Glen Dimplex Camogie All-Ireland Senior Championship – Group 1:
Antrim 0-9 Kilkenny 6-15
Antrim had no answer to the might of Kilkenny when the sides met in the All Ireland Championship round robbin game at Corrigan Park on Saturday. The 2022 All Ireland winners were just too strong throughout the field, and though Antrim raised the first flag of the game through Maeve Kelly it was the Leinster champions who ruled matters from then on.
When the Cats got going Julieanne Malone soon had them level with a point and she added a goal soon afterwards, and when Kate Nolan and Asha McHardy added two more they in control.
Although Roisín McCormick and Aoife Prenderghast swopped points from frees, goals from Kate Nolan and Asha McHardy inside 60 seconds opened up a 3-2 to 0-2 lead. Roisin McCormick led a mini revival as she fired over four points, but a second goal by Malone pushed the visitors on to a 4-7 to 0-6 lead at the interval.
Roisin McCormick got the first point of the new half and after a couple of replies from the visitors Cassie McArthur and Caitrin Dobbbin pulled a couple more back for the home side.
Cassie McArthur and Caitrín Dobbin responded with a couple more Antrim points before Asha McHardy claimed her second goal to stretch the gap for the visitors. McHardy grabbed her second goal for Kilkenny in the final minutes as the Noresiders powered on to their second win in the competition to sit level at the top with Tipperary, who had a convincing win over Derry at Owenbeg.
Things don’t get any easier for the Antrim girls as they face Tipperary next weekend.
Kilkenny: J Malone 2-2, A McHardy 2-1, K Nolan and S Barcoe 1-2 each, A Prenderghast 0-4, 3 frees, S O’Dwyer 0-2, L Murphy and D Quigley 0-1 each
Antrim: R McCormick 0-6, 4 frees, M Kelly, C McArthur and C Dobbin 0-1 each
Loughgiel Camogs travelled to Ballyholland Co Down on Saturday to take part in the inaugural Mary Coulter Memorial tournament, and after a great day’s competition returned home with the cup
Ballyholland Harps GAA Club were the hosts for the inaugural Mary Coulter Memorial Tournament. The full rules seven aside format, played on the full length of the Fr. Lynch pitch but split into two to accommodate two simultaneous games throughout the day’s schedule, may have been a small-sided competition, but there was nothing small about the determination to win, from all the teams. In fact, given the quality of the field, the format was a display of close quarter camogie – training pieces coming to life for everyone’s enjoyment.
Mary Coulter was the past president of the camogie section in Ballyholland Harps GAA Club. A passionate Gael for all of the Club’s codes, it was axiomatic that Mary had left a delible mark on local camogie and football over the years through her volunteering, as was evident from the various speakers at today’s event. The Coulter family desire that today’s tournament becomes a yearly calendar event, and if the success from today rubs off on players and mentors, there will be no shortage of teams lining out for next year’s event. Today, money raised will go to worthy causes and this year it will be Newry Hospice, Marie Curie and a donation to Ballyholland Harps.
Teams were divided into two manageable groups, where each group was assigned a side of the Fr. Lynch pitch and kept strictly to the clock, chiming to a start and stop hooter.
Group 1 – Ballyholland, Attical, Ballygalget, Mayobridge, Portaferry
Group 2 – An Riocht, Clonduff, Cullyhanna, Liatroim, Loughgiel
Match referees were Kieran Rice, David Carr and Ben Lock and they kept all of the games to a tight schedule and as the games progressed, we eventually had two finalists in the shield, namely Liatroim and Clonduff and two finalists for the Mary Coulter cup, Loughgiel and Ballygalget.
Liatroim were successful in the shield but were pushed hard by a sporting and equally skilful Clonduff side. In the final, Loughgiel ran out the winners against a determined, tough and energetic opposition, Ballygalget, but the Antrim and Ulster senior camogie champions kept the Galgets at bay until David Carr blew full time and brought all of the games to a conclusion.
Round Robin Table results
Cullyhanna 1-0 Loughgiel 8-05
Clonduff 1-03 Loughgiel 0-07
Loughgiel 1-07 An Riocht 1-02
Semi Final
Ballyholland 2-02 Loughgiel 4-08
Final
Loughgiel 1-05 Ballygalget 0-05
Ballygalget’s Deirbhiel Savage was the player of the tournament, gelling her teammates on the field with words of encouragement and displaying a great work rate.
We are all grateful that the weather improved remarkably for the afternoon and to the warm and generous hospitality shown by the host club and organisers.
Today’s photos, best viewed on a large tablet or screen, can be found in the album link below…
The top two in division 2 of the ACHL Division 2 couldn’t be separated after a thoroughly entertaining and competitive hour’s hurling in Ahoghill on Saturday evening.
As has become the norm, James O’Connell top scored for the ‘Gaels’ who looked to be heading for the win when they led by two with only a couple of minutes of normal time remaining.
The visitors looked to have turned the game around however as Conlith McKinley gave them the lead, deep into injury time and it took a splendid response from O’Connell to earn his side a share of the spoils with virtually the last piece of action of the game.
It was nip and tuck throughout with the side’s level on seven occasions and in the end both sets of management teams will probably reflect on the number of wides their respective teams shot in the difficult cross-field breeze over the 60 plus minutes action.
Conlith McKinley looked to have given Carey Faughs the win with this late point at Clooney
James ‘Rocket’ Black gave the visitors the lead with a point in the opening minute with James O’Connell tying the contest in the third minute with his first of the evening.
Conlith McKinley restored the Carey lead with Eoin Graham bringing the sides level for the second time in the 7th minute before Paedar McVeigh nosed the Ballyvoy side ahead once more.
James O’Connell squared matters before the Faughs hit the front again with Conall McGlynn pointing a couple of frees and another from play to move his side 0-6 to 0-4 ahead by the 16th minute.
Clooney Gaels reply came from James O’Connell and a well struck 70 meter free from Fionnbar O’Neill and another from Ronan Graham had it all square again with 18 minutes gone.
Eamonn Brady edged the Ahoghill side ahead once more and then they were awarded an opportunity to put some daylight between the sides when referee Terry Reilly signalled for a penalty.
James O’Connell fired over a late equaliser to keep Clooney Gaels top of division 2
Up stepped fee taker O’Connell but Christopher Butler got down to deny the Ahoghill number 12.
O’Connell pointed a 24th minute free to make atonement for his miss but the visitors came back through their own free taker, Conall McGlynn with three on the bounce before O’Connell tied it at 0-9 apiece at the short whistle.
The second half became something of a rerun of the first with both sides taking turn to get on top but neither able to shake of the shackles of the other.
James O’Connell and Ronan Graham for Clooney Gaels and Conall McGlynn and Conlith McKinley for Carey left it all square again by the 9th minute before Clooney Gaels briefly threatened to take control with O’Connell leading the way with three for the home side.
Once again the Ballyvoy men responded through McGlynn and McKinley to leave just one in it again with 12 minutes remaining and it looked like this one would go right down to the wire.
And so it continued as Donal Graham and another couple of converted O’Connell frees edged the league leaders three in front for the first vtime by the 24th minute but the visitors just would not go away.
Ahoghill’s Dan O’Neill breaks clear from Fiachra McVeigh
The excellent Conall McGlynn came back with two of his own, either side of a point from Conlith McKinley to make it 0-18 each as Referee Reilly signalled four minutes added time.
Ronan Graham restored the Clooney lead again before McGlynn fired over the equaliser and Conlith McKinley’s point brought the loudest cheer of the night for the visitors.
It looked that the Faughs would be heading back to North Antrim with both points at this stage but there would be one more piece of action and not for the first time, that man O’Connell would come up with the saving score.
Ruairi Og goalkeeper Conor McAllister won Saturday’s Antrim Poc Fada at Feystown, Glenarm, edging out St Paul’s Sean Og McLaren by just four metres with the last poc. Anthony McNeill of the home club Glenarm Shane O’Neill’s finished third. McAllister’s win puts him through to the Ulster final in three weeks’ time.
The Senior Camogie title went to Catie Connolly of Loughgiel with Teresa McAlliter of St John’s Carnlough second and Christina Smith of Rasharkin in 3rd place
The Under 16 Boys section was won by Oisin Cussack of St Paul’s with Cadhan Graham of Glenariffe the runner-up and Seamus McMullan of Dunloy Cuchullains in third.
The Under 16 Girls title also went to Loughgiel with Caela Casey winning the title ahead of Eimhear Ward of St John’s Carnlough.
On Saturday the 25th May Geraldines Camogie Club Portglenone celebrated 80 years of camogie in the parish. The first meeting of the club was held on the 6th April 1944 and was called by Art O Kane who was then Secretary of Casements GAC who were formed 3 years earlier in 1941.
Present on the night was Marie McGlade (nee Scullion) who played at full forward in the first game Geraldines ever played.
The celebration was also attended by Hilda Breslin who has just ended her tenure at National Camogie president, Karen McCormick who is current Ulster Chairperson and a former Geraldines player, Geraldines most famous and decorated player Mairead Magill (nee McAtamney) was also in attendance as was the local PP Fr Joseph Rooney, Casement Chairman and Secretary Noel Kelly and Martin Kearney as well as Mr Eugene Mullan principal of St Marys Primary school.
The evening began with a champagne reception with music from the local members of Portglenone Comhltas members Kieran Convery, Dympna McDonnell and her daughters Caoimhe and Aoife playing in the background. An excellent video charting the path of Geraldines was an excellent piece of work produced by Sinead McKeever.
.Fir A Ti’s for the evening was the famous due around Portglenone ex Casement players Tony Convery and Micheal McCann.
A beautiful display of Irish Dancing was also a feature of the night by local dancers Eimear Smith, Elle Brown, Aoife McGroggan Grace McVeigh, Rose McVeigh and Hannah Friel.
Afte rinspirational speeches from Hilda Karen and club Chairperson Carla there were other comments from invited guests and the evening ended dancing to the music of Henry Doc Disco
