Month / June 2025

by thesaffrongael

Joes point ‘Dall to Feis Final

Senior Hurling Feis Cup – Semi Final

Dunloy 0-23 Cushendall 1-22

Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy

Cushendall recorded a two point victory over Dunloy on Tuesday evening to book their place in this years Feis final.  In a game that saw both sides play excellent hurling, it was the two Joes who paved the way for the Ruairi’s with Joseph McNaughton and Joseph McLaughlin doing the lions share of the scoring for Cushendall. 

McNaughton would finish the hour with an impressive tally of nine white flags and just two of those coming from placed ball while McLaughlin split the uprights on six occasions.

Francis McCurry’s goal proved to be the decisive score of the game, coming 11 minutes from time and under fortuitous circumstances but that mattered little on the scoreboard.

Seaan Elliott was exceptional for the home side and finished the game with 13 points beside his name, eight of those from placed ball while Tom McFerran continued his fine form this season by adding five points but the Cuchullains rarely looked like scoring the goal that would swing the momentum in their favour at the death.

The first half was largely an even contest that the visitors to Pearse Park edged 0-10 to 0-9.  Cushendall did have goal chances throughout the opening 30 minutes with Ed McQuillan and Fiontan Bradley both going close but for some outstanding defending from Phelim Duffin and Paul Shiels, the Ruairi’s would have had a goal early doors.

Dunloy had a couple of half chances themselves with Tom McFerran electing for a point at a time when he had plenty of grass to run into while Aodhan McGarry’s effort from an acute angle was well saved by Gillan in the Cushendall goals.

Cushendall did seem much sharper throughout the first half with their half forward line and middle third in general creating space for puck-outs coming from Eoin Gillan as Dunloy struggled to make an impact on the Cushendall restarts.

Neither side was exactly prolific in front of the target, 19 wides shared between them with the home side reaching double figures will be something both sets of management will be hoping is an off-day rather than the standard.

The Cuchullians started the second half brightly with Seaan Elliott moving to the inside forward line to give them a greater attacking threat.  They opened a two point lead going into the final quarter with Seaan Elliott firing over four of their five scores of the third quarter while the Joe’s were keeping the ‘Dall ticking at the other end of the pitch.

The home side had a glimmer of the Cushendall goal in the 45th minute when Ciaran Elliott broke free from the middle third and had his eyes set on goal but the Cushendall defence did enough to put the Dunloy midfielder off his stride and his shot was well saved by Gillan.

Trailing by one point going down the stretch, Cushendall got the only goal of the game in the 49th minutes.  When McCurry gathered the sliotar close to the half way line, he took aim at the target and with his effort dropping short, it looked like a scoring chance had gone.  Dunloy ‘keeper Ryan Elliott misjudged the flight of the sliotar however and it nestled into the back of the net.

Aodhan McGarry responded with his second point of the game to leave the minimum between the sides but Cushendall were always able to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Dunloy had a half chance of goal when substitute Gabriel McTaggart looked to latch on to a dropping sliotar that came back off the upright but he couldn’t connect cleanly when under pressure from Paddy Burke.

A brace of points from Joseph McNaughton stretched the Ruairi’s advantage to four points with a little over five minutes of the game remaining and while the home side finished strongly with Tom and Luke McFerran finding their range along with Keelan Molloy, scores from McQuillan, McCurry and Joseph McLaughlin ensured the Ruairi’s would advance to the final by the time referee Mark O’Neill called time.

TEAMS

DUNLOY: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn; Keelan Molloy, Paul Shiels, Eamon Smyth; Kevin Molloy, Ciaran Elliott; Seaan Elliott, Nicky McKeague, Tom McFerran; Luke McFerran, Aodhan McGarry, Ryan Mort

Subs: Conor Kinsella for P Shiels (41); Gabriel McTaggart for C Elliott (50)

Scorers: S Elliott 0-13 (8fs 1’65); T McFerran 0-5; A McGarry 0-2; Keelan Molloy 0-2 (1f); L McFerran 0-1

CUSHENDALL: Eoin Gillan; Charlie McAuley, Paddy Burke, Martin Burke; Austin Birt, Eoghan Campbell, Ryan McCambridge; Scott Walsh, Francis McCurry; Ed McQuillan, Joseph McNaughton, Thomas McNaughton; Ciaran Neeson, Joseph McNaughton, Fiontan Bradley

Subs: Dominic Delargy for J McLaughlin (inj); Padraig McKillop for A Birt (inj)

Scorers: J McNaughton 0-9 (2fs); J McLaughlin 0-6 (4fs 1’65); F McCurry 1-1; E McQuillan 0-3; F Bradley 0-3

Referee: Mark O’Neill (Armoy)

TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

St Killian’s Clinch Year 8 A Shield in Thrilling Ulster Camogie Finale

PICS BY CLAIRE FAWL PHOTOGRAPHY

Ballycastle, Thursday — The curtain came down on the Ulster Post Primary Camogie season with a thrilling conclusion at McQuillan’s GAA grounds, as three North Antrim schools battled it out for the coveted Year 8 A Shield.

Now in its second year, the competition saw CPC, St Killian’s, and St Louis face off after St Patrick’s Maghera and St Mary’s Magherafelt advanced to the Cup Final. With CPC narrowly missing out on a Cup Final berth, they entered the Shield contest as strong favourites.

The day began with a tightly contested opener between St Killian’s and St Louis, with St Killian’s edging a narrow victory. That result meant St Louis needed a convincing win over CPC to stay in contention—but CPC proved too strong, securing a comfortable win.

However, CPC’s momentum was halted in their next match, falling to St Killian’s and setting up a semi-final rematch between CPC and St Louis. In a nail-biting encounter, St Louis emerged victorious by the slimmest of margins, booking their place in the final alongside St Killian’s.

The final proved to be a fitting climax to a day of high-quality camogie. With the game hanging in the balance, St Killian’s struck a dramatic last-minute goal to seal the win and lift the Year 8 A Shield.

The event was hailed as a celebration of skill, sportsmanship, and school spirit. Úna Kelly, teacher at CPC and Chair of Antrim Camogie, praised the players and encouraged them to stay active over the summer:

“It was a wonderful day of camogie, and the standard of play was exceptional. I’d encourage all the girls to keep working hard with their clubs over the holidays and return in September stronger and fitter for the Year 9 Antrim Schools’ Cup, organised by Gaelfast.”

As the season wraps up, the future of camogie in North Antrim looks bright, with young talent already making their mark on the pitch.

TO SEE MORE PICS BY CLAIRE FAWL FROM THIS EVENT CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Na Magha of Derry win the Regional Feile in Glenravel

Na Magha of Derry won the Regional Feile at Fr Maginn Park on Saturday beating the hosts, Con Magees in the final at the end of a great days completion. Seven of the teams who took part were from Ulster, while London made up the eight. The teams were Shane O’Neill’s of GLenarm, who reached the Cup semi-final, Cuchullains Armagh, Patrick Rankins of Down, Lisbellaw of Fermanagh and Tullach Og of Tyrone

Cuchullains Armagh who won the Shield final

Con Magees beat the London in their first game, but Na Magha proved too strong for the hosts in the second game out. However they went on to win their other two games to qualify for a semi-final with north Antrim rivals Glenarm Shane O’Neill’s. In a great contest the home team prevailed but the Derry side Na Magha again held all the aces. There was hope at half time as the gap was just a single point (Na Magha 0-02 Con Magees 0-01) but after the change of ends Na Magha turned on the style to grab the honours.

Host club Con Magees, Glenravel

In the Shield final Cuchullains of Armagh, who had actually beaten overall winners Na Magha in the group stages, had too much power for London.

A lot of praise must go to the Glenravel club for the fantastic way they hosted the event.

Overall it was a great day and while Con Magees were disappointed to be beaten, nobody can deny the Derry champions who were very worthy winners.  

Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM A GREAT DAY’S HURLING CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Reeling Back The Years – Saints Return To Hugomont

As the All Saints club continue celebrating their 50th anniversary the latest in a series of events to mark the significant year took place on Sat 21st June.

As many Antrim clubs will no doubt be aware from their own experience establishing a GAA club usually begins with the sourcing of a place to play. In an age before council facilities, grant allocations and 3g pitches the inaugural All Saints club executive approached the local parish priest for permission to use the old parish field located at Hugomont. Once granted, the industrious early committee set about transforming the patch of land to enable training and the playing of games to take place. The site, now home to St. Brigid’s Primary School, was the headquarters of the Ballymena club from its foundation in 1975 through to the development of and opening of their Woodside Road facilities in 1985. A remarkable feat in itself – accomplished in just 10 years.

Featured Image: Founder member and former secretary, Seamus Crummey and present chairman, Jim Brady unveil the plaque to commemorate the former All Saints pitch at Hugomunt and, above the plaque depicting some of the history of the club through those formative years

To say the facilities at Hugomont were primitive would maybe constitute an understatement however the stories and tales associated with the club’s time there tell a different story. Waterlogged land, potholed lanes, electricity cables overhead and a pitch that had a dip that could obscure your view of your fellow players depending on what position you were playing are quickly forgotten when the rose tinted glasses are worn. Tales of great pitch battles, of short cuts through Deramore’s back gardens, of astonished opposition teams and of sports days to rival the Olympics flow from all who experienced the old pitch at Hugomont.

Club members and children who took part in the games that preceded the unveiling of the plaque at St. Brigid’s on Saturday
To commemorate their first decade of existence a day of Gaelic games took place at the original site. Billed as the Return to Hugomont and using the St. Brigid’s PS pitch the club’s players from FUNdamentals to U12 across displayed their skills across all 4 codes for parents and friends.

The on-field activity was a forerunner to the main event of the day which saw the unveiling of a commemorative plaque to mark the historical link. Seamus Crummey, one of several founding members in attendance, performed the unveiling honours and shared his memories of the Hugomont Years with the assembled members and guests.

TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE HUGOMONT PLAQUE UNVEILING CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Cross and Passion Mageean and Paddy Buggy Cup Celebration Dinner

Cross and Passion held a celebration dinner at the Marine Hotel, celebrating the outstanding achievements of their senior hurlers. This years Mageean Cup and Paddy Buggy All Ireland winners came together for an evening of celebration hosted by head of PE Oran Kearney.

The night took the opportunity to look back on the crop of players journey through CPC winning multiple titles on the way to the holy grail of the All – Ireland Paddy Buggy Cup.

Slaughtneill and Derry dual star Brendan Rodgers who was guest of honour at the CPC Mageean Cup-Paddy Buggy Cup celebration dinner in the Marine Hotel

In attendance was special guest, Robert Emmets Slaughtneil and Derry dual all star, Brendan Rogers. Brendan spoke inspirationally to the CPC lads about his own school journey and how it helped him continue on to club and county success. CPC wish for this to inspire their pupils after their 7 year journey through the school.

The lads were all presented with their All Ireland and Mageean Cup medals as well as a new commemorative jersey in recognition of the schools fourth All Ireland success in the last 17 years.

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM A GREAT NIGHT’S CELEBRATION CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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