Category / Football
Naomh Eoin Golden Eagles Celebrate with our Champion Hurling Team
The headlines on Monday 20th October 2025 and beyond have all highlighted the time lapse between St. John’s hurling teams’ accomplishment the previous day and the 52 year gap since the Volunteer Cup last ended up in Corrigan Park in 1973. But when St. John’s Golden Eagles came together last Thursday evening to celebrate with the 2025 champions there were no less than 3 members of the 1969 team on hand to congratulate them. Brothers Henry and Mickey Gallagher and Gerry McCann all recognised the euphoria that winning this prestigious cup brings to a club and were delighted to get holding the cup once again after all this time. Also on hand too, was John Gough who along with Mickey Gallagher had played on that 1973 team.
The Golden Eagles began the evening reliving the Antrim County Final match with Loughgeil on the big screen, which brought such rejoicing to the club. The whoops and gasps, the laughter and encouragement made for a wonderful evening’s entertainment, particularly as they knew the outcome beforehand! The magnificent team had carried out guest appearances at every single training session from fundamentals to senior in the previous ten days and this evening had been set aside to meet the most senior members who make up the Golden Eagles.
The team arrived with the cup held aloft as the rafters were lifted to the singing of The Johnnies Anthem….Whack-fol-the-diddle. The boys were more than happy to have their photographs taken and even let everyone get a hold of the cup! They circulated the group talking to each person and they were delighted to share their experience of the day with their senior counterparts. The manager Gerard Cunningham should be so proud of his team, not only for their accomplishments on the field but in their generosity of time and in the humble and respectful way each of them treated this group of elderly citizens of the club.
When conversations eventually drew to a close with the team, another St. John’s man Donal Gallagher proudly introduced his son Rory, who would provide the entertainment to conclude the evening. What a star! Young Rory Gallagher was amazing as a singer and guitarist. His varied programme met everyone’s taste in music and his Johnny Cash numbers had the toes tapping and the fingers drumming. The climax of the evening was Rory’s rendition of Whack-fol-the-diddle, no doubt learned from his granda Mickey when he was knee high, confirming that the celebrations are well and truly in full swing in Corrigan Park.
Maria Gough
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Moneyglass dethrone the champions to book final place
Ulster LGFA Club Championshp
Clann Eireann (Armagh) 0-8 Moneyglass (Antrim) 2-5
Moneyglass qualified for the Ulster Senior Club final by dethroning reigning champions Clann Eireann in the semi-final in Lugan to set up a final meeting with Errigal Ciaran of Tyrone in two weeks’ time.
Having lost to the Armagh champions last year Moneyglass knew the task that was ahead of them and when they fell four points behind it looked like they were in deep trouble. However the Moneyglass players never lost heart, or focus, and a goal from Leah Stewart at the end of the opening quarter breathed new life into the Antrim champions. Clann Eireann retook the lead but Moneyglass knew they were right there and with full-forward Maria O’Neill pulling the strings they gave as good as they got.
The big breakthrough came just on the cusp of half time when corner forward Bronagh Devlin got in for her team’s second goal to send her team in at the break with a two point lead. (2-03 to 0-07)
The second half turned into a real dog fight as the Moneyglass defence held the Ulster champions to just a single point, an incredible achievement for any team. With team captain Niamh McIntosh commanding the edge of the ‘square’ the girls in blue gave it everything they had to keep the Lurgan side at bay. The scoring wasn’t prolific at the other end either, such was the intensity of the game but club legend Cathy Carey found the target twice, once from play and the other from a free, to send her team through to their second final in four years.
MONEYGLASS
Aine Devlin, Caitlin Graffin, Niamh McIntosh (captain), Leah Stewart, Aoife Leahy, Sarah O’Neill, Rebbeca Bradley, Aoife Kelly, Emma Louise McAreavey, Annie Griffin, Cathy Carey, Cliona Griffin, Bronagh Devlin, Maria O’Neill, Eleanor Mallon, Niamh Neeson.
Subs –
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Creggan recover from bad start to beat Dunloy in U21 quarter final
Under 21 Football Championship quarter final
Creggan 3-09 Dunloy 0-13
Creggan pulled off a shock when they recovered from a bad start to beat Dunloy by 3-09 to 0-13 in the quarter final of the Under 21 Football Championship in Creggan on Monday night. Trailing after 12 minutes, despite playing with a strong wind behind them, Creggan suddenly sprung to life with two goals before half time to open a 2-03 to 0-06 lead at the change of ends. Despite having a three point lead most pundits would have had their money on Dunloy as the second half got underway, and when they closed to within a point two minutes after the restart they were back on course. However Creggan dug deep and a seven minutes spell which saw them hit a goal and three points, gave them a seven point lead. Dunloy came back strongly near the end but the Kichams held on to secure a semi-final meeting with St Gall’s next weekend.
Tom (2) and Luke McFerran put Dunloy three in front after six minutes before Conor Johnston got Creggan on the scoreboard in the eighth. Dunloy were dominating possession and when Barra McCloskey pointed to put them 0-04 to 0-01 up the Cuchullains appeared to be in command. Creggan started to find a bit of flow in their play though and a Conor Johnston point was followed by the opening goal of the game
by corner forward Shea McCann. Jack Martin-McShane pulled a point back but Fintan Kelly grabbed his team’s second goal to stretch their half time lead to 2-03 to 0-06 at the interval.
Two Donach Laverty points at the start of the second half appeared to have put Dunloy in a strong position but three on the trot from Shea McCann, Conor Johnston and Fintan Close were followed by a Shea McCann goal which put his team seven clear.
Dunloy were rocked but they started to claw their way back as Aodhan McGarry and Charlie Cunning fired over. Shea McCann pushed the gap out to six again and Dunloy were unlucky when an Oisin McCamphill ‘rocket’ rebounded off the crossbar. With just three minutes left of normal time the gap was still at six but three points in as many minutes from Oisin McCamphill and Tom McFerran (2) left just three between them.
Creggan’s backs were against the wall but they showed great character and when Shea McCann struck a great point into the wind from forty metres the victory was secure.
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St. Gall’s cruise into semi-Finals
U21A Antrim Championship
St Gall’s 2-21 St Paul’s 0-7
Reigning U21A champions, St. Gall’s served notice that they are serious challengers for this year’s title when they proved much too strong for visitors St. Paul’s at Milltown on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts showed their intentions right from the start and Manus Crossan got them on their way with a clinical finish from a short distance after the Milltown men enjoyed an early spell of possession.
Paul Austin added an excellent effort and the St. Gall’s centre-half-forward would go on to play a starring role for his side and finished the evening as top scorer.
Callum Walsh added another as the Milltown side moved two ahead and as the St. Gall’s pressure began to pay dividends, Padraig Murray fired to the net in the 18th minute to put some distance between the sides.
Murray stole in at the back post to punch Niall Fallon’s delivery to the net before Austin pointed a free to extend the St Gall’s lead to five points with just eight minutes remaining to the break.
Dubhultach MacCracbhaga and Paul Austin added two more to increase their lead in the period leading up to half time as the home side enjoyed a commanding lead.
St Paul’s tried to respond and O’Dufaigh pointed from a free from close range but this score would be cancelled out after Callum Walsh struck a terrific effort that sailed just inside the right hand side.
The reigning champions led their Shaw’s Road rivals by six points at the break and even at this stage it was hard to see St. Paul’s turning this one around in the second half.
Murray and Austin added two early points on the restart as St Gall’s continued to press and then Crossan and Walsh combined again to move St. Gall’s 11 ahead as St. Paul’s struggled to contain a lively home attack.
The one way traffic towards the visitor’s goal continued as Murray converted a free and even at this stage it looked all over with St. Paul’s offering little in response.
St Gall’s lead continued to increase with Paul Austin showing precise accuracy from the placed ball as he continued to punish indiscretions by an over worked St. Paul’s defence.
The visitors were still battling against the odds and Ciaron Ó’Dufaigh struck a brace of frees to reduce the deficit to nine but that would be as good as it got as the home side responded once more.
Austin was the instigator as he combined with Gaireach Adams, Ethan Walsh and Niall Fallon to set up the incoming Franco McCullagh who fisted to the St. Paul’s net and it was game over.
Paul Austin’s two-pointer put the icing on a fine performance by the Milltown Row side and sealed the fate for St Paul’s with Ciaron Ó’Dufaigh replying with what proved to be a mere consolation score for St Paul’s as St Gall’s ran out convincing winners on the day and will be hopeful they can make it a second U21 championship in a row.
St Gall’s: C Óg Mullan; C Hale, G Adams, F McCullagh 1-0; A Mackel, L Lynn 0-1, E Walsh 0-1; M Crossan 0-2, O Maskey; D MacCracbhaga 0-1, P Austin 0-9 (0-2f, 1xx2P), C Walsh 0-4; J Rafferty, N Fallon 0-1, P Óg Murray 1-2
Subs: C Wilson, L Walsh, O Kelly 0-1, C Devine
St Paul’s: A Carroll; T Duff, E McGreevy, D O’Sullivan; C Burke, C McAlea, L Phillips 0-1; C Killiyleagh, C Trainor; C Duffy, S Óg McClaren; P Crawford, C O’Dufaigh 0-5(0-5f), S Burns 0-1, S Munce