The annual Lámh Dhearg Kelloggs Cúl camp and Og camp were a huge success. More than 100 children attended the Cúl camp while 4/5 year olds enjoyed the Og camp . The Og camp focused on developing the children’s basic movement skills and hand and eye coordination skills in a fun environment.
At the Cúl camp the children thoroughly enjoyed quality coaching in Camogie , Gaelic football and Hurling expertly provided by very enthusiastic coaching team of over 11 coaches and 9 volunteers .
Both camps were very well organised and undoubtedly enhanced the development of skills and provided the children with an enjoyable and meaningful week of Gaelic games .
Match report and photos from Michael Corcoran in St. Mary’s Park, Ahoghill
Tonight’s opening senior championship game wasn’t an electrifying encounter, so no shocks were delivered in the outcome. Loughgiel’s strength across the field earned them a big score and made Ahoghill work hard for their well earned points. This was a clean and well spirited game, with only eight frees across the sixty minutes and most of those were for throw balls or holding the sliotar too long.
Tonight’s referee, Paul O’Neill, sporting the new Antrim Camogie championship attire, rolled in the sliotar at 7:30pm with a chilling breeze running the width of the higher pitch up at the clubhouse. The Shamrock’s crafted ten points on the board to Ahoghill’s two at almost a point every two minutes before Marie Laverty finished off a sequence of play stemming from an active Mary McKillen for the first green flag of the evening with twenty two minutes on the clock.
Antrim Championship referee attire, designed by referees, for refereesalongside captains Maura Downey – Ahoghill and Amy Boyle – Loughgiel
Ahoghill would post a point in response, making that three from Caitrina Graham, but an industrious Roísín McCormick would drop in a ball to the back of Ahoghill’s net and that wouldn’t be the last of the night from McCormick either. A minute later, Marie Laverty struck at Ahoghill’s goals again, from an accurate pass from sister Orlagh and the Shamrock’s were now in a comfort zone with three goals and eleven points.
As the first half drew to a close, Ahoghill managed to float three points over Loughgiel’s bar, two from play from Katie McCloskey and Caitrina Graham and a free from Graham for a ‘too long’ infringement. Loughgiel’s reply was a further two points from a determined McCormick as she weaved around the edge of the box looking for a goal run but settled for her point and a long haul point from Mary McKillen that split the uprights.
Ahoghill’s total at the short whistle would stand at six points for the remainder of the second half, as the Shamrocks took control of the game, almost doubling their points and running up another five goals with three of those coming from a rampant McCormick. McCormick almost made it four in the second half only for a brave short range save by Ahoghill’s keeper, Aine Graham, before Emma McFadden followed through with the tidy up as the evening light faded early due to a heavy clouded sky.
Loughgiel’s Roísín McCormick outpaced her markers to run up a hefty personal total of 4-07
Loughgiel’s other goal came from Amy Boyle, as she broke through into open space behind the goalkeeper after a delicate pass from Mary McKillen, striking from short range into an open net and Boyle had her championship goal to sit alongside her two points from play.
Captain Amy Boyle slots in her championship goal after finding space behind Ahoghill’s defence
It was a tough opening game for St. Mary’s but very much a part of the learning journey as they step into the senior ranks. Loughgiel’s other challengers lie in wait, down the road and the Shamrocks will be cautious to make sure it doesn’t go from a cruising to a bruising. Exciting camogie lies ahead.
Scorers for Ahoghill
Caitrina Graham 0-5 (3f, 1×45), Katie McCloskey 0-01
Scorers for Loughgiel
Lucia McNaughton 0-01, Emma McFadden 1-01, Amy Boyle 1-01, Katie McKillop 0-05 (1×45), Roísín McCormick 4-07 (1f, 2 x 45), Kirsty McKendry 0-01, Marie Laverty 2-03, Mary McKillen 0-04, Orlagh Laverty 0-01
You can see more photos from Tuesday’s game by clicking on this link…
There were celebrations at Slemish Park on Thursday night as All Saints collected the Division 3B league title after a 3-12 to 2-4 win over Davitt’s.
Johnny Sayers’ side have been the outstanding team in the division all season and their fast and skilful brand of camogie has seen them swipe aside all teams in the division on their way to the title.
All Saints won 10 from 10 and can now look forward to playing in a higher division next season. Meanwhile preparations are ongoing for the Junior B Championship which gets underway with a home game against Ardoyne on the Thursday 21st of August.
All Saints Camogs who completed their Division 3B campaign unbeaten with a win over Davitt’s on Thursday night to claim the title.
All Saints manager, Johnny Sayers presents the Division 3B trophy to team captain Roisin Ward
Part of the West Belfast Festival, Féile an Phobail, the initiative for the matches comes from an unusual source – PCI minister, Rev David Moore, who is leading the Church’s special ministry in the west of the city known as An Tionólann, or The Gathering.
Picture by William Cherry / Press Eye
Launching ‘Between the Sticks’ when Select Antrim Hurling and Camogie teams will meet two Scottish Shinty teams on 2 August in a composite rules match at Antrim GAA’s current ground, Corrigan Park in West Belfast. Part of Antrim’s 140th anniversary celebrations and Féile an Phobail, the Shinty teams, from Stirling and the Isle of Skye, are being brought to Belfast by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s minister in West Belfast, Rev David Moore. Pictured at the launch, which took place at Corrigan Park are (LtoR) Antrim’s County Chairman, Séamus McMullan and Rev David Moore.
“There is a long tradition of Gaelic games in these islands and the coming together of these sports from Scotland and Ireland will be something special. As they are playing composite rules, we have called the event ‘Between the Sticks’ or ‘Idir Camánaibh’, as it paints a picture of the two Gaelic games coming together. It is also symbolic of much more besides, as we seek to reconnect with the west of the city as a church,” Mr Moore said.
“We could not have done it without the support of Antrim GAA, and I want to thank them, especially Collie Donnelly, former County hurler and chairman, who has got us to this point. Antrim is providing the special teams’ kits, County facilities on the day, and has just been really engaged and supportive,” he said.
The men’s shinty squad is drawn from a team from Stirling in Stirlingshire and Uddingston in Lanarkshire, with the women’s team coming from the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides, north west of the Scottish mainland.
There is a history of the two games coming together, with the first shinty-Hurling match between Irish and Scottish Gaelic teams taking place in 1896 in London. Annual international fixtures in both countries have become a regular fixture, with 2024’s international between Ireland and Scotland resulting in an Irish victory. Jenna Beaton, who has been playing shinty since primary school is the coach of Skye Camanachd.
In 2013 she played for Scotland in the women’s international and is looking forward to Saturday’s match. “In 2013 we won that match, but win or lose it’s good craic and we are all looking forward to Saturday. Half of the team have played combined rules, and I hope that everyone watching will enjoy it.
“For us it is always a tough game, because we use different rules, and you have to get used to that, which makes it more exciting to play and, I hope to watch. I might make a wee appearance up front, depending on how things go,” she said.
Playing shinty-Hurling-Camogie composite rules, with 14 players aside, aspects of each sport are involved, which means that both sides are equally disadvantaged. Each half will last for 35 minutes, with teams using their own sticks. Like the scoring, the goal to be used is the goal used for hurling.
Al Reed, who is captain of the joint men’s shinty team has been playing for 17 years. In 2018 he played for Scotland at university level against Maynooth University in the County Kildare town. “Shinty is a Highland sport that was brought to the central belt of Scotland, and has a special place in Scottish Gaelic culture. It was actually brought here by the Irish centuries ago, and has developed into its own local game. All the guys are looking forward to Saturday’s match and a big shout out to the organisers for having us over,” he said.
As for tactics, both Scots were keeping their cards close to their chests, although Mr Reed said, they’d be aiming “to get to the ball first from the throw in and then get it away quickly, but not too high.”
The gates open at 3pm with the men’s game starting at 4pm. The women’s match is scheduled for 6pm. The two friendlies are free for everyone and will have a ‘carnival atmosphere’ with a Photo Booth opportunity for the children with some of Antrim’s Hurlers, which is being provided by County sponsor, Fibrus. Antrim’s half pace hurlers will also be showing their skills, and pace, during the half-time game providing entertainment for all the family.
County Chairman, Séamus McMullan, will be at the match and is looking forward to it as part of Antrim’s 140th year of celebration, “This event is a powerful reminder of the enduring ties between Antrim, particularly the Glens of Antrim, and the Highlands of Scotland – links rooted in Gaelic language, culture, and sport. As we celebrate 140 years of the GAA in Antrim, it’s fitting to honour that shared heritage through our ancient games of hurling and shinty. In coming together across traditions and communities, we’re not just marking history – we’re continuing it.”
Mr McMullan continued, “The bond of friendship developed between Collie and Rev David has brought this game into being. We really thank them for that and wish the teams the best for Saturday’s games.”
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland once had several congregations in west Belfast, which closed during the 1970s and 1980s for various reasons. On the first Sunday of each month, Mr Moore holds a service in An Chultúrlann, the Irish cultural heritage centre on the Falls Road – which from 1882 for 100 years was Broadway Presbyterian Church.
“There is a link with west Belfast that has been lost and as Presbyterians we’re trying to re-establish it through An Tionólann. In reconnecting we have held a number of events during recent Festivals as a way of initially reconnecting and ‘Between the Sticks’ is very much part of that,” Mr Moore said.
Talking about people’s perceptions, he continued, “In the north of Scotland, you have people who speak a Gaelic language, they play a Gaelic game, they’re in a Gaelic culture, but their background is probably, but not always, Presbyterian. In some ways, what we are doing here is a kind of ‘narrative disruption’ and we think the matches are a great way to do this, as it may not fit with what most people ideally see as ‘Presbyterian’. We would like as many people to come along as possible on Saturday. It’s a free family-fun day out and I’m looking forward to it,” Mr Moore said.
Cushendall were presented with the Division 1 League trophy on Tuesday evening after their final league game against Dunloy at Pairc Mhuir.
Although the game was a ‘dead rubber’ as the home team had already secured the trophy in Ballycastle two weeks ago, nobody appeared to have told the players on each side who served up a cracking contest, with last season’s league winners Dunloy winning out by three points in the end on a scoreline of 1-13 to 1-10.
Both teams went flat out from start to finish in an absorbing game as their preparations for the forthcoming championship get going in earnest. Cushendall made a very good start and were 0-04 to 0-00 ahead before Dunloy got on the scoreboard through top score Aine Magill. A Katie Molloy goal brought the sides level and it was nip and tuck for the remainder of the first half, the visitors just edging it by 1-05 to 0-07 at the interval.
Cushendall had a strong third quarter and boosted by a Cara O’Boyle goal they soon drew level. By the midway point of the half they had moved three points clear and appeared to be set to keep their unbeaten league record, but Dunloy came strong in the final quarter and with Nicole McAtamney brilliant at midfield and Aine Magill in great scoring form they hit the last six points of the game to win by 1-13 to 1-10.
Cushendall captain Anna McNeill with the Feargal McNally Memorial Cup
After the game Antrim Camogie Board Treasurer Angela Boyle presented the cup to Cushendall captain Anna McNeill and while celebrations were somewhat muted because of the defeat it was still a historic event in the club’s history.
These two don’t meet again until September 9th in the penultimate game in the round-robin series in Dunloy and if that game is half as good as this one it will be worth the admission fee.
Cushendall
Louise Mulholland, Anna McNeill, Caoimhe McNaughton, Catherine O’Boyle, Aoife mcClafferty, Abi McNeill, Laura Black, Cara O’Boyle, Eva McNeill, Dervla Cosgrove, Siobhan McKillop, Laura McMullan, Kady McNeill, Orlagh Burke, Orlaith McAllister
