Month / July 2025

by thesaffrongael

Bradley wins the shootout but Glenarm win the contest

U21B Hurling Semi-Final

Shane O’Neill’s 4-15 All Saints 1-17

Shane O’Neill’s, Glenarm are through to the final of the U21B Hurling Championship after an epic battle with All Saints, Ballymena at Feystown on Monday night.

The game turned into a personal scoring shootout between Glenarm’s county panellist, Niall McGarrell and All Saints Darrach Bradley who was superb for the Ballymena side.

Seven points separated the protagonists in the end but the scoreline slightly flattered the home side with three of their four goals of the soft variety and down to poor defending by the visitors defence.

It was McGarel who got Shane O’Neill’s off on the front foot when he fired past Luke Walsh in the All Saints goals after 20 seconds to give the Feystown side the perfect start.

Darrach Bradley got All Saints off the mark with a couple of pointed frees and the Ballymena number 9 would play a major part in his side’s challenge as he struck 0-9 of his side’s first half total to give them a 0-10 to 1-6 half time lead.

Darrach Bradley scored 1-14 for All Saints but still finished on the losing side in Feystown

Their other score came from a long distance Pearse Martin free as Shane O’Neill’s continued to keep in touch with McGael adding all six of his sides opening half points.

John Scullion became only the fourth player to raise a white flag as he fired over the equaliser on the restart with McGarel pointing his side ahead before the excellent Bradley tied matters once more from a ‘65’.

A great catch and point on the turn by Michael Connolly saw the Slemish Park side edge ahead once more but Glenarm were starting to get on top and John Scullion cut in from the left to fire home their second goal with 8 minutes gone.

The Feystown side continued to press and Niall McGarel 0-3 and Robbie McDonald added points with Bradley again responding for the visitors to leave three in it after 18 minutes play.

McGarel pointed again before disaster struck for the visitors as Gerald Burns got in for a very soft goal to put more daylight between the sides.

Points from Pearse Martin and another converted Bradley free had it back to six with five minutes remaining before disaster struck again and this time it was substitute, Ronan Rodgers who was on hand to punish a defensive mistake for his side’s fourth goal of the evening.

Niall McGarel added a point and Ryan O’Boyle followed with another to put it well out of All Saints reach but the Ballymena side kept going to the end and man of the match, Bradley drove his free through a packed goalmouth with McGarel concluding the scoring with the game’s final point.

Shane O’Neill’s will now meet Tir na nOg in the final and in the end they were worthy winners but All Saints will be disappointed by the final result but their management should take great pride in their commitment on the night and the quality of their hurling.

John Scullion gave a polished performance at the heart of the Shane O’Neill’s defence

Niall McGarrell was excellent for the Feystown side and began to influence the contest when they moved him further out the field in the second half and he finished with 1-12 of his side total while Darrach Bradley contributed 1-14 for the Slemish Park side.

Shane O’Neill’s: 1 Blaine Mitchell, 2 Odhran Daly. 3 Michael Furey, 4 Robbie McDonald, 5 Ciaran McLoughlin, 6 John Scullion, 7 James O’Kane, 8 Charlie Black, 9 Sean McDermott, 10 Charlie Ward, 11 Shea McConnell, 12 Ryan O’Boyle, 13 Niall McGarel, Gerald Burns, Niall Rodgers.

Subs: Ronan Rodgers for JamesO’Kane

All Saints: Luke Walsh, 2 Robert Crooks, 3 Paddy Murphy, 4 Finn Connon, 5 Harry Connon, 6 Pearse Martin, 7 Connor O’Hara, 8 Archie McGreevey, 9 Darrach Bradley, 10 Sean O’Brien, 11 Jakub Kaczmarek, 12 Tiernan McGurk, 13 Michael Connolly, 14 Daniel Kelly, 25 Antoin Martin

Referee: Fergus McAlister (Cushendall)

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by thesaffrongael

Con Magees prevail in close encounter

Antrim Junior Hurling Championship

Glenravel  3-21     St Brigids 1-19

Though these two teams battled in different leagues this season there was little to separate them in this close encounter at Fr Maginn Park in this JHC Group 1 game. St Brigid’s certainly displayed why they were worthy winners of Division 4 and have certainly nothing to fear in the division higher next season if they can keep this bunch of lads together. The visitors were the sharper team in a first half which they virtually led throughout with some fine first touch hurling and individual displays. None more so than corner forward James Kelly who notched up thirteen points across the hour from a mixture of frees and open play. Kelly was unerring from placed balls returning a 100% record to really punish the home side’s indiscretion. But Glenravel had greater strength in depth and really put the visitors to the sword in the second half to come away with both points. Was great to see recently married Declan Traynor take to the pitch in the second half. Married on Friday with celebrations continuing to Saturday evening Declan made himself available for the game. Luckily his wife Erin plays for the Club also so she is well aware of what GAA dedication is all about. The wedding events were attended by all the Glenravel players which might also explain a fairly lethargic opening period from them. We wish Declan and Erin many happy years together.

James Kelly got St Brigid’s off to the best possible start with two pointed frees in the first two minutes but that was cancelled out when Conleth O’Loan danced his way through the blue and white defence before delivering the sliothar to the net to nudge his team ahead. But the visitors were dominating possession and they rattled over four points without reply. Kelly providing three of them and Niall Duffy the other. That sparked a Con Magees revival as Sean McKay, Conleth O’Loan and Fergus Donaghy brought the home side back to parity. Up stepped Kelly once more with a pointed free and 65followed by a good point from Phelim Lennon with Glenravel’s only response coming once again from Fergus Donaghy, so with one quarter gone St Brigids led by two points 0-09 to 1-04. Over the following five minutes Conleth, Sean and Fergus would exchange points with Donnacha McGurk and Phelim Lennon (2) to maintain the two point gap. Glenravel enjoyed a short purple patch when in two minutes Sean McKay, Conor Duffin and Cormac McKeown put Glenravel back ahead by a single point  but with twenty three minutes gone Oisin McDonnell found the net for St Brigids and that was added to by points from Donnacha McGurk and Kelly . Glenravel responded through Fergus Donaghy and Conleth O’Loan (2) which left the home side trailing by a single point when referee Mark O’Neill called time on the first half.

We’ll never know what was said in the Glenravel changing room at half time but they came out a different side second half. Finlay Walker, on his first appearance of the season,  had the ball in the net after throw in and Conleth followed up with a point to put the home side ahead by three points, a lead they wouldn’t relinquish to the end of the game. A Sean McKay point was followed by two scores for James Kelly to reduce the gap to two but then a rasper of a shot from Conleth O’Loan  gave St Brigids keeper Brian McGurk no chance and put the home side ahead by five points. St Brigids battled on bravely and their top scorer James Kelly put over four more points as Glenravel tried to stay ahead with scores from Finlay Walker and Cormac McKeown (2) to leave Glenravel ahead by four points with as many minutes remaining. In this closing minutes though Finlay Walker (2), Nathan Unwin and Sean McKay all scored to put some gloss on the final score with Glenravel victorious 3-21 to 1-19.

by thesaffrongael

Armoy out in front in race for top spot 

Casement Social Club, Antrim Junior Hurling Championship Group 2 

Glen Rovers, Armoy 1-18-1-15 Lámh Dhearg 

Kevin Herron reports from Armoy 

After the excitment of the road races on Saturday afternoon, all attention turned to the opening round of the Antrim Junior Hurling Championship in the evening as last seasons runners-up Armoy hosted Lámh Dhearg in Group 2- with the hosts just doing enough to edge out the Hannahstown men in a game that toed and froed throughout the evening. 

Calum Fegan shot over the opener for the visitors, but Armoy resonded with successive Turlach McBride free’s before Daniel Murray restored parity in a busy opening to proceedings. 

Lámh Dhearg hit the front again when Gerard Smyth did enough to flick the ball over on the half turn and then Adam Murray doubled his sides advantage. 

The opening goal arrived after 10 minutes and it fell to Armoy when Joseph McFetridge’s close range flick on snuck in at the near post to give his side a 1-2-0-4 lead. 

In reply, Odran Waldron flashed a shot over and Adam Murray landed his first free of the evening to edge the Hannahstown natives ahead again. 

The sides were tied level for the fourth time when Emmet O’Hara dropped a shot over, and they would cancel each other out on two further occassions before the half was out. 

The Lámh’s opened up a three-point lead with Ryan Diamond popping over twice between a second converted Adam Murray free but Armoy hit three-points on the bounce in response. 

Ciaran McKenna grabbed the first, Ronan Lavelle charged forward from wing-half-back and showed composure and Turlach McBride converted his third free of the half. 

Points were traded between Murray (free) and PJ McBride as the sides looked to be heading in at the interval level, however Adam Murray clipped over his fifth of the half from a free as his side held a slender 0-11-1-7 advantage at the break. 

Armoy drew first blood and levelled through a Turlach McBride free six minutes after the restart. 

Murray replied from the same scenario before the hosts forged ahead for the second time in proceedings. 

Subsitute Trevor Linton didn’t take long to make his mark on proceedings with a fine attempt that dropped over and PJ McBride then doubled his account. 

Lámh Dhearg drew level after Fionn Mervyn soloed forward and popped over and Odran Waldron then shot his side infront again approaching the midway point in the second period. 

PJ McBride clipped over the leveller for his side before the hosts stole a march with Conor Christie landing a free and then adding a further from play to open up a 1-13-0-14 scoreline. 

On the 53rd minute the lead changed hands for the eighth time of the evening when Conor Devlin could only partially clear a high ball towards the target and Adam Murray did enough to fire the loose ball to the net and make it 1-14-1-13. 

Scores were traded in the aftermath between PJ McBride and Murray (free) but it was Armoy who held their nerve going down the home straight. 

Shane Devlin tied things up for the last time and a superb free from range by Conor Chrstie had his side in the driving seat. 

An error allowed PJ McBride in and he popped over his fifth score and Chrsitie added another free to seal a 1-18-1-15 win for last seasons runners-up as they bid to go one better this term. 

GLEN ROVERS, ARMOY: C Devlin, C Coyles, S Devlin (0-1), L Dillon, R Lavelle (0-1), T Burns, A Devlin, K McToal, C Christie (0-4, 0-3f), PJ McBride (0-5), E O’Hara (0-1), C McKenna (0-1), J McFetrdige (1-0), C Lordan, T McBride (0-4f). Subs: T Linton (0-1). 

LÁMH DHEARG: R Camlin, C Camlin, C Rafferty, T McKenna, E Stanley, P Mervyn, F Mervyn (0-1), D Martin, D Murray (0-1), O Waldron (0-2), R Diamond (0-2), A McGuigan, C Fegan (0-1), G Smyth (0-1), A Murray (1-7, 0-6f). 
REFEREE: Paul McSparron (CUSHENDUN)

by thesaffrongael

Strong first half set Oisins up for win in Cushenun

Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 1

Cushendun Emmet’s 0-20 Glenariffe Oisins 3-17

Three first half goals, two of them from Alex O’Boyle and one from Orrin O’Connor set Glenariffe Oisins up for a win over north Antrim neighbours Cushendun in Sunday evening’s Intermediate Hurling Championship opener at the Field of the Rigs  (CushLig an Airgid) in Cushendun. The three goals came in a five minutes spell and put the Oisins in control as they lead by 3-10 to 0-11 at half time.

The Emmets certainly weren’t out of it at this stage and when they hit the first four points of the second half the Oisins were beginning to look over their shoulders. Two well struck points from Alex O’Boyle in the 37th and 39th minutes stemmed the tide but three in a row from distance by ‘Loaf’ McNeill in the next ten minutes meant it was game on again.

With ten minutes still to play the gap was down to three points and the pressure was suddenly on the visitors once again, but a great strike from Brogan O’Connor, one from distance from Alex O’Boyle and a real beauty on the run from second half substitute Seanie McIntosh settled the Oisins nerves, and two more from O’Boyle frees sealed the victory.

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by thesaffrongael

McCaffrey on fire as Gort na Mona win at Quinn Park

Casement Social Club JHC Group 2

All Saints 0-16 Gort na Mona 1-23

Padraig McCaffrey was on fire as the greater experience and firepower of Gort na Mona was the deciding factor in this JHC Group 2 encounter against All Saints at Quinn Park on Sunday afternoon.

The home side started brightly with Eoin McGuigan and Darrach Bradley up front and it was these two who briefly fired All Saints into a 2-1 lead by the 4th minute, the Gort na Mona point coming from Padraig McCaffrey.

McCaffrey would have a major influence on proceedings over the hour and he brought it all square with his second of the contest from a 6th minute free and it seemed to settle the men from the Mona Bye-Pass.

Niall Henry, Darren Boyd, Dessie McLean and McCaffrey again extend the Gort na Mona lead to four by the 14th minute as they took control in the mid-field sector.

Ciaran Cassley looks back in despair as Padraig McCaffrey (Above featured image) finds a way passt him for the game’s only goal

Darrach Bradley reduced the deficit to three but Henry returned a misplaced clearance between the uprights to restore Gort na Mona’s four point advantage.

Padraig McCaffrey was ruling the roost at mid-field and he responded to an Eoin McGuigan point with two of his own and Niall Henry Darren ‘Diesel’ Boyd and Conor McCann moved them 8 clear with 23 minutes gone.

All Saints introduced Gary Miskella for Niall savage and Darrach Bradley converted two frees and struck an excellent point from range to close the gap to five as Piaras McCaffrey sounded his half-time whistle.

Cormac Magill replaced Daniel Kelly in the All Saints attack at the start of the second half and Paddy Murphy came in for Vinny Esler and they got off to a bright start when Pearse Martin pointed in the opening minute.

The visitors replied immediately through Ryan Cahill and a fine catch and point on the turn by Dessie McClean before Darren Boyd added another as they took control once more.

A young All Saints were battling hard but were not getting good ball into their potential danger man, Eoin McGuigan with passes being over hit.

Darrach Bradley pulled one back for the home side from a free and Padraig McCaffrey replied from another placed ball before Pearse Martin struck his second of the afternoon.

Martin’s point left ten between the sides and then Ciaran Cassley in the Ballymena goals pulled of a superb save to deny Darren Boyd with McCaffrey pointing the resulting ‘65’.

Padraig McCaffrey who top scored for Gort na Mona
Darrach Bradley who was in fine scoring form for All Saints

Padraig McCaffrey was giving an exhibition of free taking as he moved the visitors 8 ahead by the 10th minute with Cormac Magill replying with a point for All Saints.

It provided only short respite with Dessie McClean for the visitors and Darrach Bradley 0-2 exchanging further points before Magill was given his marching orders following a second yellow card.

Another Bradley free and a fine effort from play by Eoin McGuigan and a superb save by Ciaran Cassley, his second of the evening had it back to five again with time almost up but that would be as close as All Saints got.

Gort na Mona finished strongly with Desie McClean adding two points before Padraig McCaffrey finally found a way past Ciaran Cassley for the game’s only goal.

Gort na Mona play Lamh Dhearg in their next game in Group 2 on the 9th August while All Saints face Glen Rovers the following day with both these games at neutral venues.

All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley, 2 Kevin Brady, 3 Vinny Esler, 4 Dwayne McKee, 5 Niall Savage, 6 Eoin McAllister, 7 Daniel Gray, 8 Archie McGreevey, 9 Harry Connon, 11 Daniel Kelly, 12 Jack Magill, 13 Pearse Martin, 14 Eoin mcGuigan, 15 Darrach Bradley.

Subs: Gary Miskella, Paddy Murphy, Cormac Magill

Gort na Mona: 1 Caolan MacRory, Conor Connolly, 3 Mark Rea, 4 Tiarnan O’Cadhlaidh, 5 Nathan Gibson, 6 Padraig McHugh, 7 Colm Scullion, 8 Padraig McCaffrey, 9 Tiarnan Morton, 10 Darren Boyd, 11 Niall Henry, 12 Thomas McCaffrey, 13 Dessie McClean, 14 Ryan Cahill, 15 Conor McCann.

Subs: Manus McMullan, Sean Doyle

Referee: Piaras McCaffrey (St. Gall’s)

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