Naomh Úna (St. Agnes’) 1-09 St. Mary’s Ahoghill 1-17
St. Mary’s Ahoghill delivered a professional performance at Woodlands, pulling away in the second half to secure a comprehensive eight-point win over Naomh Úna.
The opening period was a high-octane affair with both sides finding the net. Colla McDonnell gave Ahoghill a flying start with a goal in the 4th minute, while Mark Boyle kept the “Aggies” in contention with a goal of his own at the 24-minute mark. Points from McDonnell (0-2), James O’Connell (0-2), and the Crossey brothers, Noel and Conor (0-1 each), helped the visitors to a three-point lead at the break. Naomh Úna’s first-half resistance was led by Daithi McGaharan (0-2) and Conall Turley (0-1).
Half-time: Naomh Úna 1-03 St. Mary’s Ahoghill 1-06
Ahoghill’s clinical edge told in the second half as they methodically added to their tally. James O’Connell led the charge with four points, while Patrick Graham (0-2) and Colla McDonnell (0-2) also contributed multiple scores. Dan O’Neill, Donal Graham, and Conor Crossey added a point apiece to ensure the visitors remained in total control.
Naomh Úna continued to battle, with Cormac McBride hitting two fine points and Conall Turley, Paddy Toner, and David McGaharan all finding the range. However, they couldn’t claw back the deficit as Ahoghill’s superior point-scoring ability secured a vital two points for the Cloney side.
This win keeps St. Mary’s Ahoghill very much in the promotion race, one point behind league leaders St. Enda’s, and following relegation from division 1 last year the Cloney men could be on course for a quick return to the higher grade.
It’s been a different story for the ‘Aggies’ who were division 3 and Junior Championship winners last year but have yet to register a win in the higher grade. They lost half a dozen players following last year’s success to emigration but there were tentative signs on Wednesday night that first win of the season might not be too far away.
Naomh Úna Scorers: Mark Boyle (1-00), David McGaharan (0-03), Cormac McBride (0-02), Conall Turley (0-02), Paddy Toner (0-01), James Halleron (0-01).
St. Mary’s Ahoghill Scorers: James O’Connell (0-06), Colla McDonnell (1-04), Patrick Graham (0-02), Noel Crossey (0-01), Conor Crossey (0-02), Dan O’Neill (0-01), Donal Graham (0-01).
Played at Dunsilly in near-perfect conditions, this Division 2 clash between Naomh Comhghall CLG and Naomh Séamas lived up to expectations, with the visitors arriving higher in the league standings and intent on maintaining their strong form.
The Antrim town side made an electric start, with Miles Devine opening the scoring inside the first minute. However, Naomh Séamas responded immediately through Cormac McGarry to level matters. Naomh Comhghall CLG then began to settle, moving the ball with pace and purpose as they looked to exploit their quick full-forward line.
Their growing dominance told on the scoreboard, with James McCabe converting a point in the 5th minute before Dylan Murdock followed up almost instantly with another fine effort. The home side continued to look dangerous in attack and were rewarded on the 9th minute when midfielder Aaron McGaw finished a well-worked move to the net.
Naomh Séamas, though, showed their quality and resilience. McGarry struck an excellent two-pointer to keep his side in touch, but Naomh Comhghall remained on top for much of the first half, adding further points through Ryan Clarke and Tiernan Floyd. The visitors closed the half strongly, however, with a two-pointer from Ferghal Burke narrowing the gap to leave the hosts behind 1-3 to 0-7 at the break.
Naomh Séamas carried that momentum into the second half, taking control early on with two quick points from Brian McQuillan. Although Tiernan Floyd responded for the town side, Naomh Comhghall then endured a difficult spell, losing their rhythm for a sustained period.
Sensing their opportunity, Naomh Séamas surged ahead with a series of well-taken scores from Oisín Fogarty, Christopher McSteen and Seamus McGarry, turning the game firmly in their favour.
To their credit, the Antrim men rallied late on. Aaron McGaw struck for his second goal of the game to give the home support renewed hope, and substitute Tomás Patchett added a point to close the gap further.
However, Naomh Séamas showed composure in the closing stages. Cormac McGarry and Ryan Owens both landed excellent late points to seal the victory for the visitors.
In the end, Naomh Séamas’ strong second-half performance proved decisive as they claimed a 2-6 to 0-14 win, overcoming a bright start from Naomh Comhghall CLG in an entertaining and hard-fought encounter.
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Erin’s Own Cargin 1-14 (17) – St. John’s 2-14 (20)
St. John’s weathered a fierce second-half comeback from reigning champions Cargin to claim a three-point victory in a high-quality Division 1 encounter in Toome on Wednesday night. A dominant first half, aided by a significant breeze, ultimately gave the Belfast side enough cushion to withstand a Callum Gribbin-inspired Cargin resurgence. St. John’s exploited the conditions early, racing into a commanding 1-12 to 0-5 lead by the 28th minute. Their attack was fluid, with Conchur Adams and Conal McGlade finding their range with ease. The pressure told when Conor McEvoy stepped up to bury a penalty after a foul in the small square.
Cargin looked shell-shocked but found a lifeline just before the short whistle. In a mirror-image scenario, David Johnston was upended and Callum Gribbin stepped up to confidently dispatch the penalty award to the net.
HT: Cargin 1-05 St. John’s 1-12
With the wind at their backs, Cargin emerged with renewed intensity. Paul McCann got them off the mark seven minutes in, and as the pressure mounted, points from Marty Kane and Jack O’Neill cut the deficit. Callum Gribbin continued his fine form, moving into a playmaker role that had the visitors’ defence at full stretch.
The game’s turning point arrived in the 19th minute of the half. After soaking up a sustained period of Cargin pressure, St. John’s broke at pace. Paddy McBride spearheaded a well-organized transition, feeding Conchur Adams, who finshed from close range and despite appeals from the home side the goal was allowed to stand.
Despite the setback, Cargin rallied again. Points from Gribbin and a long-range effort from John Carron brought the gap back to just two points with five minutes remaining. However, the Whiterock Road men remained composed; OdhranMcAuley stepped up to slot over the final point of the game with St. John’s holding on to possession to ensure they would head home with the spoils.
Callum Gribbin was Cargin’s outstanding performer and was a scoring threat every time he got posession while Paddy McBride led St. John’s from mid-field and with Conal McGlade and Conchur Adams in sparkling form the Whiterock men were worthy winners in the end.
Erin’s Own Cargin: Callum Gribbin (1-08), Paul McCann (0-01), Marty Kane (0-01), Jack O’Neill (0-01), John Carron (0-01), James Laverty (0-2)
Brendan McTaggart reports from Quinn Park, Ballymena
Dunloy recorded their second league victory of the year on Wednesday evening as they produced a smash and grab win over All Saints. Leading by four with a little over 11 minutes left, the Cuchullains had to withstand a barrage of attacks from the Ballymena men and when Cal O’Brien tied the scores by splitting the uprights for his second of the evening, it looked like there was only going to be one winner.
Dunloy managed to break free from the resulting kickout and Jack Martin converted the winning score with what was the last action of the contest.
The Saints weren’t happy coming off the pitch and you can understand why. The home side were dominant in those closing stages and should have put the game to bed but they switched off for the last kick out of the game and Dunloy took full advantage.
Despite Dunloy opening the scoring with Tom McFerran’s first of seven points, it was the home side who started brightly. Brendan McDonnell and O’Brien were excellent in attack while Connell Lemon, Peter McNicholl and Peter McReynolds movement was always giving them an option. McDonnell fired over a brace of scores and while Dunloy defender James Scally tied the scores, the Ballymena men were giving the Dunloy defence a torrid time. Sean McVeigh popped up to score the first two pointer of the game and and McDonnell converted his second free of the match soon after.
The only goal of the game came in the 13th minute, coming at the end of a patient move before McDonnell provided the injection of pace to get the yard needed in the danger area and gave the Saints a 1-5 to 0-2 lead.
The home side wouldn’t register another score for fully 15 minutes however as Dunloy began to find their feet. Three points in as many minutes from Nigel Elliott, Jack Martin and McFerran left McDonnell’s major the only score between the sides but a brace of frees from Eoghan ‘Corkery’ McGrath brought the visitors to Quinn Park to within one point going in to the final 10 minutes of the half.
McDonnell took his tally to 1-4 for the half with his third free of the game but a brilliant two pointer from McFerran had the sides all square at the short whistle.
On reflection, the sides being tied at the interval was a fair reflection on that opening 30 minutes. All Saints started superbly but when Dunloy began to win ball in the middle third, they showed how devastating their attack can be.
The Cuchullains started the second half on top and had opened a four point lead inside the opening eight minutes of the half – scores coming from McFerran and McGrath before McFerran added his second two pointer of the game and take his personal tally to 0-7.
The Ballymena men began to settle into the second half with Lemon and O’Brien splitting the uprights in response to scores from McGrath and Ryan McGarry as the Cuchullians maintained that four point lead going into the final quarter.
The home side found another gear however with substitute Ronan McKillop playing a pivotal role. He would score three points in a little over six minutes with Lemon adding his second of the night and while Nigel Elliott replied for the Cuchullains, the Dunloy lead was cut to the minimum going into the final minute of the 60.
As injury time was announced, All Saints were on the prowl once again. They looked for a way into the Dunloy defence and O’Brien provided the composure when required to tie the scores.
There looked like there would only be one winner at that point but Dunloy somehow managed to break. Chrissy McMahon’s kickout finding Donnacha Laverty free in the middle third and the young Dunloy forward began the attack. Two passes later, the ball was fed to Jack Martin and he split the uprights to score his second of the match and effectively hit the match winning point.
All Saints will be hoping to get back to winning ways next Wednesday when they host Cargin while Dunloy will welcome St Paul’s to Pearse Park on the same evening.
TEAMS
ALL SAINTS: Ryan Stewart; Oliver O’Rawe, Michael Read, Ryan Thom; Charlie Metrusty, Connell Lemon, Matthew Downey; Emmet Killough, Peter McNicholl; Harry Connon, Cal O’Brien, Peter McReynolds; Sean McVeigh, Brendan McDonnell, Darach Bradley
Subs: Joe Rafferty for R Thom (HT), Sean McDermott for M Downey (HT), James Gillan for S McVeigh (38), Ronan McKillop for D Bradley (38)
Scorers: B McDonnell 1-4 (3fs), R McKillop 0-3, S McVeigh 0-2 (1tp), C O’Brien 0-2, C Lemon 0-2
DUNLOY: Chrissy McMahon; Michael Traynor, Sean Og Blaney; James Scally, Aaron Crawford, Conor Kinsella; Ryan McGarry, Ciaran McQuillan; Jack Martin, Tom McFerran, Aodhan McGarry; Eoghan McGrath, Nigel Elliott, Karl Fitzpatrick
Subs: Donnacha Laverty for J Scally (15), Emmet McKendry for K Fitzpatrick (54)
Scorers: T McFerran 0-7 (2tp), E McGrath 0-4 (2fs), N Elliott 0-2, J Martin 0-2, J Scally 0-1, R McGarry 0-1
Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)
To see more of Brendan’s photos from the game, follow the link below….
League champions Cushendall continued their unbeaten run in the Antrim Division 1 Camogie league with an impressive win over Dunloy at Pairc Mhuire, Cushendall. It has to be said that both teams fielded without their county players, but Dunloy were affected more than Cushendall, but despite both being short, this turned out to be an excellent game which was fiercely contested from start to finish. Dunloy started very well and managed to build a strong lead early on, despite playing into a stiff breeze. After Eva McNeill opened the scoring for the home side with an early free, Dunloy quickly took control. Aine Magill leveled the game with a point from play before Caoimhe Molloy edged them ahead with a free. Magill then fired a goal to the net, and although Cliodhna Thompson responded with a point for Cushendall, Molloy tapped over another free to establish a five-point advantage for the visitors.
Cushendall soon settled into the game however and began to make use of the conditions. Eva McNeill spearheaded their revival, hitting a 45 and adding a point from play, alongside a fine score from Kady McNeill. Eva McNeill then drove a free to the back of the net to put Cushendall in front, following it up with another point from play shortly after. Dervla Cosgrove added a point from a free, and Eva McNeill struck again to extend the gap. Just before the interval, Cliodhna Thompson found the net for Cushendall’s second goal. Dunloy managed to finish the half with late points from a Caoimhe Molloy free and an Aine Magill effort from play, but Cushendall held a commanding 2-09 to 1-05 lead at the break.
After the restart, Eva McNeill extended the Cushendall lead with a free, but Dunloy quickly responded. They hit three quick points from play through Eimear Johnston, Aine Magill, and Erin McMullan, and appeared to be on course to close the gap when McMullan added her second to leave just four points between the sides. However, Cushendall steadied the ship and regained control of the contest. Brogan Abram broke Dunloy’s momentum with a crucial point from play, and Eva McNeill added another free to keep the scoreboard ticking. The result was put completely beyond doubt when Kady McNeill struck for Cushendall’s third goal in the 21st minute. Eva McNeill concluded the scoring with a late free, ensuring Cushendall maintained their unbeaten streak with an impressive 3-13 to 1-09 victory.
