Category / Football

by thesaffrongael

Moneyglass take on Kilmacud Crokes in their own backyard

All Ireland LGFA Senior Club semi-final

Kilmacud Crokes v Moneyglass at Kilmacud, Dublin

Newly crowned Ulster Champions Moneyglass are under no illusions about the task the face when they travel to Dublin on Sunday to take on Leinster champions Kilmacud Crokes of Dubliin…..in their own back yard.

Someone, somewhere will have a logical explanation as to why the Antrim and Ulster champions have to play the Dublin champions in their home ground but it escapes me why Antrim’s first ever Senior Champions are forced the journey to Dublin in their first venture outside the province of Ulster.

However if they are aggrieved about that decision they haven’t let it occupy their thoughts and the look forward to their new challenge in good spirits, and with high hopes.

Niamh McIntosh from Glenariffe who captained the Moneyglass team who became the first Antrim team to win the Ulster Ladies Gaelic Football Championship when they beat Errigal Ciaran of Tyrone in Sunday’s final in Brewster Park, Ennikillen. Pic by Elaine Kelly d

Kilmacud Crokes Leinster final win over Tinahely of Wicklow earned them their fourth provincial title on the trot, all four of them convincing wins which brought high scores….5-13 this year, 4-14 last year against Eadastown of Kildare, 4-14 against Naomh  Ciaran of Offaly in 2022 and 4-15 against Tinahely in 2021. They reached their first All Ireland final last year but were beaten in the decider by Kilkerrin-Clonberne of Galway who that day won their fourth All Ireland title in a row.

As well as having a good few Dublin players in their ranks Kilmacud also have Galway star Ailbhe Davoren, who works in the capital, so they are a formidable outfit.

After adding yet another Antrim title to their roll of honour this year Moneyglass went into the Ulster campaign with mixed feelings after having lost to Armagh champions Clann Eireann in the past two years. The started off well in Ulster with a big win over Down champions Bredagh, but were still probably regarded as outsiders when they met the Armagh champions for the third year in a row. However they turned the table on their rivals that day and booked their place in the Ulster final for the second time in their history, where they faced newcomers Errigal Ciaran of Tyrone. The Tyrone champions made a promising start but Moneyglass slowly got to grips with the Ballygawley outfit and went on to win with a bit to spare.

On Sunday they take another step on their journey, a new challenge and a new adventure. Kilmacud will provide stern opposition, of that there is no doubt, but Moneyglass have players who can match it with anyone on their day.

It is a big ask for the Antrim champions, but so too was Clann Eireaan and Erigal Ciaran so give it your best girls and who knows what will happen.

by thesaffrongael

Magnificent Millquarter win SW Antrim Indoor 5-a-Sides

Millquarter Primary School were the winners of the SW Antrim Cumann na mbunscol indoor 5 a side LGFA competition held at the Antrim Forum on Thursday.

On a day when 13 schools were participating, the girls from Millquarter and Ballymacricket manoeuvred their way through the group stages and play offs to reach the cup final.

The shield final saw St Colmcille’s Ballymena emerge victorious against St Joseph’s Crumlin in what was an outstanding day of football, showcasing the talent that is running through South West Antrim.

Proceedings began with every school getting lots of game time and the competition was heating up as the day progressed. After the morning’s activities the teams were split into cup and shield sections.

The play-off matches were fiercely contested with rarely more than one goal separating the competitors.

This resulted in two outstanding finals with the Millquarter and St Colmcille girls taking the spoils. A big well done to them and all the girls involved in a fantastic celebration of football.

An extra thank you must go to our two referees Ryan and Fintan who were on duty the entire day and acquitted themselves excellently throughout, their efforts allowed the day to run smoothly.

Competing schools.

St Brigid’s Ballymena 

St Colmcille’s Ballymena

St Paul’s Ahoghill

Moneynick

Millquarter 

Mount Saint Michael’s Randalstown 

Creggan

St Joseph’s Crumlin 

St Oliver Plunkett’s Toome 

St Mary’s Portglenone 

Ballymacrickett 

Mary Queen of Peace Glenravel

St Comgall’s Antrim

TO VIEW MORE PICS CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/goMydLSYpxXuSY

by thesaffrongael

St John’s and Slaughtneil met in the Ulster Minor Hurling finals of 2011 and 2012

St John’s and Slaughtneil, who meet in Sunday’s Ulster Senior Hurling Final at Armagh on Sunday have met in the finals of the Ulster Minor Hurling Club Championship in 2011 and 2012.  The competition, which is hosted by Derry club Ballinascreen, has produced many great finals over the years, and these two were no exception, with St John’s winning tight games on both occasions.

To be honest I had forgotten who the Johnnies had played in the two finals they won until Michael McMullan of Gaelic Life pointed it out, so I went searching through the archives and found the pics from both games.

The 2012 winning team which has current players Shea Shannon (left) and Aaron Bradley (3rd from left front) , joining in the celebrations Standing (L-R): Shea Shannon, Feargal Morgan, Domhnall Quinn, Aaron Bradley, Ross Hannigan, Matthew Magennis, Mark McKenna, Caoimhin Hanna, Ryan McNulty, Anto Allsopp, Domhnall Nugent, Padraig Nugent, Ronan McCafferty, Jude McCurdy, Dermot Heading, Conor McEvoy. Kneeling (L-R): Jack Hannigan, Michial Dudley, Matthew McKiernan, Ciaran Johnston, Donal Carson, Michael Bradley, Conor Johnston, Aaron McQuillan, Simon Doherty.

In the 2011 final the man of the match awards, which goes to a player on each team, were won by Brendan Rodgers for Slaughtneil, and Conor Johnston for St John’s, two men who went on to have great careers at senior level. In the 2012 final Conor again won the MOM award, but I don’t appear to have taken a photo of whoever won the Slaughtneil award.

According to Michael McMullan there are twelve of the Slaughtneil team still playing and seven for St John’s, which is an incredible statistic. The Derry champions have Brendan Rogers, Shane McGuigan, Gerald Bradley, Ruairi McCartney, Meehaul McGrath, Conor McAllister, Prionsias Burke, Paul Neill, Cormac O’Doherty, Mark McGuigan, Conan Hunter, Sean O’Doherty, and though I’m not 100% sure of the Johnnies but Im taking a guess at nine Conor Johnston, Ciaran Johnston, Domnhal Nugent, Simon Doherty, Michael Bradley, Ryan McNulty, Michial Dudley, Caoimhin Hanna and Donal Carson

TO SEE PICS FROM THE TWO FINALS IN 2011 AND 2012 CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW

2011 FINAL

https://myalbum.com/album/9Q7MZZy6owUgmi/?invite=338d415c-b91a-4e85-8860-29cbb6247ab5

2012 FINAL

https://myalbum.com/album/ZtPGXK2vJhDaMZ/?invite=486624bb-b136-40e0-9518-ae180512642d

by thesaffrongael

Ardboe to progress but it could be close

Sunday 30th November 2025

Quarter Final 4

1pm @ St Pauls GAC

Dromintee (Armagh) v Ardboe (Tyrone) 

The fourth quarter final of the St.Paul’s/fona/cab Ulster Minor Football, Club championship is down for decision this weekend when Tyrone champions, Ardboe face Dromintee from Armagh.

The Armagh champions make their bow in the competition where they will face an Ardboe side with one game already under their belts and you would feel that the extra game will give the Tyrone side a slight advantage.

That game was against Antrim champions, Casement’s, Portglenone and while the Bann siders put it up to their opponents in the opening half it was Ardboe who turned the screw with five second half goals to win fairly comfortably in the end.

Darragh Devlin top scored for the Tyrone side with 2-8 to his credit while Darragh Muldoon, Ruairi O’Neill and Darcy Mallon were the Ardboe goal scorers whose confidence will have been boosted by this opening day win.

Armagh champions Dromintee who face Ardboe at St. Paul’s on Sunday

Their opponents on Sunday Dromintee, won their first Armagh Minor title in the club’s 138 year history when they defeated Clann Eireann in this year’s final.

The manner in which they did so in such a controlled, calculated and superbly coached display meant they were rarely troubled in their win at the Athletic Grounds. 
Dromintee had eight different scorers on the night.  Oisin Byrne 0:06, Calvin Mooney 0:04, Michael O’Neill 0:04, Fionn Toale1:01, Ronan Martin 0:02 Fergus Toale 0:02, Conor Laverty 0:01 Odhran Martin 0:01 were the men on target in a team captained by Conor Laverty.

Dromintee entered the game without three of their spine players Gavin O’Rourke, Michael Walker & Diarmaid O’Rourke all of whom have long term injuries but the strength in depth of the squad was such that there was seamless integration with the three replacements.

Games in this competition have been very difficult to predict over the years and Dromintee will have to put the euphoria of winning that first Armagh title to the back of their minds if they are to advance to the semi-final with Ardboe given the nod but it should be close.

by thesaffrongael

Shamrocks will enjoy raising the ‘Barr’ to secure All Ireland progression

Just out of reach for the Shamrocks in the semi final of ’23

Loughgiel v St. Finbarr’s All Ireland Senior Club Championship semi final, Donaghmore, Ashbourne for 2pm – Preview and photos from Michael Corcoran

After last weekend’s camogie provincial action, we now know St. Finbarr’s will play Loughgiel in one of the semi finals to be played in Donaghmore, Ashbourne at 2pm. The other semi final will be between Dicksboro and Athenry in Kinnegad for 1pm.

St. Finbarr’s from Cork defeated De la Salle from Waterford in the Munster provincial championship by the narrow margin of two points, that lead coming from a late Kate Wall goal to seal the deal for St. Finbarr’s first provincial crown. The DLS featured All Star collector, Beth Carton. You might remember Carton from her attendance at Loughgiel during the summer of ’24, when Waterford played Antrim in the Glen Dimplex All Ireland Senior Championship preliminary round. You can read the archived report for that Antrim game here…

Spirited display by Antrim but Waterford wear them down
Beth Carton from Waterford was De La Salle’s powerhouse but wasn’t able to stop St. Finbarr’s

Carton and Co were unable to stop the Barr despite a gruelling top class display of camogie. So, what do we know about St. Finbarr’s? They have three Cork county faces on the current club panel, namely Méabh Cahalane, sister Orlaith and Sorcha McCartan. Orlaith Cahalane scored the Barr’s opening goal from a dropping free from team mate, McCartan. With a mixture of skill, intelligence and a dollup of luck, the right full forward backward flipped the sliotar over her head and into the roof of the DLS net. The Barr’s Kate Wall proved to be a ‘jinky’ player with sure footing that got through the DLS defence with only minutes to spare in the game and sealed the deal with a short range rocket to the back of the net. That was goal, game and championship.

The Shamrocks will relish the challenge ahead of them with the advantage of semi final experiences under their belt, given that this is the Barr’s first All Ireland semi final, but they’ll need to iron out a few wrinkles they know about in order to reduce the risk of those being exploited by the Munster champions.

Loughgiel’s Katie Lynn sat out the game against Dicksboro but will be needed in the Shamrocks’ wall at the weekend

Other parameters to factor into the game are the weather and pitch. At the moment, forecasts vary between the possibility of light rain and a gentle breeze to sunshine and calm. In between either of those, neither team will complain considering the time of year.

Loughgiel are no strangers to Donaghmore, having lost to the 2023 All Ireland champions, Dicksboro, on a tight winter turf. Loughgiel were strong in the first half 1-08 to 0-06 but Dicksboro came back in the second half to make the most of the conditions and went on to become 2023 All Ireland winners. You can read more on that 2023 game here…

Shamrocks denied by late Dicksboro rally
Dicksboro would get back to deny the goal that would have changed the Shamrocks’ fortunes

In the end, it’ll come down to work rate, driven by training and hunger, but if Loughgiel can raise their bar of excellence one more time, the travelling supporters might have cause to spill into the Pound Bar on the way home. This will surely be a battle, Ulster v Munster. Where else would you want to be on Saturday?

Get your tickets for Saturday’s game here…

https://www.universe.com/events/aib-all-ireland-senior-club-championship-semi-final-loghgiel-v-st-finbarrs-tickets-6W2MX7

And if you can’t make the game…

AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Semi Final – Loughgiel Shamrocks v St. Finbarr’s