The Acorn Centre at Cloney, Ahoghill was a hive of activity on Wednesday as upwards on 200 people turned up for the Antim launch of Sister Lilly Scullion’s life story ‘From Croke Park to Glencairn’. A fascinating story of a fascinating woman whose career path took many turnings during her 80 years. A former All Ireland medal winner with Antrim Camogs back in 1967 and an Ulster Club winner with her native Ahoghill in ’69 and with St Bridget’s Newry in 1975, she was a star on the field, with where no quarter was ask of given.
Sister Lilly Scullion with some of ther former club and county team-mates, plus others who have worn the saffron of Antrim over the years. Included are Carla Doherty, Olive Scullion, Doreen Graham, Helen McMullan, Angela Graham, Mairead Diamond, Mary McMullan, Anne Scullion, Catriona Graham, Kathleen McGowan, Mairead McAtamney and Grace Connolly.
Off the pitch though, she had a greater story to tell and having worked on the family farm in Ahoghill her career path meandered along from Gallaghers factory in Gracehill to becoming a youth worker in Belfast and in Newry. Those swings were mild though compared to the next move which after a moment of enlightening she decided to become a nun, a vocation that was to take over the rest of her life, which was spent in St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn, Co Waterford, where she still manages the Abbey’s 250 acre farm.
A couple of years ago she was persuaded by a friend to put her fascinating story down on paper and after last week’s launch in Waterford she came home to her native Ahoghill for the big launch where she signed copies of her book for over two hours. Members of her extended family, former school friends, work mates and many of her former Antrim and Ahoghill players, who had lined out in the red and black of her home club, and the saffron of Antrim, came along to meet and greet her.
A night to remember for a woman the people of Cloney will never forget!
Sister Lily signs a book for her 1967 All Ireland team-mate Mairead McAtamney
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St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass make the trip to Owenbeg this Saturday where they will face Derry champions, John Mitchell’s Glenullin in the Ulster Intermediate football championship.
Despite losing quite a number of players to emigration at the end of 2024 and dropping down to division 2, St. Ergnat’s have defied the odds in 2025 and their youthful side make the return to the higher grade for 2026 after finishing runners up to Sarsfields in division 2 this year.
Sarsfields were a familiar foe to St. Ergnat’s this season and took three points of the Moneyglass men in the league and when they were drawn in the same group in the championship it looked a difficult draw for both.
Zac McCaughan has proved a useful signing for Moneyglass this seasonTiernan McCormick and Paul Duffin can be big players for St. Ergnats
It would be St. Ergnat’s who would emerge group winners however with a 2-15 to 0-12 win over the ‘Paddies’ in their opening group game, a draw away to St. Enda’s and wins over Naomh Padraig Lisburn and Rasharkin.
The Moneyglass side hit 4-17 in a convincing semi-final win over last year’s beaten finalists, St. Teresa’s to earn a place in the final against familiar foes, Sarsfields at Dunsilly.
St. Ergnat’s held the upper hand for the greater part of this final and led 0-7 to 0-4 in a low scoring opening half. They went on to run out deserved 0-14 to 0-8 winners in a game that was competitive throughout.
The difference in the end was the battle in the middle third and it was the men in blue and yellow who dominated under both kick-outs as their triumph was well and truly forged in their engine room with Ferghal Duffin, Seanchan Duffin and Kevin McCann winning countless possession and breaks to provide the fulcrum for attacks.
With frees proving the source of half the Moneyglass tally and five from eight of the Sarsfields total, scores were hard-earned in this one and again further illustrates the combative nature of the game.
Despite their impressive form this season, St. Ergnat’s will start Saturday’s quarter-final at Owenbeg as underdogs against a John Mitchell’s side who will be making their third appearance in the Ulster IFC in four years.
John Mitchell’s Glenullin celebrate their Derry success
Rules involving teams from the Oak Leaf County and Antrim are different with the Antrim champions unable to compete at Intermediate the following year while Glenullin have opted to remain at Intermediate level over a four year period.
Hardly a level playing field but it is what it is and St. Ergnat’s manager Benny Marron and his backroom team will be concentrating on his own side but, undoubtedly will have ran the eye over Saturday’s opponents
Glenullin were convincing in their semi-final win over Greenlough and after trailing by two at the halfway stage they came strong in the second half with goals from Ryan McNicholl, Killian Bradley and Neil McNicholl paving the way for a 3-11 to 0-12 victory.
Foreglen proved a much more difficult challenge in the final with the game in the balance right up to the final whistle and it took a superb side-line free from ‘Skinner’ Bradley to see John Mitchell’s over the line.
Glenullin’s last meeting with an Antrim side was two years ago when they met Glenravel at Celtic Park and the Derry champions ran out winners in that one and will be confident of adding another Saffron scalp in the form of St. Ergnat’s this weekend.
The McNicholl and Bradley clans will lead the Mitchell’s challenge with Donal O’Kane and Killian Bradley others who are likely to play a big part as they aim to overcome the Moneyglass’ challenge.
The underdog’s tag is unlikely to faze St. Ergnat’s however and the Antrim champions are capable of going toe to toe with their opponents with the Duffin’s, Colm, Seanchan, Fergal and Paul, Tiernan McCormick, Kevin McCann, Aidan McErlain to the fore and Zac McCaughan, who won an Ulster Intermediate Hurling championship with Carey last year making a seamless transition to the big ball game and adding strength to the Moneyglass defence.
The Cushendall-Glenariffe combination side Gael na Glinnti won the Antrim Under 14 Shield on Sunday when they beat St Paul’s in the final at Corrigan Park.
Ruairi McQuillan opened the scoring for the boys from the Glens with a pointed free in the 2nd minute and Conor Delargy added a goal two minutes later. Daire Gault pulled a point back for St Paul’s, but McQuillan and James McNulty came back with two more for the Gaels to go five clear by the 12th minute. St Paul’s kept in touch with three more points and a goal from Daire Gault, but Gael na Glinnti pushed on to lead by 2-03 to 1-03 at the break, their second goal coming from Lorcan McNaughton.
Oliver Mooney stretched Gael na Glinnti’s lead in the opening minute of the second half but two from Lewis Hardy kept the Belfast boys in the game. However Gael na Glinti finished the game strongly and a goal from centre back Ryan Robin on forty minutes proved a killer blow. Two more points from Lorcan McNaughton pulled them well clear before Tiernan McKeegan put a bit of gloss on the victory when he kicked home goal number four near the end.
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St.Patrick’s Donagh (Fermanagh) v St. Agnes (Antrim)
St Agnes make the trip to Enniskillen this Saturday in the first round of the Ulster Junior Football club championship where they will face Fermanagh champions, St. Patrick’s Donagh.
The Aggies have been in splendid form this season and completed a league and championship double when they beat Pearses in the Graham Tarmac JFC decider two weeks ago.
St Agnes’ clinched the Antrim Junior Football Championship for the first time in the club’s history with a 1-14-0-09 win over Pearses in the decider at Davitt Park.
Ahead 0-8-0-5 at the interval, an early second half goal from David McGaharan gave his side the platform to kick on for victory after the disappointment of losing last year’s decider to St Comgall’s.
It’s been a great season for the Belfast club who won 12 of their 14 games to top division 3 and earn a place in division 2 next season and they went on to top Group 1 of the Junior Championship unbeaten with wins over Ardoyne, O’Donnell’s and St. Malachy’s to earn a semi-final meeting with Eire Og.
They won that one at Woodlands by 1-18 to 1-11 to earn a place in the final against an improving Na Piarsaigh where they finished 8 points winners to qualify for Saturday’s meeting with St. Patrick’s Donagh at Brewster Park.
Paddy CarrollConall Turley
Paddy Carroll and Conall Turley have been selected on the Antrim All Stars team for this year while Colum Carroll, Caoimhin Floyd, Cormac Flannery, Dan Turley, David McGaharan, Shea Madden and Ronan Gilligan will spearhead the Aggies challenge in County Fermanagh.
The Antrim champions face stiff opposition in the form of St. Patrick’s Donagh who defeated Newtownbutler in a tight Fermanagh final which was in the balance right to the final whistle.
The game had everything – Super scores hard challenges and two teams that refused to accept defeat.
The St. Patrick’s Donagh challenge will be spearheaded by Eamon Maguire (43), who gave a display for the ages which recalled his heroics in that great summer of 2004 when he and Mark Little of Lisnaskea dazzled Armagh in Croke Park as Fermanagh reached its first ever All-Ireland senior football semi-final.
Donagh showed character, courage, and heart in spades to come back from an early five-point blitz from a physically imposing Newtown side.
But they hit back with a great two-pointer from Cameron McBrien, and a superb solo goal from the lively Tiernan Wray brought St. Patrick’s right back into the picture.
Fermanagh Champions, St. Patrick’s Donagh
Newtownbutler led by 1-9 to 1-7 at the break and by 1-10 to 1-7 on the resumption but two superbly finished goals from Brian McDermott and Jimmy Tormey in the space of four minutes gave Donagh the momentum to press on and take their first county title since 2021.
The record for Antrim clubs in this competition isn’t good though Naomh Comhghall came mighty close to causing an upset against the Donegal champions, St. Patrick’s Muff in Letterkeny last year.
A big crowd is likely to accompany the Woodlands side to Enniskillen on Saturday and a confident St. Agnes will feel they can buck the trend of first round losers in this competition and if they are at their best then they are capable of beating St. Patrick’s Donagh and advance to the next round.
The ICC in Belfast was the venue for this year’s packed Irish News Ulster All Stars awards. Neil Delamere was the MC for the evening and after a three course meal, attendees were treated to a panel discussion from Oisín McConville, Kevin Cassidy and Peter Canavan, ranging from who slept with who to the adoption and success of the new rules in football.
Antrim were well represented with nominees and awards across the four codes. All Star Awards on the evening went to the following players; congratulations from everyone at the Saffron Gael:
