All Saints, Ballymena are this year’s division 2 Football Feile winners. The Slemish park youngsters, under the guidance of the club’s senior footballers, James and Benny McDonaldMichael Dorrity and Cathal Higgins were in great form as they made their way to the decider with wins over Erin’s own, Cargin, Rasharkin and Con Magee’s Glenravel.
This qualified them for the final where they would meet old adversaries, St. James Aldergrove with the Ballymena side emerging winners, 3-4 to 2-4 in an excellent final.
Ciaran Megaw presents the Division 2 Football Feile trophy to All Saints, captain Ruairi Hamill
The draw for the Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-finals took place on Sunday evening. Antrim’s reward for their win over London in Newry on Sunday is a difficult away trip to Wexford this weekend.
Preliminary Quarter-Finals
Offaly v New York
Sligo v Carlow
Wexford v Antrim
Westmeath v Laois
*The first team listed has home venue. The fixtures will take place on June 7 and 8. Details will be confirmed by the CCCC shortly.
Dunloy’s talented bunch bunch of player overcame a strong St Galls side in the sunshine at Dunsilly on Saturday to not only win their first A Football Feile since 2006, but also to win a historic first double Feile in both Hurling and Football for the North Antrim dual club, just 3 weeks apart.
The group stages for the southwest A Teams were hosted in Dunloy and the champions started with a comprehensive win over Tir Na Nog by 2-5 to 0-1. Dunloy Started brightly with a goal from full forward Dylan McTague. A flurry of points from Oisin O’Brien widened the gap and a second goal sealed the first group points.
Next up was Casements Portglenone and Dunloy started brightly again playing with the strong breeze. Goals from Paidi O’Kane in both halves secured another win with a scoreline of 2-07 to 1-02.
Dunloy team captin Paidi O’Kane received the cup after his team’s win over St Gall’s at Dunsilly
The final group game saw Dunloy play Aghagallon, which was a winner takes all encounter, as a win for the Aghagallon side would have saw them finish top of the group by virtue of the head to head win and proceed to the all-county final later in the afternoon at Dunsilly. Dunloy were in no mood to let that happen and again stamped their authority early in the game with goals from Paidi OKane , Oisin O’Brien and Tom Richmond, running out eventual winners on a score-line of 4-03 to 1-01.
The final played in perfect conditions in Dunsilly was a great contest for the majority of the game and the football on show belied the age groups playing. Dunloy started strong again with an Oisin O’Brien goal, before St Galls responded with a major of their own. A second goal for Dunloy this time by Paidi O’Kane saw the eventual champions lead by 2-02 to 1-01 at half time. Further goals by Blaine Mullan & Harry Blaney extended Dunloy’s lead and it looked like it was all over. However, St Galls had chances of their own and two outstanding saves by the Dunloy netminder Ciaran O’Brien, halted any resurgence from the Belfast team. A second point from Dunloy midfielder Ethan Guiney confirmed that the dual club from North Antrim would win a historic first Double Feile Championship.
Dunloy now proceed to the All Ireland Football Feile in County Derry on the 28th June, a week after they will compete in Wexford in the All Ireland Hurling Feile.
A great achievement for this talented bunch of lads. Team Mentors Enda Doherty, Tim McGarry, Kevin Doherty, Malachy McAleese, Ady Traynor & Adrian Black.
Antrim overcame a strong challenge from London in Pairc Esler on Sunday to book a place in the knockout stages of the Tailteann Cup where they will face Wexford in Wexford Park next weekend.
They would have to wait on results from the other third round games being played today and when the news came through that Leitrim had defeated Tipperary it was the result that Antrim needed to keep their Tailteaan hopes alive.
The Saffrons started nervously against a London team that had ran them tight in last year’s competition and who obviously fancied their chances of claiming a major scalp.
Antrim’s Ryan Murray escapes the chasing pack
It was a tight enough encounter for three quarters of the game, but a black card for London’s Matt Moynahan was a prelude to a run of 1-4 without reply as Antrim pushed on to win by eight in the end.
Antrim trailed by four at half time, but given the severity of the conditions, it didn’t seem an unsurmountable lead and that proved to be the case as the Saffrons struck two early 2 pointers in the opening minutes of the second half to draw level.
It was a day where both teams were not just seeking victory, but by as much as possible with scoring difference in play, yet with a strong wind that seemed to favour The Exiles, but swirled throughout, scoring remained difficult.
Antrim did get off the mark with Ryan McQuillan kicking points off either foot and the Glenravel man would play a big part in his sides success, but London grew into it as Daniel Clarke pointed and might have had a goal but Mick Byrne pulled off a fine blocking save to deny Ciaran Diver with the ball rebounding to Joshua Obahor to level.
Diver edged his side into the lead before Conal Gallagher slung over the first two-pointer of the game, while Byrne was again called into action to save from Ruairi Rafferty with the subsequent ‘45’ struck sweetly between the uprights by Sean Taylor.
McQuillan replied but Liam Gallagher sent over another two for London who were now five up before Antrim began to make some inroads with points from Conor Stewart and Paddy McBride.
Diver and Shay Rafter restored the Exiles 5 point advantage but after Stewart pulled one back, Antrim had an opportunity for a goal but Ryan Murray was denied from close range with the Lamh Dhearg man’s appeal for a penalty waved aside.
Instead referee Seamus Mulhare blew for half time and it was clear that Antrim had work to do as they headed to the dressing rooms trailing by four points.
Conor Hand gets his shot away despite Eoin Walsh’s attempted block
The Saffrons were level within minutes of the restart with McBride and Dominic McEnhill landing two-pointers with the wind at their backs.
It remained tight with a Conor Hand 2pts briefly giving Antrim the lead for the first time before Obahor levelled it again.
The sides remained level going into the final quarter when Antrim struck for home as points from Adam Loughran and Ryan Murray were followed by an excellent sweetly struck Byrne ‘45’, which came after McEnhill’s 56th-minute penalty was saved by Andrew Walsh.
Matt Moynahan was sin-binned as the result of events leading up to the penalty and by the time he returned, Antrim had taken control to go nine clear with substitute Niall Burns finding the net despite the best efforts of Sean Taylor. Burns followed immediately with a point to announce his arrival in style and it looked well and truly sewn up at this stage.
The visitors continued to fight however and Shay Rafter fired through a crowded goalmouth from a free in added time, with management and spectators anxiously looking for the Limerick v Tipperary result, but late points from Marc Jordan and Dominic McEnhill were enough to see Antrim home and into the knockout phase.
Shay Rafter’s close range free ends in the Antrim net depite the best efforts of their defence
Antrim: M Byrne (0-1, 1×45); E McCabe, E Walsh, K Keenan; J McAuley, D McAleese, M Jordan (0-1); C Hand (0-2, 1x2p), C Stewart (0-2); R Boyle, A Loughran (0-1), P McBride (0-3, 1x2p); R McQuillan (0-4), R Murray (0-1), D McEnhill (0-6, 2x2p, 2f).
Subs: N Burns (1-1) for A Loughran (52), J Morgan for J McAuley (70+1), J McDonnell for R Boyle (70+1)
London: A Walsh; D Rooney, S Taylor (0-1, 1×45), M Moynahan; E Walsh, C Gallagher (0-2, 1x2p), K Healy; T Barry, L Gallagher (0-2, 1x2p); J Obahor (0-2), D Clarke (0-1), C Diver (0-3); R Rafferty, N McElwaine, S Rafter (12, 1-1f).
Subs: Subs: C McCarrick (0-1) for N McElwaine (25), C O’Donoghue for D Clarke (58), M Carroll for R Rafferty (61), C McKelvey for C Gallagher (63), O Hilley for K Healy (68)
Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois)
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In an enthralling game of open football played at Fennell Park on Friday evening, Ardoyne pulled off a major shock in defeating unbeaten St Agnes’. The league leaders were first on the scoreboard with an opening point from top scorer David McGaharan, but Ardoyne responded with a point from open play from McAuley and a free from Padraig McGreevey.
League form was reflected in the remainder of the first half as St Agnes’ stamped their authority on the game. McCrea kicked over three points, while Mulgrew saw an excellent attempt on goal tipped over the bar by Tiarnan Hughes in the Ardoyne nets. Hughes was in fine form between the posts for Ardoyne and pulled off a series of saves that kept the Ardoyne men in touch at the short whistle.
Half-Time: Ardoyne 0-03 St Agnes’ 0-06
As the second half got underway it looked as though St Agnes’ were ready to push ahead. A high ball into the Ardoyne Square rebounded off the post and the follow up shot saw Hughes produce another top class save.
The pace of the game increased as the second half unfolded and the Ardoyne men seemed to gain in confidence. Kevin Lynch fired over a two pointer followed by a further point. McGaharan responded for St Agnes’ as the intensity of the game increased. The pace of McAuley was causing problems for St Agnes’ defence, but the match began to turn in Ardoyne’s favour following a lob by McAuley that was flicked into the St Agnes’ net by Kevin Lynch.
With Lynch and McAuley now combining well, Ardoyne eventually pulled ahead with a goal from an in-form McKernan. The remaining 10 minutes was a full blooded encounter with Ardoyne sensing an important victory and St Agnes’ fighting to hold on to their unbeaten record.
Despite this defeat, St Agnes’ hold on to top position in the league but will be disappointed with their unbeaten run coming to an end. Ardoyne will be delighted to take the scalp of the league leaders but will take more satisfaction from the renewed sense of belief and the discipline on display.
Full-Tine Score: Ardoyne 2-09 St Agnes’ 0-11
Ciceam Ard Eoin: Tiernan Hughes, Odhran Mullan, Micheál McGreevy, Conor Magee, Joe Gibson, Pearse Marley, Finnén O’Brien, Daniel Moore, Gary McKernan (1-0), James Og McAuley (0-02), Kealan McCallan (0-01), Eoghan Corrigan, Padraig McGreevy (0-01,1f), Cahal Keown (0-01), Kevin Lynch (1-04, 0-02F)Cormac Barnes, Fiontan Lagan,
Naomh Una: Colum Carroll, Cormac Flannery, Mark Caldwell, Killian McCormick, Patrick Carroll, Ryan Reilly, Conor Kennedy, Ronan Gilligan, Patrick Mulgrew (0-01), James Campbell, Declan Crummey, Declan McLarnon (0-02), Ronan Carroll, David McGaharan (0-05), Barry McCrea (0-03, 0-2f), Neill Gillespie, Conor Gilligan, Kevin Floyd
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