FonaCAB St Pauls Ulster Minor Tournament 

St Pauls v Mayobridge, (1pm throw-in at Shaws Road)

By Kevin Herron 

St Pauls minor manager Damien Duffy is happy that his side have been able to plan accordingly for their eagerly awaited return to the FonaCAB Ulster Minor Football Tournament. 

The hosts- who bridged a 30-year gap- with victory over Aghagallon in October- were due to face the Tyrone Champions in the prelim last weekend. 

The Tyrone Championship was held up due to an appeal and subsequently it was confirmed that it wouldn’t proceed this year, meaning that St Pauls will advance to a quarter-final meeting with Down Champions, Mayobridge. 

There is a huge sense of excitement around the Shaws Road club for Saturdays quarter-final clash and Duffy is pleased that the lingering uncertainty is now behind them. 

“We were always focusing on playing in the preliminary round” Duffy insists. 

“But we couldn’t plan anything else until we got official word from Tyrone. We know very little about Mayobridge, but we are aware that they will be a serious outfit to come out the Down Championship”. 

Despite clinching their first Antrim Minor Championship with victory over Aghagallon in October, the realisation of their achievement didn’t kick in until the night of the launch in the City Hall at the end of the Month.

“The night of the of the draw made it that wee bit extra special- knowing that we’re part of it” acknowledged Duffy. 

“Prestigious as it is, we always go up each year on the pitch and you are looking at different teams and to have St Pauls Minor team now involved in it after 30-years it hit home the night of the draw and because of the people involved. It’s going to be an honour for us being the team and being the squad from St Pauls that are going to be participating in the actual tournament itself”. 

Duffy was aged 14 the last time St Pauls featured in their tournament back in 1993 and has vague memories of that team- coached by Brian Coyle. 

“I was only maybe 14 myself, I just remember that I think St Pauls were beaten in final after a replay” Duffy recalled. 

“Even back then it was great to see a St Pauls team participating in it. Not that I have much memories of it but I know that Brian Coyle was taking the team. Brian Coyle coached me as a youngster. It is always good to have a St Pauls team participating in our own tournament. It’s just a pity that it has been 30-years, but we hope to give a good account of ourselves and put on a good show for the club itself and a lot of fans who are going to be out on the day. One person that we will dearly miss is Joe McCartan who passed away earlier on this year, he would have enjoyed seeing this St Pauls team participating in the tournament”.

St Louis Ballymena and St Malachy’s Belfast have five players each on the Gaelfast Year 10 Football All Star team which was named today. The recommendations were sent in after every game/blitz day throughout the competition by schools coaches, officials and Gaelfast staff at the various venues. 

St Louis have goalkeeper Eoghan Smith, full back Jack McQuillan, corner back Leo Wright, centre forward Conor McKeever, and right corner forward Conor Burns. The five St Malachy’s players Harry Feeney, who is selected at right corner back, Ollie Gregory at centre back, Tienran Conway at midfield, Eoghan Maguire and right half forward and Ronan Niblock.

Nathan Burns of Edmund Rice College is selected at right half back, Pdraig Walsh lines out at left half back, Aodhán O’Hanlon of Rathmore is at midfield, Eoin Morris of St Patrick’s Lisburn is left half forward while Odrhan Phillipls of Colaiste Feirste is at full forward.

The awards will be presented at a function at St Mary’s University after the Christmas break.

Fona/CAB Ulster Minor Tournament

The host club St. Paul’s enters the fray as the fona/CAB Ulster Minor Football tournament continues at pace this weekend. The Antrim winners, St. Paul’s were set to play a preliminary round game against the winners of Tyrone a few weeks back but the Tyrone representatives have been eliminated from the competition as the Tyrone championship has not yet been concluded.

St. Paul’s advance to the quarter-final proper this Saturday 16^th December where they will meet Mayobridge of Down at 1.00pm. St. Paul’s haven’t seen serious action since they defeated Aghagallon in the Antrim final at Davitt’s Park back on the 8^th of October but have been training hard for Saturday’s game.

They are a useful side with some outstanding individuals in Oisin McCann, Ewan McGreevey, Ciaran McAlea, Shea Burns and Niall Carmichael but it was their overall team play that saw them account for Aghagallon in a somewhat one sided Antrim final.

Mayobridge will probably represent a step up in class for the host club but if St. Paul’s can produce the form they displayed on their way to this year’s Antrim title then they can advance to the semi-final.

In the remaining quarter-final, Irvinstown of Fermanagh and Cavan Gael meet at Sportlann at 5.00pm with the Cavan champions given a tentative vote in that one while the winners of the two quarter-finals already played, meet in the first semi-final on Sunday.

Four Masters of Donegal and Castleblaney Faughs meet at Shaw’s Road at 1.00pm and this promises to be a real cracker with both sides coming through tough quarter-final encounters.

Goals proved the difference as Monaghan champions, Castleblaney overcame the challenge of a fancied Magherafelt 2-9 to 0-13 and those goals came late in the game with the Derry champions seemingly heading for victory.

Kevin Muldoon began the come-back with a goal from the penalty spot and Tiernan McBride rose to fist home the second, five minutes into injury time to break the Magerafelt boy’s hearts.

It was even closer in the other quarter final as Castleblaney Faughs edged past Clan na Gael of Armagh by 1-12 to 1-11 with Shea Broderick sending the Monaghan men on their way with a goal in the third minute.

They were pushed all the way by a good Clan na Gael side with Max McGinnity hitting a late free to see the Faughs home.

This one is sure to attract a big crowd to Shaw’s Road and here’s hoping the weather will be kind to both sides and the organisers for what promises to be a real cracker with Castleblaney possibly just edging it.

Please see our Official Antrim GAA  Schools Cup Football Year 10 All-Stars Nominations 2023/24. We would like to thank our sponsors the Saffron Business Forum for assisting us to develop and enhance the Antrim School Cup Programme.

The Winners will be announced on Thursday 14th December 10am via email to Schools & Antrim & Gaelfast Social media Channels (Facebook & Twitter).

All Players names were taken from school team sheets.  If any names are spelt incorrectly please email alfie.hannaway.gm/antrim@gaa.ie with correct spelling.

The Nomination of players were recommended by School Teachers/Coaches, Antrim GAA Gaelfast staff and Match day Officials throughout the competition. The process to select our Antrim Schools Cup All-Stars was extremely difficult due to the high levels of performance from our players over the blitz days and knockout phases of the competitions. We had over 16 Post Primary Schools and over 320 pupils taking part in our Antrim Schools Cup Football Year 10 Cup & Shield from September to November.

I would like to thank and congratulate our Parents/Guardians, Academy squad mentors, Schools & Club coaches for providing our children with opportunities to develop, take part in our games and be surrounded in the overwhelming Physical, Psychological, Social and Emotional Health & Wellbeing benefits associated with playing GAA Sports.

Alfín Ó hAinbheith | Alfie Hannaway

Bainisteoir Forbartha Cluichí, CLG Aontroma 

Games Development Manager, Antrim GAA

There was plenty of excitement and smiles on show as a very
special guest arrived to celebrate with the St Mary’s Aghagallon All Stars team during their final training session of 2023.

The All Stars have been continuing their winter training
indoors in Aghagallon Community Hall with a specialised YoGAA programme delivered by local yoga instructor Geraldine Doone. Over the five week programme, the players were taught yoga and breathing exercises to improve their strength, endurance and mobility
and to get them fit and ready for the new season ahead.

As it turns out, Santa is a huge GAA fan, had heard all
about the team and couldn’t wait to meet them. Santa welcomed the players to his grotto after their session for a special meet and greet. Luckily, only the good list was required on the day, and everyone is assured that Santa will definitely be visiting Aghagallon
in a few weeks. Santa’s elf, ‘Sophia Sparkles’ was on hand to help give each player a little present, while The Grinch kept everyone entertained throughout the morning.

The St Mary’s Aghagallon All Stars would like to wish everyone
a very happy and healthy Christmas and a huge thanks for your support throughout the year. A special thanks to Bert Trowlen for all the precious photographs he has captured throughout the year. Memories that the families will surely treasure forever.

Santa even left a letter for Bert, or at least we think it was Santa