Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Tier 3 Football Championship (Quarter-Final) |
Inniskeen | Saturday, 16 May 2026
Antrim 2-22 (28) v Carlow 2-08 (14)
A second half exhibition of attacking football saw Antrim comfortably advance to the All-Ireland Minor Tier 3 semi-finals with a dominant 14-point victory over a resilient Carlow. Played at a neutral venue in Inniskeen, there was little to separate the sides in the first half with Antrim holding a slender 1-5 to 1-4 lead at the break.
Dara Campbell got the young Saffrons on their way with a point in Iniskeen and Colm Kane put them in a strong position when he fired home the game’s opening goal.
A point from centre half, Conor McArt put Antrim in a strong position but Carlow replied with 1-2 of their own and suddenly the Saffrons found themselves under a bit of pressure.
Tom Convery and Joey Griffith (2 pointer) ensured that Antrim held a slender one point lead going into the break but there was still a lot to play for in the second half.
The Saffrons asserted control on the restart however and punished defensive errors by the opposition and any hopes of a Carlow resurgence were dashed as the second half progressed. Fatigue set in, and defensive lapses allowed Antrim to systematically exploit open spaces.
Shea McFerran struck a couple of early points and a Dara Campbell goal put the Saffrons into a commanding 2-9 to 1-4 lead and looking good.
Shea McFerran added a further point but a lapse of concentration in the Antrim defence saw Carlow break for a soft goal, their second of the game. Another Carlow point had it back to five as Nathan Burns replaced Sean McPeake in the Antrim side.
Suddenly the young Saffrons found another gear, and it was their white-flag efficiency—hitting 22 points over the course of the game—that ultimately buried the tie.
Colm Kane, Dara Campbell 0-3, Sionan McCormack, Shea McFerran, Nathan Burns and Colm Kane were amongst the scorers as the Antrim youngsters gave an exhibition of point taking to run out convincing winners,highlighting the depth and energy brought by the Saffrons’ bench.
For the victors, Shea McFerran once again proved a pivotal point at the edge of the square while Dara Campbell, Conor McArt, Tom Convery, Joey Griffin and Colm Kane caught the eye in what was an excellent all round Antrim performance and Nathan Burns may have done enough when introduced to earn a starting place in the semi-final.
This victory sees Antrim face Laois in this weekend’s semi-final but at the time of writing no venue has been announced but a Dublin venue would appear to be the most likely choice.
Captain Darren Hamill was the Man of the Match with a star performance from free-taking and an all-around hurling prowess; he was always in the right place at the right time. He bagged 2-03 from play, and a further six frees, plus a “65”.
Not to be outdone by his brother, Barry Hamill also had an excellent 60 minutes working in his centre-back berth, clearing any threat from the Belfast team. Barry combined with John Scullion, Declan McDermott, Liam Óg McLoughlin, and young Sean McDermott, who all played major roles in this home win, while goalkeeper Michael Abram made a few excellent saves.
Bredagh tried hard but couldn’t break down the hosts, who dominated most of this league game. The visitors had John Dougan and Ben Christie to thank for all their points.
A light rain shower didn’t spoil the start of this match, as Darren Hamill slotted over an early point from play from 45 yards out. Bredagh returned the favour with a point from John Dougan. A few moments later, Hamill added two more points to his tally with two frees. Darren then hit a purple patch, scoring another point, and after dipping for a low ball, he bounced off a tackle and sent a rasper beyond Sean Hughes in the Bredagh goals!!
John Dougan replied a moment later with a point. Paddy McAuley was making a nuisance of himself in the Glenarm forward line. After claiming a ball, he found his captain on a run, who carved his way through a couple of lazy tackles and drove in his second major score of the fixture. Dougan hit his third point for the away team before Ben Christie also got a white-flag effort.
Aidan Scullion put over a home point, only for a quick response from Christie from a free. Glenarm’s stickwork was impressive to watch, and after a few neat passes, Dylan McLaughlin split the uprights. Then, Paddy “Crow” McAuley won a breaking ball and, from the edge of the square, gave the hosts a commanding lead with a well-taken goal. Conal Ward also took a point for the Feystown outfit.
John Dougan was showing some early promise and pointed his fourth for the visitors. Hamill replied with a dead-ball effort a minute later. The last few minutes before the short whistle belonged to Bredagh, who had Dougan pointing a free and one from play, and Christie slotting over a “65” and another from play to eat into the Glenarm lead.
HALFTIME: Shane Uí Néill 3-08 — Bredagh 0-10
After the break, there was to be no respite for the visitors. Glenarm’s Aidan Scullion dropped in a high ball that totally evaded the Bredagh keeper and nestled nicely in the corner of the net, much to the pleasure of the home support. Dylan McLaughlin was next to jump high to claim a sideline cut, and pulling on the sliotar over his shoulder, he hit a delightful point. Again, the crowd applauded the effort.
Ben Christie replied from distance with a nice point. A few minutes later, after some great fielding from Sean O’Hare, he found Scullion in space, who obliged with a fine score. The home team were now relentless. After a passage of play, Hamill popped up to claim a puck-out before casually hand-passing to McLaughlin, who jinked through the defence and hit the back of the onion bag for Glenarm’s fifth major!!
Bredagh’s two scorers, Christie and Dougan, replied with a point apiece, with the former’s effort coming from a free. A Hamill free and a point from play from Dylan McLaughlin soon cancelled out the visitors’ efforts.
In the third quarter, both teams made changes, with Rory Mulvenna and Liam O’Neill replacing Sean O’Hare and Paddy McAuley, and Ryan McLoughlin coming on for Ben O’Boyle for the hosts. Joe McKeown also replaced Tom Savage for the South Belfast boys.
The last quarter was a bit of a rout for the hosts, in particular their captain, Darren Hamill, who hit a “65”, a free, and two from play, sandwiched around a solitary point from John Dougan for the Bredagh boys. With the match nearly up, Declan McDermott, returning to bolster the home side, found himself charging up the pitch from his defensive duties, scooped up a broken ball, and split the uprights.
In the closing seconds, a loose ball in the crowded home box made its way into the net off a Bredagh stick. Glenarm’s last score came from substitute Ryan McLoughlin, who won a ball and drove it over the black spot to cap off a great home win.
Shane Uí Néill: Michael Abram, Liam Óg McLoughlin, Barry Hamill, John Scullion, Kieran O’Boyle, Declan McDermott (0-01), Michael Fury, Conal Ward (0-01), Aidan Scullion (1-02), Sean McDermott, Dylan McLaughlin (1-03), Ben O’Boyle, Patrick McAuley (1-00), Darren Hamill (2-10, 6f, 1 “65”), Sean O’Hare. Subs used: Rory Mulvenna, Liam O’Neill, Ryan McLoughlin (0-01), Liam Mulvenna, Gerard Burns.
Bredagh: Sean Hughes, Odhran Morgan-Little, Tom Savage, Sean McCollum, Liam Hogan, Patrick McGarry, Sean Doyle, Mel Lavery, Eoin Lovell, John Dougan (0-08, 3f), Ben Christie (0-06, 1f, 1 “65”), Frankie Ferguson, PJ Lavery, Eoin Kennedy, Luke Doran. Subs: Joe McKeown, Finn Hackett, Tiarnan Sheeran, Mark Guest, Jarlath McCollum.
Réiteoir: Paul O’Neill (An Creagán).
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Cushendun Emmets got their ACHL Division 2 promotion hopes firmly back on track with an incredibly resilient second-half display against Cloney Gaels in Ahoghill on Sunday. Despite going down to 14 men early in the second half, the Emmets completely dominated the final thirty minutes, overturning a half-time deficit and restricting the home side to just two points from placed balls after the break.
The game started at a frantic pace, with Cloney taking early control. After Conor McHugh opened the scoring for Cushendun in the first minute, the home side hit five unanswered points in a blistering four-minute spell. Fionbarr O’Neill was accurate from the dead ball, while Ronan Graham and Donal Graham both found their range from play to give Ahoghill a 0-05 to 0-01 lead by the fifth minute.
Calum Kilgore kept Cushendun ticking over with two fine scores, but Ahoghill continued to dictate the early exchanges. Ronan Graham was causing serious problems for the Emmets’ defense, and points from Noah Friel and Donal Graham extended the home side’s advantage to 0-10 to 0-04 by the 12th minute.
Slowly but surely, Cushendun found their feet. Conlaoth Loaf McNeill began to make his presence felt, knocking over consecutive points (one free) to narrow the gap. Then, in the 21st minute, the game’s first major turning point arrived. A long-range effort from Calum Kilgore dropped dangerously onto the edge of the square, where Colm McKeegan caught it cleanly and fired past Aiden Graham in the Ahoghill net.
That goal sparked a major momentum shift. McKeegan and McNeill quickly added points to put Cushendun back in front. However, right on the stroke of half-time, Ahoghill struck a crucial blow. A 21-yard free was saved on the line by the Cushendun defence, but Ronan Graham was the quickest to react, pulling the breaking ball on the ground into the net to restore Ahoghill’s lead going into the dressing rooms: 1-12 to 1-10.
Whatever was said in the Cushendun huddle at half-time clearly worked, as they emerged for the second half with serious intent. They hit four points in the opening six minutes through Conor Bannon, Conor McHugh, Calum Kilgore, and Andrew Breslin to snatch back the lead.
But disaster struck for the Emmets in the 8th minute when goalscorer Colm McKeegan was shown a red card, leaving them to play the remaining 22 minutes with 14 men.
If Ahoghill thought the numerical advantage would swing the game back in their favor, they were sorely mistaken. The Cushendun defense tightened their grip remarkably, completely shutting down the Ahoghill attack from open play. In fact, the home side would only register two more points for the entire half—both coming from Conor Crossey frees in the 20th and 21st minutes.
At the other end, the 14 men of Cushendun played with superb composure and efficiency. Calum Kilgore added three more points to his tally, putting in a massive shift around the middle, while Andrew Breslin and Conlaoth McNeill kept the scoreboard ticking over. Substitutes were used to great effect to keep the legs fresh, and Dominic Sharkey put the icing on the cake with a well-taken point in the 32nd minute to seal a highly impressive 1-21 to 1-14 victory.
This was a massive win for Cushendun, built on a foundation of second-half grit and defensive organization, and it firmly places them back in the promotion conversation.
Teams & Scorers
CUSHENDUN EMMETS: John V Morgan; Calum Kilgore (0-6), Mark McSparran, Paddy Morgan; Andrew Breslin (0-2), Thomas Scally, Matthew McCartin; Pierce McKeegan, Colm McKeegan (1-1); Conor McHugh (0-2), Archie McSparran, John-Joe O’Connell; Conor Bannon (0-2), Conlaoth McNeill (0-7, 0-3 frees), Pierce Bannon (0-1). Subs Used: Fiontan McQuillan for JJ O’Connell, Dominic Sharkey (0-1) for C Bannon, Liam Magee for P Bannon.
ST MARY’S AHOGHILL: Aiden Graham; Patrick Dougan, Fionbarr O’Neill (0-3, 0-2 frees), Bernard Graham; Eoin Graham, Eamon Brady, Conor Crossey (0-2 frees); Ronan Graham (1-4, 0-2 frees), Jack McFall, Donal Graham (0-3); Owen Jr. Neeson (0-1), Daniel O’Neill, Noah Friel (0-1). Subs Used: Ben Friel for J McFall, Michael Martin for N Friel.
Cushenudn goalkeeper John V Morgan makes a spectacular diving save
A masterful display from Paddy Heaney and a ruthless three-goal blitz propelled Ciceam Ard Eoin to a commanding victory over All Saints, Ballymena, in a highly anticipated top-of-the-table encounter at Fennell Park.
The Ardoyne men signalled their intent from the throw-in. The indefatigable Heaney, who dominated the midfield battleground all afternoon, surged forward to slot over an exceptional point within the opening seconds. All Saints responded quickly through a Magill score, but Ardoyne regained the lead immediately when McKillen split the posts.
The Ballymena men refused to be shaken early on. Vincent Esler raised the hopes of the travelling support with a point from 50 yards out, leaving the sides deadlocked at two points apiece after a ferocious opening 10 minutes.
However, Ardoyne soon found another gear. Despite operating in the unfamiliar territory of the forward line, Searle showed predatory instincts to slot over a neat point. This triggered a devastating purple patch for the hosts, who rattled off 1-04 without reply. Central to this dominance was Lagan, a constant thorn in the All Saints side. His precision pass found Cormac Barnes out on the sideline, who somehow converted a beautiful point from an impossibly tight angle.
All Saints clawed their way back into contention through a Damien Gillan point. A desperate Ardoyne defence then scrambled to divert a goal-bound effort around the post. That defensive stand sparked a Ballymena resurgence, as the visitors took control for the first time in the match. They rifled over five unanswered points, leaving Ardoyne to rely on two pointed frees from McKillen to stay ahead. A late, crucial point from Heaney ensured a goal separated the sides at the break.
Half-Time: Ciceam Ard Eoin 1-08 Naomh Uile 0-08
Any hopes of an All Saints comeback were immediately after the restart. Barnes turned provider to executioner, embarking on a blistering run along the endline before unleashing an unstoppable shot that bulged the Ballymena net.
All Saints responded with a pointed free, but their subsequent efforts to bridge the gap were severely frustrated by wayward shooting and a stubborn Ardoyne rearguard. Paul Baker was in immaculate form for the hosts, dominating the skies with a succession of towering clean catches that choked the Ballymena service line.
The definitive blow arrived twenty minutes into the second half. Micheál McGreevy found space and ruthlessly hit the net for Ardoyne’s third goal, suddenly stretching the deficit to a massive 12 points.
With the game seemingly wrapped up, the Ardoyne management emptied their bench over the final ten minutes. The mass substitutions led to an unsettled period for the hosts, sparking a spirited All Saints revival. The Ballymena men fought to the bitter end, with Magill breaching the host’s defence to score the first goal Ardoyne have conceded all season.
Despite the late All Saints resurgence, Ardoyne’s attacking efficiency ultimately proved too much to overcome. Magill added a second goal to the All Saints tally in the dying minutes, but Ardoyne held firm to secure a vital four-point victory and cement their position at the top of the table.
Full-Time: Ciceam Ard Eoin 3-16 Naomh Uile 2-15
Ciceam Ard Eoin: Connor O’Neill, Aran Stewart, Paul Baker, Caolan Wallace, Dean Goodall(0-01), Paschal Clarke, Matthew Cromie, Paul McGuigan, Fintan Lagan, Cahal Keown, Matt McKillen (0-06,5f), Cormac Barnes(1-01), Micheál McGreevy(1-01), Paddy Heaney (1-06,1f), Cahal Clarke, Sean Searle(0-01), Pól Stanton, Diarmuid Martin, Emmet Corry, Enda Slattery, John Callinan(0-01), Michael Lee Murphy, Declan Dillon, Stephen Hill
Naomh Uile, Ballymena: Ronan McAllister, Kevin Brady, Dwayne McKee, Robert Crooks, Daniel Grey, Gary Miskella, Niall Savage, Harry Connon (0-01), Vincent Esler (0-01), Cormac Magill (2-01), Patrick Doherty(0-02,2f), Michael Connolly, Damien Gillan (0-03), Archie McGreevy (0-01), Jack Magill (0-01), Pearse Martin (0-04)
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A sensational second-half blitz saw 14-man Dunloy Cuchullain’s run out convincing 18-point winners over St John’s in an absorbing Antrim (ACHL) Division 1 clash at Corrigan Park on Sunday. Despite losing a player to a straight red card in the 14th minute, Dunloy produced a tactical master class after the interval. Tom McFerran took the headlines with a magnificent hat-trick, while Chrissie McMahon was prominent throughout, pulling the strings during a second half where Dunloy outscored their hosts by 2-12 to 0-4.
The contest opened at a frantic pace, and St John’s goalkeeper Domhnall Nugent was forced into a brilliant double save just two minutes in to deny an early Dunloy breakthrough. From the resulting clearance, the Johnnies won a free which Oisin McManus converted to open the scoring. McManus was in lethal form early on, doubling his tally from play a minute later before Dunloy wing-back Eamon Smith replied with a fine long-range effort.
The sides traded blow for blow in the opening ten minutes. McManus hit two more spectacular points—including a massive long-range effort—but his clinical accuracy was matched by Nigel Elliott and Nicky McKeague, who kept the Cuchullain’s firmly in touch. When Luke McFerran clipped over a neat point in the 12th minute, Dunloy took the lead for the first time.
A minute later, the game exploded into life. A high ball into the St John’s square caused chaos, and under heavy pressure from the home defence, Tom McFerran scrambled the sliotar into the net. However, the joy was short-lived. Directly from the puck-out, a Dunloy player was involved in an off-the-ball incident and was shown a straight red card, leaving Cuchullain’s a man down for the remaining 46 minutes.
St John’s immediately looked to exploit their numerical advantage, hitting back through Shea Shannon and Ruairi Galbraith. Dunloy dug deep, relying on massive defensive efforts and long-range scores from Smith and a McKeague free. McManus kept the hosts breathing down Dunloy’s necks, clipping over a late free before striking a spectacular point over his shoulder on the run. Despite the numerical deficit, Dunloy held a narrow 1-8 to 0-9 lead at the break.
Whatever structural changes Dunloy implemented at halftime worked to perfection. They completely dominated the restarts and choked the St John’s attack. Nicky McKeague set the tone with two early frees, and when Aaron Crawford burst forward to score, the gap began to widen. St John’s introduced David Robinson in midfield to stem the tide, while Dunloy brought on the experienced Paul Shiels to anchor their side.
Ryan McGarry found the target from play before the definitive blow landed in the 20th minute of the half. An error in the St John’s defence allowed Tom McFerran to pounce on a loose ball, and he ruthlessly blasted it home for his second goal, making it 2-14 to 0-11.
St John’s rallied briefly with points from full-back Conall Morgan and Shea Shannon, but it would prove to be their final stand. Dunloy finished the match with an exhibition of hurling. McKeague and centre-back Eoin McFerran drilled over monstrous long-range points before Tom McFerran capped an unforgettable individual performance by carving through the defence to complete his hat-trick in the 32nd minute. Rian Elliott ensured a clean sheet at the other end with a spectacular late save, before Eamon Smith fired over the final point to seal an emphatic 18-point victory for the 14-man Cuchullain’s.
St. John’s: Domhnall Nugent; Michael Darragh, Conall Morgan, Lorcan McCallin; James Wilson, Ryan McNulty, Caolan Wilson; Caomhin Hanna, Ciaran Johnston; Shea Shannon, Conor Johnston, Oisin McManus; Donal Carson, Aaron Bradley, Ruairi Galbraith. Subs used: Fearghal McManus, David Robinson.
Dunloy: Rian Elliott; Sean Og Blaney, Daire McMullan, Oran Quinn; Eamon Smith, Eoin McFerran, Padraig Magilligan; Ryan McGarry, Aaron Crawford; Nigel Elliott, Nicky McKeague, Tom McFerran; Ciaran Elliott, Luke McFerran, Chrissie McMahon. Subs used: Paul Shiels, Barry Scott.
Referee: Patrick Tumelty (Lamh Dhearg)
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