Ulster LGFA Intermediate Championship

Steelstown Brian Ogs 8-16 Con Magees 1-4

Antrim LGFA Intermediate Champions Con Magees found the going decidedly tough when they travelled to Derry on Sunday to take on Steelstown Brian Ogs.

Steelstown are actually the Derry Senior champions but play as Intermediate in this competition, and it was clear from the start that the Antrim champions would be really up against it. The home team had the ball in the net as early as the fifth minute when CiaraMcGurk got the first of her team’s eight goals.

Goal number two came on 13 minutes when full forward Aoife Collins hit the net, and it was three on 13 minutes as the Derry girls turned the screw. Points followed from Orlagh McGeough (2) and Dara McKeever , before Glenravel got their only goal of the game through Laoise McKenna. But there was still time for another one for the home side as stretched their lead to 4-10 to 1-1 by half time.

Unfortunately the pattern continued after the break and the Derry champions kept their high tempo passing game going and added four more goals through Laverty, McGeough (2) and McKeever to cruise to the win. Aimee Traynor, Niamh McKay and Claire Emerson sent over points for Glenravel but it was merely token resisitant and Steelstown’s excelent team dominated

It has been a great season for the Glenravel girls, despite Sunday’s defeat. Sunday gave them a taste of what lies ahead at the higher levels. Steelstown move on with confidence to the next round in Ulster and if they can repeat the form they showed on Sunday it will take a very good team to beat them  

U17B Football Championship Final

Naomh Eanna 4-18 St. James 2-7

Photographs: Bert Trowlen

When Aldergrove’s Conor Magee finished a Liam McGarry palmed cross to the St. Enda’s net in the opening minute of the second half to level the contest this U17B Football final at Dunsilly on Sunday morning looked set for a thrilling finish.

The Crumlin side had recovered from a bad start when Michael McKenna got St. Enda’s on their way with a goal in the second minute and the Glengormley lads pushed on to lead 1-4 to 0-0 before Cormac McGarry finally opened St. James’ account with a point in the 14^th minute.

A goal from Lewis Smith, four minute later gave St. James’ a foothold but it was St. Enda’s who still held the upper hand at the half way stage to lead 1-8 to 1-5 as Patrick Tumelty  sounded his half time whistle.

Magee’s opener to the second half had the sizeable Aldergrove support in good voice but they would only add a further two points during the remainder of the 30 minutes as a Sean Nolan inspired St. Enda’s responded in devastating fashion to dominate the remainder of the exchanges.

Nolan was in excellent form for the Hightown side as he added two early points to McKenna’s opening goal and further points from Conan Walsh and Odhran McKenna put his side in a strong position at the end of the opening quarter.

Further points from Joseph Lewis and Conan Walsh in response to McGarry’s opener for the Crumlin side had St. Enda’s eight ahead by the 17^th minute and they looked to be strolling to an easy victory but when Liam Og Cullen set up Lewis Smith for a St. James goal, a minute later the game suddenly came to live.

By half time St. James’ had closed the gap to three with Cormac McGarry 0-2 and Conor Magee adding points and Anton McKeown and Padraig O’Hare replying for St. Enda’s and it looked anyone’s game as the half time whistle sounded.

Conor Magee’s goal on the restart for the Crumlin side brought matters all square but St. James’ failed to build on this score and it was St. Enda’s who produced a devastating response as they took control of the contest.

Sean Nolan got them on their way with a point and Adam McCann added another after his well struck attempt at goal was pushed over by Daniel McCutcheon in the Aldergrove goals before Conan Walsh found a way past the St. James’ net minder in the 3d minute as the St. Enda’s pressure intensified.

Leo O’Loingsigh added a point and Padraig O’Hare fired over when he might have had a goal and further points from O’ Hare, Joseph Lewis, Conan Walsh and an O’Hare free put the Hightown side in cruise control.

Lewis Smith finally added St. James’ second score of the half as he pointed a free in the 13^th minute but it brought another response from St. Enda’s as Anton McKeown split the posts at the other end and then Michael McKenna’s dipping shot appeared to deceive Daniel McCutcheon and ended in the Aldergrove net.

St. James day went from bad to worse when they had a player dismissed in the 22^nd minute and St. Enda’s finished strongly with points from substitute Ryan Kelly and Man of the Match, Sean Nolan before another replacement, Darragh Quinn got his side’s fourth goal.

Cormac McGarry, who had a good game for the Aldergrove side, replied with a consolation point for his side in time added on but it is an excellent St. Enda’s that are this seasons U17B football champions and it is a title they thoroughly deserved.                                                                                                                                                                    

The winners were strong throughout with Joseph Lewis and Michael McKenna just two of the players who caught the eye but Sean Nolan at centre-half-forward deserves special mention for the manner in which he directed matters throughout.

A disappointing end to the season for a St. James’ side who played their part in making this an entertaining final but they were unable to sustain their challenge after drawing level early in the second half.

Daniel McCutcheon in goals had a fine game, despite being beaten four times and the Aldergrove net minder pulled off a number of fine saves and Adam Connolly, Liam Og Cullen, Cormac McGarry, Lewis Smith and Conor Magee were others who gave it everything.

St. Enda’s: 1 Seanan Nagle, 2 Oisin O’Hare, 3 Frank Kane, 4 Eoin Duffy, 5 Joseph Lewis, 6 Malachi MacGribbon, 7 Adam McCann, 8 Aaron McKeown, 9 Leo O’Loingsigh, 10 Conan Walsh, 11 Sean Neilan, 12 Odhran McKenna, 13 Darragh Moss, 14 Michael McKenna, 15 Padraig O’Hare, 17 Ronan Bradley, 18 Daniel O’Kane, 19 Ryan Kelly, 20 Aidan Murphy, 21 Darragh Quinn, 22 Ciaran McAlister, 23 Cillioan Brown, DJ Murray

Aldergrove: 1 Daniel McCutcheon, 2 Shea O’Connor, 3 Jude Scallon, 4 Cayden Lagan, 5 Luke Delaney, 6 Adam Connolly, 7 Rory Finney, 8 Noah Jeffries, 9 Liam Og Cullen, 10 Calum McCool, 11 Cormac McGarry, 12 Christopher Robb, 13 Conor Magee, 14 Liam McGarry, 15 Lewis Smith, 16 Fionn Brannif, 17 Ronan Ferguson, 18 Daire Maguire, 19 Rory Corrigan, 20 Fionntan Muldoon, 22 Eoin McAleese, 23 Cormac Morris

Referee: Patrick Tumelty (Lamh Dhearg)

U17A Football Final  

Con Magee’s Glenravel 2-12  Naomh Bríd 0-19

Report by Niall Kelly

If ever there was an advertisement for Minor Football, it was on the Staffordstown Road at Sunday lunch time. St Brigid’s and Glenravel played out an absolutely absorbing contest and left their hearts and souls on the early Autumn surface in Creggan. The sizable crowd in attendance was treated to an exhilarating encounter full of drama right till the last. Hearts were in mouths, stomachs churned, and nerves were shredded as this one went the full distance with David Prenter’s point two minutes from the whistle in extra time proving to be the clincher.

Glenravel came into this one as huge underdogs. Gaels across Antrim were predicting a facile win for the Musgrave Park side, but it proved to be anything but. For the majority of the game it was Glenravel who held the lead and were good value for it. Their vigorous first half performance saw them take a three-point lead in at half-time, and it should have been more as the boys in green and white also kicked eight wides. St Brigid’s resilience and battling mentality was on display the following thirty though and it was they who shaded the second period and had turned around the deficit to lead by a point in added time. Shea O’Broin was calmness personified though for Con Magees as he sent over a superb free from range to take matters into extra time.

A goal from Fergus Donaghy looked to have brought momentum back in favour of the men from the tenth glen but St Brigid’s dug deep and with the talents of JJ Higgins and Rory McErlean spearheading their revival, they managed to clamber over the line for victory.

Con Magee’s raced into an early 0-04 0-01 lead. Shea O’Broin then put on an exhibition on how to execute a forty-five for the men in green. The number eleven fired over three sumptuous efforts off the deck in succession before Colla Ward gratefully accepted his brother Eamon’s searching pass and popping over coolly. Rory McErlean got the scoreboard ticking for his side as he popped over from close range. Niall Hynds responded well though for Glenravel as he finished off his marauding run by slotting over from range.

The men in green were constantly probing to further bolster their lead and created a host of openings but were unable to capitalise with the wide count growing. Thomas McKenna made them pay then with a caressed effort from range to give his side some respite. O’Broin and Dara Quinn exchanged further points before St Brigid’s started to turn the screw after twenty minutes.

Talisman, Rory McErlean’s unerring ability in front of the posts saw him pop over twice before Quinn doubled his tally to level matters on the twenty-fifth minute. Glenravel rallied well though and were in the ascendancy going into the interval.  Peader McDonnell twice split the posts from range with two monster efforts before their dynamo Cormac McKeown opened his account to give his side a 0-09 to 0-06 point lead at the break.

The second half was nip and tuck as momentum continued to sway but it was Naomh Bríd who edged it largely due to McErlane’s expertise from the dead ball. The young number eleven fired over the two opening scores of the half before responding to a Cormac McKeown effort to grab another.  

Glenravel’s defence was bombarded with early balls in but stood resolute. Brothers Eamon and Colla Ward then linked up to devastating effect once more on the counter as the later grabbed the first green flag of the day, blasting home from close range midway through the half.

The lads in blue and white had it all to do but responded to the challenge emphatically. JJ Higgins who had been playmaker for much of the game opened his account before McErlane converted yet again. Shea O’Broin responded with a curling effort from range but St Brigid’s continued their advance with four unanswered points. Dara Quinn, James Mellon, David Prenter and that man McErlean once again had reversed the deficit approaching injury time as they held a slender one-point advantage.

Deep into added time it looked as though it had slipped away for Glenravel. Shea O’Broin though had other ideas as he held his nerve in front of the partisan St Brigid’s travelling faithful to slot over a superb long range effort from the dead ball to take matters into extra time.

The first period of the twenty was a cagy affair. Neither team were as adventurous going forward as nerves were frayed but Michael Gorman split the posts from a central position as he bulldozed his way through the Glenravel rearguard. The Con Magee’s then dealt their opponents another hammerblow as substitute Fergus Donaghy instinctively prodded home from close range on the stroke of Fionntan Mc Cotter’s whistle for the half.

Trailing by two points, the Belfast side regained momentum and battled their way back valiantly in a similar fashion to the second half of normal time. Rory McErlean levelled matters with two curling efforts before David Prenter broke Glenravel hearts with his late effort to seal victory.

Glenravel can certainly keep their heads held high. Last year, they competed in Division Two and the ‘B’ Championship which they exited at the semi-final stage. Not many would’ve given them a hope of reaching this stage in the premier competition but Conor Carey and the rest of the management team had every faith in their charges. They battled tooth and nail throughout and it so easily could’ve been them who held the trophy aloft at the conclusion. They have a side brimming with talent which will no doubt bolster their senior efforts in years to come.

Congratulations though to St Brigid’s. They seem to have an endless conveyer belt of underage talent in this area of Belfast and have been knocking on the door for years. What’ll please their management most was their response in the face of adversity as they refused to lie down when the going was tight. They knocked out a very talented St Paul’s team before disposing of a much-fancied Cargin side. Who knew that today they’d face their toughest task? A task though that they fulfilled and will certainly enjoy the celebrations.

Credit once again to both sides for a superb game of Gaelic Football.

Teams:

Con Magee’s Glenravel

D Carey; C Laverty, N Dickson, J Leech; C Mooney, E Ward, O McClintock; C Duffin, N Hynds (0-01;) C Ward (1-01,) S O’Broin (0-06,) P Ward; C McKeown (0-02,) P McDonell (0-02,) D Higgins

Substitute scorer

F Donaghy (1-00)

St Brigid’s

L Cullinan; C O’Connell, C Logue, D Oglesby; T McKenna (0-01,) S Doyle, M Gorman (0-01;) T Lloyd, D McGurk; T McGarvey, R McErlean (0-10,) D Quinn (0-03;) C Gillece, J Higgins (0-01,)  J Mellon (0-01)

Substitute scorer

D Prenter (0-02)