Category / Football

by thesaffrongael

This week’s football fixtures as Divisions 2 and 3 join in the fun

Antrim Football League Previews: Sunday, March 22nd

All divisions are in action for the next phase of the football leagues this Sunday. Last week saw a full list of Division One fixtures completed despite poor weather, and teams will be hoping for better conditions this weekend.

Division One

  • All Saint’s Ballymena v St Mary’s Aghagallon Aghagallon travel with momentum after securing a six-point away victory over Randalstown last week in tough conditions, sealed by a late point from Jonny Hannon. Expect Aghagallon to bring that same intensity this weekend.
  • Erin’s Own Cargin v Tir na Nog Cargin suffered a tough opening loss to Kickham’s Creggan last week while missing key players to county duty. Despite an early goal from Creggan’s Ben McLernon, Cargin led at the half but ultimately fell short. Cargin returns home to face Tir na Nog this week and will start as favorites, even with players still away on county duty.
  • Cuchullian’s Dunloy v Con Magee’s Glenravel Reigning county champions Dunloy lost their opener to St Brigid’s 4-09 to 1-10 while missing regulars like Degalan Smith. Glenravel are also looking to bounce back after a narrow one-point defeat to Hannahstown last week. Both teams will be hungry for their first points of the season.
  • St Brigid’s v O’Donovan Rossa St Brigid’s look formidable after beating the reigning champions on the road last week and will be favourites here. Rossa are also coming off a win, having edged out Moneyglass 2-12 to 0-09 thanks to a late score from Ruairi McDonagh. This promises to be a competitive clash.
  • Lamh Dhearg v Roger Casement’s Casement’s opened their season with a strong victory over St John’s and will travel to Hannahstown full of confidence. Lamh Dhearg also secured an opening win and are notoriously tough to beat at home. While Lamh Dhearg will look to hold down their home turf, Casement’s are more than capable of pulling off an away win.
  • St Paul’s v St John’s St John’s will be looking to regain their footing after losing their opener to Portglenone. They travel to face a St Paul’s side that beat Sarsfields last week. With home advantage on their side, St Paul’s gets the slight nod in what should be a tight contest.
  • St Galls v Patrick Sarsfields Sarsfields face a tough away test at Milltown after narrowly losing to St Paul’s last week. St Gall’s ended last season with strong momentum and look to have carried it into 2026. A home win for St Gall’s is the most likely outcome.
  • St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v Kickham’s Creggan Creggan secured a gritty win against Cargin last week and brings plenty of experience into this matchup. They face a newly promoted Moneyglass side eager to cement their spot in the top flight. Creggan’s experience makes them the favourites.

Division Two

  • St Teresas v St Patrick’s St Teresa’s are one of a number of sides aiming for promotion to the top flight. They host a St Patrick’s side that has climbed all the way up from Division Four. St Teresa’s are slight favourites to win this at home.
  • Davitts v St Mary’s Ahoghill Ahoghill, another team recently relegated from Division One, have been struggling with player numbers but maintains strong team character. They face a well-established Division Two side in Davitts. Ahoghill’s top-flight experience should give them the edge to win this on the road.
  • St James Aldergrove v St Enda’s Both of these teams are former Division One residents eager to move back up. Aldergrove enter as the favourites primarily due to home advantage, but St Enda’s are perfectly capable of making this a very close game.
  • St Agnes v St Joseph’s Glenavy Newly promoted St Agnes welcomes Glenavy, a team aiming to return to Division One. Glenavy are widely expected to secure victory as they start their push for promotion but the ‘Aggies’ should not be ruled out.
  • Gort na Mona v St Comgall’s St Comgall’s continues their impressive climb from the basement divisions, but they face a tough test here. Gort na Mona have experience in higher grades and are firm favorites to get a win on the board.

Division Three

  • Kickham’s Ardoyne v Laochra Loch Lao Ardoyne narrowly missed out on promotion last year and will be highly motivated. Laochra have been gaining confidence, but Ardoyne’s experience should tip the balance in their favor.
  • Cardinal O’ Donnell’s v St Mary’s Rasharkin O’Donnell’s were highly competitive last season, but they face a Rasharkin side that came very close to promotion. Rasharkin gets the slight nod as the favorites in this opener.
  • Eire Og v Padraig Pearses This looks to be a very evenly matched game as Pearses travel across the city to face Eire Og. Pearses are slight favorites to take the points.
  • St Malachy’s v St Brigid Gaels, Cloughmills St Malachy’s are a highly experienced team in this division with clear promotion goals. They face the division’s newest addition, as the Biddies field a football team for the first time. While the new club is an unknown quantity and could cause an upset, St Malachy’s should have the edge.
by thesaffrongael

Rossa win in atrocious conditions

Above – Rossa goalkeeper Mick Byrne who saved a penalty and kicked four points in a man of the match display against Moneyglass in the opening game of the Division 1 league

ACFL Division 1

Moneyglass 0-9 Rossa 2-12

Rossa claimed victory in this exciting senior football clash in Moneyglass against newly promoted St. Ergnat’s.

 Rossa probably won the game in the first quarter as they led for most of that time, thanks to an early goal from Colm Fleming and a tremendous point from Eoghan McMenamin.

Moneyglass were slightly off sync with their shooting in the opening half despite playing some outstanding football and they found scoring difficult despite playing with the strong breeze .They also found the Rossa defence coping well during that opening period.

Conditions deteriorated towards the end of the first half leaving the spectators rushing to their cars for shelter. After the heavy rain Moneyglass found their shooting boots and  following a brace of points Rossa were delighted to hear the short  whistle with the half time score 0-7 to 1-1 in favour of the home side.

Frank Duffin, Moneyglass

Rossa started the second half with an early goal from Daire Rocks and with the breeze at their back things looked ominous for the young home side.

For the next 20 minutes Moneyglass gave a great account of themselves and they played outstanding football while it was the turn of the Shaw’s Road lads to make but not take their scoring opportunities.

The Moneyglass side included four minors with Bobby Kennedy and Eunan McErlain showing they are well prepared for the season ahead in Division One.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes Rossa led by 3 points but were unable to shake off the home side. Moneyglass were then awarded a penalty but Mick Byrne got down well to save from Aidan McErlain and within a few minutes Mick Byrne had kicked his second two pointer of the game to help Rossa across the line. Rossa finished the stronger and Ruari McDonagh, with an excellent two pointer, helped seal the victory for the Belfast men.

Moneyglass: Jamie McLaughlin , Bobby Kennedy, Matthew Mullin, Connlaodh McCann, Odhran Duffin (0-1), Paul Duffin , Eunan  McErlain ,Colum Duffin (0-3) Frank Duffin , Callum Murray (0-1),  Sean Boyd (0-1), TylerCassidy (0-2) ,Caolan Boyd (0-1), Aidan McErlain, Charlie McCloskey

Paul Duffin, Moneyglass

Subs

Fearghal Duffin, Zach McCaughan, Ronan Campbell

Rossa: Mick Byrne (0-4), Niall Crossan, Gavin McGrath, Declan McCartney,  Tiernan Murphy, Patrick Moyes, Rory Grant, Oisin McVicker, Pearse Short, Conal McDonald 0-2, Colm Fleming 1-0, Daire Rocks 1-0

Subs

Cormac McGettigan (0-1) Ruari McDonagh (0-2) Corey Walsh

Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)

by thesaffrongael

Lámhs shade opening day encounter with Con Magees 

ACFL Division One 

Lámh Dhearg 1-12-0-14 Con Magees 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

Lámh Dhearg opened up their league campaign with a hard fought 1-12-0-14 win over Con Magee’s at Hannahstown on Sunday morning. 

The hosts were first off the mark through a Conor Murray free after 8-minutes. Visitors Con Magee’s won the toss and decided to play with the breeze in the opening half, despite a couple of early misses they pulled level when Conor Carey shot over and hit the front when Daniel McQuillan played a neat one-two and shot over. 

Parity was restored for the second time in the half when Conor Murray did enough to move the ball into the path of Ben Rice to sweep over. 

A foul on Harry Fyfe allowed Aidan O’Donnell to try his luck from a free and he superbly steered an angled effort from range over the bar for the first two-pointer of the contest. 

Glenravel extended their lead further when Sean Higgins continued his run and fisted over before Aidan O’Donnell landed his second two-pointed score, this time from play with a fantastic kick from the outside of the arc to give his side a 0-7-0-2 advantage. 

Back-to-back points from Owen McKeown and Ben Rice narrowed the deficit, but on the stroke of half time Rian Lennon kicked a wonderful two-pointer from the outside of the boot to ensure his side went in with a 0-9-0-4 lead at the interval. 

Con Magee’s added to their lead within 40-seconds of the restart when Declan McQuillan popped the ball into the path of Lennon to steer his shot over. 

It took the hosts nine minutes to get up and running for the second period but it was worth it as Ben Rice took a fisted pass from Conor Murray, sold two dummies and advanced before firing to the net and halving the deficit. 

A point followed from Jack Davitt after a one-two in the build up and Paddy Mervyn then reduced arrears to a single-point after confidently charging through and guiding a shot high over the bar. 

The Lámhs forged ahead for the first time in the half when substitute Donal Martin shot over his side’s first two-pointed score of the game and they doubled the lead and made it 1-5 without reply when Ciaran Boyd clipped a fine shot over to make it 1-9-0-10. 

In the last ten minutes the sides continued to trade scores with Shea O’Brien’s point cancelled out courtesy of a fine angled free from Mark Finnegan that carried over the bar in the wind. 

Rian Lennon tapped over a point and in response Lámh’s talisman Ben Rice pointed following a fine passage of play at the other end. 

A breach then afforded Mark Finnegan the opportunity to give his side a three-point cushion and he obliged. 

The late pressure came from the visitors with Rian Lennon kicking his third score of the afternoon and a close range free from Aidan O’Donnell reducing the deficit to the bare minimum. 

The clock was against Gleravel though and when Pearse Fitzsimons drew a free from the resulting kick out, his side were able to control the remaining seconds and see out time to claim their first league victory of the campaign.

by thesaffrongael

Goals the difference as St Brigid’s start the season off with a win

Division 1 Football League

Dunloy 1-10 St Brigids 4-09

County champions Dunloy welcomed St Brigids to a windy but sunny Pearse Park for the opening round of the All County Division 1 league.

Before the throw in a minutes silence was observed by everyone in memory of referee Danny O’Neill from Gortnamona, who passed away.

St Brigids opened the scoring off from a free by Paul Bradley after 4 mins of the game. Dunloy would take a full 7 mins to get on the scoresheet and it would come from the spot after Donnach Laverty was hauled down in the box.

The same player stepped up to fire to the right of Fearghus Canning to give the home side a two point lead.

Dara Quinn & Paul Bradley wiped out this lead with a brace of scores as the visitors looked the stronger side for the opening fifteen minutes.

James Scally responded for Dunloy with a beautiful score on thirteen minutes but that would be Dunloys lot for the remainder of the half as St Brigids took control for the half.

Three points in a row from JJ Higgins, Paul Bradley & Cathal Conway further strengthen their grip on the game but with the half approaching Dunloy were still in contention.

With the game nearly at the whistle St Brigids broke though the home sides back line to force a penalty kick.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The impressive Sean Bradley sent Peter McQuillan the wrong way to send the visitors in to the changing rooms leading 1-01 to 1-06.

If Dunloy had a hill to climb it was made worse when St Brigids found the net for the second time. Peter McQuillian brilliantly saved the first shot but the ball broke kindly into the path of Dara Quinn who had an open net to make it an eight point game.

However, this had the desired effect on Dunloy who had a purple patch themselves to reduce the lead. Donnach Laverty scored a 2 pointer and less than a minute later Barry McCloskey scored another as the home side showed their intent.

Dara Quinn & Emmet McKendry traded points before the impressive Donnach Laverty fired over another 2 pointer from a free to reduce the lead down to two points, 1-08 to 2-07.

St Brigids needed a response and it was one that killed the game off as they registered 2-01 to put this game out of sight.

The first came via a pile of players in the box and it seemed like Dara Quinn had the final touch and the second via some excellent passing for JJ Higgins to palm it into the net.

A final two pointer from Donnach Laverty was the home sides last score as again it was Dara Quinn who closed the game out with a final point to make it 1-10 to 4-08.

An entertaining game from both sides with managements no doubt happy to get the first game into the systems and no injuries to report.

Dunloy

P McQuillan, M Traynor, S Og Blaney, C McCloskey, J Scally (0-01), R McGarry, C Kinsela, C McQuillan, P McGilligan, J Martin, N Elliott, C Cunning, Donnach Laverty (1-06 two 3 pointers), B McCloskey (0-02 one 2 pointer), E McKendry (0-01)

St Brigids

F Canning, J Mellon, C King, A McNichol, J Toner, P King, R Carleton, M Cummings, C Conway (0-01), O Downey, P Bradley (1-03), Dara Quinn (2-01), B McGurk, JJ Higgins 1-03)

by thesaffrongael

St. Mary’s Aghagallon open with a win at Whitehill

 ACFL Division 1 League Sunday 15th March 2026
Tír na nÓg 2-3 St. Mary’s Aghagallon 1-12. 


St. Mary’s Aghagallon delivered a polished and composed performance in Randalstown on Sunday to claim a well-deserved victory in this ACFL Division 1 League encounter, running out six-point winners on a score-line of 1-12 to 2-3 against Tír na nÓg.


Before the throw-in, referee Fionntan McCotter called both teams together to observe a minute’s silence in memory of Gort na Móna’s Danny O’Neill, whose passing has been deeply felt across the GAA community. 


From the throw-in it was St. Mary’s looked the sharper side and they were quickly into their stride. A point from play, scored by Jonny Hannon, inside the opening two minutes set the tone, and the visitors never relinquished their lead from that moment on. A further score from play and a converted free, by Hannon again, had Aghagallon three points to the good before Randalstown had time to settle.

The hosts clawed a point back midway through the first half, but it was no ordinary score. Randalstown goalkeeper Darragh Fagan, who had been taking up advanced positions throughout Tír na nÓg attacks, produced one of the moments of the afternoon when he launched a stunning long-range effort that split the posts for a two-pointer, briefly threatening to swing the momentum back towards the home side.

Aghagallon, however, were not to be rattled, responding with three unanswered points, from Eoin Brankin, Enda McCartan and Jonny Hannon, in the closing stages of the opening period. By the half-time whistle, St. Mary’s held a four-point cushion — a lead that reflected their dominance throughout the opening thirty minutes.

The second half began in explosive fashion for Aghagallon, with three points in the opening seven minutes stretching the lead to seven. Odhran Rooney fired over from the half-forward position, while Jonny Hannon, lively all afternoon at left corner-forward, added two further scores from play to leave Tír na nÓg chasing shadows.

Randalstown to their credit refused to throw in the towel. In a remarkable five-minute spell, they turned the game on its head momentarily. First, left half-back Aodhan Tolan drove forward with purpose and buried the ball to the net and then centre half-forward Oliver McAtamney added a point from play to bring the gap back to four. McAtamney then struck again for his side’s second goal of the afternoon, leaving only two points between the sides and giving the home crowd renewed hope.

However, Aghagallon’s response was the mark of a team with real character. Jonny Hannon, who tormented the Randalstown defence all afternoon, stepped up to convert a penalty to the net, emphatically killing off the Randalstown revival and pushing the lead back out to six. A further Hannon point from play in the closing stages put the gloss on a magnificent individual display, finishing with a personal tally of 1-6.



The visitors’ defensive structure deserves enormous credit. Solid performances from experienced players helped newer faces like Cormac Mulholland in his competitive senior debut. The midfield pairing of Pauric Maginnis and Enda McCartan won crucial ball in the middle third and repeatedly fed their forwards with quality possession.

For Randalstown, McAtamney and Tolan’s goals will give them hope in the next fixture, but ultimately St. Mary’s were full value for their win on a day when they showed the quality and composure expected of Division 1 contenders.

St. Mary’s Aghagallon: Damien O’Hagan; Kieran Hamill, Aidan Mulholland, Cormac Mulholland; Steven Devlin, Jamie Lamont, Ciaran Maginnis; Pauric Maginnis, Enda McCartan; Padraig Gowdy, Marc McAfee, Odhran Rooney; Eoin Brankin, Ruairi McCann, Jonny Hannon.

Randalstown: Darragh Fagan; Manus Smith, Brandon McLamon, Daniel McLornan; Ryan Crilly, Ciaran McGrellis, Aodhan Tolan; Ciaran O’Neill, Joshua Higgins; Sean McKeown, Oliver McAtamney, Pauric Redmond; Emmet Murray, Connor Hastings, Connor McCamphill.

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