by Nevin O’Donnell.
Pearce Dolan replied for Andy Moran’s side but Antrim again came tantalisingly close to a goal when a great delivery from Loughran saw Aghagallon’s Ruairi McCann get a touch but the ball crept over.
Creggan’s Ruairi McCann, Conor Stewart and Michael Byrne (45) hit unanswered points as the Antrim charge gained momentum but Byrne was called into action to deny Beirne at close range and the Rossa clubman would make further vital stops later in the half from McNulty and then Darragh Rooney at point-blank range.
Antrim looked susceptible to conceding further goals at this stage as Leitrim were able to carve open the Antrim defence too easily and always had a reply to Antrim scores as Mark Plunkett and a brace from Rooney found the target with Dominic McEnhill keeping the score board ticking at the other end from frees.
The Saffrons were beginning to get on top however with Marc Jordan producing a number of defence splitting runs and they looked in for a goal when Aghagallon’s Ruairi McCann’s low shot was stopped on the line by O’Donnell in the Leitrim goals.
Dominic McEnhill, who scored 0-6 for Antrim challenges for possession
The visitors were still giving as good as they got with just a point separating the sides as half time approached after a superb score from Beirne but Ronan Boyle would finish a great Antrim move to send Antrim into a 0-10 to 1-05 lead at the interval.
The Saffrons stepped it up a notch on the restart with points from the impressive duo of Loughran and McEnhill, but were then caught again when Aidan Flynn’s inviting ball from the right to the back post saw Jack Heslin rise to fist home with Antrim keeper Michael Byrne hurt as the players challenged.
Byrne was able to resume after treatment and Antrim returned to the offensive with Ruairi McCann pointing, and although Leitrim replied with points it was Antrim who struck a decisive blow when Patrick Finnegan placed Adam Loughran who fired home.
Andy McEntee’s side were now playing with confidence and moving the ball around with conviction and Paddy McBride set up Ruairi McCann with an astute pass and the Aghagallon man palmed to the net.
The home side continued to press and struck with a third goal and again it was Loughran who was on the end of a good ball for McBride and he stepped inside to crash to the net to end any hope of a Leitrim comeback.
Adam Loughran was excellent for Antrim and finished with a personal total of 2-3
To their credit, the visitors kept going to the end with Paul Keaney kicking four when introduced, but they needed much more with Antrim out of sight and Patrtck McCormick became Antrim’s ninth name on the score sheet to complete an excellent start in the competition for Andy McEntee’s men.
The Meath man will be pleased by his side’s performance with Ronan Boyle, Adam Loughran and Dominic McEnhill all in the starting line-up and all three made telling contributions while Cathal Hynds and Cormac McGettigan saw game time and Dermot McAleese returned to the side after a lengthy injury.
Antrim: Michael Byrne (0-02, 1f, 1 45); Ronan Boyle (0-01), Peter Healy (0-01), James McAuley; Paddy McBride, Joseph Finnegan, Dermott McAleese; Jack Dowling, Conor Stewart (0-01); Patrick Finnegan, Adam Loughran (2-03), Ruairi McCann (0-01); Marc Jordan, Ruairi McCann (1-02), Dominic McEnhill (0-06, 5f)
Subs: Patrick McCormick (0-01) for J McAuley (27), Cathal Hynds for J Dowling (47), Pat Shivers for R McCann (Aghagallon, 66), Odhran Eastwood for P Finnegan (66), Cormac McGettigan for M Jordan (70+2)
Leitrim: Nevin O’Donnell; Paddy Maguire, Mark Diffley, Conor Farrell; James Rooney (0-01), Shane Quinn, Aiden Flynn; Pearce Dolan (0-01), Donal Wrynn; Darragh Rooney (0-03), Keith Beirne (0-01), Mark Plunkett (0-01); Jack Heslin (1-01), Barry McNulty (1-00), Domhnaill Flynn
Subs: Tom Prior for J Rooney (54), Oisin McLoughlin for K Beirne (54), Paul Keaney (0-04, 2f) for D Flynn (57), Cillian McGloin for C Farrell (62), Stephen McLoughlin for M Plunkett (70)
Our Lady & St. Patrick’s Knock, St. Malachy’s Belfast, St. Joseph’s Belfast and St. Louis Ballymena contest a very enjoyable Gaelfast Year 8 Football Cup at the Ballymena College’s excellent all weather facility on Wednesday.
The action got off to a great start with Our Lady & St. Patrick’s taking on St. Malachy’s in the first quarter-final with St. Malachy’s coming back strongly in the second half but the Antrim Road side were edged out by a couple of points.
St. Joseph’s BelfastSt. Louis Ballymena
The standard of football from both sides was right out of the top drawer and the game could have gone either way.
In the second semi-final hosts St. Louis had too much fire power and strength for a battling St. Joseph’s who fought hard all the way but had no answer to a high scoring Kintullagh outfit.
And so it was on to the final where again St. Louis looked the team to beat and despite a big effort from Our Lady & St. Patrick’s it was the Ballymena College who claimed the spoils to go forward to next week’s final against St. Mary’s CBGS at Dunsilly.
Our Lady & St. Patrick’s KnockSt. Malachy’s Belfast
TO VIEW FURTHER PICS FROM WEDNESDAY’S FOOTBALL CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
Mary Butler, who was laid to rest on Monday after Requiem Mass in St Mac Nissi’s RC Church Randalstown was the third ex Antrim All Ireland winning Camog to pass away in as recent weeks, following Maeve Gilroy an Margo Kane.
Mary Butler (nee McFall) top right and the other four St Mary’s Ahoghill player who won All Ireland medals
Mary, who was born Mary McFall in Cloney, Ahoghill, was one of a family of eight children, six girls and two boys. She started her Camogie career with the local St Mary’s club where she was joined by her sister Bridget, whose grandsons PJ and James O’Connell went on the play club and county hurling.
Mary was selected for the Antrim team in later years, winning an All Ireland medal in 1946 on the team that beat Galway in the final at MacCrory Park and two year later was a member of the Ahoghill team who won the Antrim county title.
A few months ago a member of the current Cork All Ireland winning team, Saoirse McCarthy, brought the O’Duffy Cup along when she and Mary’s granddaughter Charlene Campbell visited her in the Prospect Nursing Home in Ballymena.
Mary holding the Bridie McMenamin Shield after Ahoghill beat Lavey in the final in November 2019
Mary Buter’s love of Camogie (and hurling) endured long after her playing career ended and she was keen follower of her children and grandchildren who played the games, like the O’Connell’s for Cloney Gaels, the Hamills with Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm and her granddaughter Charlene who has had a great career with Ulster and Antrim champions Loughgiel Shamrocks and with Antrim. When her home club Ahoghill won the Bridie McMenamin Shield against Lavey in 2019 Mary was there cheering them on and joined in the celebrations afterwards.
When Mary’s body was carried from St McNissi’s Church on Monday to her final resting place, four members of the current Antrim Camogie team formed a guard of honour, a lovely touch, which was a nod back over almost 80 years to that day in MacCrory Park Belfast when Mary and her team-mates raised the O’Duffy Cup after the final win over Galway.
To Mary’s family, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren we offer our sincere condolences.
