South West Antrim held a very successful U11.5 Fetival of Football at St. Enda’s Glengormley on Sunday morning with the teams taking part, St. Enda’s, Glenavy, St. Patrick’s Lisburn, St. James Aldergrove and St. Mary’s Aghagallon taking part.
ACFL Division 1
Erin’s Own Cargin 2-15 St Mary’s Ahoghill 3-09
The throw-in in this game was delayed for five minutes to allow county treasurer, Donal Murphy to make his way to Toome with the division 1 trophy should Casement’s slip up in their final game against Creggan.
In the event it wasn’t necessary and Murphy, who doubles as his clubs treasurer was able to join in the celebrations at Kelly Park as his Portglenone side defeated Creggan to collect their first division 1 title.
Cargin completed their league programme with a win over the visiting Ahoghill and although events elsewhere made the result irrelevant, both sides served up a very entertaining game of football.
‘It is a case of very well done to the Portglenone team said Kevin Doyle, part of management structure at Cargin, consistency is the key to success in the league and Casements started the season well, and continued in the positive until conclusion for what was a deserved success.
Cargin started this last league game of the season in the knowledge that only victory over the Clooney men would keep their league aspirations alive but in the event it was the visitors who were to start very much on the front foot.
Aided by the fresh southerly breeze, Chris Mc Glone’s charges were quickly out of the start traps and Patrick Graham fired between the posts with Paul McCann replying at the other end to tie the contest.
The visitors went into this game as rank outsiders but that was far from apparent in a positive start to proceedings and by the 10th minute they had nipped into a 1-03 to 0-01 lead.
Colla Mc Donald fetched a high delivery from Fionnbar O’ Neill to finish to the back of the net in the 10th minute following back to back points by the excellent James O’ Connell and another from net minder Noel Crossey as he despatched a ‘45’ firmly between the posts.
The home side returned fire in the 12th minute as Sean Og O’ Neill fired over but Ahoghill replied as Colla McDonald added a point to ensure a 1-04 to 0-02 lead for the visitors at the end of the first quarter.
Having trailed in a poor opening quarter the home side upped the ante in the second and points from the Shivers brothers, Pat and Tom brought them back into contention.
The visitors replied through a superb long range point from Danny O’ Neill but the home side were quick to reply and a smart interchange between David Johnston and Cahir Donnelly opened to way for Sean Og O’ Neill to drill his shot low to the net.
O’Neill’s goal seemed to lift the Toome side and the Shivers brothers added points to see them hit the front for the first time but Gerard Graham replied from a free at the other end to leave it all square at the break.
Cargin had the breeze at their backs at the start of the second half and they were quick to pick up the pace.
A first minute point from centre back Paul McCann saw them hit the front for the second time and a smart interchange by Jamie Gribbin opened the way for David Johnston to add another.
Erin’s Own attacked again as Pat Shivers added a point with James O’ Connell replying at the other end but Tom Shivers and Tomas Mc Cann added points apiece before Eunan Quinn and Gerard McCann combined for the latter to fire to the net.
McCann’s goal moved Cargin 2-11 to 1-07 ahead at the end of the third quarter and the Clooney side looked in trouble as the game moved into the final quarter but they were not about to accept defeat without a fight.
They came back strongly and the superb Danny O’ Neill fired to the back of the net, following a strong solo, to signal a possible comeback as they continued to move the ball around confidently.
Cargin replied through a 50th minute Eunan Quinn point and only a smart save from net minder Noel Crossey prevented the full forward finding the net as the big net minder got his foot to divert Quinn’s goal bound effort away.
A further point from replacement Tomas McCann nudged Cargin nearer to the winning line but James O’ Connell replied at the other end before replacement McCann despatched a 60 metre free firmly between the posts in the 57th minute.
McCann, returning from a long term injury, was then denied by St. Mary’s keeper Crossey but the visitors were still giving it everything and James O’Connell pointed in the 59th minute.
The visitors pressed again and looked in for a goal but Gerard Graham was denied by a foot block with the man in the middle immediately spreading his arms to indicate a penalty.
Noel Crossey, who had been excellent in his goalkeeping role, stepped forward to despatch the award firmly into the corner of the net.
A positive finish from the visitors but at the completion it was the home side who had earned the points on a final score of 2-15 to 3-09.
Celebrations were understandably muted with the news already filtering through from up the road that Portglenone had beaten Creggan to claim the league title.
Both sides will have benefited from the game however and will see it as useful preparation for the forthcoming senior championship and holders Cargin look to be running into a bit of form just at the right time.
The holders will be amongst the fancied sides as the championship gets under way next month and on the evidence of what I have seen this year, Ahoghill look capable of causing a few upsets when the premier competition kicks off.
Cargin: Shea Laverty, Sean og Quinn, Kevin Mc Shane, Kevin O’ Boyle, Justin Crozier, Paul Mc Cann (0-02), Cahir Donnelly, Gerard Mc Cann (1-00), John Carron, Pat David Johnston (0-01),Pat Shivers (0-03), Sean og O’ Neill (1-01), Tom Shivers (1-03), Eunan Quinn (0-02), Jamie Gribbin
Subs:Tomas Mc Cann (0-03), Ben Mc Larnon
Ahoghill: Noel Crossey (1-01), Seamus Mc Keever, James Magee, Shea Neeson, Fionnbar O’ Neill, Gerard Graham (0-01), Diarmuid Graham, Patrick Graham (0-01), Tom Mc Glone, Danny O’ Neill (1-01), James O’ Connell (0-03), Bernard Graham (0-01), Conor P Crossey, Donal Graham, Colla Mc Donnell (1-02)
Subs: Harry O’Donnell, Shay Madden, Ryan McPeake, Connor McGarry
Referee: Paul Burns (Naomh Comhghall)
All Ireland LGFA Intermediate Championship Quarter Final
Antrim 5-6 Monaghan 0-8
Antrim cruised to a thirteen-point victory over Monaghan in the Ladies Football Intermediate Championship Quarter Final at Davitt Park in Belfast on Sunday. The Saffrons led from within the first 10 seconds as Lara Dahunsi won the ball from the throw in and charged down the field to open her account for the day whilst the prolific Orlaith Prenter hit the back of the net minutes later.
Monaghan had a torrid first half, compounded when Shona Brady saw yellow for a dangerous foul on Maria O’Neill on the ten-minute mark. The first fifteen minutes of play was a cagey affair with Antrim holding the Farney ladies at a distance, and Monaghan – far from helping themselves were wasteful in front of the posts. When they did get in a scoring position, they missed the target on three occasions before Prenter added another point for the home side. Prenter’s point stood but she was fouled off the ball which necessitated a break in play and the Moneyglass sharpshooter was briefly replaced by Aoife Taggart as she received treatment for a blood injury.
With Prenter off the field, Gráinne McLaughlin raised the green flag for Antrim with a well driven low shot past Alanna O’Donoghue in the Monaghan goal. When she returned, now wearing the number 31 shirt, Prenter added to her tally with another well worked point to stretch Antrim’s lead to nine. In truth, the game was already out of reach for Monaghan when Maria O’Neill also hit the back of the net before Monaghan had registered a single score.
A high ball out from the Monaghan back line should have fallen sweetly for Dahunsi, but it landed awkwardly on the thumb of the St Paul’s star, who appeared to be in quite a bit of pain whilst the injury was treated. With Antrim’s momentum gone, Monaghan piled on the pressure, scoring three points before the break. Antrim were firmly in charge though, leading 3-3 to 0-3 at the interval.
The second half saw Prenter add another point for the home side before another Monaghan purple patch earned the visitors a further four points without reply. During another break in play, a rallying cry for Saff’s Maor Foirne Kyla Trainor seemed to register with the team and Maria O’Neill added her second goal of the day to wipe out most of the pressure Monaghan had inflicted.
Another point from Prenter and a goal to add to her tally had the visitors dead in the water, and the next point Monaghan scored was to be their last, and was immediately cancelled out as Theresa Mellon rounded out the scoring for the home side.
Today’s victory means that Antrim have now won all but one game this year, a narrow loss in a dead rubber match against Tyrone in the Ulster round-robin stage. The reward for this magnificent run of form is a semi-final berth with Clare as the opponents in two weeks’ time, with the venue still to be confirmed but whilst Antrim may still be considered underdogs going into the game it would be hard for anyone to write them off this year.
Antrim: A McCann, D Coleman, E Ferron, M Mulholland, O Corr, C Brown, S O’Neill, T Mellon, Á Tubridy, G McLaughlin 1-0, C Carey, L Dahunsi 0-1, B Devlin, O Prenter 2-3, M O’Neill 2-1 (0-1 frees)
Subs: A Devlin, T Mellon 0-1, A Keenan, A Mulholland, C McKenna, C Taggart, A Taggart, L Agnew, C Emerson, R Mulholland, M McGarry, N McIntosh, B Nic Cahill, A Kelly, S Tennyson.
Monaghan: A O’Donaghue, M Monaghan, J Duffy, E Clerkin, S Brady, S Coyle, B McNally, A Hamill, C McBride 0-2, R Courtney 0-1, A Garland, J McQuillan 0-2 (0-1 frees), M Atkinson, L Maguire 0-2 (0-1 frees), L Garland
Subs: Ó Kelly, A Carolan, M McCabe, H McQuaid, C Murphy 0-1
O’Neill’s Sportswear ACFL Division One
Lámh Dhearg 0-16-1-11 Aghagallon
Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown
Lámh Dhearg ended their league campaign with a victory over Aghgallon that saw them leapfrog the South-west outfit on head-to-head and finish 3rd in the table after a 0-16-1-11 win at Hannahstown on Sunday afternoon.
Aghagallon made the trip to Hannahstown two-points clear of their counterparts in the league and hoped to maintain their momentum of late in their last competitive outing before Championship begins in three weeks’ time.
The early signs for positive for Pete McGrath’s charges as they went two points ahead courtesy of scores from Niall McShane and Patrick Branigan.
Conor Murray conjured up his sides opening score, though Jonathan Hannon converted a free and then bent a high shot between the posts to give his side a 0-04-0-01 lead with 18 minutes gone.
The hosts came to life in the last ten minutes of the half. Adam Murray kicked a close-range free and Shaun McManus then steered over from an advanced mark.
Danger-man Owen McKeown popped over to level and then swung a high effort over the posts to ensure his side were ahead for the first time.
Aghagallon thought they had done enough to ensure parity at the break thanks Padraig Gowdy’s effort that squeezed inside the uprights, but Conor Murray doubled his account at the other end to ensure his side held a slender 0-06-0-05 lead at the interval.
Murray would double his sides lead with the first score of the second period, converting a close-range free.
Aghagallon replied with a fine Eunan Walsh point and then regained the lead on 38 minutes. Playing against the strong elements, a shot from Jamie Lamont crashed off the large post and Enda McCartan reacted quickest, and his fisted attempt was adjudged to have crossed the line- despite the best efforts of John Finucane to keep it out- giving the visitors a 1-06-0-07 lead.
The Lámhs reacted positively however and chalked up six-unanswered points in response. Declan Lynch ran at the heart of the visitor’s defence and laid the ball off to Shaun McManus- who opted to sweep the ball over for his second of the afternoon.
Substitute Carl Maxwell landed the equaliser after a link-up with Declan Dunne and then hosts began to turn the screw thereafter.
Lynch would edge his side ahead again after a fine burst forward and a perfectly measured attempt that drifted inside of the posts.
The lead was extended with three further points, Matthew McElgunn got in on the act, Carl Maxwell dropped one over from distance and a second Conor Murray free of the afternoon had the hosts 0-13-1-06 up with ten minutes remaining.
With five minutes remaining the deficit was halved though, sub goal-keeper Luke Mulholland trotted forward to send over a free and then Niall McShane bent an effort inside the posts from the same scenario.
Conor Murray converted his third free of the contest and moved his side three clear going into injury-time, only for Jonathan Hannon to hit back from another placed ball.
Lámh Dhearg opened up a three-point deficit on two further occasions before the conclusion as Owen McKeown conjured up a spectacular point and Carl Maxwell notched up his third point since his introduction.
Ciaran Maginnis and Jamie Lamont would reply for the visitors, but the scores were merely consolation as Aghagallon were unable to close out their league campaign with a third straight win.
Both sides finished level on points in the table with the Lámhs two victories in the fixtures seeing them finish in 3rd place- their highest league finish since last winning the league back in 2015 as the duos preparation now turns to their respective Championship openers in three weeks’ time.
Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, F Mervyn, P Mervyn, R Murray, O McKeown (0-03), D Lynch (0-01), M Hynds, S McManus (0-02, 0-01m), M McElgunn (0-01), D Smith, A Murray (0-01f), E Matassa, T McCrudden, D Dunne, C Murray (0-05, 0-03f). Subs: A McAufield for D Smith (37), C Maxwell (0-03) for A Murray (37), P Larkin for E Matassa (52), E Stanley for D Dunne (56).
Aghagallon: D O’Hagan, C Maginnis (0-01), E Walsh (0-01), P Branigan (0-01), S Devlin, J Lamont (0-01), M McAfee, D Donnelly, P Maginnis, P Gowdy (0-01), J Hannon (0-03, 0-02f), E McCartan (1-00), H Hannon, N McShane (0-02, 0-01f), C Mulholland. Subs: L Mulholland (0-01f) for D O’Hagan (49).
Referee: Ritchie Leahy (St Comgall’s)
ACFL Division 1B
Rossa 1-14 Moneyglass 2-7
St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass travelled to Shaw’s Road on Sunday to face O’Donovan Rossa with the points at stake vital to both sides. After an hour’s football it is the home side who have greatly enhanced their chances of survival while Moneyglass drop into the bottom two after a gallant but in the end unproductive effort.
With so much at stake this game took a while to settle before Rossa took the lead after 5 minutes through Cormac McGettigan and this brought an immediate reply through a long range effort from Aidan McErlain to draw the side’s level.
Scores continued to be hard come but Rossa struck with a brace through Stephen Beatty to move the home side two ahead at the midway point of half but Moneyglass, playing with a strong breeze registered the next score from a Conor Boyd free
This was quickly followed by another Aidan McErlain score from play to leave it 3 apiece with 20 minutes gone and the visitors appeared to be gaining a foothold.
The next phase of play would see the home side reassert their early dominance, reeling off 3 on the trot through a Michael Byrne free and points from play by Tommy Morgan and Stephen Beatty to leave it 6 to 3 with four minutes remaining to the break.
To their credit Moneyglass finished the half strongly with points from a Conor Boyd free and one from play by Colum Duffin to trail 6 to 5 at halftime and all to play for in the second half .
With a stiff breeze behind them, Rossa got off to a good start early in the second half as they fired over 3 unanswered points through Cormac McGettigan, Dominic McEnhill and Stephen Beatty to move four in front after five minutes play.
Any notion that Moneyglass would go away was quickly dispelled however as Conor O’Kane replied with a close range goal to leave just a point between the sides.
The home side looked rattled and things got even better for St. Ergnat’s following a turnover when Kevin McCann added a second goal in the 21st minute to put his side ahead for the first time.
Rossa refused to panic and replied with points from Dominic McEnhill, Eoghan McMenamin and Morgan to edge ahead 0-12 to 2-05 once more but it still looked anybody’s game at this stage.
Colm Duffin steadied the ship from a free to level the contest once more at the end of the third quarter but Rossa struck a decisive blow when a quick fire breakaway saw Tommy Morgan finish to the net.
A Conor Boyd converted free reduced the gap to two with seven minutes remaining but that was as good as it would get for St. Ergnat’s as the home side finished strongly.
Stephen Beatty replied with a point at the other end and Eoghan McMenamin made the points secure as he fired over with only a minute remaining.
This win looks like securing division 1 football for Hugh McGettigan’s side while plunging St. Ergnat’s into deep trouble and they must now rely on results going their way elsewhere while winning their final game at home to St. Enda’s if they are to have any chance of survival
