Ballymacrickett Primary School have recently completed a unique double in South West Antrim Cumann na Mbunsol circles.
The Glenavy based school, within the space of a week, have been victorious in the SW Antrim 7 a side boys and girls football competitions.
Boys
The boy’s competition was hosted and superbly run by Creggan Primary School. After weeks of heavy rain the sun finally shone on the boys who gathered on the Staffordstown Road for a fantastic day of football.
The group games saw plenty of game time for all involved, with a super level of skill in evidence.
The recent introduction of a shield for these competitions has ensured that every team has something to play for, right until the end of the day.
In the cup competition, Ballymacrickett and Moneynick battled their way through to the final, with Mount ST Michael’s Randalstown and St Comgall’s Antrim progressing in the shield.
The finals highlighted the competitive nature of the event with both games won by a single score.
Congratulations to Mount St Michael’s who emerged victorious in the shield.
Ballymacrickett ran out cup winners and carry the best wishes from all in South West Antrim as they progress to the county finals.
To view more pics from the S.W. Boys P.S. BLITZ Click on the Link below
Naomh Bríd were delighted to welcome representatives from Belfast Harlequins RFC, Ulster Rugby, IRFU and the Ulster GAA to Musgrave Park for a pre-match reception ahead of our ACFL Division 1 clash with Erin’s Own Cargin. The event highlighted the Sport 4 Peace project which is a powerful cross-community initiative led by Ulster GAA in partnership with Ulster Rugby, the IFA and FAI, and supported by the PEACEPLUS Programme. Bringing people together through sport, the programme promotes participation, leadership and meaningful engagement across communities throughout Ulster. Massive thanks to all for attending a wonderful evening, despite the result and as always thank you to Una McCarney for putting on a brilliant spread!
Gort na Mona visited Aldergrove as big underdogs but their young forward line started the game with ferocious pace with Matthew McConnell scoring a goal in the 1st minute. The visitors were playing with a significant breeze behind them but were out of the blocks with serious intent. They continued to cause the Aldergrove back line issues with their inside forwards movement and racked up another point before Aldergrove managed to get the scoreboard moving when they hit back with 2 points.
The Gort’s keeper made an excellent save to prevent a Seamus McGarry goal before the visitors started to turn the screw with another goal and 3 points before Aldergrove got their final score of the 2nd half. Gort na Mona continued to dominate and went in at half time with a well-deserved lead of 2-9 to 0-3, thanks to a second McConnell major and it appeared game over.
With the wind at their backs Aldergrove came out a different side and had scored a goal and 2 points with Cormac McGarry scoring a great goal to bring the game back to 7 points before Gort na Mona replied with a great point from their no. 14. However the visitors were now struggling to contain a reinvigorated forward line with Ryan McCarthy winning plenty of ball up front and feeding the runners.
Aldergrove brought the game level with another goal from Conor Morris some great 2 pointers from Cormac McGarry and a point from Fergal Burke. With 5 minutes left to go Seamus McGarry hit a superb 2 point effort to go two up and this was followed by another point to move his side 3 points ahead.
With 4 minutes left to go, Aldergrove were reduced to 14 men to give the supporters plenty to worry about for the last part of the game but they held tight to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat.
Rossa produced a fantastic second half display to record their second football league win of the season against a gallant hard working St Paul’s team.
With a strong wind at their backs St Paul’s were full value for their half time lead, going in at the break 2-3 to 0-3 in front.
St Paul’s made the early running and the Rossa defence had difficulty keeping tags on their fast moving forward line where Caoimhin Duffy and Lorcan Phillips were impressive. But it was their wing half back Niall McKenna who finished off an excellent move for a goal after taking a great pass from Conal Duffy.
Then after 15minutes Caoimhin produced the highlight of the game when he scored a long range goal leaving Mick Byrne stranded after a kick-out. St Paul’s extended their lead to eight points after a Lorcan Phillips point and things were looking bleak for the home side. Rossa steadied the ship late in the half when Colm Fleming and Diarmuid Rogan slotted over points.
Rossa started the second half in great form. They got to grips with the midfield area and with Stephen Beatty and the excellent Patrick Moyes driving them forward they responded with a string of points from Eoghan McMenamin, Ruari McDonagh, Tommy Morgan, Colm Fleming, Stepthen Beatty and Dominic McEnhill. Following a two pointer from 55meters from Mick Byrne Rossa went into the lead which they never relinquished. Rossa, with the introduction of every sub, grew stronger and ultimately it was their power off the bench that ensured victory for the home side.
St Paul’s worked hard throughout the sixty minutes and Mark Munce, James Farrell, Niall McKenna and Caoimhin Duffy can be proud of their efforts.
Rossa: M Byrne 0-3 (1xTPf, 0-1f), M McKernan, P Moyes, J McGurk, P Byrne, S Beatty 0-4, N Crossan, O McVicker, D Morgan, C Walsh, E McMenamin 0-1, D Rogan 0-1, C Fleming 0-3 (0-1f), E Fleming, R McDonagh 0-2
Subs: D McEnhill 0-1f, C McDonnell 0-1, T Morgan 0-2, Rory Grant, F McDonald
St Paul’s: L Higgins, A Kavanagh, E McGreevy, M Duffy, C McCann, M Munce, N McKenna 1-0; J Farrell 0-1, C Hughes, C Burke, C Duffy 1-5 (0-5f), L Phillips 0-1, S Burns, P Crawford, C Duffy
Subs: C Killyleagh, O Stevenson, C Finnegan, L Murphy
In a highly anticipated Antrim Division 2 clash between two unbeaten sides, St Enda’s ultimately proved too strong for Glenavy, pulling away in the second half to secure a 1-19 to 1-11 victory. The match was preceded by a respectfully observed minute’s silence for the former St Enda’s stalwart Eamon Prenter who died recetly.
The St Enda’s and Glenavy teams stand for a minute’s silence before the game in memory of former St Enda’s stalwart Eamon Prenter who died recently
While the first half was a tightly contested, point-for-point battle, the second half saw the momentum shift decisively. The return of Odhran Eastwood to the St Enda’s ranks after a couple of years’ absence has been a massive boost to the Glengormley men this season, and the former county star delivered a masterclass in forward play. Conversely, a severe head injury to Glenavy’s talisman Paddy Gallagher early in the second half served as the game’s undeniable turning point, significantly blunting the Glenavy challenge.
St Enda’s started brightly, with captain Stephen O’Connor opening the scoring just 90 seconds in. The returning Odhran Eastwood immediately made his presence felt, knocking over four consecutive points (three from play, one free) inside the first ten minutes to give his side a commanding early rhythm.
Glenavy, however, refused to be cowed. Fiontan O’Boyle got them off the mark on 12 minutes, followed swiftly by a Darragh de Brún free and a fine score under pressure from Michael Morgan. On the 15-minute mark, a brilliantly worked team move was finished to the net by O’Boyle, giving Glenavy a vital boost.
The game’s frantic pace continued. St Enda’s responded just three minutes later with a superb individual goal of their own from Fionn Nagle. Glenavy’s Finn Jack Shannon then electrified the crowd with a phenomenal long-range two-pointer. Both goalkeepers were called into action, with St Enda’s Owen Kennedy pulling off a brilliant point-blank save on 27 minutes to keep his team in touch.
Following late points from Sean Murray and Eastwood for St Enda’s, and Morgan and de Brún for Glenavy, the teams headed into the break with virtually nothing between them.
Half-Time Score: Glenavy 1-08 | St Enda’s 1-07
St Enda’s burst out of the gates in the second half, with O’Connor equalizing within the opening minute.
The complexion of the game changed drastically on 6 minutes. Glenavy’s star man and captain, Paddy Gallagher, sustained a bad head injury and was forced off the pitch, replaced by Chris Grant. The loss of Gallagher disrupted Glenavy’s shape and momentum, and St Enda’s ruthlessly capitalized.
Eastwood continued his scoring clinic with back-to-back frees, while the St Enda’s defense tightened their grip. St Enda’s began to spread the wealth, with well-worked team points finished by James McAuley and Sean McBride.
Glenavy fought hard to stay in the game, with Morgan and de Brún adding to their tallies, and their goalkeeper Matthew Lawlor producing a stunning point-blank save on 21 minutes to deny a certain goal. However, St Enda’s were simply finding scores easier to come by as Fionn Nagle and McBride added points from play, before a massive two-pointer from play on 27 minutes effectively ended the contest.
Stephen O’Connor capped off a stellar performance with two late points, before Glenavy’s Finn Jack Shannon converted a final free to close out the game
St Enda’s shade this one and lay down a serious marker for the rest of the year. With Odhran Eastwood back and firing, and a squad capable of racking up 1-19, they will be very difficult to stop in the race for the league title.
For Glenavy, there are positives to take from a fantastic first-half performance, but they will rue some missed shooting opportunities that could have kept the scoreboard closer. Ultimately, the unfortunate loss of Paddy Gallagher to injury was a blow they couldn’t recover from against a team of St Enda’s quality.
St Enda’s: Odhran Eastwood (0-7), Stephen O’Connor (0-4), Fionn Nagle (1-1), Sean McBride (0-2).
Glenavy: Michael Morgan (0-4), Fiontan O’Boyle (1-1), Darragh de Brún (0-3), Finn Jack Shannon (0-1, plus one 2-pointer).
Glenavy: 1. Matthew Lawlor, 2. Ruairi Forester, 3. Darragh Doherty, 4. Jonathan Phillips, 5. Odhran Arthurs, 6. Conor Hamill, 7. Padhraic McKevitt, 8. Patrick Gallagher, 9. Ciaran Loney, 10. James Monaghan, 11. Darragh Armstrong, 12. Finn Jack Shannon, 13. Michael Morgan, 14. Darragh de Brún, 15. Fiontan O’Boyle.
St Enda’s: 1. Owen Kennedy, 2. Cillian Browne, 3. Diarmuid McNulty, 4. Eoghan O’Hare, 5. Conan Lyttle, 6. James McAuley, 7. Sean McBride, 8. Sean Murray, 9. Padraig O’Hare, 10. Zac Kyle, 11. Stephen O’Connor, 12. Fionn Nagle, 13. Odhran Eastwood, 14. Darragh Rooney, 15. Ronan Kalla.
TO SEE MORE OF BERT’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
