West Belfast GAA club Gort na Móna has made a start to its fiftieth anniversary year with the unveiling of a new jersey that will be worn by all teams during the season.
Club chairperson Barry Fegan said, “This is a special year for Gort na Móna and we’ll be marking it with a number of events throughout 2024. One of the highlights will be a gala dinner in Belfast City Hall in June.
“As well as celebrating the past, looking to the future will be an important part of the year. We’re putting a development strategy in place and want to ensure that we continue to play the positive role in the community that we have since our founding in 1974.”
Yesterday we posted an article about Antrim having nine colleges hurling Danske Bank All Star awards but what we did not mention was that Tiernan McComrack of Moneyglass won a Football All Star award, something that has happened less often over the years. Tiernan has been a top performer during his years at St Pat’s Maghera where he has won many medals, including Corn na nÓg and Ranafast Cup and is a bright star in Antrim football.
One other Danske Bank Football All Star who is worthy of a mention in the Saffron Gael is Eamon Young of St Mary’s Magherafelt and Newbridge GAC. Eamon’s grandfather is Paddy Magee who is originally from Glenravel, a man who was part of the management team when the Con Magees won the 1964 Antrim Minor Football Championship for the first time. I’m stretching the connection a bit here but Paddy Magee’s mother was Annie McIlwaine, a first cousin of my father, but I think it is fair to assume that Eamon’s footballing talent came from the Young side, rather than the McIlwaines. As well as his school success Eamon was a member of the Derry team who won last season’s Ulster and All Ireland Minor Football titles, and this season’s Ulster Minor League.
Danske Bank All Star Eamon Young of St Mary’s Magherafelt Eamon Young’s grandfather Paddy Magee (2nd from left on the back row) with the Glenravel team who were beaten by Sarsfields in the 1963 Antrim Minor final at Casement Park. The same management team was in place the following year when they beat St John’s in the final in Dunloy.
Which brings me to another connection with Annie ‘McIlwaine’ Magee. Another of Annie’s great grandsons, Eoin Waide, formerly of Loughgiel, was the captain of the Donegal Minor Football team who beat Antrim in the Ulster final in Croke Park, back in 2006. Eoin Waide played his club football with Naomh Conaill and won a few Donegal senior championship medals, and was a member of the team who were beaten by Antrim champions Cargin on penalties in the opening round of the 2022 Ulster Senior Club Championship at Corrigan Park.
Donegal 2006 captain Eoin Waide
I had better complete the story about Annie ‘Magee’ McIlwaine GAA connetions, as Callum McIlwaine, who played at midfield on the St Killian’s team who won the Mageean and Paddy Buggy Cups this season is also a member of the clan, as indeed is his father Padraig McIlwaine, who was a member of the st Killian’s management team. Callum’s great grandfather Patrick McIlwaine was my dad’s brother and a first cousin of Annie.
Callum McIlwaine in action during St Killian’s All Ireland win over Blackwater CS of Waterord
All that success with McIlwaine connections and Paddy and I won sweet nothing
A superb individual display by Gort na Móna full forward Broghan Crossin steered her team to victory over Glenavy in Monday evening’s opening game in the Antrim LGFA Division 1 League at Chapel Hill. Crossin was in unstoppable form for the Turf Lodge girls grabbing a goal and two points in the opening half, before adding 2-3 in the second.
Corner forward Alyssa Davidson gave the Gorts and early lead, but Eibhlin Morgan brought Glenavy (who are short three regulars this season) level within a minute. It was score or score in a highly competitive opening half and though Crossin struck for a goal and two points, Glenavy came back with goals from Morgan and Anna Rice and were in a strong position, but Crossin grabbed the first of her three goals five minutes from the break to leave her team trailing by just a point at half time. (2-3 to 1-5)
Four points without reply, two of them from Crossin and one each from Davidson and Nic Cathail pulled Gort na Móna three clear and it was clear the Belfast side were going to take some stopping. Caoimhe Ramsey pulled a point back for Glenavy midway through the second half but Crossin delivered the killer bow for the Gorts two minutes later when she grabbed her second goal, and when she completed her hat-trick seven minutes later there was no way back for the home side
Glenavy chairman Eddie Forrester presents a sponsorship cheque for the Saffron Gael to Bert Trowlen at Monday evening’s Glenavy v Gort na Móna LGFA game at Chapel Hill. Man thanks to the Glenavy club for their continued support.
St. James Aldergrove got their ACMFL Division 2B campaign of to a convincing start when they recorded a big win over St. Patrick’s Lisburn in Crumlin on Sunday.
The visitors looked like making a game of it during a wind assisted first half and it took a couple of sharp saves from St. James’ keeper, Daniel McCutcheon to deny them a goal.
Things began to swing decisively in the direction of the Crumlin side when Eoin McAleese got on the end of a good move to finish to the Lisburn net in the 17th minute.
Chris Robb was presenting plenty of problems for the visitors defence and he weighed in with two first half points and great long range effort from Lewis Smith moved the home side 1-3 to 0-2 ahead at the break.
Jude Rafferty from a ‘45’ and Jude Devlin were the Naomh Padraig marksmen but the Lisburn side looked to have a mountain to climb as they turned around to face a stiff second half breeze.
And that was how it turned out to be as St. James found their shooting boots after the break with Chris Robb leading the way and the Aldergrove number 13 was to add half a dozen excellent scores as space began to open up in the Naomh Padraig defence.
Liam Og Cullen, who was a pillar of strength at the heart of the home defence got the ball rolling in the second minute and Robb and Lewis Smith were both on target before James Murray finished to the net in the 15th minute.
Sean O’Toole added another before Daniel McCutcheon again came to the home side’s rescue as he pushed over a goal bound effort from Jude Rafferty for Naomh Padraig’s only second half score.
After that it was Aldergrove who pushed on relentlessly with Chris Robb and Liam Og Cullen to the fore as they ran out convincing winners and should be a force in Division 2B in the coming season.
St. James Aldergrove: 1 Daniel McCutcheon, 2 Adam Magd, 3 Cayden Lagan, 4 Lonan Magee, 5 Breagh Maguire, 6 Liam Og Cullen, 7 Rory Finney, 8 Ryan Hope, 9 Like Delaney, 10 Eoin McAleese, 11 Lewis Smith, 12 Sean O’Toole, 13 Chris Robb, 14 James Murray, 15 Fionntan Muldoon, 17 Jude Keenan
Naomh Padraig Lisburn: 1 Aidan Kerr, 2 Cormac Duffy, 3 James Madden, 4 Joseph Hassett, 5 Rian Gallagher, 6 Charlie McLaughlin, 7 John Carlin, 8 Daire Austin, 9 Ben Grimley, 10 Conor Ward, 11 Jude Rafferty, 12 Daniel Hassett, 13 Jude Devlin, 14 Odhran Batchelor, 15 Eoin Ryan, 17 Cillian Quinn
ACMFL Division 1B Results
St. Mary’s Rasharkin 2-7 St. Joseph’s Glenavy 2-11
St Mary’s Aghagallon club were proud recipients of the Chairman’s Award at the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon council’s Sports awards ceremony recently. The chairman of the ABC Sports Forum, Cathal O’ Neill, selected the club for special recognition as he regarded them to be a club who are a shining example in the promotion of inclusion. Praise was given in particular for the clubs All Stars team, a GAA for All initiative launched in April 2023 and who’s overarching aim was to make gaelic sport accessible for all, improve players social skills and wellbeing, improve fitness and motor skills all while developing fundamental GAA skills.
The All Stars team has been a huge success since its formation last year, and players have had opportunities to play many fun matches in the club jersey both locally and around the province. The team even played in Croke Park last August, the undoubted highlight of the year. A number of Aghagallon players also now play for county, thanks to the Antrim GAA for All team who are based at Creggan Kickhams. No doubt plenty of sporting events lie ahead for both St Mary’s Aghagallon and Antrim GAA for All throughout 2024 also.
The All Stars team has brought a great buzz to the local community and has added a whole new dimension to the club. As Club Chairman, Columb Walsh states, ‘Our All Star initiative has enabled a part of our community who previously thought that they could never wear our jersey to do so. Sometimes we get caught up in the winning of games and championships but really it’s about young people kicking a ball about on a Saturday morning with smiles on their faces.’
St Mary’s All Stars hold their training sessions each Saturday morning and there were wide smiles on faces yet again when the Sports Award was brought to training. St Mary’s would like to thank everyone who has helped them in the formation of their team and who have given their continual support throughout the year. Most importantly though, they thank the players, coaches amd families who make Saturday mornings at Páirc na nGael a joyous and heartwarming place to be.
