April 14, 2026April 14, 2026 by thesaffrongael

Dunloy dominate the second half to beat Ballycastle

Antrim Camogie League – Division

Dunloy 4-13 Ballycaste 0-13

The opening game of the Antrim Senior Camogie League Division 1 delivered a classic game of two halves at Pearse Park, heavily dictated by a strong breeze. Visitors Ballycastle put on an excellent first-half display to build a commanding lead, but a ferocious second-half comeback from Dunloy—fueled by the wind and the introduction of key county players—saw the hosts run out comfortable winners with a final score of 4–13 to 0–13.

Playing with the aid of the wind, Ballycastle started exceptionally well and completely dominated the opening 20 minutes. Ellen McIntosh was in scintillating form for the visitors, expertly supported by Maeve Kelly. Kelly struck two early points from play, while McIntosh was lethal from placed balls, adding four from frees and another from play to give Ballycastle an early 0–7 to 0–1 advantage. The visitors kept the scoreboard ticking over, with Kelly and a McIntosh ’45 extending the gap to 0–9 to 0–3, despite Dunloy managing to get on the board through points from Áine McGill, Nicole McAtamney, and Eimer McAllister. By the 22nd minute, another McIntosh point from play made it 0–10 to 0–3. Dunloy finally found a lifeline a minute later when Aine Magill raised a green flag, pulling a crucial goal back, but Ballycastle responded immediately through McIntosh. Just before the break, Ballycastle nearly found the net themselves when full-forward Nuala Devlin fired a shot on goal, only to be denied by a brilliant save from Dunloy keeper Aileen McManus. McIntosh converted the resulting ’45, sending Ballycastle into the dressing rooms with a commanding 0–12 to 1–3 lead.

McIntosh opened the second-half scoring with a free to push Ballycastle’s tally to 13 points, but the tide was about to turn dramatically. Now playing with the wind at their backs and bolstered by the introduction of several county players, Dunloy began to claw their way back into the tie. Emier Johnson sparked the revival with a point six minutes into the half. The gap was quickly reduced to three as Nicole McAtamney knocked over three more points. The turning point arrived on 16 minutes when Áine McGill struck a well-taken goal to level the game. With the momentum entirely in their favor, Dunloy pushed ahead just a minute later through a Caoimhe Malloy point. McAtamney continued her fine form with another two points, and on 24 minutes, Eobha McAllister set up Áine McGill to extend the hosts’ advantage.

Ballycastle struggled to escape their own half against the breeze, and Dunloy put the seal on the win with a late flurry of goals. Two minutes before full time, Bronagh Magill found the back of the net, and in injury time, Eobha McAllister broke through the defense and unselfishly hand-passed to her sister Eimer, who finished the move with Dunloy’s fourth goal of the afternoon. Nicole McAtamney then capped off the remarkable turnaround with a final point from play, completing a spectacular 13-point victory for the home side.

DUNLOY

Aileen McManus, Sarah McIlhatton, Brid Magill. Kathryn Boyle, Eilis Kearns, Katie LavertY, Katharine Mullan, Magill, Caoimhe Molloy, Nicole McAtamney, Aine Magill, Carragh Boyle, Erin McMullan

BALLYCASTLE

Becky Ellis, Christina Hamilton, Enya McShane, Catherine McShane, Cara Delaney, Seanaigh Hegarty, Niamh Donnelly, Aoife Toner, Fay McIntosh, Maeve Kelly, Ellen McIntos, Janey McIntosh, Louise McBride, Nuala Devlin, Fionnuala Kelly

Referee – Declan McGarry (Loughgiel)

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

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April 10, 2026April 11, 2026 by thesaffrongael

Antrim get the better of Down, and the woeful conditions, at Dunsilly

All Ireland Under 23 Camogie Championship

Antrim 4-08 Down 0-04

Antrim secured a commanding victory in the All-Ireland Under 23B Camogie Championship on Friday evening, overcoming both a resilient Down side and treacherous weather conditions at Dunsilly. The match was defined by a biting wind chill and driving rain, making ball handling a significant challenge for both sets of players under the floodlights. Despite the elements, the Saffrons’ clinical finishing ensured a 4-8 to 0-4 win, effectively sealing their progression toward the semi-finals ahead of their final group game against Wexford in May.

The opening stages were surprisingly competitive as Down adapted better to the initial gale. Grace Cunningham opened the scoring for the visitors, and despite an early response from Éobha McAllister, Down built a 0-3 to 0-1 lead within ten minutes thanks to scores from Cunningham and Caileigh McConnell. Antrim struggled to find their rhythm early on, though McAllister forced a brilliant save from Niamh O’Toole before converting the resulting 45. When Emily Fitzpatrick pointed for Down in the 25th minute to give them a 0-4 to 0-2 lead, the visitors looked well-placed to cause an upset.

However, the momentum shifted violently in the closing minutes of the first half. Antrim struck two quick-fire goals through Aimee Ferris and McAllister, punctuated by a McAllister free, to completely turn the game on its head. These “hammer blows” allowed the Saffrons to retreat to the dressing rooms with a 2-3 to 0-4 lead and the advantage of the wind to come in the second period.

The second half began with a stroke of fortune for the hosts when a long-range point attempt from Janey McIntosh deceived the Down goalkeeper and dropped into the net just three minutes after the restart. Despite the ten-point deficit, Down defensive units set up effectively to prevent a total collapse, frustrating Antrim for long stretches of the half. Antrim found it difficult to add to their tally in the middle period, with McAllister providing the bulk of the scoring through a display of individual skill that saw her finish the day with an impressive 1-7.

The Saffrons added late gloss to the scoreline during injury time. Elen McIntosh reacted quickest to a ground ball following a pass from McAllister to strike Antrim’s fourth goal, before captain Katie Molloy capped a Player of the Match-contesting performance with a fine point from distance. While Down will look to regroup for their upcoming fixtures against Limerick and Clare, Antrim moves forward with significant momentum, their sights firmly set on a trip to Wexford and the knockout stages beyond.

Antrim: M Gately, E Coulter, A O’Donnell, D Dobbin, C Crawford, K Molloy capt 0-1, S O’Neill, S Heggarty, J McIntosh 1-0, C O’Boyle, A Ferris 1-0, E McIntosh 1-0, C Griffin, O McAlister, E McAllister 1-7 (0-4fs)

Subs used: F Kelly, S Fyfe, E Lee, C Burns (all 46), L Black (53)

Down: N O’Toole, K Morgan, C Savage, O Brown, E Shields, N McConville, T Savage, E Fitzpatrick 0-1, O McCusker, S Fettes, S McGrath, K Quinn, C McConnell 0-1, G Cunningham 0-2 (1f), N McGrath.

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

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April 10, 2026April 10, 2026 by thesaffrongael

‘We Are Antrim’

Antrim’s newest media outlet hits the airwaves next week with a weekly podcast beginning. Fronted by journalists Maghnus Dunne (Belfast Media Group), Brendan Crossan (formerly The Irish News) and our own Brendan McTaggart, the ‘We Are Antrim’ podcast will be a free podcast on all things GAA in the Saffron County.

The initial podcast will focus on the county championships with Mark Doran’s men facing Derry in the Ulster Senior Championship Quarter Final in Celtic Park while Davy Fitzgerald’s men face Down at a home venue in the opening round of the McDonagh Cup.

The premier episode will feature interviews from both camps, talking points in the 2026 season so far and what lays ahead as the lads look ahead to the games, both on Saturday 18^th April.

It will be something different and great to have a free to air podcast focussing on gaelic games within the county. The first episode should be a great listen with the promise of podcasts more focussed on the club games to come. It will be a great addition to the social media channels within Antrim.

The Saffron Gael wishes the three lads all the best with the venture and we look forward to listening to their content in the weeks to come.

April 5, 2026April 6, 2026 by thesaffrongael

Limerick Hold Firm to Deny Antrim in Cushendun

All-Ireland Under 23B Camogie Championship

Antrim 0-11 | Limerick 2-10

Antrim were left rueing missed opportunities in Cushendun on Sunday evening as a resilient Limerick side weathered a second-half storm to secure a five-point victory. After a narrow opening-round loss to Clare, the Saffrons faced another bitter pill to swallow in a game defined by a strong wind and clinical finishing from the visitors.

Playing with a significant wind at their backs, Limerick dominated the opening period. Despite Antrim taking an early lead through Éobha McAllister and Aimee Ferris, the visitors soon found their rhythm. The momentum shifted early when Limerick’s Amy Foley was forced off with an injury; her replacement, Donna Kenny, proved to be the game’s decisive factor, immediately settling into her stride with accurate free-taking.

***Limerick’s Donna Kenny who scored a goal and five points, all from frees, to swing the game in the Munster team’s favour***

The turning point of the half came when Ella Hession intercepted a short poc out, driving forward to rifle the ball into the net. By the interval, Limerick led 1-9 to 0-5. However, Antrim remained optimistic; not only would they have the wind in the second half, but Limerick were reduced to 14 players after midfielder Claire Power received a second yellow card just before the whistle.

Antrim emerged with intent, dominating general play as they looked to chip away at the seven-point deficit. Points from Ellen McIntosh, Cara O’Boyle, and substitute Fionnuala Kelly narrowed the gap. The Saffron defence was immense, restricting Limerick to just a single point from play for the vast majority of the half.

***Amy Ferris comes within inches of levelling the game in the 57th minute***

With three minutes remaining on the clock, the home side looked destined to level the scores. A loose ball bouncing in the Limerick square fell to centre-forward Aimee Ferris. She pulled hard on the strike, beating the goalkeeper’s hurley, but the ball agonisingly appeared to strike the keeper’s leg and rebounded out for a ’45’.

The missed chance proved to be the final roll of the dice for Antrim for although Katie Mollo pointed the resultant 45 to close the gap to just two you sensed it wasn’t to be the Saffrons’ day and the momentum shifted back to the visitors. Just a minute later, Limerick clinically ended the contest when a long-range free from the prolific Donna Kenny dipped under the crossbar for their second goal, sealing the win.

***Antrim’s Casey Crawford breaks out of defence during the opening half***

Antrim must now regroup quickly as they prepare to host Down this Friday, while Limerick move forward with momentum to face Clare.

Teams and Scorers

Antrim: O Johnson, E Coulter, A O’Donnell, D Dobbin, C Crawford, K Molloy (0-1), S O’Neill, S Heggarty, J McIntosh, C O’Boyle (0-1), A Ferris (0-1), C Griffin, E McIntosh (0-3), O McAlister, E McAllister (0-4, 3fs).

Sub: F Kelly (0-1) for O McAllister.

Limerick: C Mulqueen, C Ryan, C O’Riordon, A Foley, T Dore, E Woulfe, E O’Donovan, E O’Halloran (0-1), C Power, C Curtin, S O’Brien, L Boylan (0-1), R Molloy, E Hession (1-1), C Griffin (0-2fs).

Subs: D Kenny (1-5fs) for A Foley, M Geary for R Molloy, L Southern for C Griffin, A Boyle for S O’Brien.

This photo sums up the efforts that all players and their families make to succeed in the game. Theresa Dore’s parents left Limerick at 7am on Easter Sunday morning to make an almost 300 miles journey to watch their daughter face Antrim in Cushendun Co Antrim, a ‘stone’s throw’ from the Mull of Kintyre on the Scottish coastline. Their journey was worthwhile as Theresa and her teammates went home with the points, facing a return journey of the same distance

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

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April 5, 2026April 5, 2026 by thesaffrongael

Derry prove too strong for Antrim in 16 Camogie final

Ulster Under 16 Camogie final

Antrim 0-03 Derry 6-16

It was a punishing afternoon at Naomh Éanna for Antrim U16s, as a formidable Derry side retained their Ulster title under relentless Glengormley rain. While the scoreboard tells a harsh story, it doesn’t quite capture the grit shown by the Saffron jerseys in conditions that were better suited for swimming than camogie.

The Saffrons entered the fray facing not just a clinical Oak Leaf outfit, but a literal uphill battle against surface water and a biting wind. For much of the first half, Antrim showed they could compete in flashes of defiance. Rose McMullan was a standout in the middle of the park, clinical from the placed ball and accounting for all three of Antrim’s points.

Defensively, the scoreline could have spiraled much earlier if not for the Trojan work of Róisín Nic Bhrádaigh, Erin Neeson, and Amber Anderson. They, alongside Aoife Downey, threw themselves into challenges to keep the Derry wave at bay.

The Turning Point

At halftime, trailing 2-08 to 0-03, the mountain was high but not insurmountable. Indeed, the Antrim defense tightened up significantly after the restart, conceding only two points in the opening ten minutes of the second half.

However, the game’s complexion changed entirely in the 40th minute. Following a heavy exchange after a whistle, a Saffron defender was issued a straight red card for retaliation. Down a player and facing a Derry side with five of last year’s starters, the energy began to sap from the Antrim legs.

An excellent Derry side took full advantage of the extra space. Player of the Match Eva Forbes (2-06) found gaps that weren’t there before, and a flurry of goals from substitutes Deirbhile Mellon and Grace McCloskey in the final quarter put a gloss on the scoreline that felt particularly cruel given Antrim’s early industry.

“Credit to the girls for the work rate at the back. It was a steep hill to climb after the card, and against a team of Derry’s caliber, you simply can’t afford to play a player down.”

Match Statistics

Antrim Scorers	Derry Top Scorers
Rose McMullan 0-3 (3fs)	Eva Forbes 2-6 (1-3fs)
	Gráinne Doherty 1-3
	Deirbhile Mellon 2-0

Antrim Lineup: Clodagh McLarnon, Erin Neeson, Róisín Brady, Annie Convery, Caoilfhionn McShane (Keeley Lawlor 41), Ellie Lynn, Amber Anderson, Aoife Downey, Rose McMullan, Aoibheann McDonnell (Ciara Slevin 54), Chloe McGurk, Jane Feetham, Lucia Traynor, Eilish Fairley, Caoimhe Cunningham.