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by thesaffrongael

McNeill on the mark as Cushendall step closer to retaining their league title

Antrim Camogie League – Division 1

Dunloy 2-05 Cushendall 0-17

Cushendall Ruairi Óg took a significant step toward retaining their Antrim Division 1 Camogie League title with a commanding six-point victory over Dunloy Cuchullains at Pearse Park on Tuesday evening. In a high-intensity encounter, it was a virtuoso performance from Eva McNeill that stole the headlines, with the sharp-shooting forward serving as the star of the show to guide the visitors to a well-earned win.

The game roared into life from the opening whistle. Eva McNeill laid down an early marker for Cushendall with a point inside the first minute, though Dunloy hit back immediately through an Áine Magill score just sixty seconds later. McNeill edged the visitors ahead with a beautifully struck ’45’ in the sixth minute, but Dunloy found the game’s opening major shortly after. Erin McMullan showed great predatory instincts to find the net in the eighth minute, and when Aileen McManus followed up with a quick point, the Cuchullains looked to be building serious momentum.

However, Cushendall’s response was emphatic. Dervla Cosgrove ignited the fightback with a magnificent long-range point, followed instantly by a Brogan Abram score. Siobhán McKillop then leveled proceedings in the 15th minute, showing superb balance to strike on the run from the left-hand side. While Áine Magill kept Dunloy in touch with an 18th-minute free, the remainder of the half belonged to the Ruairí Óg vanguard. Abram tallied her second of the evening with a fine score, McKillop loosed off another brilliant point, and Eva McNeill took dead-aim from placed balls, slotting two late frees before clipping over a fine score from play to give Cushendall a deserved 0-11 to 1-03 cushion at the break.

The visitors picked up exactly where they left off after the restart, Eva McNeill converting another free to stretch the gap. Áine Magill responded with a great point from play for Dunloy, but McNeill was in an unplayable mood, landing a free before drifting out to the left wing to fire over a spectacular point from a tight angle. Another McNeill free extended the lead, but Dunloy refused to lie down. After a chaotic 43rd-minute goalmouth scramble somehow failed to yield a major for the home side, they finally got their breakthrough two minutes later. Erin McMullan was again the provider, turning sharply to fire home her second goal of the match and breathe new life into the Dunloy challenge, cutting the deficit to four.

Sensing a shifting tide, the champions flexed their muscles. Just two minutes after the Dunloy goal, Eva McNeill steadied the ship with another precise free to re-establish a five-point cushion. The exclamation point on a masterful individual display came in the 49th minute. Anticipating a short Dunloy poc-out, McNeill brilliantly intercepted the clearance and casually tapped the sliotar over the bar. It was the definitive blow of the contest, sealing a comprehensive six-point victory and cementing Cushendall’s march toward back-to-back league honours.

Cuchullains Dun Lathaí

1 Clodagh OKane, 2 Casey Crawford, 3 Kathryn Boyle, 5 Eilis Kearns, 6 Katie Laverty, 7 Eimear McMullan, 8 caitlin crawford, 9 Bronach Magill, 10 Erin McMullan, 11 Bríd Magill, 12 Aine Magill, 14 Aileen McManus, 15 Adria McAllister.

Ruairí Óg

1 Ellen Leech, 2 Laoise McCollam, 3 Anna McNeill, 4 Tamara Black, 5 aoife mcclafferty, 6 Abi McNeill, 7 Laura Black, 8 Dervla Cosgrove, 9 Siobhan McKillop, 10 Brogan Abram, 11 Rhianna Black, 12 Cara O’Boyle, 14 Eva McNeill, 15 Kady McNeill.

Scorers

Cushendall:

  • Eva McNeill: 0-12 (0-8 frees, 0-1 ’45’)
  • Siobhan McKillop: 0-02
  • Brogan Abram: 0-02
  • Dervla Cosgrove: 0-01

Dunloy:

  • Erin McMullan: 2-00
  • Aine Magill: 0-04 (0-1 free)
  • Aileen McManus: 0-01

  • Referee – Declan McGarry (Loughgiel Shamrocks)

TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/Kuy6mpyejxf3L6/?invite=eebd79ad-bd35-4193-80b4-40fd1c3de8e8

by thesaffrongael

O’Boyle stars as Loughgiel win the Junior Feis Cup

Junior Feis Cup

Loughgiel 3-15 Armoy 0-18

Loughgiel won the Junior Feis Cup at Feis na nGleann on Saturday evening when they came from two points down at half time to beat Armoy in a well contested final at Pearce Park Dunloy.

A strong and physical Glen Rovers side made Loughgiel work hard for their victory and with PJ and Tarlach McBride to the fore. Loughgiel made the first breakthrough when Man of the Match Shane O’Boyle grabbed the first of his two goals on fifteen minutes, but despite that Armoy still went on to lead by 0-13 to 1-08 at the break, Tarlach McBride proving very accurate from placed balls.

The Shamrocks got the upper hand in the second half and took the lead when Shane O’Boyle fired in his second goal on 40 minutes. Armoy kept themselves well in contention but a third Loughgiel goal on fifty minutes from Conan Johnston proved a vital score and they went on to win by six on a scoreline of 3-15 to 0-18

LOUGHGIEL 

  1. Dan O’Mullan, 2. Tomás McNulty, 3. Tony McCloskey, 4. Paddy Bradley, 5. Eddie Smith, 6. Odhrán McMullan, 7. Ashton McGarry, 8. Cathal Hargan, 9. Dónal McKinley, 10. Niall McFadden, 11. Shane O’Boyle, 12. Mick McGarry, 13. Odhran McGrath, 14. Cathair McGrath, 15. Conan Johnston.

Subs – Aidan McFadden, Charlie O’Hagan, Conall McMahon, Conor Dallas, Conor McCormicjk, Damien Quinn, Danny McAuley, Darra McGivern, Dylan Devlin, Ronan Casey, Roan McCloskey, Tiernan McFadden

Manager Seamus McGarry

by thesaffrongael

McNaughton Leads Ruairi’s to McMullan Cup Crown

Feis na nGleann

U16 McMullan Cup Final

Cushendall 0-18 Dunloy 1-13

Sunday 5 July

Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy

The opening game on Feis Sunday has been the McMullan Cup final for as long as I can remember and it rarely disappoints.  Sunday was no different.  Cushendall produced a brilliant second half, lead superbly by midfielder Connlaodh McNaughton to make a mockery of their underdog status and take the first honours of the day at Pearse Park against Dunloy.

In a game that had everything from brilliant scores, outstanding individual performances and late, late drama at the death, it was Cushendall who showed just that little bit more composure in front of the target when it mattered most.  Connlaodh McNaughton with 11 white flags showed just why his reputation soars throughout the county while Paidi O’Kane was unlucky to be on the losing side.  The young Dunloy star added 1-7 over the hour and was a constant threat for the Cuchullains.

The Ruairi’s had top performers in Lorcan Bradley and Lorcan McNaughton while Oliver Mooney covered every blade of grass on the Pearse Park surface, despite wearing 15 on his back.

Oisin O’Brien shone for the Cuchulllains, especially in the first half where his high catching of ball coming his way at the heart of the Dunloy defence was a delight to watch.  He was helped in defence by Harry McQuillan and Lorcan Martin while Tom Richmond was commanding and assured in goals.

The Cuchullains will rue their missed chances to build any momentum though, especially in the second half.  A number of missed frees breathed life into the Cushendall challenge while doing little to help the Dunloy cause.  Yet, it took the Ruairi’s to score the last three scores of the half and survive a disallowed goal at the death to get over the line.

The opening 10 minutes gave us a glimpse of what was to come with Connlaodh McNaughton and Paidi O’Kane leading the challenge for both sides.  McNaughton would score three of Cushendall’s opening four points with Jayden McNaughton scoring the other.  Dunloy’s response was a brace of scores from O’Kane but the early stages looked ominous for Cushendall as the Cuchullains looked sharp all over the pitch.

Ronan Elliott split the uprights for his first of five frees throughout the game in the 13th minute before the only goal of the final followed moments later.  O’Brien with a trademark fetch in the air before spreading the play into the path of Ronan Elliott.  He would find Paidi O’Kane haring through the middle and while the Dunloy star still had work to do, his finish was top drawer.

Ronan Elliott added another free with the next Dunloy attack but Cushendall responded with three unanswered scores of their own.  Connlaodh McNaughton with a brace of scores, his first coming after a brilliant run to evade challenges while his second was his second free of the contest, Lorcan Bradley adding the third white flag of the sequence to tie the scores with a little over nine minutes of the half remaining.

It was the Cuchullains who finished the half on top however.  A brace of white flags from Paidi O’Kane and scores from Lorcan Martin and Ronan Elliott (free) were followed by a Connlaodh McNaughton free with what was the last act of the half.

With the half time score 1-8 to 0-8 in Dunloy’s favour, both sides would have been content.  Dunloy should have been further ahead given the number of chances they squandered while three points was far from an insurmountable lead for the Ruairi’s to reel in.

The opening exchanges of the second half brought Cushendall back on terms with a brace from Connlaodh McNaughton (frees) and a fine score from Lorcan McNaughton meant the Ruairi’s had four points unanswered and the scores were tied.

Frees from Paidi O’Kane and Ronan Elliott either side of Lorcan Bradley’s second white flag of the afternoon had Dunloy ahead again but they were indebted to the brilliance of ‘keeper Tom Richmond.  He denied Connlaodh McNaughton with a top save after the Cushendall star cut through the Dunloy defence.

The Cuchullains response felt like it was match defining.  Another brace of scores from Paidi O’Kane, the second a quite sumptuous score from wide on the right restored their half time lead going into the final ten minutes.

It was the Ruairi’s who finished the final strongly however with Dunloy missing a number of frees in those closing stages.  A trio of points from Connlaodh McNaughton, Lorcan McNaughton and a huge free from Rian Laverty had the sides tied again with a little over five minutes to go.

Ronan Elliott’s fifth free of the game edges Dunloy ahead once again but that was the Cuchullains last score as Cushendall pushed for the finish line.  A brace of points from the brilliant Connlaodh McNaughton were followed by an insurance score from Tiernan McKeegan as Cushendall took the lead at the death.

Dunloy pushed for another goal and were denied when referee Declan Carey called for a square ball infringement as an Oisin O’Brien free dropped into the net, much to the dismay of the Dunloy players and management.

A tense ending to a brilliant final with the Ruairi’s edging Dunloy to take the honours.

TEAMS

Cushendall starting XV: Patrick Harris; Thomas McGarry, Joseph O’Hara, Riley Steer; Rian Laverty, Sean McAuley, Shayne Dorrity; Cabhan McKeegan, Connlaodh McNaughton; Lorcan Bradley, Harry Blaney, Tiernan McKeegan; Lorcan McNaughton, Jayden McNaughton, Oliver Mooney

  • Scorers: C McNaughton 0-11 (7fs), L Bradley 0-2, L McNaughton 0-2, J McNaughton 0-1, T McKeegan 0-1, R Laverty 0-1 (1f)

Dunloy starting XV: Tom Richmond; Noah Bradley, Aaron Richmond, Harry McQuillan; Cayden McGuckian, Oisin O’Brien, Lorcan Martin; Tiernan O’Reilly, Paidi O’Kane; Blaine Mullan, Peadar Doherty, Sean Johnston; Ronan Elliott, Pearse McMullan, Caden Doherty

  • Scorers: P O’Kane 1-7 (1f, 1’65), R Elliott 0-5 (5fs), L Martin 0-1

Referee: Declan Carey (Glenravel)

To see more of Brendan’s photos from the game, follow the link below…..

https://myalbum.com/album/LjeK9njNC2WfCD/?invite=bf599b2a-d867-4ea8-a432-832f7b5d8d9d

by thesaffrongael

Naomh Padraig clinch North Antrim U-16 1/2 ‘B’ Championship

Naomh Padraig 5-16 v 1-11 Creggan

On Saturday afternoon Naomh Padraig added the North Antrim U-16 championship to their Minor ‘B’ title already collected in mid June.

In what has been a busy spell for the Naomh Padraig lads, they had qualified for the final beating Division 1 St Endas in the 1/4 final, before beating Glenarm in the semi final on Wednesday evening sandwiched in between a comprehensive league win over Tir Na Nog on the Tuesday evening.

Creggan who had already won the Division 2 Feile title in May, came with a strong team and made the better start, with centre half forward Joe Connolly causing plenty of bother. They crowded their defence and Naomh Padraig were struggling to make any headway as Creggan eased into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead. However flying wing half forward Rhys Murray settled things with a great score, Jake Feetham fired one over his shoulder and John Og Darragh knocked over a couple of frees to bring his team back into it.

Full forward Conan Devlin and Connolly again pushed Creggan back into the lead. But it was the last 6 minutes of the first half when Naomh Padraig make their push, with captain Cormac Bailey starting to influence the game, and Cillian Bellew reading the danger brilliantly, Naomh Padraig fired 2-2 in that spell, the first goal coming from corner forward Aidan McBride, with points from Darragh and midfielder Killian Cassidy before John Og Darragh collected a long ball and drove the ball into the corner of the net to give them a 5 point lead at half time 2-6 to 0-7.

Creggan came out for the second half and scored the opening point through that man Joe Connolly again. However from that point Naomh Padraig started to get into a bit of rhythm, goalkeeper Liam ‘Toaster’ McCelland puckouts travelling 80m with the breeze, points from Darragh and Cassidy was followed by a great goal from pocket rocket corner forward Conrad Bailey. This was followed by another John Og Darragh goal which opened up a bit of a gap. The game was starting to get away from Creggan but they dug deep and with points from elusive midfielder Ryan Murray and another score from Connolly, was followed by a goal from wing forward Michael Duffin and it was game on again.

Midfielders Killian Cassidy & Ollie Joe McAlonan were starting to influence the game more, Cassidy firing over a couple more scores, it was the turn of wing half forward Rhys Murray to produce a couple of brilliant scores, one from right on the sideline – the score of the game. His wing half forward team mate Oliver Henry working very hard to create the scores. The Naomh Padraig defence was starting to get on top of their battles led by Captain Bailey, with Ben Linton and Lorcan Kinney very solid in full back line, and Cillian Bellew again standing out with his reading of the game and wing backs Malachy McSparren and Patrick McClean clearing a lot of ball.

In the final few minutes sub Micheal ‘Digger’ McAlonan finished the scoring with another goal, his second of the week, to leave Naomh Padraig 5-16 to 1-11 winners.

Afterwards Captain Cormac Bailey collected the shield as Naomh Padraig were crowned North Antrim U-16 ‘B’ champions for 2026.

Team

  1. Liam McCelland
  2. Ben Linton
  3. Lorcan Kinney
  4. Patrick McClean
  5. Malachy McSparren
  6. Ollie Joe McAlonan
  7. Cillian Bellew
  8. Cormac Bailey
  9. Killian Cassidy (0-5)
  10. Rhys Murray (0-3)
  11. John og Darragh (2-7)
  12. Oliver Henry
  13. Conrad Bailey (1-0)
  14. Jake Feetham (0-1)
  15. Aidan McBride (1-0)
  16. Micheal McAlonan (1-0)
  17. Daniel Murray

Shane McCella

by thesaffrongael

Boyle strikes late as Glenavy repel St Teresa’s fightback 

ACFL Division 2A 

St Teresa’s 1-20-2-19 Glenavy 

Kevin Herron reports from St Teresa’s 

Fiontan Boyle’s last gasp goal snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for Glenavy in their thrilling 2-19-1-20 win over St Teresa’s on the Glen Road on Sunday afternoon. 

Glenavy didn’t fall behind in the game until the dying embers when Paul Johnston’s point looked to have snatched a comeback win for the hosts. 

However, Boyle carried the ball forward and despite being fouled en route towards the target he continued on and saw the goal open up, slotting home to seal victory. 

It was Glenavy who were quickest off the mark and in front inside of a minute through a James Monaghan point, with Niall McCann restoring parity a few minutes later. 

The games opening goal came in the 6th minute with Monaghan to the fore again, touching the ball home past Mark Small. 

Niall McCann doubled his account from a 45’ but his side were very much on the back foot in the aftermath, 

Referee Ritchie Leahy penalised Eoin Connolly for overcarrying and that allowed Glenavy goalkeeper Luke Devereux the opportunity to come forward and kick a two-pointed free. 

The visitors made the most of their wind advantage in the first period and Leon Lavery added his side’s second two-pointed score, this time from play. 

Lavery blasted over a further score after being slipped in by Monaghan, with Niall McCann kicking a two-pointed free in response to keep St Teresa’s in touch (1-6-0-4). 

With five minutes to the break Glenavy had moved ahead by double figures. They added two further two-pointers, the first following a patient move before Pearse O’Neill dropped the shot over from outside the arc, Leon Lavery added his second from a tigh angle and Finn Shannon then surged towards goal but saw his shot parried over for a point. 

St Teresa’s had a lifeline before the break, Philip Maguire’s free was kept in play by Ronan Hamill and Sean Maguire palmed the loose ball past Devereux and into the net to make it 1-11-1-4. 

A further two-pointed free was converted by Niall McCann before the break, but Glenavy responded when Finn Shannon’s high shot from outside the arc dropped between the posts to ensure his side were 1-13-1-6 ahead at the midway point. 

It was Glenavy who would extend their lead after the restart courtesy of a third two-pointed score from Leon Lavery, on this occasion from a free. 

A straight-forward free from Niall McCann got his side up and running and the hosts ate into the nine-point deficit that Lavery’s free had established. 

Darren McCann kicked his sides first two-pointed score from play and two minutes later Niall McCann scored his third of the afternoon and first from play to make it 1-15-1-11. 

A further point followed from John Mallon, but St Teresa’s momentum was ended by successive close range frees by Leon Lavery and James Monaghan. 

John Mallon increased his personal tally, converting his side’s third two-pointed free of the contest. 

A few minutes later Ronan Hamill popped over and by the 51st minute the bare minimum separated the sides as Mallon took a lay-off from Ryan Mallon and split the posts. 

The margins widened slightly as James Monaghan surged forward and pointed and he added his second free of the half two minutes later to make it 1-19-1-16. 

The hosts came battling back with experienced veteran Philip Maguire scoring his first, John Mallon converted a free to make it a point game again and it stayed the way until the 60th minute when Mallon stroked over a further placed ball to tie the sides level for the first time since the 6th minute. 

In a battle of wits St Teresa’s looked to have seized victory a minute into injury time when Paul Johnston calmly fisted the ball over to give his side the lead for the first time. 

Luke Devereux’s kick out was won by a team-mate and immediately the visitors charged forward in search of a leveller at the very least. 

Fiontan Boyle took up possession and used his pace to drive into a shooting position for a point, he was fouled but Ritchie Leahy allowed the advantage to develop and Boyle found himself bearing down on goal and he showed great composure to steer a low shot beyond Mark Small and into the corner to dramatically make it 2-19-1-20. 

There wasn’t enough time for St Teresa’s to try and hit back for a second time as Boyle’s late strike proved the difference. 

ST TERESA’S: M Small, A Dugan, P Johnston (0-1), R Mallon, E Connolly, C O’Rawe, C McGoldrick, D McCann (0-2, 1×0-2pt), P O’Rawe, J Mallon (0-5, 1×0-2ptf, 0-1f), S Maguire (1-0), P Maguire (0-1), R Hamill (0-1), N McCann (0-10, 2×0-2ptf, 1×0-2pt, 0-1f, 0-1 45’). 

GLENAVY: L Devereux (0-2, 1×0-2ptf), O de Brun, R Forester, M Fox, F Boyle (1-0), C Hamill, P McKevitt, P Fox, O Arthurs, J Monaghan (1-4, 0-2f), R Phillips, P O’Neill (0-2, 1×0-2pt), L Lavery (0-8, 2×0-2pt, 1×0-2ptf, 0-1f), B Loughran, F Shannon (0-3, 1×0-2pt). SUBS: B McCambridge for O Arthurs (51). 

REFEREE: Ritchie Leahy (ST ERGNAT’S, MONEYGLASS)

More photos from the game can be accessed below

https://myalbum.com/album/AjCjb34jcJdodf/?invite=83c79114-6834-48c6-bb93-acf34b4928e6