Graham Tarmac JFC Group 1

Rasharkin 1-18 Laochra Loch Lao 1-6

Laochra Loch Lao were first off the mark in the opening period of this final game in the group stages of theJFC Group 1, registering a fine point from play in the second minute courtesy of Tomás Ó Tuathaláin. However, with five minutes gone, Rasharkin hit back to level proceedings with a well-taken point from Ferghal Kennedy.

The sparring in the opening ten minutes was fairly even, with points from Brian Óg O’Neill for Rasharkin and Fionntain Ó Tuathaláin for Laochra Lao seeing the sides level at two points apiece after ten minutes of play.

What followed, however, marked a major stepping up in pressure from Rasharkin, who completely locked down their defence and kept Laochra Lao scoreless for the remainder of the opening half.

O’Neill was proving pivotal for Rasharkin. He had clearly brought his shooting boots as he fired over a further four points in succession from both play and frees to put daylight between the teams. James Higgins soon got in on the act with a point from play, and at this stage, it looked like the well-organised Rasharkin outfit were going to be incredibly difficult for Laochra Loch Lao to keep up with.

The number of players getting their names on the scoreboard for Rasharkin continued to increase when Oran McMullan sent over his first point of the day. The final five minutes of the opening half saw Rasharkin tightening their grip on this game even further as McMullan slotted over a further point, leaving seven points between the sides at the short whistle.

Half-Time Score: Rasharkin 0-09 Laochra Lao 0-02

A dominant second-half performance proved decisive as Rasharkin secured their place in the championship semi-finals, despite a spirited and resilient challenge from a dogged Laochra Loch Lao side.

The tone for the second period was set a mere three minutes after the restart. Rasharkin standard-bearer Killian O’Boyle stepped up to the penalty spot and ruthlessly tucked away a clinical goal. At that early juncture, the writing appeared to be on the wall for Laochra as the gap began to widen.

However, anyone expecting the Irish Language sideto merely fulfil a fixture was quickly proven wrong. Exhibiting immense fighting spirit, they hit back almost immediately. A brilliant point from play by Mac Gafraidh was quickly followed by a cleanly struck free from Ó Nullain, breathing life back into their campaign and keeping the contest alive.

On 50 minutes, Andrew Hasson fired over a beautiful two pointer, that effectively ended the resistance of Laochra Lao. For the next ten minutes, the match evolved into an intense, score-for-score battle. Yet, as the clock ticked down, the strength in depth of the Rasharkin squad began to tell. Fresh legs and relentless pressure gradually chipped away at the Laochra Lao resilience.

The deficit ultimately proved too wide a bridge to cross for the chasing side, with the result effectively sealed in the 58th minute. Hasson showed immense composure to split the posts for his second crucial “two-pointer” of the afternoon, extending the Rasharkin advantage beyond doubt.

To their immense credit, Laochra Lao refused to lie down. In a final, desperate surge of persistence, they forced an infraction in the square and were awarded a penalty of their own. Oisín MacCrabhagain stepped up and duly dispatched the spot-kick with absolute confidence.

While MacCrabhagain’s goal ensured Laochra Lao had the final say in the encounter, it proved to be too little, too late to alter the final outcome.

Despite the defeat, Laochra Lao can hold their heads high. Their fierce performance demonstrates they will have a major say as the quarter-finals unfold. Meanwhile, a clinical Rasharkin march into the semi-final stage brimming with confidence, firmly eyeing a further advance in the competition.

After the game, Joe Edwards from the County Executive presented the Div 3 Cup to Rasharkin amid happy scenes from the gathered supporters.

After the game Joe Edwards presented the ACFL Division 3 trophy to Rasharkin captain, Fergus Quigg

St Mary’s Rasharkin: Ryan Doherty, Daniel McGurk, Fergus Quigg, Liam Quigg, Thomas Hasson, Ferghal Kennedy(0-02, 1f), Pearse McTague, Tiernan O’Boyle, Oran McMullan(0-02), Colm Kennedy(0-01), Eamon McNeill, James Higgins(0-01), Killian O’Boyle(1-01), Brian Óg O’Neill(0-06, 4f), Andrew Hassan(0-04)

Laochra Loch Lao: Seán Ó hEachái, Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh, Eamonn Ó Coinn, Tiarnan Mac Siacais, Conchubhar MacAgafraidh(0-01), Niall McAreavey, Tomás Ó Tuathaláin(0-02), Rian Mac Seáin, Connla Ó Coinn, Niall Mac Aoidh, Fionntain Ó Tuathaláin(0-01), Pádraig Ó Preith, Anton Ó Coinn, Oisín Mac Crabhagain (1-0, pen), Michael Ó Nullain(0-02, 1f), Deaghlan Macthom

Referee: Deaglan Carey

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Antrim Junior Football Championship – at the Cricky

Ardoyne 2-12 Eire Og 2-13

Ardoyne GAC secured a 2-12 to 0-13 victory over a resolute Éire Óg side in the Junior Football Championship at The Cricky, Belfast on Saturday evening. Fortune swung one way then the other as both teams enoyed periods of dominance in a thoroughly entertaining game.

The game opened with Conall Smyth landing an excellent point for Éire Óg, quickly answered by Cormac Mullan for Ardoyne. Conor Dixon, whose point taking was a feature of the game, pointed a free for Éire Óg and it could have been better for the men in red and white a minute later, had Ardoyne goalkeeper Tiernan Hughes not made a fantastic save, though Luca Mulholland did tap the breaking ball over the bar. Dixon then struck two well-taken frees for Éire Óg, before Ardoyne responded when Caolan Hardy set up Brendan Hamilton for a point. After an Ardoyne point from a high ball, Joseph Gibson soloed down the left wing in the 27th minute and crossed to Aidan McNeill who emphatically volleys it into the net. Ardoyne’s dominance continued as number they added a point and McNeill buried a second goal just before the halftime whistle sounded, leaving Ardoyne ahead at 2-06 to 0-05.

It looked like the Eire Og challenge was gone and when Ardoyne extended their lead early on before Smyth swung over a left-footed reply for Éire Óg. Suddenly Éire Óg were back in contention and they rallied as Dixon landed two points and corner forward Smyth hit a brilliant score to narrow the gap. Ardoyne checked the momentum when McNeill combined with Mullan, while down the other end of the field, Ronan McKeown claimed a clean catch from the kick-out to set up Mark O’Hanlon for a point.

Eire Og had the gap back to a single point at one stage but following an injury stoppage, Brendan Hamilton and Mullan added further points for Ardoyne to ease the pressure. Although the excellent Dixon converted another free for Éire Óg, to keep them in contention Cormac Mullan dictated the closing stages by swinging over a 25-meter point. McNeill added another from play and Mullan struck a final point off the ground to seal the hard fought 2-12 to 0-13 victory and secure a semi-final place

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Antrim Graham Tarmac Junior Football Championship

St Brigids Cloughmills 1-06 | O’Donnells 3-11

Venue: Cloughmills | Date: Saturday, 5 September 2026

Match report: Gerard Kelly | Photos: Dominic Kelly

O’Donnells produced a clinical, goal-laden display to see off St Brigids Cloughmills by eleven points in the Antrim Junior Football Championship at Cloughmills on Saturday. Green flags from Fionnbar McKernan, Pearse Rice and substitute Ciaran McKissock did the bulk of the damage in a 3-11 to 1-06 victory that was, in truth, all but decided inside the opening quarter.

Championship football is unforgiving of slow starts, and Cloughmills learned that lesson the hard way. The Belfast side arrived in North Antrim with real intent and had two goals on the board before the game was twelve minutes old, leaving the hosts with a mountain to climb from an early stage. To their credit, Cloughmills never stopped working, and Anthony Doran in particular battled manfully with a six-point haul that accounted for every one of his side’s scores bar the goal. But the gulf in firepower was evident throughout, and O’Donnells always had another gear whenever the home side threatened to build momentum.

For the visitors, this was a performance built on ruthlessness in front of goal and a spread of scorers that gave Cloughmills no single target to shut down. Six different players found the range, three of them raised green flags, and the ease with which they created chances in the opening twenty minutes will have pleased their management enormously.

A Blistering Start From The Visitors

If O’Donnells had scripted the opening quarter themselves, they could scarcely have written it better. Patrick Meenan set the tone with a point inside the first minute, and the visitors did not let up from there. Cloughmills were still finding their feet when the first hammer blow landed on five minutes, McKernan finishing to the net to give O’Donnells a 1-01 to no score lead before the home side had registered an attack of any note.

Cailean Walsh, who would go on to be one of the visitors’ most influential figures, added a point on 6 to widen the gap, and the pattern was set. Cloughmills finally got off the mark through Doran on 9, a welcome score that briefly steadied the ship, but Walsh replied within sixty seconds to cancel it out.

Then came the second goal. On 12 minutes, Rice found space inside and finished emphatically to stretch the lead to 2-03 to 0-01, and when Padraig McKissock tacked on another point two minutes later, O’Donnells were nine clear and Cloughmills were in serious trouble. Fourteen minutes gone, and the home side had been outscored by 2-04 to 0-01.

Watterson Goal Sparks Brief Revival

Cloughmills needed something to lift the home support, and they got it on 17 minutes when Dara Watterson found the net. It was the spark the hosts had been crying out for, cutting the deficit to six and injecting some belief into a side that had looked shell-shocked up to that point.

O’Donnells, though, were unmoved. McKernan pointed on 19 to restore some breathing room, and on 21 minutes Walsh produced the standout individual score of the half, landing a superb two-point effort from outside the arc to push the visitors nine clear once more at 207 to 1-01. It was a cruel response to Cloughmills’ revival and a reminder of the visitors’ scoring threat from all distances.

To their credit, the hosts kept going. Doran, who was carrying the Cloughmills attack almost single-handedly, split the posts twice in quick succession on 22 and 24 minutes, and those were the final scores of the half. Cloughmills had, in fact, outscored O’Donnells in the closing stages of the period, and they went in at the break trailing 2-07 to 1-03, a sevenpoint gap that felt considerably more manageable than it had at the quarter-hour mark.

Cloughmills Chip Away Before McKissock Kills It Off

The opening spell of the second half was a far tighter affair. Both defences tightened up and scores were at a premium, with Rice edging O’Donnells further ahead on 35 before Doran responded for Cloughmills on 38 to keep the gap at seven. For a period, the home side looked capable of making the closing stages uncomfortable for their opponents.

Any lingering hope of a Cloughmills fightback, however, was extinguished on 46 minutes.

Ciaran McKissock, introduced from the bench, made an immediate impact when he finished O’Donnells’ third goal of the afternoon, pushing the lead out to 3-08 to 1-04 and effectively settling the contest. It was a goal that summed up the difference between the sides: O’Donnells created chances of that quality with relative ease, while Cloughmills had to work tirelessly for every score.

Meenan added his second point on 52 to push the gap into double figures, and the visitors were able to see out the remainder of the game in relative comfort.

Rice Has The Final Say

Doran refused to let his side go quietly. The Cloughmills forward landed further points on 55 and 57 to bring his personal tally to six and, in the process, ensured the scoreboard would carry some respectability for the home side. It was a performance of real character in a lost cause.

But O’Donnells finished as they had started. Rice pointed on 58 and again on 60 to complete a fine individual haul of 1-3 and round off a comfortable eleven-point win, sending the Belfast side into the next stage of the championship with a real spring in their step.

Doran Carries The Fight For Cloughmills

While the afternoon belonged to O’Donnells, the individual display of Anthony Doran deserves recognition. The Cloughmills number 15 scored six of his side’s seven scores, kept the hosts in the contest for as long as was realistically possible, and never once let his standards drop even as the game slipped away. Dara Watterson’s goal on 17 was the only other Cloughmills score of the day, and the reliance on Doran will be a concern for the home management as they reflect on the defeat.

Elsewhere, captain Rian Dobbin worked hard at midfield, and there were honest shifts throughout the Cloughmills side, but the early concession of two goals meant that they were always playing catch-up against a team with far more scoring options.

The Verdict

O’Donnells were worthy winners, and the spread of their scoring told its own story. Rice (13), McKernan (1-1) and Walsh (0-4) all caused problems for the Cloughmills defence, while Meenan (0-2), Padraig McKissock (0-1) and Ciaran McKissock’s goal from the bench rounded off a well-balanced attacking display. Three goals in a championship match away from home is a return any side would gladly take, and the manner in which they responded every time Cloughmills threatened to build momentum was the mark of a side with genuine ambitions in this competition.

For Cloughmills, there is no shame in losing to a side of this quality, and Doran’s six points and Watterson’s goal were the clear bright spots. But conceding two goals inside the opening twelve minutes left them with far too much to do, and the closing stages of the first half, when they outscored the visitors and looked capable of competing, only served to highlight what might have been with a sharper start. If their championship is to go any further, they will need to find that intensity from the first whistle rather than the seventeenth minute.

ST BRIGIDS CLOUGHMILLS: Eoin Dobbin; Jack McDowell, Brendan O’Mullan, Conal

McCurdy; Jonny Duffin, Gerard O’Mullan, Dylan Grieve; Rian Dobbin (capt), Michael O’Mullan; PJ McBride, Reece Watt, Dara Watterson (1-0); James O’Boyle, Ryan Donnelly, Anthony Doran (0-6).

O’DONNELLS: Conor Murphy; Kevin Kennedy, Connor Walsh, Sean Smylie; Jonathan

McKenna, Scott Thompson, Patrick Meenan (0-2); Gearoid McKernan, Richard McAvoy; Paul Moore, Cailean Walsh (0-4), Pearse Rice (1-3); Sean Pat Donnelly, Padraig McKissock (0-1), Fionnbar McKernan (1-1). Also used: Ciaran McKissock (1-0).

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P Graham Tarmac Junior Football Championship

Group 1

Na Piarsaigh 2-11 Rasharkin 1-15

Saturday 22 August

Brendan McTaggart reports from Páirc Mhic Ionnrachtaigh

Rasharkin maintained their pursuit for a double on Saturday evening but they were pushed all the way by Na Piarsaigh.  The Belfast men were seven ahead in the first half and held a one point lead with just four minutes of the hour remaining but Rasharkin showed a little more composure at the death.

This was a feisty encounter from start to finish with Na Piarsaigh finishing the game with 13 men.  The loss of Cormac Gillespie late in the first half certainly having a huge impact on the game with Rasharkin scoring 1-1 before the break and bringing them back into the game.

Na Piarsaigh played with a freedom and tenacity that was refreshing and kept Rasharkin from building any momentum in the first half.  Goals from Fionn Grew and Liam Deegan had them in control but the men from Dreen responded superbly in the second half with James Higgins and Pearse McTague pivotal while their winning point was superbly orchestrated and finished by Colm Kennedy.

Na Piarsaigh got off to a dream start with scoring the opening goal of the game with barely 10 seconds on the clock.  Fionn Grew collecting the ball from the throw in and tore through the Rasharkin defence and lobbed Rasharkin keeper Ryan Doherty with the ball nestling into the back of the net.  A super point from Oisin Grew followed before Oisin Casey opened Rasharkin’s account for the evening in the fourth minute.

Liam Deegan split the posts after a neat one-two with Gillespie as Na Piarsaigh began to make the most of their positive start.

Rasharkin looked to weather the early Na Piarsaigh storm with a brace of scores from Andrew Hasson (free) and Higgins but Na Piarsaigh replied with a brace of their own.  Sean Moreland and Tom McFarlane with the scores to leave four between the sides half way through the first half.

Killian O’Boyle split the uprights for Rasharkin in the 16^th minute but they wouldn’t add to their tally for another 10 minutes with Na Piarsaigh putting daylight between the sides by adding their second goal of the game.

Phil Murray split the uprights before Deegan’s major put seven between the sides with nine minutes of the half remaining.

Rasharkin hit back with their goal coming in the 26^th minute, Andrew Hasson breaking the Na Piarsaigh defensive line before finding Colm Kennedy and he finished well to beat Eamon McKenna in the Na Piarsaigh goals.

The game was turned on its head with Gillespie seeing red for an off the ball incident, much to the disbelief of the Na Piarsaigh players and management while Andrew Hasson kicked the last score of the half with the last action before the break to leave the half time score 2-5 to 1-5 in Na Piarsaigh’s favour.

While Moreland split the posts to put four between the sides with the opening score of the second half, it was almost 20 minutes before Na Piarsaigh would add to their total with Rasharkin making the most of their numerical advantage.

The men from Dreen would fire seven unanswered points from Thomas Hasson (two), Andrew Hasson (three, two frees) and a brace from Killian O’Boyle as they went into a three point lead.

With tempers flaring, referee Joe McCavana had a major job on his hands to keep the game under control.  Na Piarsaigh did manage to stop the Rasharkin momentum with points from Orán Sweeney and Fionn Grew (free) before a brilliant two pointer from Grew put Na Piarsaigh ahead once again in the 54^th minute.

Killian O’Boyle and Oisin McCamphill (free) split the uprights either side of Moreland’s third point of the contest to leave the sides tied going into the dying embers of the hour.

McFarlane was red carded for an off the ball incident with the game in the melting pot and Na Piarsaigh had a massive chance deep in injury time but Aidan Bannon and Moreland seemed to get in each other’s way.  Rasharkin and Kennedy broke however and Kennedy managed to get in behind the Na Piarsaigh defence to fist over the bar with what was the last action of the game in the eighth minute of injury time.

A hectic ending to a compelling game that could have gone either way.  Rasharkin maintain their momentum and look to a meeting with Laochra Loch Lao to see who tops the group while Na Piarsaigh and St Malachy’s will face off with a place in the quarters at stake.

TEAMS

Na Piarsaigh Starting XV: Eamon McKenna; Luca Gianetto, Peter Johnston, Jay Collins; Cormac Gillespie, Aidan Bannon, Orán Sweeney; Tom McFarlane, Oisin Grew; Fionn Grew, Cormac O’Neill, Sean Moreland; Liam Deegan, Phil Murray, Piaras Donaghy

• Scorers: F Grew 1-3 (1TP, 1F); L Deegan 1-1; S Moreland 0-3; O Sweeney 0-1, T McFarlane 0-1, O Grew 0-1, P Murray 0-1

Rasharkin Starting XV: Ryan Doherty; Daniel McGurk, Fergus Quigg, Pearce Kelly; Thomas Hasson, Pearse McTague, Liam Quigg; Tiernan O’Boyle, Oran McMullan; Colm Kennedy, Oisin Casey, James Higgins; Killian O’Boyle, Andrew Hasson, Brian Og Neill

• Scorers: A Hasson 0-5 (4F); K O’Boyle 0-4; C Kennedy 1-1; T Hasson 0-2; O Casey 0-1; J Higgins 0-1

Referee: Joe McCavana (St Comgalls)

P.GRAHAM TARMAC JFC Group 2 Round 2

Kickham’s Ardoyne 6-10 St. Brigid’s Cloughmills 2-5

Report & Pics: Brian McKee

The men from Ardoyne knew that nothing less than a comprehensive victory would be good enough to keep them in the hunt for the Junior Football Championship. Cloughmills would have travelled to the lough shore with a justifiable degree of confidence following their early-season shock defeat of Ardoyne, but a relentless North Belfast attack was a warning that Championship football was an entirely different matter.

Ardoyne opened the stronger of the two teams, finding an early goal when a high ball into the square was flicked into the net with a fisted punch from the in-form James Óg McAuley. This was followed shortly by a point from Brendan Hamilton, making it clear from very early on that Ardoyne were controlling the pace of the match through possession football.

Caolan Hardy had a chance for a second goal for Ardoyne but saw his shot landing in the arms of shot landed safely in the arms of Doran in the Cloughmills net. Moments later, Brendan Hamilton cut through the Cloughmills defence again; a goal looked to be on the cards, but his powerful shot sailed just inches over the crossbar.

The Cloughmills defence found the strong runs of McAuley and Lopez impossible to counter, while the experienced McKiernan was back to his best in an Ardoyne shirt. In his first year at senior level, Lopez was playing with a maturity and commitment that lifted his more experienced teammates around him. Cloughmills did have their chances early on, but their wayward shooting proved to be their downfall. At one stage, Watson broke through the Ardoyne line and a goal looked certain, only for the final shot to fly well wide of the target.

This miss triggered another period of dominance from Ardoyne. Lopez sent a high ball crashing towards the square, where Cahal Keown reacted quickest to flick it into the net. Three further points followed in quick succession for the North Belfast side. Veteran captain Cormac McMullan was not to be outdone by the emerging talent of Lopez, elegantly sending a pinpoint pass to McNeill, who stroked it home for Ardoyne’s third goal. McNeill was clinical again moments later, picking up goal number four.

Keown proved to be a masterful target man at full-forward, instrumentally conducting the lines of attack as the first half progressed. He was incredibly unlucky not to add another when his own shot bounced back off the upright. Cloughmills failed to register a score in the opening half against an Ardoyne defence where Copeland and Magee led a defence that effectively dealt with any incursions from Cloughmills.

Half-Time: Ardoyne Kickhams 4-07 St Brigid’s Cloughmills 0-0

The opening minutes of the second half saw Cloughmills once again under serious pressure. Keown quickly exerted his dominance at full-forward, setting up the opening goal of the half for Ardoyne from Caolan Hardy.

Cloughmills were clearly rattled, but they refused to buckle under the continuous pressure. Eight minutes into the second half, Devlin finally opened the scoring for them with a well-taken two-pointer. This provided the needed inspiration for St. Brigid’s. A series of sustained attacks on the Ardoyne backline saw 0’Mullan blast home two goals in quick succession. While the final result was never realistically in doubt, Ardoyne lost their composure and were visibly shaken by the spirited Cloughmill’s fight-back.

It was the ever-reliable Keown who put a halt to the resurgence. Following a free from McMullan, Keown collected possession and rifled over a point to steady the Ardoyne boat. James Óg McAuley then topped off a fine individual performance by slotting home a final goal for Ardoyne in the dying moments of the match.

Despite the win, the second-half display will be a major concern for the Ardoyne management team. They will be disappointed that the second-half performance was a pale shadow of their brilliant opening half. They will know that a repeat in their crucial final group stage match against Eire Óg will not be good enough to progress into the knockout stages.

Cloughmills, while well beaten on the night, will gain immense self-belief from their resilient second-half display as they look forward to their final game against O’Donnell’s.

Full-Time: Ardoyne Kickhams 6-10 St Brigid’s Cloughmills 2-05

Ardoyne: Tiernan Hughes Cormac Curran Micheal McGreevy Piarais Marley Oisin Copeland Emmett Corey Eoin Quigg Joe Gibson Brendan Hamilton Caolan Hardy Cormac Mullan Aidan McNeill Odhran Mullan Thomas McKinney Barry McKervey Gary McKernan Odhran McKee Aidan McConnell James Óg McAuley Anton Mallon

Cloughmills: Anthony Doran Jack McDowell Brendan O’Mullan Conal McCurdy Rian Dobbin Stephen McIlroy Jonny Duffin Michael O’Mullan Eoin Dobbin Dara Watterson Reece Watt Eoin McGee Aidan McNeil PJ McBride Gerard O’Mullan

Referee: Colin Mallon

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