St Patrick’s Lisburn 5-8 Dominican Portstewart 4-6
TWO goals from Christopher McGarry, the first a penalty, during the final quarter turned a game that could have gone any way firmly in favour of St Patrick’s Lisburn in sunny Portglenone yesterday and they pushed on to collect Danske Bank Corn Cúchulainn.
Dominican Portstewart were the better team over the first quarter and should have been further in front than 1-2 to 0-2 by the middle of the half. Shooting let them down however and the goal, scored by Charles Molyneux was quickly cancelled when Dara Campbell broke the cover and Rónán Arthurs slotted home from close range.
A minute later, Eoin Morris’ free came off a post and Arthurs again was on hand to find the net. Those two scores were the main reason that St Patrick’s led by 2-3 to 1-2 at the break.
Dominican however turned the four points’ deficit into a three points’ lead within six minutes of the re-start with two excellent strikes from Duffy Crocker and Dara Hughes.
Their lead was short lived with Campbell again breaking through the cover to fire across goalie Dylan Corbett into the far corner. Christoper McGarry then opened his account to edge Lisburn ahead in the next attack, but two points from Conor Lowe put the Portstewart side back in the lead.
McGarry and Campbell, from frees, had Lisburn back in the lead before the penalty award when Corbett brought down Arthurs on his way to goal. McGarry confidently sent the goalie the wrong way. Five minutes later Tiernan Andrews-Fryer burst through the centre for a fine individual goal that closed the game down to 4-6 to 4-5 to set up a grandstand finish.
However eight minutes from time, Lisburn won a turnover 50m out and the quick through pass put McGarry in the clear and the centre-forward cleverly slid his shot under the advancing Corbett.
Morris and McGarry quickly made the game safe with points that secured the school’s second trophy of the season.
St Patrick’s: C McGarry (2-3, 1-0 pen., 0-1 free), R Arthurs (2-0), D Campbell (1-2, 0-1 free), E Morris (0-2, 1 free), C McKillion (0-1)
Dominican: D Crocker (1-1), D Hughes (1-1, 0-1 free), T Andrews-Fryer and C Molyneaux (1-0) each, C Love (0-3, 1 free), P McGinley (0-1 free)
St Patrick’s:
Sean Prabucki, Caeden Lees, Lennon Mawire, Aaron Hartley, Joseph McMahon, Zac Mooore, Callum Dean, Charlie McGrandles, Callum McKillion (0-1), Dara Campbell (1-2, 0-1 free), Christopher McGarry (2-3, 1-0 pen., 0-1 free), Charlie Green capt., Conor Dowds, Rónán Arthurs (2-0), Eoin Morris (0-2, 1 free)
Subs: Aarpn O’Neill for C lees (25), James Barrett for C Dowds (40), C Lees for C Green (55), Oliver Graham for S Prabucki (60), Joseph Bradley for L Mawire (60)
Dominican:
Dylan Corbett, Rohan Beckett, Thomas Campbell, Emmett McAuley, Enda Lafferty, Duffy Crocker (1-1), Patrick McGinley (0-1 free), Dara Hughes (1-1, 0-1 free), Tiernan Andrews-Fryer (1-0), Charles Molyneaux (1-0), Hugh Patrick Donaghy, Oscar Leitch, Noah Douglas, Conor Love (0-3, 1 free), Fergal Murray
Sub: Lewis Owen for N Douglas (HT)
Winning Captain Charlie Green receives the cup from Seamus McAleenan of Ulster Colleges.
O’Donnell’s claimed a South Antrim double on Friday evening with a win over Ardoyne in the delayed 2023 Martin Shield decider.
The Whiterock outfit had claimed the Division Two South Antrim league in 2023 and having made a bright start to life in Division One this season- hopes were high that they could add the Martin Shield on home turf.
Ardoyne began brightly and tagged the opening two scores with Joe Gibson getting his side off the mark and then assisting in Brendan O’Neill swinging over to double their account.
Joseph Wilson got the hosts off the mark with a fine point but at the other end Ciaran McNeill forced a terrific low save from Martin McLaughlin- who felt the effects in the aftermath, but none-the-less would play a crucial role as the game developed.
The hosts restored parity through a Conor O’Donnell point that followed a patient move involving Joseph Wilson and Pearce Rice.
O’Ds would grab the opening goal on the 16th minute. Ardoyne keeper Conor Meekin got his hand to a dipping shot that was dropping over the bar, the loose ball fell to Leigh McGrady and Meekin made an incredible save only for Joseph Wilson to blast home at the third time of asking to give his side a 1-02-0-02 advantage.
It wouldn’t last long however as Ardoyne showed their powers of recovery and hit back within 60-seconds. Brendan O’Neill was slipped in on the edge of the area and he guided a low shot to the net to level.
The sides traded points in the aftermath with Pearce Rice nudging his side back in front from a converted free, and Cormac Barnes steering a shot inside of the posts in response.
Rice dropped over his first from play and would double his account before the half was out. His third score came after Patrick Meehan was dragged back and Rice converted his second free of the half. He would then add an angled point in first half injury time and a further free from Patrick Meehan gave O’Ds a 1-07-1-03 lead at the break.
The hosts extended their lead after the restart through a Marc McKenna point and Patrick Meehan converted his second free of the evening a few minutes later.
Having conceded six without reply Ardoyne needed a score and Sean McBride gave his side a lift with a super point.
Substitute Marc McKenna curled over his second of the half though Brendan O’Neill converted a free in reply.
O’Ds stretched their lead further when James Walsh pointed, and Patrick Meehan kicked his third free of the evening to give their side a 1-12-1-05 advantage.
Dan Moore swung over a much-needed score for Ardoyne and Brendan O’Neill then charged forward and took a score to spark renewed hope amongst the visitors.
Things almost got better when Ciaran McNeill had a sighting of goal, but Martin McLaughlin turned his goal bound effort against the post and Caelan McCallum’s follow-up went over the bar for a point.
McNeill was unable to get a shot away moments later and instead laid the ball off to Brendan O’Neill to pop over their fourth score on the spin and reduce arrears to three-points with just over ten minutes remaining.
The next two scores were traded as Marc McKenna played a one-two with Pearce Rice and clipped over his third of the half, only for Ardoyne talisman O’Neill to respond and ensure a strike of the ball separated the duo.
Patrick Meehan would provide the insurance score in added time, converting a free in injury time, but Ardoyne probed in the remaining minutes and struck the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds.
O’Ds would close out proceedings to add the Martin Shield to the Division Two title that they claimed in 2023 and having remained unbeaten thus far in South Antrim Division One football- the Whiterock side will hope to make strides in the McDermott Cup later in the year.
O’Donnell’s: M McLaughlin, K Maxwell, S Smylie, L McCaffrey, M Sloan, S Lavery, J Walsh (0-01), J Wilson (1-01), P Meehan (0-04f), P Rice (0-04, 0-02f), S O’Donnell, C O’Donnell (0-01), L McGrady, J Lavery, P Golden. Subs: M McKenna (0-03) for J Lavery (21), D Walsh for K Maxwell (21), J Rafferty for L McCaffrey (21), M Close for P Golden (40), L Doyle for S O’Donnell (44).
Ardoyne: C Meekin, M McAuley, C Magee, E Higney, B Mailey, P Marley, O Hickey, D Moore (0-01), O McKee, C McNeill, B O’Neill (1-05, 0-02f), C Barnes (0-01), J Gibson (0-01), S McBride (0-01), C Carter. Subs: C McCallum (0-01) for J Gibson (35), D Watson for O Hickey (46).
Antrim have named an unchanged team from their victory over Wexford two weeks ago, for this Sunday’s Tailteann Cup Group decider against Sligo at Kingspan Breffni Park. For the third game in a row Antrim are unchanged and it’s not surprising given their recent good form.
Wins over Tipperary and Wexford in the Tailteann Cup will see the saffron go into this group decider against a Sligo team who have also recorded victories over the same opposition.
Antrim lost to Sligo at Marievicz Park in the league earlier in the season and another defeat on Sunday would not mean the end of the road for Andy McEntee’s side but, as in life, momentum is everything in sport and the Meath man will want his side to get the job done as soon as possible and I expect them to edge a tight contest at Breffni Park
Paddy McAteer (who wrote the 1990 book) Ulster President Ciarán McLaughlin, editor Teresa Daly and club chairman Terry Robb at the launch of the Creggan Centenary book–Céad Blíaín ag Fás
All roads led to Creggan pavilion on the evening of Thursday 30th May where Kickhams GAC launched their centenary history book An Creagán. The first history club book which covered up to 1990 was incorporated into the latest edition edited by Teresa Daly and the result is a most comprehensive publication covering every aspect of the club’s history and life in the locality up to the present day. Being a club which has from its inception has always promoted Football, Hurling and Camogie and latterly Ladies Football, there was a vast quantity of material to consider especially from more recent times, and Teresa has performed a great service to the club in her portrayal of the last 30 years
The evening began with Club Chairman Terry Robb welcoming the guests and other attendees and thanking Teresa Daly and Patrick McAteer for their work. This was followed by a rendition of the song Slievenamon written by the club’s patron Charles Joseph Kickham, and performed by the local Scór na nÓg singers.
A presentation followed by Patrick McAteer which explained the historical context which existed locally in 1924 when Jimmy Kelly, the local blacksmith, Pádraig Mac Namee a Gaelic scholar from South Armagh who taught in Creggan School, and others decided that the time was ripe to establish a GAA club in the area. The Ulster Chairman, Ciarán McLaughlin also addressed the crowd, praising the publication and emphasizing the important role of the GAA in modern society.
Paddy Marrion, Paddy McAteer, Ciaran McLaughlin ( Chairman of the Ulster Council) with descendants of the club founder – Fergal McCann, Caitrin Graham, Lucy Coughlin who received special presentations at the Creggan Centrenary book launch.
As the evening progressed, it was an emotional moment when Terry Robb invited three young people who are active in the club to step forward and be awarded with special club badges. These were descendants, after a number of generations, of the original founders of the club. Another nice touch was the unveiling of a high quality cup, missing for many years, which was won by St Olcan’s Primary school Creggan in 1924 and 1925 in the Randalstown primary schools league organisied by Father Lynch.
The book is available to buy at £30 by approaching anyone in the club committee.
Descendants of one of the cub’s founder members Jimmy Kelly
Pupils from Creggan Primary School who recited poems they had written about the history of the club.
Club chairman Terry Robb presents a copy of the book to special guests from Randalstown Ruby ClubMusicians Aiveen Woulahan, Maria Gateley and Dervla Woulahan who performed at the book launchOne of the club’s great stalwarts Tony McCollum
Antrim travel to Kingspan Breffni Park this Sunday to face Sligo in a game that will give automatic qualification to the quarter-final of the Tailteann Cup to the winners. The sides have met frequently in the last decade with only a kick of the ball seperating them in most occasions but their most recent encounter in the NFL Division 3 back in February resulted in a 7 point win for the Yates County.
Both sides have played two games in the group stages of this year’s Tailteann Cup, both defeating Tipperary and Wexford and Sunday’s encounter will decide the winners of the group and direct passage to the quarter-final knockout stages.
Sligo would finish their National League campaign in 4th place with four wins and a draw from 7 starts and were just outside the promotion places while Antrim won only three of their seven starts in a season where quite a number of new faces were introduced to the Saffron camp.
Recent results would suggest that Antrim have made great strides as the season progressed and their win over Wicklow in the final game of the league at Corrigan was to prove a season changer and a season saver.
They went on to beat Tipperary at Corrigan in their opening game in this year’s Tailteann Cup before travelling to Wexford Park and making it two from two with Sunday’s encounter in Cavan one that they can win and avenge that earlier league defeat by Sligo.
Andy McEntee’s charges have been flying recently and his side might not show too many changes from the one that lost in Sligo but the return of Aghagallon’s Ruairi McCann and the emergence of Glenravel’s Ryan McQuillan has made them a more potent scoring threat.
The return of Cathal Hynds to the Antrim mid-field following a lengthy injury has added energy and momentum and he and Paddy McAleer have the ability to influence the game in this department.
Antrim led that game at Marievicz Park at half time but were hit by a second half blitz from the home side and were out-scored 0-12 to 0-3 in the second half and appeared to take their eye of the ball.
Niall Murphy led the way with 0-8 (5f’s) and Darragh Cummins 0-3, Patrick O’Connor 0-3, Cian Lally , Sean Carabine and Luke Towey were the men who carried Sligo’s considerable scoring threat that day and Antrim will have to tighten up in defence while improving their own scoring ratio.
Paddy McBride kicked six points against Sunday’s opponents in Sligo and the inclusion of Ruairi McCann and Ryan McQuillan at Breffni will give the Saffron greater scoring options and they can avenge that league defeat and book themselves an automatic quarter-final place.
BELOW IS A REPORT AND PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THAT LEAGUE GAME AT MARKIEVICZ PARK
Antrim fall as Sligo come strong after the break
Allianz NFL Division 3
Sligo 1-20 Antrim 1-13
Following a winning start to the season, an inexperienced Antrim suffered their second successive defeat when they travelled to Markievicz Park on Sunday and lost to a good Sligo side, led by their captain, Niall Murphy.
The Sligo number 15 scored eight points as the men in black put in their best performance of 2024 to run out seven point’s winners against a Saffron side who had performed well in the opening half.
Sligo keeper, Aidan Devany comes smartly off his line to deny Marc Jorday what looked a certain goal.
Inspired by their own sharp shooter, Paddy McBride, the visitors led 1-9 to 1-8 at the short whistle and might well have been further ahead but were hit by a goal on the break from Cian Lally in the 26th minute.
An injury time point from Daragh Cummins for the Yates County left the home side trailing 1-9 to 1-8 to the break but Antrim must have felt fairly comfortable despite facing the breeze in the second half.
Antrim’s Joseph Finnegan is challenged by Sean Carabine of Sligo
Bright start from the Saffrons
Antrim rattled the home side with a scrambled goal in the seventh minute when Ronan Boyle got the final touch after a Ruairi McCann delivery – a point attempt from a mark – dropped short.
A couple of minutes earlier Sligo keeper Aidan Devaney came smartly off his line to deny Marc Jordan with his legs as the big wing half back looked certain to find the net.
Sligo, though, gradually improved and they moved a point ahead, 0-5 to 1-1, with 23 minutes played following scores from Niall Murphy, Darragh Cummins and Sean Carrabine.
Good points from Dermot McAleese and Patrick McBride put Antrim back in front, 1-3 to 0-5 before Sligo replied with a goal from Lally in the 26th minute and followed with a point from Niall Murphy that looked to have put the Connacht County in control.
Sligo substitute, Luke Lally fires over a spectacular point despite the best efforts of Colm McLarnon and Mick Byrne, Antrim.
Antrim responded positively as they scored six points without reply, including four from the impressive Patrick McBride, who was landing some beautiful scores, to lead 1-09 to 1-08 in first-half stoppage time.
Sligo produced a much improved second half performance to secure their third win of the campaign with Murphy leading by example as they struck through Paul Kilcoyne and Sean Carabine to take the lead in the opening minute before Paddy McBride briefly levelled the contest with his sixth of the evening.
The visitors would only add two further points however through Colm McLarnon and Niall Burns as Sligo took control and slowly began to turn the screw.
The home side grew in confidence and stature with Niall Murphy leading the way and the Sligo captain would finish the contest with 0-8 to his credit as they out-scored their opponents 0-12 to 0-3 in a dominant second half display
Paddy McBNride, who scored 0-6 against Sligo in Markikevicz Park
The hosts and the visitors had identical records coming into this fixture – two wins and one loss apiece, with Sligo victorious over Limerick in the previous round and Antrim losing to promotion favourites Down.
These sides contested successive Allianz Football League finals back in 2009 and 2010, with Sligo winning those Division Four and Division Three deciders.
Recent meetings have been close encounters – a one-point win for Sligo in 2020 and a minimum margin victory for Antrim three years ago.
Murphy, substitute Luke Towey, Eddie McGuinness and Brian Cox impressed in a strong Sligo side and this win looks to have secured their place in division 3 for another campaign.
Antrim, for whom Patrick McBride was outstanding, finished with 14 players because of a late black card for Marc Jordan and will hope to get something from next week’s visit of Westmeath as they look anxiously over their shoulders at the chasing pack. Antrim’s Ruairi McCann and Sligo’s Nathan Mullen in a race for possession
Antrim goal scorer, Ronan Boyle comes forward to support his attack
Sligo: Aidan Devaney, Paul McNamara, Eddie McGuinness, Evan Lyons, Brian Cox, Darragh Cummins (0-3), Nathan Mullen, Patrick O’Connor (0-3), Paul Kilcoyne, Alan McLoughlin, Donal Conlon, Cian Lally (1-0), Pat Spillane (0-1), Sean Carrabine (0-2, 1f), Niall Murphy (c) (0-8, 4f, 2 ‘mark’)
Subs used: Lee Deignan (0-1) for Pat Spillane, h-t; Luke Towey (0-2) for Donal Conlon, 46; Eoghan Smith for Alan McLoughlin, 62; Mikey Gordon for Sean Carrabine, 68; David Quinn for Cian Lally, 68
Antrim: Michael Byrne (0-1, 1f), Ronan Boyle, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan, Marc Jordan, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese (c) (0-1), Colm McLarnon (0-1), Patrick McAleer, Cormac McGettigan, Patrick McBride (0-6), Ruairi McCann (0-2, 1 ‘mark’, 1f), Declan Lynch (0-1), Niall Burns (0-1, 1f), Dominic McEnhill
Subs used: Eoghan McCabe for Kavan Keenan, 39; Eoin Hynes for Cormac McGettigan, 45; Conor Hand for Dominic McEnhill, 53; Ryan McQuillan for Patrick McAleer, 63; Jack Dowling for Colm McLarnon, 63
