Category / Football

by thesaffrongael

Strong second half swings it Rasharkin’s way

U17C Football Championship Final

Rasharkin  0-7 Randalstown  0-5

A strong second half comeback from St. Mary’s Rasharkin saw them overcome the challenge of Tir na nOg, Randalstown in a low scoring but never the less, entertaining U17C football final at Slemish Park, Ballymena on Sunday morning.

These sides had served up high scoring league encounters earlier in the season with Naomh Muire coming out top in Dreen while the Randalstown men gained revenge at Whitehill to claim the league title and would probably have went into this one as favourites.

In the proverbial game of two halves, Tir na nOg looked like justifying the favourites tag when they led by 0-4 to 0-2 at the break but whatever Tom Lynch, Stephen Hardy, Paul Baird and the rest of the Rasharkin backroom team said to their side at the interval certainly worked and they came out strong in the second half to dominate proceedings and outscore their opponent 0-5 to 0-2.

Christopher Smith got the Whitehill side off to a great start when he pointed a free after 30 seconds and when the same player added another from a placed ball with less than two minutes gone, Tir na nOg looked well on their way.

Daniel Ennis McManus, the Tir na nOg keeper comes off his line to deny JP Hasson as Rasharkin press during the second half

Scores were proving hard to come bye as the game got bogged down in the soft underfoot conditions and referee Paul Burns was kept busy as both teams conceded needless fouls with a series of poor tackles.

That first score from play came from the boot of Eoghan McParland to put the Whitehill side three in front after 6 minutes and it finally brought a response from Rasharkin as Cormac McMullan fired over in the 9th minute to open their account.

Tir na nOg continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges but were finding it difficult to penetrate a hard tackling Naomh Muire defence in which team captain Pearce McTague and Ruairi Duffin excelled.

It would be another 14 minutes before another flag was raised as Tir na nOg’s Odhran O’Kane split the uprights to put his side 0-4 to 0-1 ahead but a Daniel Doherty point for Rasharkin with four minutes remaining to the break kept the Dreen side in touch as the half time whistle sounded.

Brendan Devlin, who had a great game at the heart of the Tir na nOg defence, comes out to clear his lines as Caolan McGarrell challenges

St. Mary’s returned for the second half like a team on a mission and substitute JP Hasson pointed in the second minute to close the gap to a single point and a minute later it was all square as the stylish Daniel Doherty added another.

They failed to push on at this stage with the Tir na nog defence, led by Brendan Devlin closing shop and for a time both defences dominated before Dylan McLarnon stroked over a fine point to give the Randalstown side back the lead in the 12th minute.

The tackles continued to go in hard and fast and Oisin Casey tied the contest for the second time when he pointed a free in the 19th minute and at this stage there was little between the sides but Naomh Muire were begining to get on top.

Pearce McTague and his defensive colleagues were starting to turn over everything that came their way and as they broke forward again they were awarded a 40 meter free with Brendan McMullan stepping out from goals to direct the award between the uprights to give his side a lead they would not again lose.

Tir na nOg threw everything at their opponents in the closing stages but a combination of poor shooting and solid defending by the Rasharkin defence kept them at bay and when Daniel Doherty pointed a free in the 29th minute at the other end it was all over.

A great day for St. Mary’s Rasharkin and their management team and after a number of baron years at juvenile level the renaissance continues with many of the U11 footballers who won the South West Shield recently, there today to join in the celebrations that followed.

Rasharkin: 16 – Brendan McMullan, 2 – Jason McGregor, 3 – Ruairi Duffin, 4 – Oisin McCamphill, 5 – Ciaran O’Neill, 6 – Pearce McTague, 7 – Conleth Johnston, 8 – Conan McMullan, 17 Oisin Casey,  9 – Cormac McMullan, 10 – Thomas Hasson, , 12 – Caolan McGarrell, 13 – Stephen Dempsey, 14 – Daniel Doherty, 15 – Joseph McNeill

Subs: 11- JP Hasson for Stephen Dempsey, 20- Aodhan McTague for Conleth Johnston, Not Used: 18- Kevin Feeney, 19- Sean Casey

Tir na nOg: 1 Daniel Ennis McManus, 2 Patrick McCloskey, 3 Brendan Devlin, 4 Odhran Loughran, 5 Ciaran McCamphill, 6 Sean McKeown, 7 Callum English, 8 Dylan McLarnon, 9 Joe McCormick, 11 Paul McCloskey, 12 Brogan McNally, 13 Egan Maguire, 14 Caleb Smith, 15 Odhran O’Kane, 17 Cathal McCann, 18 Pauric Redmond, 19 Eoghan McParland, 20 Tiarnan Bonnes, 21 Tom McGale, 22 Malachy Martin, 23 Reece McCartney, 24 Christy Heffron, 25 Dara Dickson

Referee: Paul Burns (Naomh Comhghall)

County Excecutive member, Danny McLarnon presents the U17C championship cup to his fellow Rasharkin colleague, Pearce McTague
Paddy McIlwaine presents the Saffron Gael Man of the Match award to Rasharkin captain, Pearce McTague
by thesaffrongael

Aghagallon secure Division 1 status

ACFL Division 1-2 Promotion-Relegation playoff

St.Mary’s Aghagallon 3-13 All Saints Ballymena 0-3

Photographs: Bert Trowlen

St. Mary’s Aghagallon secured their division 1 status for another season following, what in the end was a comprehensive victory over division 2 runners up, All Saints Ballymena at Dunsilly on Friday night.

The margin of victory doesn’t quite tell all the story however as the blanket defence employed by the Ballymena men frustrated St. Mary’s until 10 minutes into the second half when All Saints lost full-back, Sean McVeigh to a second yellow and after that the flood gates opened.

All Saints plan from early in the game was obvious as they set up to frustrate their division 1 opponents with a blanket defence that saw all 15 players behind the ball at times and relied on hitting on the break.

Aghagallon started brightly however and two pointed Gareth Magee frees and a point from play from Eunan Walsh saw them 0-3 to 0-0 ahead after five minutes and everything appeared to be going to plan.

Slowly though the All Saints defence began to get to grips with the opposition attack and finally broke forward for a point of their own when Shea O’Brien pointed a free in the 7th minute but they were unable to add to that early score.

Play slowed to a walking pace as the Ballymena side conceded possession and dropped deep to frustrate the opposition who were content to keep possession for long periods as they probed for an opening that was not forthcoming.

They were nearly made to pay when All Saints broke forward in the 15th minute as Conor Stewart raced through the heart of their defence but the county man blazed wide of the target with the goal at his mercy.

Naomh Muire replied with a long range point from Eunan Walsh which was hotly disputed by the opposition and manager Liam Bradley got his marching orders for protesting too strongly.

Walsh’s point was to prove the final score of the opening half but the Ballymena men might have added to their meagre total in the closing stages but were unable to convert a number of opportunities but still looked in with a shout as the sides headed to the dressing room.

It was Sunday’s beaten senior championship finalists who were first on target as play got under way again as Enda McCartan extended their lead to four with a fine point in the 4th minute but Conor Stewart replied with a good score for All Saints to keep his side in touch.

Gareth Magee restored his side’s four point advantage before disaster struck for the Slemish Park side when they lost full-back Sean McVeigh to a second yellow card in the 9th minute and suddenly the space that Aghagallon had been denied up to this point started to open up.

Two quick points from Eunan Walsh and Ciaran McGuinness and a pointed free from Gareth Magee moved the Lough Shore side seven ahead and then Jamie Lamont set Ruairi McCann up for a well worked goal after a slick move opened up the All Saints defence.

Aghagallon began to play with the swagger and confidence that saw them reach last Sunday championship decider against Cargin and suddenly an All Saints defence that had coped so well in the opening half were being stretched in all directions.

Oisin Lenehan got in for a second goal and when Adam Loughran placed Ciaran McGuinness for a third in the 23d minute it was well and truly over.

To their credit All Saints kept going to the end but it was Aghagallon’s Jamie Lamont and Adam Loughran who added to their total with late points before substitute Brendan McDonnell replied with a consolation point for the Ballymena side deep in injury time to conclude the scoring.

So it will be St. Mary’s who will play their football in division 1 again next season and it is where they belong and just how they got themselves into this situation in the first place was very much of their own making.

Relegation would have been unthinkable for a side who have contested the last two senior championship finals and with all their players back on board they are a match for anyone on their day and I would expect them to be back challenging for honours in the 2023.

Aghagallon: 1 Damien O’Hagan, 2 Stephen Devlin, 3 Daniel Donnelly, 4 Paddy Brannigan, 5 Ciaran Maginnis, 6 Padraig Gowdy, 7 Jamie Lamont, 8 David McAlernon, 9 Oisin Lenehan, 10 Eunan Walsh, 11 Adam Loughran, 12 Ruairi McCann, 13 Gareth Magee, 14 Enda McCartan, 15 Jack Lenehan.

Subs used: Pauric McGuinness, Daryl McAlernon, Aidan Mulholland

All Saints: 1 Connor Brennan, 2 James Gillan, 3 Sean McVeigh, 4 James McDonnell, 25 Kavan Keenan, 6 Sean O’Callaghan, 7 Connell Lemon, 8 Paddy McAleer, 9 Emmet Killough, 10 Peter McReynolds, 11 Ciaran McGarry, 12 Shea O’Brien, 13 Eoin Campbell, 14 Conor Stewart, 15 Ronan McKillop

Subs used: Cal O’Brien, Peter McNicholl, Benny McDonnell

Referee: Brendan Toland (Lamh Dhearg)

by thesaffrongael

Antrim Cumann na mBunscol AGM

Antrim Cumann na mBunscol held their first AGM since the start of the Covid lockdown when them met on Thursday afternoon at the Dunsilly Hotel.

Cumann na mBunscol 2022-23 Committee

Chairperson
Seán McManus

Secretary
Paudie Shivers

Treasurer
Jim Brady

PRO
Lawrence O’Kane

Assistant Secretary
Henry Duffin

Assistant PRO
Seamus Ó Túama

Chairman Sean McManus and vice-chairman Paudie Shivers

The committee thanked all of their affiliated schools and special thanks to our partners:

• Antrim GAA, Gaelfast, Saffron Business Forum, Club Aontroma, The Saffron Gael and Bourke Sports

Cumann na mBunscol vice-chairman Paudie Shivers presents a sponsorship cheque to the Saffron Gael at their AGM in Dunsilly Hotel.
by thesaffrongael

Aghagallon to retain their division 1 status

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Division 1-2 Promotion-Relegation play-off

Friday 7-30pm Dunsilly

St. Mary’s Aghagallon v All Saints Ballymena

St. Mary’s Aghagallon came agonisingly close to winning their first Senior Football championship on Sunday when they lost in extra time to Erin’s own, Cargin at Corrigan Park. This Friday evening at Dunsilly they are involved in a less glamorous but arguably more important fixture to the Lough Shore club.

A less than impressive league campaign saw St. Mary’s finish second bottom in division 1 of the ACFL, their poor finishing position exacerbated by the unavailability of a host of players through injuries and a summer spent in the states by others.

Their opponents on Friday night are All Saints Ballymena who finished second in division 2 to St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass, winning 11 of their 16 fixtures in a season that finished in disappointment when they lost to Con Magee’s Glenravel in the quarter-final of the Intermediate Football championship.

That defeat was at Fr. Maginn Park back on the 11th September and the Slemish Park side have had to wait patiently in the wings as Aghagallon have put a strong Senior Championship run behind them to reach last Sunday’s decider.

St. Mary’s were drawn in group 3 of the qualifiers with Gort na Mona and Tir na nOg and topped the group with wins over both these sides. They were drawn against St. Brigid’s in the quarter-final and St. Mary’s made it three championship wins from three starts with a 0-14 to 0-7 win over the Musgrave Park side.

This set them up with a repeat of last year’s semi-final when they were drawn against Casement’s Portglenone and St. Mary’s Aghagallon produced a great come-back to earn their place for the second year in succession in the Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship final.

That game was at Friday night’s venue, Dunsilly and the Aghagallon men will start as firm favourite to an All Saints side who have been knocking at the promotion door for a number of years but have been unable to gain access to the premier division.

St. Mary’s scored an impressive 12 goals during their Senior Championship campaign and in Ruairi McCann, Adam Loughran, Eunan Walsh and Gareth Magee they have players who can pose a serious scoring threat and Audi Kelly’s side will start as firm fasvourites.

The tag of underdogs will certainly suit All Saints and the Ballymena men have often performed better when the odds are stacked firmly against them.

James McDonnell, Paddy McAleer, Emmet Killough, Kavan Keenan, Sean McVeigh, Michael McCarry and Benny McDonnell will lead the All Saints challenge and ‘Baker Bradley’s side will give it everything but it might not be enough to prevent St. Mary’s retain the division 1 status.

Eamon McKillop, proprietor of McKillops Frys Road Spar, Ballymena presents a sponsorship cheque for £500 to Paddy McIlwaine who received it on behalf of the Saffron Gael
by thesaffrongael

Minor Football Finals this weekend-take your pick

This weekend sees the three grades of Minor Football championship finals take place at three different venues at the same time. The minor football championship, once the opener to our Senior Football finals has undergone changes in recent years and some will feel it is no longer afforded the platform it deserves.

There are many factors that have contributed to these changes. Covid played its part and brought about the need to restrict crowd numbers and still appears to be a factor in avoiding double headers wherever possible.

Minor football-and hurling- have undergone big changes themselves with the age group being changed from U18 to U17 and in Antrim now-as in most counties- we have Minor championships in U17A-U17B- and U17C grades where there was once only the A championship.

This, in my opinion is a good thing as it affords lesser teams the opportunity to compete at their own level and provides them with the possibility of winning a championship medal.

Whatever the merits of playing the minor final prior to the senior one it will be all guns blazing for the young footballers, mentors and supporters of St. Brigid’s, Glenravel, Aldergrove, St. Enda’s, Rasharkin and Tir na nOg this Sunday with one collective aim – to bring home the silverware.

St. Brigid’s v Glenravel

U17A Final-Creggan 11-00am

The U17A final sees a fancied St. Brigid’s take on Con Magee’s Glenravel at Creggan and the Musgrave Park side will start as favourites for this one but they should be wary of a Glenravel team who are here on merit and produced a great result when they travelled to Milltown last Sunday and came away with a four point win over St. Gall’s.

Oisin Kelly’s superb fisted effort to the net for the home side into added time ensured there was only a point in it going into the last minute. However, seconds later, when Glenravel broke on the counter attack, Daire Higgins ruthlessly despatched his effort to the net to seal his side’s progression to the final where they will meet St Brigid’s.

St. Brigid’s have been knocking at the championship door now for a number of years but have found it difficult to get over the line and have been thwarted in their efforts by an Erin’s Own Cargin team in two of the last three deciders.

The Musgrave Park side finally got the Cargin monkey off their backs when they travelled to Toome on Sunday morning last. A 10th minute goal by impressive full forward JJ Higgins was to prove crucial as St Brigid’s pushed on to win by 1-4 to 0-5 in conditions that were not conducive to good football.

Conor Logue, Sonny Doyle, Donnach McGurk, Rory McErlean and JJ Higgins will lead the St. Brigid’s bid for honours while Eamon Ward, Daire Higgins, Shea O’Brion and Cormac McKeown will spearhead the Con Magee’s challenge.

Naomh Eanna v Aldergrove

U17B Final – Dunsilly 11-00am

St. James Aldergrove produced a great result when they travel;led to Davitt’s Park last Sunday and defeated a Corpus Christi Gaels side who had performed much better in the division 2 league. St. James were pushed hard all the way before emerging 3-9 to 2-8 winners and this will have given them confidence going into Sunday’s decider.

At the same time St. Enda’s defeated a fancied Creggan at Hightown by 1-7 to 0-6 and once again it was a side from further down the league finishing places that took the spoils.

Creggan finished second in division 2 to Lamh Dhearg but league positions doesn’t seem to count where this championship is concerned and I don’t expect there to be too much in it in this cone with Aldergrove given a tentative nod.

St. Mary’s Rasharkin who defeated Kickham’s Ardoyne in the semi-final

Rasharkin v Tir na nOg

U17C final – Ballymena 11-00am

While Aldergrove were impressing at Davitt’s Park in the U17B semi-final a dogged St. Mary’s Rasharkin were overcoming a conceivably more difficult hurdle when they defeated Ardoyne at Fennell Park.

Oisin Casey 1-03, Daniel Doherty 1-02, Joseph McNeill 1-00 and Cormac McMullan 0-01were the men who provided the all-important scores as Rasharkin finished a point ahead in an excellent game.

St. Mary’s will start as underdogs against a Tir na nOg side who finished top in division 3 of the league but things look very much on the up in Rasharkin this year with their senior hurlers through to the JHC Final and their U13 Footballers already Shield champions.

The sides met in a cracking league encounter back in March when Rasharklin emerged 3-11 to 4-6 winners down in Dreen. When the same sides met again in July at Whitehill Tir na nOg avenged that defeat winning 4-10 to 4-5 and there could be another goal feast in Ballymena on Sunday.