All Saints got their 2025 season up and running after a disappointing opening day two point defeat to St Brigid’s. They proved too strong for a Shane O’Neill’s second string who have joined the all county leagues this year.
With the breeze at their backs All Saints started strong opening up a five point lead mainly through three back to back points from Daniel Kelly. Glenarm to their credit were contesting every ball and pulled back the lead with a string of scores of their own.
The pace of Cormac Magill and Eoin McGuigan were causing the Glenarm defence major problems and along with points from Ronan McAllister they opened up a 0-11 to 0-5 lead at the break.
The introduction of Darach Bradley at the break was a major boost for the Ballymena side. Playing into the wind he contributed 2-2 with his direct running opening holes in the home sides defence.
Bradley was also fouled for a penalty which Eoin McGuigan dispatched to the net before Cormac Magill scored the last goal of the game late on.
All Saints: Ciaran Cassley, Kevin Brady, Paddy Murphy, Dwayne McKee, Archie McGreevey, Eoin McAllister, Dan Gray, Harry Connon, Jack Magill, Eoin McGuigan (1-4), Ronan McAllister(0-2), Niall Savage, Dan Kelly(0-3), Cormac Magill (1-4), Michael Connolly Subs Darach Bradley(2-2) Vinney Esler, Luke Walsh, Finn Connon, Diarmuid Casey, Dan McCoy
Dermott McErlain’s ability to kick 2 pointers proved significant in this win by St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass over Gort na Mona at Enright Park on Sunday. McErlain converted 2 from distance during the opening 30 minutes and a goal from his mid-field partner, Kevin McCann put their side in a 1-5 to 0-4 lead at the break.
Gort na Mona got themselves right back into contention with a goal from Shane Scullion at the start of the second half and matched the visitors for most of the second period but Kevin McCann’s second goal of the contest swung it St. Ergnat’s way.
It took both sides a time to find their radar in the swirling breeze before Dermott McErlain got the visitors off the mark with a point in the 10th minute with Dessie McLean replying immediately with a point for the home side.
McErlain struck his first 2 pointer to put his side ahead again in the 12th minute and McCann’s first goal of the contest put St. Ergnat’s in a strong position at the end of the opening quarter.
The Mona bye-pass side kicked three further points through Padraic Mulvenna, Padraig Cournane and Caoimhin Beck but McErlain’s second Orange flag of the half put the visitors four in front at the break.
Gort na Mona made a strong start to the second half and threatened to take over as they recorded 1-2 in the opening four minutes with the goal coming from Shane Scullion and McLean and Sean Campbell getting the points to level the contest.
Niall Boyd restored the St. Ergnat’s lead and they added points through Boyd and Dermott McErlain to move three in front by the 12th minute but Gort na Mona replied through a Manus McMullan double to leave just one in it again.
The next two scores would prove significant as Sean Boyd split the posts and Kevin McCann got in for his side’s second goal to put the South West men five ahead with 11 minutes remaining.
Moneyglass would add only one more point for the remainder of the contest through Niall Boyd but their defence stood firm with Gort na Mona only able to hit 0-3 in reply through Shane Scullion, Manus McMullan and substitute David McKeown.
A good win for the visitors who make it two wins from two starts and on this early season form last year’s relegation from division 1 could be matched with a quick return to the top grade.
Gort na Mona lost narrowly last week at St. Teresa’s and will be disappointed not to have got something from this one but on the evidence of what we have seen, that first win will not be too long in coming.
Gort na Mona: 1 Jack Ireland, 2 Darren Cahill, 3 Michael Savage, 4 Conal Keenan, 5 Brendan Burns, 6 Ciaran Donnelly, 7 Padraig Cournane, 8 Tiarnan Morton, 9 Shane Scullion, 10 Manus McMullan, 11 Christopher Carson, 12 Padraic Mulvenna, 13 Thomas McCaffrey, 14 Desmond McLean, 15 Caoimhin Beck.
Subs: 19 Sean Campbell, 18 David Mckeown
Moneyglass: 1 James McLaughlin, 2 Matthew Mullen, 3 James McCormick, 4 Damien Duffin, 5 Frank Duffin, 6 Seanchan Duffin, 7 Conor O’Kane, 8 Kevin McCann, 9 Dermott McErlain, 10 Callum Murray, 11 Aidan McErlain, 12 Conor Boyd, 13 Sean Boyd, 14 Tyler Cassidy, 15 Niall Boyd 22 PaulDuffin
Referee: Paul Burns
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O’Neill’s Sportswear Antrim Hurling League – Division 1
Cushendall: 0-14(14) Loughgiel: 2-18(24)
PICS BY SEAN PAUL McKILLOP
A sharp and fit looking Loughgiel team picked up two more league points when they travelled to Cushendall on Sunday evening and come away with a comfortable ten point win. Admittedly the Cushendall side was well understrength but Loughgiel will be happy with their teams’ display as the picked off some excellent scores throughout the hour.
The early stages were competitive but Loughgiel got on the board first when Christy McGarry and Daniel McCloskey hit the first two scores, but Neill McManus cut the gap back to a point. McManus kept the Ruairis in touch throughout the first half, scoring nine of his team’s first half total of ten, most of them from frees.
A goal from corner forward Eoin McGarry and a point from Daniel McCloskey in the 9th and 10th minutes gain the upper hand and as the half advanced they opened that gap to six by the half time whistle, Shan McGrath sending over a series of well struck frees to help his team to a 2-09 to 09 lead at half time.
When McGrath and McCloskey got the first two points of the second half it was clear the home side had a big task on their hand if they were to get anything out of the game they would have to up the tempo. McManus kept his team in touch for a while as he knocked over a series of frees, but the Shamrocks were stretching the gap by the minute and two from substitute Smyth and from right half forward Rian McMullan kept them in control.
Cushendall hit back to back points through Padraig McKillop and Paddy McGill but points for the visitors by McMullan and McGrath wrapped up a ten point win.
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All Saints Ballymena recorded a fully deserved victory against 2023 league winners and 2024 beaten county finalists Portglenone at Quinn Park, Ballymena on Sunday. Despite the unavailability of seven regulars, including five county panellists, Bakers Ballymena were more than a match for a lack lustre Casements team that are making hard work of anything put before them at the minute.
On a perfect day for football, Liam Bradley’s charges took the game to Casements from the opening bell, and when Emmet Killough won the throw in and started a move that resulted in a first minute opening score dispatched by imperious Paddy McAleer, the signal of intent was obvious.
A competitive opening half saw little between the teams at the break, with a variety of scores across the pitch, three from Ballymenas impressive Ronan Mc Killop who covered a lot of yardage, and two each from Michael McCarry and Benny Mc Donnell, almost matched by scores from Ronan Kelly (4), Ryan Convery, Sean Byrne and a majestic inswinger from Conor McGhee leaving just the minimum between the teams at the interval.
Most observers anticipated a competitive second half, but within minutes All Saints had extended their lead to five. Paddy McAleer was fouled inside the square and stepped up himself to confidently dispatch a well hit penalty past Portglenone custodian Kevin Mullan.
A minute later the hugely impressive Connell Lemon posted from distance, and it was clear Ballymena were in this to win this.
The subdued Oisin Doherty who was well marshalled throughout by Cal O Brien in their own lively duel did split the posts six minutes into the second half to reduce the margin, and it was Doherty again who won a superb ball out on the wing, carried at pace before playing in Michael Hagan, who in turn fisted across the goalmouth to a waiting Sean Byrne for a palm in goal, reducing the deficit once again to the minimum in the best play of the game.
With the game at its most competitive, and the exchanges lively, it was the town team who found the advantage. Paddy Mc Aleer was using his strength and expertise to run riot in Casement square, fielding numerous deliveries and causing all sorts of mayhem for a Casements defence at sixes and sevens. Finishing off his second goal himself in the twelth minute of the second half, he was winning frees which the accurate “Gooch” Michael McCarry was tapping over for fun, his individual mixture of scores from frees and open play totalling eight, yet another most impressive return from this years Antrim Master debutant who is rolling back the years on current form.
When Charlie Metrusty finished to the net with aplomb to stretch Ballymena’s lead to ten with only a few minutes remaining, stalwarts amongst the home supporters enjoyed a clear reversal on last years contest between the teams. Ballymena were by some distance the deserving winners on the day, although Micheal Hagan did manage to scramble a late green flag with a minute left to play, the contest was already long over.
Baker, and his highly regarded backroom team including Honda Mullan and Gerard OCallaghan have got All Saints into a confident momentum, and playing to a system and style that looks developed as they look to mould a squad that will be most competitive later in the season when they have their full complement available.
Casements management won`t yet be panicking. They have some well known performers still to introduce, but the ease of which they have conceded nine goals in just three opening games will be a worry, and being minus eight points after three games to clubs that were all playing lower division until most recently is not a statistic that looks well.
They can have absolutely no complaints that they were second best in this encounter where it was hard to see anyone who stood out from an individual perspective. Ruairi Hagan, Ronan Delargy and Conor Mc Ghee tried hard, with Ronan Kelly and Michael Hagan looking dangerous at times upfront. Casements need to put this one behind them quickly, as next up for them is a home contest against previous nemesis Dunloy, when John Mckeever and his large extended management team hope to arrest their current decline and attempt to get back to winning ways.
All Saints had numerous players who caught the eye. Led by Paddy McAleer, looking every inch the proven county star from the outset, his man of the match performance was matched only by the impressive Connell Lemon who controlled most of the activity at number six, in or around the pitch middle third. Pizza looked much more like his old self, breaking tackles and being involved in many great passages of play, as was Emmet Killough, Benny McDonnell, and Rhino McKillop who all posted performances they can be pleased with. Their next contest is an away tie to rivals Tir Na Nog and on this display the Middle Town men will quietly fancy their chances.
Scorers
Ballymena. Paddy Mc Aleer, 2 – 01, M Mc Carry 0 – 08, Charlie Metrusty 1 – 00, Ronan McKillop 0 – 03, Benny McDonnell 0 – 02, Connell Lemon 0 – 01.
Casements. Ronan Kelly 0 – 05, Sean Byrne 1 – 00, Michael Hagan 1 – 03, Ryan Convery 0 – 01, Ryan Convery 0 – 01, Conor McGhee 0 – 01.
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Kickham’s Creggan travelled to Pearse Park on Sunday hoping to build on their impressive start to the season but it was the local Cuchullian’s who added to last week’s win at Corrigan with a an impressive performance, desite being short a good few of their top players who are on duty with the county football team.
In a highly entertaining game of football, where both teams were missing a few regulars, it was the hungrier Dunloy team, led by the excellent Declan Smyth who came out on top.
Dunloy came out of the traps first with Tam McGilligan hitting 2 early points and Declan Smyth adding another but Kickham’s replied with two points from Conor Small and another from Dominic McAteer to draw level.
The visitors seemed to be getting on top and took the lead with Conor Small’s 2 pointer followed by an Eathen Carey-Small point but the excellent Declan Smyth replied with two of his own before Conor Small responded with his 4th point of the evening.
It was nip and tuck at this stage of the contest but with three minutes left in the first half Matthew Rogers ran directly at the Dunloy defence to score an excellent goal to put Kickhams 1.07 to 0.05 ahead at the break.
Dunloy started the second half in the same manner as they had the first half with a goal in the first minute and a Declan Smyth point but Kickham’s responded with the next three points through Dominic McAteer and one each from Kevin and Conor Small.
These scores appeared to fire Dunloy into life and they really stepped up the pressure with Tam Magilligan scoring a well taken goal in the 12th minute and he followed with another in the 14th minute to hand his side the initiative.
The visitors were still battling hard in an effort to maintain their unbeaten start to the season and responded with points from Conor Small and Fintan Close but Declan Smith replied with his first 2 pointer of the evening and he would add another to put his side in command.
The visitors fought hard to get back into the game and Dominic McAteer scored their last point of the evening but it was Cuchullian’s who would run out worthy winners with the last two points of the game.
