Ulster Junior LGFA Championship

Antrim Senior Ladies 1-19

Derry Senior Ladies 2-8 

Antrim senior ladies got their Ulster championship campaign up and running on Saturday when they made the journey to Ballymaguigan and overcame the hosts Derry by an 8 point margin…. 

In the first 30 minutes Antrim struggled to get out of the blocks and it was Derry who were playing with all the intensity and energy… 

The Derry girls raced into a 4 point lead after ten minutes but a goal from Cliodhna Logan brought Antrim back in touch… 

But again it was Derry who seized the initiative and they scored a second goal after some poor defensive play from the Antrim girls… 

Indeed it could have been worse for Antrim at this stage only for a timely intervention from Emily Kearns who prevented a certain goal… 

But to the Antrim girls credit they played some excellent football in the last ten minutes of the first half with Maria Oneill .. Aiobheann Monaghan.. Theresa Mellon all chipping in with points and just before the short whistle Laura Agnew scored a wonderful point to send the Antrim girls in one up… 

The second half belonged to Antrim… 

The girls completely stepped it up and took control of the game and started to play the free flowing football that they are capable of… 

Some great scores then came their way with Captain Bronagh Devlin leading by example with 4 excellent points and setting up Caitlin Taggart and Aine Lynch who both raised white flags… 

Hanna Donaghy then hit both posts before eventually slotting the ball over the black spot to get her name on the score sheet… 

Joint manager Micky said after the game …. 

“We took a while to get going out there today … 

It was very warm and humid and it took quite a lot out of the girls… 

There was a few things in the first half that myself and Chris probably wernt best pleased with but the girls as they always do responded well .. worked hard and stood up to the challenge…. 

Myself and Chris worked hard this week on coaching our forward play which we feel payed dividends as we hit 20 scores and also our turnover rate was high as we focused on that part of our game also …. 

But ultimately it’s all about the players and not us … 

These girls work hard and  all the credit goes to them here today as they all put a massive shift in out there and our bench again proved they can make a difference when entering the game …. 

The girls all have club games over the weekend which are very important so we will get together again on Tuesday night and prepare for our game at home to London next Saturday..” 

Antrim scorers … 

Cliodhna Logan 1-1 

Maria O Neill 0-4 

Bronagh Devlin 0-4

Aiobheann Monaghan 0-3

Laura Agnew 0-2 

Theresa Mellon 0-2 

Aine Lynch 0-1 

Hanna Donaghy 0-1 

Caitlin Taggart 0-1

Feaured image: David McGaraghan who scored 1-1 in the opening 7 minutes to give St. Agnes a four point lead

Ulster Junior Football Championship quarter-final

St. Patrick’s Donagh 2-11 St. Agnes 1-7

Despite a blistering start where they raced into a 1-1 to 0-0 lead after 7 minutes, St. Agnes first venture into Ulster would end in defeat when they were beaten by Fermanagh Champions, St. Patrick’s Donagh at Brewster Park on Saturday.

The Antrim champions were dipping their toes in the Ulster waters for the first time after completing a league and first Junior Championship in Antrim when they defeated Na Piarsaigh at Davitt’s Park a fortnight ago and for a time their fairy story looked like continuing.

David McGaraghan kicked them into an early lead direct from a ‘45’ and when the same player raced along the bye-line and placed his shot inside Shaun Montgomery’s left hand post the Woodlands travelling support were in fine voice.

At this early juncture in proceedings the ‘Aggies’ were dominating possession with Dan Turley and Patrick Mulgrew controlling mid-field and Conall Turley proving a handful with his strong running and smart distribution.

Significantly the Belfast side didn’t take advantage of their possession and were guilty of some poor finishing when they should have been further ahead and when Nathan Beattie opened St. Patrick’s account from a 30 meter free in the 12^th minute, the game began to change.

Mid-fielder, Johnny O’Reilly followed with a couple of excellent points and then a great movement, involving several players saw Thomas Cadden fire past Colum Carroll in the 22^nd minute to give the Fermanagh side a lead they would not lose.

Points from a Conall Turley 40 meter free and another fine effort from the same player had it all square by the 26^th minute but it was St. Patrick’s Donagh who would finish the half on top.

Colum Carroll had pulled of an excellent save to deny Cadden  minutes earlier but he was beaten all ends up three minutes later when Jimmy Tormey finished confidently and a point from Nathan Beattie had the Fermanagh side four in front at the break.

Both sides wasted opportunities as the second half got under way  but a point from Cormac McBride for the ‘Aggies’ closed the gap to a goal and when Donagh lost Sean Daly to a straight Red card after a high tackle on McGaraghan the tide looked to be turning in favour of the Antrim champions.

Instead it was St. Patrick’s who upped their game with Nathan Beattie moving them four ahead again from a free in the 12^th minute but St. Agnes were still fighting hard and Eoghan Curran saw his attempt come back of an upright before the excellent Turley cut the gap to three once more in the 16^th minute.

That would be as close as they got however as Donagh responded and the impressive Nathan Beattie raced clear at the other end with a good point.

Daire Tracey and Thomas Cadden added two more before Conall Turley responded at the other end but that was as good as it got and it was the excellent Tormey who would conclude the scoring with the game’s final point for the Fermanagh champions.

A disappointing end to the season for the Woodlands side but Martin Shortt’s side can hold their head high after a superb season where they recorded a first Antrim championship success and a division 3 league double.

They will reflect on some wayward shooting during an opening quarter where they dominated possession but will undoubtedly regroup and press forward next season where they will be playing their football in division 2 and competing in the Intermediate championship.

TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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Ulster JFC – 1.30pm Saturday Brewster Park

St.Patrick’s Donagh (Fermanagh) v St. Agnes (Antrim)

St Agnes make the trip to Enniskillen this Saturday in the first round of the Ulster Junior Football club championship where they will face Fermanagh champions, St. Patrick’s Donagh.

The Aggies have been in splendid form this season and completed a league and championship double when they beat Pearses in the Graham Tarmac JFC decider two weeks ago.

St Agnes’ clinched the Antrim Junior Football Championship for the first time in the club’s history with a 1-14-0-09 win over Pearses in the decider at Davitt Park.

Ahead 0-8-0-5 at the interval, an early second half goal from David McGaharan gave his side the platform to kick on for victory after the disappointment of losing last year’s decider to St Comgall’s. 

It’s been a great season for the Belfast club who won 12 of their 14 games to top division 3 and earn a place in division 2 next season and they went on to top Group 1 of the Junior Championship unbeaten with wins over Ardoyne, O’Donnell’s and St. Malachy’s to earn a semi-final meeting with Eire Og.

They won that one at Woodlands by 1-18 to 1-11 to earn a place in the final against an improving Na Piarsaigh where they finished 8 points winners to qualify for Saturday’s meeting with St. Patrick’s Donagh at Brewster Park.

Paddy Carroll and Conall Turley have been selected on the Antrim All Stars team for this year while Colum Carroll, Caoimhin Floyd, Cormac Flannery, Dan Turley, David McGaharan, Shea Madden and Ronan Gilligan will spearhead the Aggies challenge in County Fermanagh.

The Antrim champions face stiff opposition in the form of St. Patrick’s Donagh who defeated Newtownbutler in a tight Fermanagh final which was in the balance right to the final whistle.

The game had everything – Super scores hard challenges and two teams that refused to accept defeat.

The St. Patrick’s Donagh challenge will be spearheaded by Eamon Maguire (43), who gave a display for the ages which recalled his heroics in that great summer of 2004 when he and Mark Little of Lisnaskea dazzled Armagh in Croke Park as Fermanagh reached its first ever All-Ireland senior football semi-final.

Donagh showed character, courage, and heart in spades to come back from an early five-point blitz from a physically imposing Newtown side.

But they hit back with a great two-pointer from Cameron McBrien, and a superb solo goal from the lively Tiernan Wray brought St. Patrick’s right back into the picture.

Newtownbutler led by 1-9 to 1-7 at the break and by 1-10 to 1-7 on the resumption but two superbly finished goals from Brian McDermott and Jimmy Tormey in the space of four minutes gave Donagh the momentum to press on and take their first county title since 2021.

The record for Antrim clubs in this competition isn’t good though Naomh Comhghall came mighty close to causing an upset against the Donegal champions, St. Patrick’s Muff in Letterkeny last year.

A big crowd is likely to accompany the Woodlands side to Enniskillen on Saturday and a confident St. Agnes will feel they can buck the trend of first round losers in this competition and if they are at their best then they are capable of beating St. Patrick’s Donagh and advance to the next round.

(Featured Image: Roy McLarnon proudly lifts the cup with his son Declan and his grandchildren)

Big Roy McLarnon wore a smile as wide as the stand he had just watched from as his beloved St. Agnes collected their first Junior Football Championship title at Davitt’s Park on Saturday past.

Beside him, in tears, his son Declan couldn’t hide his emotions. Declan, a member of Antrim Over 40’s side had made a cameo appearance as the ‘Aggies’ overcame the challenge of Na Piarsaigh in a final they never looked like losing.

Roy McLarnon has been a member of St. Agnes since 1963. When I spoke to him after the game he gave me an insight into the history of his club.

 “We were always in and around Division 4 but in successive years we won Division 4, Division 3 and were runners up in Division 2 and were promoted to Division 1.

We lasted only one year in the top grade and floated between Division 2 and 3 for a number of years. We played intermediate championship from 91 to 2006. We contested a number of Junior Championship finals over the years but lost to Cargin in 91, to Ahoghill in 2007, to O’Donnell’s in 2011, and to St Comgall’s in last year’s decider.

Big Roy has served St. Agnes through thick and thin as player, Treasurer 1977 to 1997, Chairman 1997 to 2008, county board delegate 1977 to and committee member through the highs and lows of the Woodlands club.

One of Antrim’s great GAA men, Roy McLarnon found time to serve his county and was assistant manager to Eamon Grieve from 1986 to 1990, a period in which Antrim contested a National League quarter-final where they lost to Kerry at Croke Park.

Roy was part of the Antrim minor management team from 1996 to 98 and was involved in various Antrim management teams under Aidan Thornbury, Lenny Harbison, Enda McGinley and most recently with Andy McEntee.

He was manager of the last Antrim U21 team to win an Ulster title in 1989 when they defeated Down in the final.

Like Roy his wife Maria is still involved with St. Agnes and Aine their daughter was a very good footballer and played for Antrim minors in both football and camogie, a real family affair!

It would be fair to say that Roy McLarnon has enjoyed contrasting emotions with his beloved St. Agnes, perhaps more lows than highs but he never once stepped away and was always there when the club needed him.

I asked Roy about the ‘Aggies’ manager, Martin Shortt and what he has brought to the side. Roy had high praise for the Tyrone native.

“Martin Shortt, has brought massive energy and enthusiasm to the side and all the lads have bought in and the level of organisation and belief he has brought to the side finally got us over the line”

On a weekend when Dunloy lifted their first Senior Football Championship title since 1936 when they defeated reigning champions Cardin and Moneyglass overcame the challenge of division 2 league winners, Sarsfield’s in the Intermediate decider it would have been easy to have overlooked the achievements of St. Agnes and Roy McLarnon but it would have been remiss of me to do so.

I’ve known Roy for most of my GAA life and even played against him on the old Hugomount pitch for All Saints. One of the games gentlemen and one of his club and county’s greatest servants.

Big Roy watched the game from the Davitt’s stand before joining his team and colleagues on the splendid Davitt’s Park surface as Dan Turley received the Cup from Antrim committee member, Ciaran McGraw, a life time of service finally rewarded!

TO VIEW PADDY’S PICS FROM THE JFC FINAL CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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It’s Football Championship Finals this weekend and it looks like being an exciting programme for followers of the big ball game with deciders at Junior, Intermediate and senior level.

Junior Football Championship final

Davitt’s Park – Saturday 4-00pm

St. Agnes v Pearses

Both sides have impressed in the run up to Saturday’s final at Davitt’s Park where Naomh Una will start as slight favourites by virtue of their division 3 league winning campaign.

The ‘Aggies’ went through their league campaign where they won 12 of their 14 fixtures but one of their defeats came at the hands of Na Piarsaigh back in early July with the Antrim Road side edging it by a point in a high scoring 6-10 to 2-21 encounter.

It was a reversal of their round 1 league meeting where St. Agnes had two to spare over Saturday’s opponents. That one finished 1-14 to 0-15 so league form would suggest there is little to separate the sides.

Pearses league form was inconsistent though and they won only 6 and lost 7 of their league fixtures but as we have already seen this season, league form can count for little when it comes to the championship.

Despite losing prolific forward, Ronan Carroll to a serious injury earlier in the season St. Agnes carried their good league form into the championship and recorded a confidence boosting 1-20 to 0-13 win over Kickham’s Ardoyne, the other team to record a league win over them, and went on to beat Cardinal O’Donnell’s and a walk-over against St. Malachy’s meant that they topped Group 1 undefeated.

That form earned the ‘Aggies’ a direct passage into the semi-final where they met an Eire Og side who had defeated O’Donnell’s in the quarter-final and came into the semi-final at Pairc Una on a good run of form.

Division 3 league winners, St. Agnes took advantage of a home fixture, the prize for topping their group, to defeat Eire Og in a competitive Junior Football Championship encounter.

They didn’t get it all their own way against an Eire Og side who were still in contention late in the game when Mark Graham finished to the net from close range to close the gap to four.

As they had done throughout the game, the Aggies were always able to respond and the league winners finished strongly to win by seven in the end and book a place in the final against Na Piarsaigh.

A goal from James Campbell in the 15^th minute gave them a lead they would not subsequently lose.

Aggies wing-back, Caomhin Floyd’s shot looked to be going over but came back of the upright and Campbell gathered the rebound before dispatching his effort low and into the bottom corner.

The same player followed up his major with a point to pile on the pressure as the Aggies began to take control and David McGaharan added another from out on the wing, much to the delight of the Aggies support.

Conall Turley was excellent for the Woodland’s side and finished the game with 7 points as St. Agnes ran out 1-18 to 1-11 winners.

Their opponents in Sunday’s final, Na Piarsaigh have put indifferent league form behind them and seem to have peaked at just the right time coming into the championship and defeated Wolfe Tonnes and Eire Og in the group stages but lost to Laochra Loch Lao.

They beat a strong Kickham’s Ardoyne in the quarter-finals and produced, possibly their best performance of the season to reverse that defeat to Laochra Loch Lao in the semi-finals and will fancy their chances on Saturday in West Belfast.

Liam Deegan, Philip Murray, Sean Moreland Fion Grew, James Smyth, Ruairi Bannon, Piaras Donaghy and Thomas McFarlane will lead the Na Piarasaigh challenge as they aim to claim their second Junior title in recent years.

St. Agnes will look to Colum Carroll, James Campbell, Ryan Reilly, Cormac Flannery, Caoimhin Floyd, Patrick Mulgrew, Shea Madden, Conall Turley, David McGaharan and Colin Clarke to lead them to a league and championship double at Davitt’s Park and they might just have enough to see them through.