Ulster SFC

Derry V Antrim

Saturday 5pm Celtic Park

Antrim make their bow in this year’s Ulster Championship when they travel to Celtic Park in Derry on Saturday evening to face a Derry Side who will be cast in the role of red hot favourites and rightly so.

Derry played their football in division 2 of the National league this year and turned in some great performances, winning five of their seven games and missing out narrowly on promotion to division 1.

They were pipped for a promotion place by Cork and Meath despite recording a big win over Cork in early March but an opening round defeat to Meath on day one and a loss to Louth on 14^th March would eventually cost them a promotion place.

Left to Right: Niall Burns, Peter Healey and Pat Shivers

A solid league campaign never the less under Ciaran Meenagh, who appears to have got all of Derry’s top players back on board after a short reign by Mickey Harte which produced a National league title.

Former Tyrone manager Harte was never fully accepted by the Oak Leaf support despite that title in 2024 and following a poor 2025 campaign Derry turned to former coach, Meenagh.

And while Meenagh was taking up the reigns in Derry, Antrim had a new man in charge themselves. Mark Doran was to endure a less than spectacular start in charge of the Saffrons when they lost their opening three games in Division 4.

Like Meenagh with Derry, Doran has steadied the Antrim ship however and the Saffrons won their final four games in the lower division and just lost out narrowly on a promotion place.

The Derry side to face Antrim at Celtic Park will be littered with household names like Padraig McGrogan, Gareth McKinless, the Doherty’s, Matthew Downey, Conor Glass and Shane McGuigan to name but a few.

McGuigan scored 0-11 in their final league game against Cavan while Conor Glass is often the driving force in the Derry engine room.

Conor Glass reckons a good Ulster Championship campaign would see Derry’s confidence spiral and could act as a springboard for their summer.

Glass says Derry still see themselves as “one of the top teams in Ireland” and if they aren’t striving to compete at that level they have no business playing football.

The Glen All Star can tell by the confidence of his team mates that they have recovered from a 2025 campaign where they didn’t win a League or Championship game.

Antrim have their own stars however and they won’t be going to Celtic Park just to make up the numbers.

The Saffrons will take great heart from their performance against Armagh in their opening championship game last year when they took the game to the Orchard and led by one at half time.

The return of Marc Jordan will give the Antrim challenge a major boost

Kieran McGeeney’s side stepped it up after the break to win comfortably enough in the end but Antrim can be well satisfied with their performance for 40 plus minutes of that game.

John McNabb has been excellent for Antrim since taking over the goalkeeper’s jersey from Mick Byrne and the return of Eunan Walsh at full-back has added a bit of composure to their defence.

Marc Jordan has been outstanding for Antrim this year but missed the final game of the season against London with a hand injury but has been included in the side named on Thursdasy night and will be a big boost for the Saffrons.

Kavan Keenan, Eoghan McCabe, Paddy McAleer, Dominic McEnhill, Pat Shivers, Joe Finnegan and Adam Loughran have been regulars in a team that has had a more predictable look to it as the season has progressed.

In fact Jordan and Conor Hand are the only changes from the side who finished their league campaign with a win over London and the Saffrons are as near full strength as they could be.

Ryan McQuillan can be a match winner on his day and whether he starts, or is introduced will be hoping to play his part as underdogs Antrim go for broke in the Maiden City.

Ahead of Saturday’s highly anticipated Ulster Senior Football Championship showdown at Celtic Park, the Saffron Gael’s Paddy McIlwaine sat down with Antrim Senior Football manager Mark Doran.

Coming off a strong finish to their league campaign, Doran reflects on the season’s turning points, the impact of key returning players, and the monumental task of facing a heavily decorated Derry side.

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League Reflections & The Cost of Discipline

Paddy McIlwaine: Mark, Antrim ended the league campaign strongly with four wins on the bounce. Am I right in saying that it was the loss to Tipperary in Round 3 that ultimately cost us promotion, even though we were still in the fight on the final day?

Mark Doran: Yes, Paddy, though I’d say it was our defeat to Tipperary in Round 2 that probably cost us promotion. It was a game we were in total control of after 30 minutes, but a lack of discipline cost us. We ended up going down to 14 men while we were two points up. It’s incredibly hard with the new rules to win a game when you’re a man down, essentially defending 10 versus 11. To be fair to the boys, they battled away, and with four minutes left, we were only a point down before we lost another man. Finishing with 13 men was just too big a hurdle.

Paddy McIlwaine: We certainly showed improvement as the campaign progressed. Do you think it just took a new management team some time to assess our best starting fifteen, or would a longer preparation period have put us in a better position?

Mark Doran: There might be a wee bit of that to it, but the reality is we were down a lot of bodies for the first three league games. No matter what team you are or what division you’re in, you need your best players on the field. We had guys like Conor Hand, Peter Healy, Ronan Boyle, John Morgan, Adam Loughran, Tiernan McCormick, Dominic McEhill, and Ryan McQuillian all missing the start of our league.

Injury Updates & Key Returns

Paddy McIlwaine: Speaking of missing players, I spoke to Marc Jordan at the final league game against London in Toome. He was carrying an injury that kept him out. How has that progressed, and will he be available to start against Derry?

Mark Doran: Yes, Marc picked up a knock during the Waterford game which forced him to sit out against London. Thankfully, he returned to full training last week and is available for selection.

Paddy McIlwaine: Having Peter Healy back for the final two league games felt like a massive boost to the squad. I’ve watched him for years in a Saffron shirt, and he’s a born leader. What has his return brought to the side?

Mark Doran: It’s a massive boost having a fully fit Peter Healy back. Everyone can see the sheer quality he brings. The same can be said for getting Conor Hand back. I go back to my earlier point: to compete, everyone needs their best players on the pitch.

Facing the Oak Leafers

Paddy McIlwaine: I was at the McKenna Cup game against Derry at Eoghan Ruadh. It was early days, and both sides were missing players. We did okay in the opening half, but Derry seemed to find another gear and finished strong. What did you learn from that encounter?

Mark Doran: I’m a big believer in the phrase “you win or you learn.” In that regard, there were definitely learnings for us to take from that McKenna Cup game, particularly regarding the sheer pace they bring to their transitions and general play.

Paddy McIlwaine: Last year, we met Armagh in the opening championship game at Corrigan Park and were brilliant for over 40 minutes before they pulled away at the end. Can the squad take inspiration from that performance?

Mark Doran: You’d certainly hope so. While it is a new team and a new management setup this year, we absolutely hope the boys who were involved last year will take that bit of championship experience into Saturday.

Paddy McIlwaine: Are there specific Derry players we need to keep a special eye on—though you’ll probably say all of them! Or is the approach to simply focus on our own game, play without fear against a higher-division opponent, and see where it takes us?

Mark Doran: There is no doubt that Derry is a serious outfit. They are still one of the top five teams in Ireland. You’re looking at a squad where probably 13 of their starting 15 have two Ulster Championship medals in their pockets, Division 1 and Division 2 league medals, and seven or eight All-Stars among them. It’s a massive challenge, but it’s one we are really looking forward to.

At the end of the day, we have to focus on our own game and control the controllables. Hopefully, we can produce a massive performance for the full 70-odd minutes. All we can ask of the boys is that they give absolutely everything they have for that duration and see where it takes us.

Squad News for Saturday

Paddy McIlwaine: You know your panel inside out now, and the team has been on a steady upward trajectory since week three of the league. Can you give us an idea of the starting team for Saturday, and your final thoughts on facing the odds-on favorites?

Mark Doran: Unfortunately, we have picked up a few injuries during the league. As it stands, Kevin McCann, Sean O’Neill, Ronan Quinn, and Conor Johnston won’t be available for the Derry game. That’s four really good young players out.

However, it’s a massive opportunity for the boys who do step up and start on Saturday. These are the exact challenges you want in sport. Days like Saturday in Celtic Park are the very reason the players put in the hard slog through the dark nights of December and January. Our full focus will be entirely on us—what we can bring to the game, bringing a serious level of energy, and putting our best foot forward.

The Antrim team to face Derry in the Ulster Senior Football Championship on Saturday

Ulster U20 Football Championship

Fermanagh v Antrim at Tempo

Antrim’s Ulster Under 20 Football Championship campaign began with a frustrating 2-11 to 2-07 defeat to Fermanagh at Tempo on Wednesday evening. Despite showing tremendous character to erase a six-point deficit and trail by just two at the break, the Saffrons endured a grueling 23-minute scoring drought in the second half that ultimately handed control back to a clinical home side.

Fermanagh opened the scoring in the fourth minute, but Antrim responded perfectly when Corey Walsh found the back of the net just two minutes later. The hosts quickly settled, however, reeling off points from Daire Treacy and Nathan Beattie. Walsh replied with another point for Antrim, but the momentum shifted sharply when Mattie McDermott struck for a Fermanagh goal in the tenth minute. As the rain began to fall, the home side took firm control of possession. Points from Oisin Swift, McDermott, a Daire Chapman ’45’, and a Conor Mulligan effort pushed Fermanagh into a commanding 1-07 to 1-01 lead by the 20th minute. Staring at a six-point deficit, Antrim dug deep. JJ Higgins sparked the revival with a pointed free, followed quickly by a superb score from play after gathering a clever kick-out from Jack O’Neill. Isaac Robinson then slotted over an unchallenged point, and Higgins fired over another to cap a brilliant spell, leaving the halftime score nicely poised at Fermanagh 1-07 Antrim 1-05.

The second half proved to be an uphill battle for the Saffrons. Fermanagh reasserted their dominance early on, extending their lead to four with points from Michael Burns and a well-struck sideline from McDermott. A long, cagey scoreless spell followed, characterized by missed opportunities for both sides. Fermanagh broke the deadlock in the 45th minute when McDermott punished an Antrim overcarry with a pointed free, and Burns quickly added another to restore their six-point cushion. It took until the 54th minute for Antrim to finally register their first score of the half through Ryan McKeever. Substitute Daire Higgins followed up with another point a minute later, reducing the gap to four.

Any hopes of a late Antrim comeback were dashed in the 57th minute. Although Antrim goalkeeper Senan Nagle pulled off a brilliant save to deny McDermott a second goal, Daire Chapman was perfectly positioned to blast the rebound to the net. Niall Hynds did manage to punch a high ball to the net deep into injury time, but it was a case of too little, too late. Fermanagh were already home and hosed, claiming the victory by four points. The defeat leaves Antrim with a mountain to climb as they look to bounce back. They face a tough trip to Ballyshannon this Saturday to take on Donegal, before wrapping up the round-robin stage with a home fixture against Derry at Dunsilly the following week.

Fear Manach (Fermanagh) 1 Patrick O’Sullivan 2 Rian Kennedy 3 Eamon Og Magee 4 Matthew Maguire 5 Conor Casey 6 Oisin Swift 21 Rian Bogue 8 Conan Donohoe 9 Conor Mulligan 10 Daire Treacy 11 Daire Chapman 12 Rory Smyth (C) 13 Nathan Beattie 14 Mattie McDermott 15 Michael Burns

Fir Ionaid: 16 Thomas Fitzpatrick, 17 Ben Caughey, 18 Caelan McGoldrick, 19 Ryan Hannigan, 20 Daniel McGovern, 22 Brandon Beattie, 23 Eamon Monaghan, 24 Kian Prior.

Aontroim (Antrim) 1 Senan Nagle (C) 2 James Og McAuley 3 Harry Connon 4 Christopher Hale 5 Ethan Walsh 6 Liam McLernon 7 Fionn Jemfrey 8 Niall Hynds 9 Se Ferris 10 Aaron Mackle 11 Conor O’Connell 12 Isaac Robinson 13 Jack O’Neill 14 JJ Higgins 15 Corey Walsh

Fir Ionaid: 16 Jack Ireland, 17 Daire Higgins, 18 Padraig Murray, 19 Segdae Mac Adhaimh, 20 Ryan McKeever, 21 Cathair McKenna, 22 Pauric Redmond, 23 Eoghan Sherry, 24 Daire Oglesby.

TO SEE MORE OF DYLAN’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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National Football League – Division 4

Antrim 0-18 London 1-14

Antrim brought their Division 4 campaign to a spirited conclusion at Erin’s Own Cargin on Sunday, securing a 0-18 to 1-14 victory over London. While the Saffrons held up their end of the bargain by clinching a fourth consecutive win—a feat not achieved by the county in years—results elsewhere ultimately dictated that both sides would remain in the basement division. Despite the mathematical outside chance of promotion hanging in the air at throw-in, the afternoon served as a showcase of Antrim’s growing resilience, even as a late London surge turned a comfortable lead into a frantic defensive stand.

Playing with the advantage of a first-half breeze, the hosts established a firm grip on the proceedings early on. Dominic McEnhill was in inspired form, particularly during a clinical opening quarter where he slotted over two superb two-pointers. Pat Shivers provided the necessary physical presence and accuracy to keep the scoreboard ticking, while Ryan McQuillan was unlucky not to find the net following a desperate block by the London defence. Late addition Niall Burns proved his worth in the middle of the park, showing great composure to navigate crowded areas and fire over crucial scores that ensured Antrim went into the interval with a deserving five-point cushion.

The question on some peoples lips was, would five points be enough given the strength of the breeze as Antrim might have been much further ahead but were guilty of some poor shooting, dad choices and had a couple of goal chances charged down.

The complexion of the game shifted just before the break when London’s Ciaran Diver was shown a red card for an off-the-ball incident involving Kavan Keenan. Despite being a man down, the Exiles emerged for the second half with renewed intensity, immediately chipping away at the lead with a quick-fire two-pointer and a follow-up score. Antrim appeared to steady the ship as the half progressed, utilizing the extra man to stretch the play. Entering the final fifteen minutes, the Saffrons looked to be cruising toward a comfortable finish, having successfully restored and then extended their advantage to six points.

However, the closing stages proved far more nerve-racking than the Toome faithful would have liked. A mistake in the Antrim defence allowed Nathan Feeney to break through for a low-drilled goal past John McNabb, sparking a frantic revival from the visitors. Joe McGill then took charge for the Londoners, landing a pair of two-pointers that narrowed the gap to a single point as the clock ticked into injury time. In a frantic finale, a late point from Ronan Boyle provided the necessary breathing room, allowing the Saffrons to survive the late onslaught and end their season on a high note, even if the ultimate prize of promotion remained just out of reach.

There were a lot of great aerial battles in the middle of the field during the game, which added the the excitemant.

A good end to a season where Antrim recorded four wins on the bounce after losing their opening three games and they will rue their defeat to Tipperary in particular when they lost a man to a Red card just before halftime.

Spare a thought for the gallant Exiles. A win over Antrim would have left them level with Longford and given them promotion on a head to head but it wasn’t to be for either side in a season where they have both performed well after a poor staret to their respective campaigns

ANTRIM: John McNabb; John Morgan, Joseph Finnegan, Kavan Keenan; Eoghan McCabe (C), Peter Healy, Niall Burns; Paddy McAleer, Eunan Walsh; Tiernan McCormack, Ronan Boyle; Ryan McQuillan, Pat Shivers, Dominic McEnhill

SUBS: Adam Loughran on for Ryan McQuillan, Tomas McCann on for Patrick Finnegan, Tom Shivers on for Ronan Boyle, James McAuley on for Peter Healy

Scorers for Antrim: Dominic McEnhill 0-8 (3 2pt f’s 2 1pt Pat Shivers 0-4 (0-2F), Niall Burns 0-3, Tiernan McCormick 0-2, Ryan McQuillan, Ronan Boyle 0-1

LONDON: Andy Walsh; Aidan McLoughlin, Matt Moynihan, Sean O’Donoghue; Conor Goggin, Conal Gallagher, Conor O’Donohue; Liam Gallagher (C), Liam Murphy; Josh Obahor, Shay Rafter, Ciaran Diver; Jim Davis, Joe McGill, Kristian Healy

SUBS: Nathan Feeney on for Nathan McElwaine, Finbar Crowley on for Aidan McLoughlin, Liam Crowley on for Conor Goggin

Scorers for London: Scorers: Joe McGill 0-8 (0-2F, 2xTPF), Nathan Feeney 1-0, Shay Rafter 0-2 (0-1f), Conal Gallagher 0-2, Josh Obahor 0-1, Kristian Healy 0-1

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