For the second week in a row Antrim senior ladies were on the road and came back from Roscommon with a very credible draw, though deep down the saffron players and management will be wondering how they didn’t bag all three points ..
This was definitely a day Antrim just didn’t execute the chances they created …
Maria O’Neill led the line for the Saffrons with 2-03 to her name while Lara Dahunsi hit three points
The approach play from the away team was superb and for a large part of this game they totally dominated the ball…
Every player worked tirelessly throughout the game and with Antrim adopting a new system on the day each player fulfilled their rolls with great execution…
All in all the Saffs still remain unbeaten and are now in a three way tie at the top of the league …
Scorers on the day ..
Maria O’Neill 2-3
Lara Dahunsi 0-3
Bronagh Devlin 0-1
Theresa Mellon 0-1 …
There is no game this weekend for the Antrim girls but they are back in action the following week (February 22nd) when they take on Ulster rivals Fermanagh
The Antrim team to face Donegal tomorrow (Sunday) has been announced and shows 6 changes from the side who lost to Derry at Owenbeg on Wednesday night.
Ruairi Hagan of Portglenone, who was introduced as a sub against Derry, starts in a half back line which includes Joe Finnegan who was unavailable for the Owenbeg fixture.
Another Wednesday substitute, Kevin Small starts at mid-field while Paul Bradley of St. Brigid’s, Oisin Doherty, Portglenone and Glenravel’s Ryan McQuillan all start in the Toome fixture.
When Antrim went in at half time just two points in arrears in Wednesday evening’s McKenna Cup opener against Derry at Owenbeg, things looked promising for Mark Doran’s new team, but all was to change in the second period when they failed to raise a single flag and Derry, despite not scoring until the 43rd minute, took full advantage of Antrim’s scoring woes to race to an emphatic win.
The ironic thing was that Antrim had plenty of chances during the third quarter, four of them in the five minutes after the break but none of them were turned into scores. The Antrim chances all turned out to be from awkward positions on the wing while Derry took the direct route more often than not and as the Saffron’s defence tired the chances came thick and fast.
When the home side eventually broke their second half duck on 43 minutes with a Loughlin Murray point the scores began to flow and after right half back Shea Downey fisted over from close range Paul Cassidy fired home the first goal of the game in the 47th minute after good movement straight through the middle. Four more followed in the next ten minutes before goal number two came in injury time following an unfortunate slip by goalkeeper John McNabb.
Derry started the game in a more positive fashion and were three points clear after five minutes, two them from Loughlin Murray and one from Conor Doherty. The signs were getting a little worrying for Antrim at this stage but an excellent point from play by Marc Jordan and one from a Pat Shivers free got them going as they closed the gap to the minimum by the eighth minute.
Derry went straight up the field from the kick-out and after a series of good moves Niall Loughlin got through to fire over a point to put two between the sides again, but Paddy McBride came back with one for the Saffrons to close the gap to 0-04 to 0-03.
A brilliant 2pointer from Paul Cassidy made it double scores for the Oak Leaf men and it looked like they were taking control but the visitors dug-in and points from a Dominic McEnhill and Pat Shivers frees kept the gap at two. Points from Mark Doherty and Ethan Doherty in the 26th and 28th minutes stretched the Derry lead to four again, but Antrim finished the half on a high when goalkeeper McNabb swung over a 2pointer time to leave just two between the sides at the short whistle.
The Saffrons will take on Donegal in their next game on Sunday in Cargin which will give Mark Doran another chance to run his eye over his squad. The Down man must have been pleased the way they competed in the first half of this game but the second half ask a lot more questions that it answered.
Derry: R Scullion; C McCluskey 0-1, P McGrogan 0-1, D Baker; S Downey 0-1, G McKinless, M Doherty 0-1; C Doherty 0-1, P Cassidy 1-2 (1tp); J Doherty, M Downey, E Doherty 0-1; N Toner 0-1, N Loughlin 0-1, L Murray 0-3. Subs: C McAteer 0-1 for Downey (HT), S Kearney 0-2 for J Loughlin (36), S Young for J Doherty (36), R O Mianain 1-0 for S Downey (48), R Mulholland for Baker (52), D Baker for McCluskey (58)
Antrim:J McNabb 0-2 (1tp); J Morgan, K McCann, J McAuley; G O’Neill, E McCabe, M Jordan 0-1; J Carron, P Finnegan; P McBride 0-1, C Small, T McFerran; P Shivers 0-2, D McEnhill 0-1 (f), A McErlain. Subs: S O’Neill for Morgan (26), O Doherty for McFerran (HT), T McCann for Small (41), T Shivers for McErlain (50), R Hagan for G O’Neill (50), P Bradley for McEnhill (50), K Small for Carron (50)
Referee: E Mallon (Armagh)
Below – Antrim manager Mark Doran
TO SEE MORE OF BRENDAN’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
The Antrim team to play Derry in tonight’s McKenna Cup at Owenbeg has been announced and manager Mark Doran has taken the opportunity to take a look at a number of new faces.
John McNabb of Cargin is selected in goals while Kevin McCann of Moneyglass earns his first outing on the edge of the square and Gerard O’Neill of St. Gall’s is selected at right half back.
Tom McFerran of county champions, Dunloy is the only member of his club in the starting lineup while Cargin stalwart, John Carron returns to the side at mid-field and another St. Ergnat’s youngster, Aidan McErlean gets his first senior outing in the corner of the attack.
Weather permitting, Antrim should get their 2026 season up and running when they face Derry at Owenbeg on Wednesday night. The word is the match is going ahead, though the venue is still not certain. `
Heavy snowfall saw a number of weekend games postponed including Derry’s visit to Donegal and at the time of writing it is unclear when that game will be rearranged.
With quite a bit of snow still lying, Wednesday’s fixture is at the mercy of the weather but both sides will certainly be looking forward to get their season underway with a bit of competitive action.
Mark Doran (Featured Image) has taken up the Antrim management reigns and replaces Andy McEntee who managed the Saffrons from 2022 to 2025 where he led them to two Tailteann Cup semi-finals but also suffered relegation to division 4 in his final season.
Long serving Antrim stalwart, Michael McCann has been added to the Antrim management team and he brings a wealth of knowhow to the Antrim setup where he still turns out regularly for Erin’s own, Cargin.
McCann’s knowledge of players within the county should prove invaluable and his brother Tomas McCann and Cargin colleague, John Carron return to the Antrim panel along with All Saints Paddy McAleer who had stepped down last year.
Derry are under the guidance Ciaran Meenagh who returns to the Oak leaf setup following a previous spell as caretaker and certainly in Antrim’s case promotion from the lower reaches will be the priority this season.
Wednesday night’s meeting at Owenbeg (weather permitting) will afford Mark Doran a first opportunity to take a look at his new side under competitive conditions.
The Antrim team to face Derry in the McKenna Cup has been named
