Category / Division 1

by thesaffrongael

Injury-time drama sees Éire Óg edge Ardoyne in tight Woodlands contest

ACFL Division 3

Éire Óg 3-14  – Ciceam Ard Eoin 2-16

Two goals deep into injury time saw Éire Óg snatch a unlikely victory over Ardoyne in an eventful Division 3 encounter at Woodlands on Wednesday evening.

Ardoyne arrived knowing only a win would keep their slim title hopes alive and for long periods it looked as though they would leave with the points. However, an incredible late turnaround from the home side saw Éire Óg claim victory by the narrowest of margins and end Ardoyne’s league aspirations.

The hosts made the brighter start. Ronan McKeown opened the scoring inside the opening minute before Matt Hanna finished confidently to the back of the net after sustained early pressure. Despite dominating possession and territory during the opening exchanges, Éire Óg failed to capitalise fully, registering four wides in the first ten minutes.

Gradually Ardoyne settled into the contest. Points from their influential full-forward Brendan Hamilton and right half forward Oisin Copeland brought them back into contention before Daniel Keenan added another after a swift counterattack. A series of Éire Óg misses proved costly and Ardoyne punished the wastefulness when a goalmouth scramble broke kindly for Oisin Copeland, who fired to the net to put the visitors ahead.

The sides traded scores with Eoin Dixon and Ardoyne’s Copland exchanging points before Hanna added his second score of the evening to leave the visitors narrowly in front at 1-04 to 1-03.

Ardoyne then enjoyed their strongest spell of the half. Gary McKernan broke through for a fine point before landing an excellent two-pointer. Another score from Thomas McKinney stretched the lead as Éire Óg continued to struggle with their shooting accuracy.

To their credit, the home side rallied before the interval. Connor Dixon converted a free and followed up with a point from play before Eoin Dixon struck with the final attack of the half to leave just two points between the sides at the break, Ardoyne leading 1-08 to 1-06.

Éire Óg emerged from the restart with renewed purpose and turned the game around as they rattled off five unanswered scores. Eoin Dixon leading the charge as he opened the second-half scoring before converting a superb two-point free. Connor Dixon then capped a flowing move with a two-pointer of his own as the home side moved three points clear.

Ardoyne responded impressively. Two scores from Copeland and another from Daniel Keenan levelled matters before a lapse in concentration in the Éire Óg defence proved costly. A quickly taken free found number 14 in space and he made no mistake, blasting to the net to restore Ardoyne’s advantage.

Although Éire Óg introduced fresh legs, scoring opportunities continued to go astray, including a gilt-edged goal chance. Ardoyne looked to have taken control as number 10 and number 24 added points to stretch the lead to five.

Yet the home side refused to surrender. Eoin Dixon struck for another two-pointer and, after both sides exchanged scores, the deficit remained manageable. Ardoyne’s number 10 and number 14 added further points, leaving the visitors seemingly in command as normal time expired.

With the game entering injury time, Éire Óg launched one final attack. Excellent work down the wing by Ciarán Rice created the opening and his delivery across the square found substitute John Erskine, who finished emphatically to the net.

Seconds later Connor Dixon delivered a dangerous high ball into the Ardoyne goalmouth. Amid the ensuing scramble, substitute Ciarán Cahoon reacted quickest to force the ball over the line and complete an unexpected comeback.

The sides will meet again later this season in the group stages of the Junior Championship so it should hope to be another engaging encounter

Éire Óg: Aaron Thomson, Barry McDaid, Brian O’Malley, Malachy McIvor, Karl McKenna, Ciarán Rice, Conor McKenna, Eoin Dixon (0-07 – including two 2 pointers), Patrick Maxwell, Dermot Burns, Adam McKenna, Luca Mulholland, Matt Hanna (1-01), Ronan McKeown (0-01), Connor Dixon (0-05 – including one 2 pointer). Subs used: James O’Connell, Conor Cochrane, Stephen Erskine, John Erskine (1-00), Ciarán Cahoon (1-00).

Ardoyne: Scorers: No. Copeland (1-07 including one two-pointer), Brendan Hamilton (1-04), Daniel Keenan (0-02), Gary McKernan (0-03), Thomas McKinney(0-01), Ruairi Taige (0-01).

by thesaffrongael

Three goals seal the victory 

Co Antrim ACFL Division 1

Aghagallon 3-10 Dunloy 0-15

Report and photos by Brian Hamill

Aghagallon produced a devastating spell before half-time to lay the foundations for a hard-earned four-point victory over Dunloy in this Division 1 encounter.

Dunloy made the brighter start and were quickly into their stride through Keelan Molloy, who landed two early two-point scores to put the visitors on the front foot. A point from Conal Cunning helped maintain their momentum and, despite scores from Aghagallon’s John Hannon, Dunloy remained in control for much of the opening quarter.

The contest turned dramatically midway through the first half. After a series of points from John Hannon, Aghagallon struck for goals through Padraig Gowdy, who palmed the ball into the net and then EJ Loughran, finding the net after his high shot snuck under the crossbar. His second goal followed soon after, when he intercepted a kick out, before finishing past the stranded keeper. That scoring burst transformed the game and helped the home side establish a commanding advantage despite further two-point efforts from Dunloy’s influential Keelan Molloy.

Trailing by nine points at the break, Dunloy refused to let the game slip away. Keelan Molloy continued to lead the fight-back, adding further scores from play and frees, while James Scally landed an excellent two-point effort early in the second half to reduce the deficit.

Aghagallon remained composed and continued to pick off important scores through John Hannon, who finished with six points, while additional contributions from Eoin Brankin and Enda McCartan helped keep the scoreboard moving whenever Dunloy threatened to build momentum.

Dunloy won the second-half scoring battle and finished strongly, with Seaan Elliott adding a late point after another two-point score from Keelan Molloy further narrowed the gap. However, Aghagallon’s explosive first-half spell, which yielded three goals in quick succession, proved decisive as the hosts held on for victory.

TO VIEW MORE OF BRIAN HAMILL’S PICS CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Rasharkin move one step closer to the title with emphatic win at The Cricky

Antrim ACFL Division 3

Final Score: Na Piarsaigh (Pearses) 0-11 Naomh Mhuire Ros Earcain (Rasharkin) 3-18

Venue: The Cricky, Belfast

League leaders Rasharkin kept their Division 3 title hopes firmly on course with a commanding, clinical performance against Pearses on Wednesday evening.

First-Half: Pearses’ Bright Start Eclipsed by Rasharkin Blitz

The home side opened with plenty of intent at The Cricky. Conor Murray split the posts to get Pearses on the board in the 2nd minute before doubling his tally with a well-taken free three minutes later. When Philip Murray split the posts in the 7th minute, Pearses enjoyed an early 0-3 to 0-0 advantage.

However, it didn’t take long for the league leaders to find their rhythm. Fearghal Kennedy opened Rasharkin’s account in the 6th minute, followed immediately by a quickfire brace from Tiernan O’Boyle to level the game. The teams briefly traded scores—including a point from an unlisted Pearses player in the 22nd minute—but Rasharkin’s clinical forward line soon took total control.

Andrew Hasson punished discipline errors with two accurate frees, while Eamonn Mac Neill and Brian Og O’Neill asserted dominance from open play. The decisive blow came just before the short whistle; Hasson found the back of the net in the 29th minute, and just a minute later, Mac Neill coolly slotted home a penalty. A late free from Conor Murray did little to soften the blow as Rasharkin headed into the break with a commanding lead.

Leaders Cruise to Clinical Finish

Any hopes of a Pearses comeback were quickly dampened as Rasharkin picked up right where they left off. Niall Kennedy and Killian O’Boyle traded points with Pearses’ Fionn Grew, who fought valiantly for the hosts with three second-half scores.

Rasharkin’s squad depth and fitness showed in the final quarter. Points flowed from all angles, with James Higgins , Mac Neill, and Hasson continuing to pile on the pressure. Pearses managed late consolation scores through Sean Moreland and Philip Murray, but the visitors had the final say.

In the 61st minute of stoppage time, Brianog O’Neill capped off a spectacular individual and team performance by blasting home Rasharkin’s third goal of the evening, putting the exclamation mark on a 3-18 to 0-11 victory.

Match Scorers

Na Piarsaigh (Pearses)PointsNaomh Mhuire Ros Earcain (Rasharkin)GoalsPoints
Conor Murray (#24)0-04 (3F)Andrew Hasson (#15)1-000-03 (3F)
Fionn Grew (#10)0-03 (1F)Eamonn Mac Neill (#11)1-00 (1 Pen)0-03
Philip Murray (#14)0-02Brianog O’Neill (#14)1-000-02
Sean Moreland (#12)0-01Tiernan O’Boyle (#8)0-000-03 (1F)
Unlisted Player0-01Fearghal Kennedy (#6)0-000-01
Niall Kennedy (#13)0-000-02
Killian O’Boyle (#12)0-000-03
James Higgins (#9)0-000-01

What’s Next: With this emphatic victory under their belts, Rasharkin turn their focus to the ultimate final day showdown. A win against Éire Óg will officially crown them Antrim ACFL Division 3 Champions.

by thesaffrongael

O’Dees still in the title race

Antrim Football League Division 3 at Cherryvale

St Malachy’s 2-09 O’Donnell’s 5-19

Cardinal O’Donnell’s delivered a commanding performance to secure a 5-19 to 2-09 victory over St Malachy’s at Cherryvale in Division 3 of the Antrim Football League on Wednesday evening. The win keeps their slim hopes of the Division 3 title alive.

Heading into the fixture level on points with Rasharkin at the top of the table, O’Donnell’s knew they had to win to keep the pressure on the St Mary’s side, and though they got the result they wanted, their south west rivals also won convincingly to to stay in pole position going into next week’s final games. The men from the Whiterock Road take on Pearses in their last game while Rasharkin face Eire Og.

The game began with early pressure from St Malachy’s, who opened the scoring on two minutes with a point from play by Peter Lavery. O’Donnell’s responded with a sturdy defence and consecutive points from Ciaran McKissock and Paul Moore. St Malachy’s struck back decisively on eight minutes when Ciaran Vernon found the back of the net, sparking a spell of dominance that yielded points under pressure from Jack McGivern and Vernon again. Following a brilliant two-point effort from Vernon that was subsequently ruled wide, Lavery and Padraig McKissock traded points from frees. Jack McGivern and Conor Walsh also exchanged points from placed balls before Vernon added another brilliant individual score. Carlos Sanha then had a shot saved that deflected over the bar. However, O’Donnell’s finished the half strongly with points from play by Stephen Seawright and Cailean Walsh, followed by a crucial goal from a rebound by Paul Moore just before the whistle, leaving O’Donnell’s in a strong position at the break.

O’Donnell’s completely took over at the start of the second half, effectively sealing the game with a rapid barrage of three goals. Paul Moore finished off a well-worked team move for his second goal, followed quickly by a point from Pearse Rice. Marc McKenna then hit the net following a vital midfield turnover. Rice continued his fine form with further points, while Cailean Walsh and Padraig McKissock kept the scoreboard ticking over. A substitute added another goal for O’Donnell’s around the twelve-minute mark, though Jack McGivern managed a team point for St Malachy’s amidst the onslaught. Conor Walsh and Fionnbar McKernan added further points for the victors, and while Carlos Sanha and McGivern grabbed late scores for the Cherryvale side, they could not stem the tide. Despite tiring late on, St Malachy’s fought until the bitter end in what was a highly entertaining encounter, but O’Donnell’s were undeniably the better team on the day, combining strong teamwork with exceptional individual performances to run out convincing 5-19 to 2-09 winners.

Cardinal O’Donnell’s: 1 Conor Murphy, 2 John Rafferty, 3 Stephen Seawright, 4 Kevin Kennedy, 5 Barra Corr, 6 Scott Thompson, 7 Ciaran McKissock, 8 Paul Moore, 9 Fergal McNerney, 10 Pearse Rice, 11 Cailean Walsh, 12 Padraig McKissock, 13 Conor Walsh, 14 Marc McKenna, 15 Fionnbar McKernan.

St Malachy’s: 1 Stephen Carson, 2 Pearse Hanna, 3 Daniel Quinn, 4 Colin Connolly, 5 Mark Connolly, 6 Daniel Gillespie, 7 Michael Hegney, 8 Ethan Orr, 9 Carlos Sanha, 10 David McErtain, 11 Gavin McManus, 12 John Paul Lagan, 13 Jack McGivern, 14 Peter Lavery, 15 Ciaran Vernon.

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

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by thesaffrongael

St Brigid’s buoyant as Cons crumble

Antrim Football League – Division 1

Glenravel 1-05 St Brigid’s 2-17

The gap between top and bottom of Division 1 was laid bare in Fr Maginn Park on Wednesday evening as the St Brigid’s from Boucher humbled Glenravel in a very one sided game. All nineteen of the visitor’s scores came from play which is an unusual  statistic in the modern game. Eight points separated the teams at half time and almost double that at the end as Paul Burns drew the game to a conclusion. St Brigid’s failed to score in the final quarter  but by that stage the game had wound up as contest. Glenravel now need to plough their trade in the relegation playoff mid July in what will be a hotly contested set of games to avoid the wooden spoon.

Right from the off St Brigid’s set the game alight with six points in the opening eighth minutes with scores from Paul Bradley (0-03), JJ Higgins, Jack Dowling and Ronan Boyle but in a two minute spell after that Ryan McQuillan single handedly brought the home team back to within a point with a tally of 1-02. That only spurned St Brigid’s into action again with an unanswered tally of 1-05 with the goal being provided by JJ HIggins. On the stroke of half time Ryan McQuillan put over to leave the half time score Glenravel 1-03 St Brigid’s 1-11.

The second half was even more dismal for the home team as St Brigid’s added 1-06 to leave their tally 2-17 with one quarter of the game left. Joe Finnegan the goal provider. Remarkably, they would not score in that final quarter but they had done enough to win the game comfortabley. Glenravel did manage a couple of scores in the final minutes from Ryan McQuillan and Daire Higgins but the gap between the teams on this performance was a sobering thought for the home supporters. Final score Glenravel 1-05 St Brigid’s 2-17

CON MAGEES

1 Jude Scullion, 2 Conor Carey, 3 Eoin McCusker, 4 Declan McAuley, 5 Niall Swann, 6 Cathal Hynds, 7 Rian Lennon, 8 Calum Higgins, 9 David Higgins, 10 Luke McQuillan, 11 Conor McQuillan, 12 Conleth O’Loan, 13 Dáire Higgins, 14 Ryan McQuillan, 15 Declan Traynor.

ST BRIGID’S

Declan Heery, 2 Aodhan McNicholl, 3 John Morgan, 4 Finn McKernan, 5 Shay Campbell, 6 Joseph Finnegan, 7 Oran Boyle, 8 Patrick Finnegan, 10 Ronan Boyle, 11 Shea Downey, 12 Paul Bradley, 13 Ryan Tweedy, 14 James Smith, 15 JJ Higgins.

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