February 23, 2023February 23, 2023 by thesaffrongael

Kilkenny girls had too much firepower for St Louis in 2011

All Ireland Colleges B Hurling Final

As St Louis look forward to a final meeting with Gorey of Wexford on Saturday we take a look back at the 2011 final in which the school lost out to Grennan College of Kilkenny. Chloe Drain, (4th from left on front row in the pic below) who is part of the current team management, played that day at right half forward

The St Louis team who were beaten by Grenan College, Thomastown, Kikenny in the 2011 All Ireland Colleges B final in Trim, Co. Meath Back row L-R Lauren Elliot,Kiara Duffin, Úna McAleenan, Anna Kelly, Shauna Devlin, Eimear McGarry, Shannon Woulahan, Kathryn Bradley, Noeleen McCLoskey, Gemma Mooney, Shari Carey, Cara McIntyre Helen McGhee Front row L-R Chloe Bartley, Jane mckee nuala mcquillan Chloe drain Aimee McAtamney Maria Lynn, Ellen Gribben LuciaMcNaughton Rioghnach McNnaughton, Niamh Doherty, Anna Graham

Grennan College Kilkenny 4-10 St Louis Grammar 3-3

(12th March 2011)

Report from the Ballymena Times 15th March 2011

St Louis Grammar School’s bid for All Ireland glory came to an end at Trim Co. Meath on Saturday when they were beaten 4-10 to 3-3 by a very good Grennan College team from Thomastown, Kilkenny in the final of the All Ireland Colleges B final.

Though the led early in the game, and were still in contention at half time, the Ballymena girls struggled to keep pace with their Kilkenny counterparts after the break as Kilkenny senior panellist Kelly Hamilton led the charge with a brilliant individual display.

***It all ended in tears as Chloe Drain and Aimee McAtamney are consoled at the final whistle***

St Louis got off to a great start with a well taken goal by corner forward Chloe Bartley put them 1-0 to 0-1 ahead in the eighth minute. However goals in quick succession by Niamh Donnelly and Aine Lannon gave Grennan a 2-2 to 1-0 lead by the end of the opening quarter. A goal and a point from Anna Kelly put St Louis back in the hunt, and they were desperately unlucky when what looked to be a perfectly good goal from team captain Aimee McAtamney was ruled out for over-carrying. To make matters worse Grennan’s Kelly Hamilton got away with over-carrying herself before breaking through and firing to the net to give her team a 3-2 to 2-1 lead at half time.

With the breeze behind them in the second half Grennan College stepped up the pace and with Hamilton adding four more points from frees, and Niamh Donnelly lobbed in a goal St Louis had a mountain to climb. To their credit St Louis battled on bravely and a late goal from substitute Rioghnach McNaughton brought some reward. However the Kilkenny girls always had the upper hand and St Louis great adventure came to an end. Wehen the pain of Saturday’s defeat wears off Christine Doherty, Helen McToal and their team can look back with pride on what they have achieved.

***Sister Sr Máiréad , always a great supporter of the Ulster camogie teams, looks on as Rioghnach McNaughton scores a late consolation goal***

ST LOUIS

N McCloskey, N McQuillan, L Elliott, K Bradley, M Lynn, S Woulahan, E McGarry, N Doherty, S Devlin, K Duffin, A McAtamney (0-2f), C Drain, C McIntyre, A Kelly (1-1), C Bartley (1-0)

Subs – R McNaughton (1-0) for C McIntyre; A Kearney for M Lynn

**Aimee McAtamney is consoled by her mum at the end of the game**

February 23, 2023February 23, 2023 by thesaffrongael

Cumann na mBunscol county finals day

Cumann na mBunscol Aontroma hosted their Indoor Finals Day at Tír na nOg Randalstown on Wednesday.

Regional winners from North, South and South-West Antrim attended today to compete for the prize of All-County Champions across all four codes.

Glenann Primary School who won the Camogie Championship

In the first action of the day, Glenann PS Cushendall, Holy Child PS Belfast and Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel battled it out for the Camogie Championship with the girls from Glenann taking the honours back to the Glens for the first time in the school’s history.

Next up it was the turn of the hurlers from Mount St. Michael’s PS Randalstown, St. Clare’s PS Belfast and St. Patrick & St. Brigid’s Ballycastle.

In an extremely tight competition, the boys from Ballycastle just about got over the line having been pushed all the way by Mount St. Michael’s PS Randalstown in a thrilling final game!

St. Patrick’s & St. Brigid’s PS Ballycastle

With no representation from North Antrim for Girls Football – Mount St. Michael’s PS Randalstown & St. Anne’s PS Belfast played in a blockbuster ‘final’ that had everything, with the Randalstown girls taking home the spoils on a scoreline of 28 – 26.

The final action of the day saw St. John The Baptist PS Belfast, St. Joseph’s PS Dunloy and St. Mary’s PS Portglenone compete for the Boys football prize.

This was just as keenly contested as the other 3 with St. John The Baptist coming out on top to take the football crown.

A fantastic day of GAA would not be possible without the huge commitment and effort which Cumann na mBunscol Aontroma provide in partnership with Gaelfast GAA.

Full credit to all who helped to organise and coordinate a wonderful day of sport for the children involved and well done to all the winners.

The four successful schools will now go on to represent Antrim in the Ulster Indoor Finals at the end of March.

February 21, 2023February 21, 2023 by thesaffrongael

Have you a story about Casement Park?

Do you have a story to tell about Casement Park? If so Fionnuala Murphy would like to hear from you! The well know LGFA referee is writing a book about the stadium and would like you to share your thoughts and memories of the great old stadium which opened 70 years ago.

Fionnuala told the Saffron Gael

“I graduated from QUB with a history degree and due to personal circumstances could not become a history teacher, my ultimate goal – history is how we come to be! Instead I used my qualifications for my career, not my refereeing career.

The first floodlit game in Casement in March 2007 when Antrim hurlers played Dublin

In recent years, I began to write a book, a story on the history of Páirc Mhic Asmaint. This book is not just about our codes, it is also based on the social and cultural aspect that this ground has on every single Gael in Antrim and further afield. Páirc Mhic Asmaint is 70 years old in June 2023 and I would love to hear from anyone that has a story, a memory – any reminiscences if you attended the opening day, played games, indeed played on the road during the occupation, went to school under the stand, were or are a member of the social club, attended any social events and parades etc

As this story is about every single one of us, I would love to hear from you – please email me at fionnuala.murphy@btinternet.com”

February 20, 2023February 20, 2023 by thesaffrongael

St John’s Camogie Club Carnlough awards night

St John’s Camogie Club held their annual awards night in the Londonderry Arms Hotel on Saturday night to celebrate their success in the Development League and Championship this season. Special guests on the night were Camogie Board chairman Liam Vallelay, Antirm county stars Lucia McNaughton and Amy Boyle, plus former players Aishling Millar and Oonagh Ward who were members of the Brídíní Óga Glenravel team who last month won the All Ireland Juniro A Camogie title.

Committee member Anne Humphreys with special guests, L-R, Aisling Millar, Lucia McNaughton, Liam Vallelay, Amy Boyle and Oonagh Ward.

St John’s Club Person of the Year, Kevin McAuley receiving the trophy from Geraldine Quinn.

Antrim Camogie Board Chairman Liam Valelay presents the Players Player of the Year award to Margaret Quinn

Serena McCarry with Margaret Quinn at the St John’s Carnlough dinner

St John’s Camogie Club chairman Eamon McFadden presents a sponsorship cheque to Sean Paul McKillop of the Saffron Gael.

February 20, 2023February 20, 2023 by thesaffrongael

Brian Cody is chief guest as Ballycastle honour the team of 1980

Kilkenny hurling legend Brian Cody had a busy night at the Marine Hotel Ballycastle on Saturday where he, and his wife Elsie, were chief guests of the McQuillan’s club, who held their awards dinner for the first time in three years, following the pandemic.

Presentations were made to Players of the Year for 2021 and 2022, but the main presentation of the evening was to the 1980 team who were the first Antrim team to qualify for an All Ireland Club Hurling final, where they lost out narrowly to Castlegar of Galway at Pairc Tailltain in Navan, on Sunday 1st June.

In the semi-final they had beaten Crumlin of Dublin by 3-9 to 0-8 in Croke Park with a powerful performance. Despite this display they were rank outsiders in the Dublin media going into the final but they pushed the Galway champions all the way, trailing by just a point at half time, before losing out by three 1-11 to 1-8.

Sady there were a few ot the team unable to make it on the night. Phelim Watson sadly died last year while leading scorer on the day Paul Porky Boyle and sub on the team Brendan Bear Donnelly are now resident in the USA. Midfield stylist Terence Barton is now resident in England.