Antrim senior ladies got their league campaign off to a great start with this resounding 12 point victory over Clare ladies at Dunsilly on Sunday.
Antrim certainly wernt at their best in the first 30 minutes where so much of what they were trying just wasn’t working, which is understandable as they shake off the winter ‘rust’ Poor finishing and wayward passing led to Antrim chasing the game in the first half and the halftime whistle couldn’t come quick enough for the Antrim management team and the players as a few tweaks certainly had to be made …
Half time score .. Antrim 0-4 Clare 0-6…
A change of system and a more direct approach was adopted for the second half and it certainly worked to great effect…
Antrim really upped the pace of their game and Clare just couldn’t live with it…
The scores were now coming in quick succession and there was a new belief within the team..
Every player was now looking the ball and scores were coming from every where on the pitch…
The fluency of Antrim’s approach play and their conviction in front of goal led to some fantastic scores and in the end their second half preformance was enough to see them gain their first victory in their new life with the step up to division 3…
Every player in the panel deserves credit for this new look Antrim group and this victory was down to all the hard work from every individual…
All credit to these girls for a brilliant second half performance…
Antrim’s Under 20 hurlers launched their Ulster Championship campaign with a decisive victory over Down at a wind-swept Mallusk Playing Fields. Despite playing against a strong breeze in the opening period, the Saffrons started with intent as Oisin McCallin and Reece Cunning combined to establish a five-point lead within the first eight minutes, star man McCallin getting four of the five. Down responded when a defensive slip allowed John Duggan to find the net, followed by points from Ben Taggart and Cathal Coleman to level the scores. Although Antrim regained the lead through Oisin McCallin and Orin O’Connor, Down stayed competitive with scores from Shea Pucci and Cahal Coleman, both of whom had featured for the senior inter-county side the previous day. A long-range free from Down goalkeeper Cian Clarke ensured the visitors trailed by only two points at the interval, with the score standing at 0-11 to 1-06.
With the wind in their favour during the second half, Antrim asserted their dominance and began to widen the gap. Corner-back Cahir Donnelly opened the second-half scoring, followed by a string of unanswered points from Oisin Mc Camphill, Orin O’Connor, Charlie Mc Auley, and Ronan Donnelly. The momentum shifted decisively when Oisin McCallin scored Antrim’s first goal ten minutes into the half. Down attempted a rally through Shea Pucci and Caomhán McAnarney, but the Saffrons finished the game with clinical efficiency. Points from Roan McGarry, Oisin McCallin, Connor McCann, and James McDonnell were followed by late goals from Roan McGarry and Jay McAlonan to seal a convincing win. Antrim now turns their attention to a their next round-robin fixture next Monday at Garvaghey against a Tyrone side coming off an upset victory over Derry.
Sean Og McLaren (Naomh Pol)
Cathair Donnely (Mac Uilin)
Cian Baudant (Mac Uilin)
Colla Ward (Óisín Gleann Airimh)
Ronan Donnelly (Naomh Eoin)
Callagh Mooney (Ruairi Og)
Charlie Mc Auley (Ruairi Og)
Calum Mc Ilwaine (Óisín Gleann Airimh)
Reece Cunning (Cú Chulainn, Dún Laithí)
Ronan Fitzgerald (capt) (Na Seamróga)
Orrin O’Connor (Óisín Gleann Airimh)
Thomas Mc Laughlin (Ruairi Og)
Cadhan Crawford (Mac Uilin)
Oisin Mc Camphill (Cú Chulainn, Dún Laithí)
Oisin McCallin (Cú Chulainn, Dún Laithí)
Substitutes: 16. (GK) Anthony Mullan (Mac Uilin) 17. Sean Óg Blaney (Cú Chulainn, Dún Laithí) 18. Conor McCann (Ruairi Og) 19. Ardan Kelly (Mac Uilin) 20. Niall McClean (Mac Uilin) 21. Jack Martin (Cú Chulainn, Dún Laithí) 22. Roan McGarry (Na Seamróga) 23. Jay Mc Alonan (Cú Chulainn, Dún Laithí) 24. Canice McIntosh (Óisín Gleann Airimh) 27. Oisin Gillen (Óisín Gleann Airimh) 28. Niall Magee (Óisín Gleann Airimh) 29. Oisin Woodhouse (Ruairi Og) 30. James McDonnell (Naomh Pol) 32. Liam Mc Enhill (Ó D Rosa)
Down (An Dún)
Starting 15:
Cian Clarke (Baile Mhic Uileagóid)
Dominic McGrath (Baile Crann)
Cillian Ennis (Ceathru Aodh Dhuibh)
Ronan Breen (Baile Crann)
Manus Gilmore (Baile Crann)
Sean McCollum (Bredach)
Frankie Ferguson (Bredach)
Leigh Morgan (Port an Pheire)
Patrick McGarry (Bredach)
Caomhán McAnarney (Baile Aileach)
Dara Pucci (Baile Mhic Uileagóid)
Daniel Kinney (Bredach)
John Dougan (Bredach)
Finbarr Blaney (Ceathru Aodh Dhuibh)
Cahal Coleman (Port an Pheire)
Substitutes: 12. David Morrissey (Ceathru Aodh Dhuibh) 16. (GK) Eoghan Devine (Baile an Mhéirligh) 17. Conor O’Neill (Bredach) 18. Rory McEntyre (Cumann Pheadair Naofa) 19. Connaire Monan (Baile Mhic Uileagóid) 21. Alex Taggart (Baile Mhic Uileagóid) 22. Shea Pucci (Baile Mhic Uileagóid) 23. Rory O’Donnell (Ceathru Aodh Dhuibh) 24. Matthew Dorrian (Baile Mhic Uileagóid) 25. Dara Rogers (Baile Crann) 26. Ben Taggart (Baile Mhic Uileagóid)
TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
Mark Doran’s first National League game as Antrim manager began with a sobering defeat at Portglenone, as Carlow claimed a 2-16 to 1-15 victory to open their Division 4 campaign. Despite a bright start from the hosts, a critical lapse in concentration immediately after the interval proved insurmountable. While Antrim entered the break trailing by only a single point, they found themselves six points adrift within just two minutes of the restart, a period Doran later identified as the turning point that cost his side the game.
The afternoon had initially looked promising for the Saffrons, who played with significant pace and intent. Early scores from Pat Shivers, Niall Burns, and Conor Small propelled Antrim into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead within the first ten minutes. However, the momentum shifted violently in the 9th minute when Mikey Bambrick found Niall Roche, who surged forward to blast the ball past John McNabb in the Antrim goal. The situation worsened almost immediately when Conor Doyle was fouled in the square, allowing Christopher Blake to clinicaly dispatch a penalty into the top corner.
Carlow capitalized on this shift, with Christopher Blake adding further points and Conor Crowley extending the lead to five points despite playing against a stiff breeze. Antrim did manage to arrest the slide before half-time, scoring three unanswered points to leave the score at 2-5 to 0-10. Nevertheless, the underlying statistics were worrying for the new manager; Doran noted that a shooting efficiency of just 35% in the first half had prevented his team from making the most of their wind advantage.
The second half began with the decisive Carlow surge that left Antrim chasing the game. Though the Saffrons refused to capitulate, they struggled to breach a disciplined Leinster defense. A lifeline appeared in the 59th minute when Paddy McBride picked out PaddyMcAleer at the back post, and the substitute managed to squeeze the ball into the net. This goal narrowed the gap and provided a spark of hope, but Carlow remained composed under pressure.
Ultimately, the damage done during Antrim’s scoring droughts and defensive lapses was too great to repair. Points from Eoghan McCabe, Oisin Doherty, and Niall Burns kept the scoreboard moving, but Carlow’s ability to punish turnovers ensured they stayed out of reach. With promotion to Division 3 being the clear objective for the season, this opening-day stutter puts immediate pressure on Doran and his squad to find consistency before their next outing.
Next week’s Trip to Tipp now takes on a more significance as the Saffron take on the Premier County in Thurles. One chink of light for the Saffrons is today’s result which saw Tipperary draw with London in their opening game in Ruislip. A win there would be a big boost for the new manager and would put them back in the league race.
Antrim: J McNabb, K Keenan, K McCann, E Walsh, E McCabe (0-2), J Finnegan, M Jordan (0-1), P McAleer (0-1f), J Carron, P McBride, C Small (0-1), S O’Neill, P Shivers (0-3 1f), N Burns (0-4 1, 2pt, 1f,) O Doherty (0-2).
Subs: D McEnhill for Small (48), K Small for Carron (48), R Quinn (1-0) for O’Neill (56), R McQuillan for McBride (61), T McCann (0-1f) for K McCann (65).
Carlow: B McCarron, C Byrne, D Curran, L Moore, N Roche (1-0), M Furey, P Bolger, E Ruth, C Doyle (0-3, 2pt), P McDonnell (0-1), C Hulton (0-2p), M Bambrick (0-1), C Crowley (0-2), C Blake (1-4, 1-0 pen, 2pt), R Dunphy (0-2).
Subs: T Roche for Bambrick (48), S Clarke for Bolger (48), A Burgess for Ruth (52), A Almond for Dunphy (58), L Gavin for Crowley (73).
Referee: A Smith (Meath).
TO SEE MORE OF DYLAN#S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
Lámh Dhearg’s Senior Hurling panel hosted a very enjoyable and successful 7 aside fundraising tournament in honour of their former players and legends Daryl Fegan and Ryan Straney after their recent passing. A cold crisp December day didn’t deter a good standard of hurling and keenly contested games . In between the senior games a juvenile go games was played with great enthusiasm and spirit The funds raised will be divided among Senior hurlers development funds , Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust in memory of Ryan and Postrate Cancer UK in memory of Daryl.
Organiser and senior hurler Odrán Waldron commented “ Thanks to everyone who participated and generously supported the event and the hurlers enjoyed the games as a good warm up for forthcoming pre season . More importantly thanks to the families of Daryl and Ryan and trust the event will give them much solace and comfort “ After the tournament players and spectators were glad of the warmth of the clubroooms. The craic and ceol was good fun with super entertainment provided by the Brady’s Trad group. Thanks to all who participated , attended and generously supported the event .
Photos from the Corn Daryl and Scaith Ryan games can be found below
