Category / County

by thesaffrongael

Antrim gain their first point but it might have been two

Dalata Ulster U20 Football Championship,

Group A

Antrim 0-17 Fermanagh 1-14

Following midweek hammering for both of the teams in action at Dunsilly today, both Antrim and Fermanagh were determined that they were better than those midweek results had indicated.

After an hour’s football both sides will be happy to get a point each on the table with the Saffrons perhaps the happier following a last minute Tarlach Enright point from a ‘45’ that earned his side a deserved draw.

The Saffrons had only themselves to blame for being in that position however as they looked well on their way to victory when they led by six with as many minutes of the 60 remaining.

Antrim had dominated for long periods during the second half and a first win in two years looked on the cards but, Fermanagh rallied superbly to rattle off seven scores in quick succession to edge ahead in added time before Enright salvaged a point with that late equaliser. 

Both teams had conceded big scores in midweek with the Erne-siders trounced by Tyrone and Antrim suffering a similar fate to Donegal, so this was a huge test of character for today’s opponents and they responded accordingly.

Antrim manager Colin Toal made a number of changes for today’s game with the switch of Donncha McGurk from midfield into full-back and Niall Hynds taking up McGurk’s mid-field birth and it proved an excellent move as the St Brigid’s man had a solid game at the edge of the square while Hynds battled hard at mid-field.

At the other end, Lorcan Phillips marked his promotion from the bench to the starting team with the game’s opening score as Antrim settled much better in the difficult conditions with Rory McErlean kicking a free and Sé Ferris added another from play.

Fermanagh took a time to settle but struck decisively with a goal after 13 minutes as Cian O’Brien’s through ball sent Conor Mulligan through to fire to the net.

O’Brien, who kicked 0-9 over the hour, landed his first two including a beauty from play before Antrim regained control with Enright’s first 45 of the day followed by a point from Corey Walsh before Conhuir Johnston got free to fist over.

Mulligan and Rory McErlean traded points as Antrim held a slender advantage late in the opening period but Fermanagh would take the lead into the break as O’Brien slung over an excellent two-pointer and then added a late free to give his side a 1-6 to 0-7 advantage.

Lanty Feely added another for the3 visitors, four minutes after the break to extend the gap to three, but Fermanagh would fail to score for the next 20minutes as Antrim took control again.

The impressive Enright converted two, two-point frees and McErlean added three more with Conhuir Johnston hitting a brace to bring his tally for the day to three as the Saffrons led by six heading into the home straight.

The home side looked to have done enough at this stage for their first win of the campaign but Fermanagh rallied superbly as they kicked seven unanswered points in just nine minutes through O’Brien (four frees), Mattie McDermott (two) and Shay Deazley to edge ahead deep into added time.

Fermanagh lost Kealán Fitzpatrick to a second yellow late on as Antrim engineered one last raid, winning a 45 which Enright nailed to salvage a draw, which on the balance of play, was perhaps a fair outcome.

Next up for Antrim is a trip to Newry on Wednesday to face Down (7.30pm).

Antrim: S Nagle; S Doyle, D McGurk, C Hale; R Quinn, P Duffin, E Walsh; N Hynds, S Ferris (0-1); C Walsh (0-1), T Enright (0-6, 2x2ptf, 2x45s), R McErlean (0-5, 5f); JJ Higgins, C Johnston (0-3), L Phillips (0-1).

Subs: O Quinn for JJ Higgins (42), C McAleese for L Phillips (52), S Boyd for C Walsh (55), M McKenna for S Ferris (60+4).

Fermanagh: C Brown; S McCarron, C Mulligan (1-1), K McGoldrick; L Feely (0-1), O Swift, C McAnespie; L MacEnrí, B Warnock; C Brennan, D Chapman, S Deazley (0-1); K Fitzpatrick, M McDermott (0-2), C O’Brien (0-9, 1x2pt, 6f).

Subs: D Cathcart for B Warnock (42), B Goodwin for D Chapman (45), J Tierney for K McGoldrick (48), D Flanagan for C Brennan (50).

Referee: M Moore (Down)

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by thesaffrongael

Antrim face tough opener at Dunsilly

Dalata Hotel Group Ulster U20 Football Championship Group A, round two

Antrim v Donegal (Wednesday, Dunsilly, 7.30pm)

Antrim get their Ulster U20 campaign underway at Dunsilly tonight (Wednesday) and face what looks a very difficult opponent when they take on Donegall.

The Tir Connaill men have already one game under their belt in the group stages where they had 10 points to spare over Fermanagh and will start tonight’s game as odds on favourites.

Manager Colin Toal believes their opening match with Donegal this evening will show just where Antrim are at.

Antrim have announced their starting 15 for tonight’s U20 Ulster Championship meeting with Donegal at Dunsilly

Antrim:  Sennan Nagle (St Enda’s) Sonny Doyle (St Brigid’s) Niall Hynds (Con Magees) Christopher Hale (St. Gall’s) Ronan Quinn (St. John’s) Paul Duffin (Moneyglass) Eamonn Ward (Glenravel) Manus McCrossan (St. Gall’s) Donnacha McGurk (St. Brigid’s) Corey Walsh (Rossa) Connhuir (Johnston Cargin) Rory McErlean (Casements) JJ Higgins (St. Brigid’s) Ciaran McAleese (Casements) Sean Boyd (St. Ergnat’s)

Antrim manager, Colin Toal with joint captains Senan Nagle and Donnacha McGurk, looking forward to tonights visit of Donegal to Dunsilly

Donegal are coming into this one on the back of great club success, with Four Masters winning the Ulster Minor League and Abbey Vocational School got to the MacRory Cup final so no doubt they’ll be very strong.”

Antrim will also take on Tyrone, Down and Fermanagh in the group series over the next few weeks and will hope to improve on last year’s record, when they finished at the bottom of the table with four defeats from four outings.

Senan Nagle of St. Enda’s and Donncha McGurk have been appointed joint captains of the side for 2025 and we call on Antrim Gaels to come out in numbers to support the young Saffrons tonight at Dunsilly

by thesaffrongael

We knew all along there could be no other way

A glimmer of common sense has finally emerged through the cloud that has hung over the Antrim v Armagh, Ulster Championship opener on the 12th April. Antrim emerged first from the draw and nominated Corrigan Park as their home venue.

Ulster Council deemed Corrigan unfit to host the game on safety and capacity grounds but Antrim footballers dug their heels in saying ‘Corrigan of nowhere’ The Gaelic Players Association has backed the Antrim stance.

There had been doubts over the fixture ever taking place after Antrim players said they wouldn’t play the game unless it was at the Belfast venue.

But negotiations in recent days have seemingly resolved the issues of contention and the game is now set to be played in west Belfast on 12 April, with the resolution expected to be rubberstamped by Ulster GAA later this week.

We at the Saffron Gael feel that it never should have been an issue and to be fair, the noises coming out of Armagh suggested that they felt Antrim were right to make their stand.

Health and safety issues, largely concerning the big demand for tickets from the very well supported All-Ireland champions, had led the provincial body to move the game to Newry’s Pairc Esler.

This only hardened the “Corrigan or nowhere” stance from the Antrim players and indeed the county’s GAA board which put the match in potential jeopardy.

That scenario could have led to Antrim’s removal from the remainder of the football championship, which would have involved them being thrown out of the second-tier Tailteann Cup. (Talk about kicking a man when he’s down)

It’s understood that Antrim GAA have been able to convince Ulster officials that the required health and Safety provisions will be in place for the provincial quarter-final.

Antrim were first out of the hat in the Ulster SFC draw last October which normally means home advantage for that team.

Even with home advantage, the Saffrons will go into the contest as massive underdogs having suffered relegated to Division Four of the Allianz Football League on Sunday.