Tír na nÓg got off to a blazing start at Whitehill at mid-day on Sunday, when they hosted Ardoyne Kickhams. They registered 6 scores through 3 points from Connor Hastings (2 frees), Pauric Redmond, Ryan Clarke & Caleb Smith with his first of the day before Ardoyne got off the mark with a 13min free.
The home side hit a further unanswered 4 scores; a 2 pointer from Caolan Hughes & further points from Clarke & Caleb Smith. Before the short whistle Smith rattled the back of the net, leaving the half time score in favour of the home team 1.14 (17) to 0.2.
In the third quarter both teams exchanged scores; Ardoyne hit 2 frees and a third 2 pointer. Tír na nÓg scores came from a Hastings free before Brendan Devlin hit 1.1 to leave the score 2.13 to 0.6.
Ardoyne finished strongly with 2 more points and Tír na nÓg hit a further point from Hastings before the last score of the game saw Caleb Smith fire to the net as the Whitehill side advanced to the semi-final.
Tír na nÓg 1. C. McKenna 2. R. Devlin 3. S. Mckeown 4. T. Bonnes 5. S. Grant 6. P. McCloskey 7. C. Hughes 8. B. Devlin 9. D. McLornon 10. A. O’Donnell 11. R. Clarke 12. S. Martin 13. P. Redmond 14. C. Smith 15. C. Hastings
Subs: Jude Storey for Alex O’Donnell, Conor ONeill for Tiarnan Bonnes, Ciaran McCamphill for Brendan Devlin, Christy Heffron for Ruiari Devlin, Shea Redmond for Conor Hastings.
Aghagallon produced a spirited second-half comeback to claim a hard-fought victory over St Enda’s in a pulsating U21A clash that saw momentum swing dramatically at St Enda’s.
Trailing by five points late in the first half, the visitors looked to be in trouble after St Enda’s struck with a long range goal from corner forward Odhran McKenna and a flurry of frees from their lively right half forward Cathair McKenna. Midway through the first half, Aghagallon’s blood substitute Ronan O’Connor scored a goal, before being taken off again! Odhran Rooney was reliable for Aghagallon in the first half, converting two frees.
Aghagallon regrouped at half time and came out with renewed purpose, overturning the deficit with a mix of grit, guile and clinical finishing.
EJ Loughran was instrumental in the turnaround, hitting four second-half points, two from play and two from placed balls, as Aghagallon gradually reeled in their hosts. His score at 23 minutes, a well-taken point from play, nudged the visitors ahead for the first time since the opening exchanges.
Eoin Maginnis added a crucial goal midway through the second half, powering his way through the defence to finish smartly and give Aghagallon a two-point cushion. Daniel McIlmoyle chipped in with a fine point from play, after coming on for the second half and Loughran’s accuracy from frees kept the scoreboard ticking over as St Enda’s struggled to regain their earlier rhythm.
Aghagallon’s defensive discipline, highlighted by the excellent performances from half back’s Enda McCartan and James McCormack and midfield dynamo Padraig Gowdy helped Aghagallon to regain control of the game that was lacking in the first half.
Although there was a strong wind down the pitch for the entire game, both teams were more effective playing into the wind, but towards the end, St Enda’s used the wind to kick the ball high and long on a few occasions, as they chased Aghagallon’s lead.
Aghagallon’s resilience and sharper finishing saw them over the line, securing a 2-9 to 1-7 win and sending a clear message to the rest of the U21 championship contenders.
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A penalty conversion in the 62nd minute by Issac Robinson following foul on Niall Duffy saw St Brigid’s complete a strong comeback to deliver the killer ‘punch’ and book a place in the under-21A championship semi-final at the expense of their hosts, Cargin in a ‘game of two halves in Toome on Sunday.
The home side dominated the opening period with St Brigid’s restricted to less than a handful of scores with Ruairi Mc Erlain raising two white flags, and Joe Logan helping himself to a ‘two pointer’.
Cargin opened positively and had four points on the board by the end of the first quarter and added goals in the second as Conhuir Johnston, Cillian Scullion and Hugh O’ Donnell followed suit despite playing against the breeze.
The Erin’s own side looked to be in a strong position at the break when they led 3-05 to 0-04 as they looked forward to the assistance of the elements in the second period.
Cargin, following an impressive win in the opening round of the under-21A championship, started this quarter started as favourites as they played hosts to St Brigid’s with the weather fine and the breeze assisting the visitors in the opening half.
It was Erin’s own who made a positive start however and Tom Shivers opened their account with an early point and although it took them a time to settle, a Cillian Scullion addition ensured they were a couple of points in front by the 10th minute.
Despite the aid of the breeze the visitors were finding it hard to get going in the early stages and a Fiontan Hardy clearance opened the way for Jack Harbinson to raise white and when Conhuir Johnston added another the hosts had earned a 0-04 to 0-00 advantage and were looking good.
A Ruairi Mc Erlain pointed free got the visitors on to the scoreboard in the 16th minute and Joe Logan followed with an impressive two pointer but Cargin were to finish the first period on top as Tom Shivers sent Conhuir Johnston away to fire home and secure a 1-04 to 0-03 advantage for the Toome side.
Cargin continued to press in the closing stages as a Tom Shivers delivery opened the way for Cillian Scullion to find the back of the net and Conhuir Johnston followed with a point.
They continued to press as the clock counted down as Hugh O’ Donnell completed a movement from defence to attack when he added a third goal with Ruairi McErlaine having the last say as he split the posts for the visitors to leave it 3-05 to 0-04 for the hosts as the half time whistle sounded.
The hosts started the second half with a quick attack and Conhuir Johnston pointed to increase their advantage but the visitors were about to return fire when a Niall Duffy effort from an acute angle nestled in the back of the Cargin net.
JJ Higgins
Tom Scullion quickly replied with a point but St. Brigid’s were beginning to find their feet as they took control in the central zone and JJ Higgins added a second goal and the Musgrave Park side had made impressive inroads into the Cargin lead.
Cargin still retained a three point advantage but that was about to change as Niall Duffy added a point and when the same player added a two pointer the momentum was now very much with the visitors.
St Brigids were now dominating as Duffy added back to back pointed frees and mid fielder Brian McGarrath followed with a goal to ensure a 3-09 to 3-07 lead.
Ben Mc Lernon responded with a point to close the gap to the minimum but their visitors had the scent of victory in their sites and Issac Robinson Stepped forward to despatch a 62nd minute penalty to the net to kill the Cargin challenge and earn his side a place in the semi-finals.
Cargin: Shea Laverty, Fiontan Hardy, Cahir Donnelly, Cahir O’ Boyle, Callum Gribbin, Ben Mc Lernon (0-01), Jack O’ Neill, Charlie Mc Cann, Tom Shivers (1-02), Hugh O’ Donnell (1-00), Jack Harney (0-01), Conan Johnston (0-01), Cillian Scullion (1-00), Cian Scullion, Conhuir Johnston (1-03)
Subs
Patrick O’ Neill
St Brigids: Fergus Canning, Aodhan Mc Nicholl, Sonny Doyle, C Logue, Niall Finnegan, Donnacha Mc Gurk, Eoghan Sheehey, Brian Mc Garrath (1-02*)Josh Toner, Niall Duffy (2-4 2, 2pointers), Issac Robinson (1gl), Ruairi Mc Erlaine (1-2 1-2 pointer), JJ Higgins (1-00), Joe Logan (1-2pts)
Ulster Club Senior Football Championship – Round 1
Dunloy 0-11 Newbridge 1-14
Saturday 1 November
Brendan McTaggart reports from Owenbeg, Dungiven
With 10 minutes to go at Owenbeg, hope sprang eternal for Dunloy Cuchullains. The sides were tied, Dunloy were controlling the second half and dictating a game many outside of the Village didn’t give them a prayer of getting anything from.
A golden chance for a major went a begging and Newbridge made the most of the reprieve. A couple of two pointers and another free in the space of a little over three minutes proved to be the winning of the game in the last five minutes as the Derry champions ran out six point winners.
The final score line felt harsh on the Cuchullains. Both sides had passed up on goal chances, Chrissy McMahon putting on a goal keeping clinic in the first half with his saves while Nathan Rocks was superb between the sticks for the Bridge.
The Sean O’Leary’s were so incisive throughout the game with fast, intricate passing to cut through Dunloy – especially in the first half. The speed of thought matching the Newbridge speed of play as they looked for runners off the shoulder in tight, enclosed spaces. Oisin Doherty and Sean Young pivotal while Callum McGrogan got the game defining goal with a quarter of the game remaining.
McMahon’s shot stopping was brilliant and he could do little with Callum McGrogan’s goal while Aaron Crawford, Reece Cunning and Aodhan McGarry were all excellent throughout. Eoin McFerran put in his best shift of the championship as he and Deaglan Smith went through a mountain of work in both attack and defence. On a night when the Cuchullains needed the spark in attack that they had shown so often in their run to lifting the McNamee Cup, too often it wasn’t there. Keelan Molloy top scored with six points, two frees and a brilliant two pointer that almost lifted the roof off the stand at Owenbeg. On another night, Luke McFerran would have ended the first half with three goals while the work rate of Eoin O’Neill and Nigel Elliott could never be faulted. Seaan Elliott showed glimpses of his brilliance but he was well shackled by a brilliant Newbridge defence, brothers Shane, Paudie and Conor McGrogan excelling as they wrestled control in the final 10 minutes.
The opening moments of the game belonged to the Derry champions but they held a slender one point lead after the opening 10 minutes. Oisin Doherty (free) and Sean Young pointing either side of a Keelan Molloy free while McMahon’s save to deny Oisin Doherty in the same period of time was right out of the top drawer.
Dunloy’s first point from open play came in the 12th minute, Molloy getting on the end of a lightning break as Dunloy began to grow into the game. Conor Doherty split the uprights for his first of two points while McMahon was the saviour for Dunloy once again, this time denying Sean Young.
Eoin O’Neill restored parity at the end of the first quarter and while Newbridge fired over two unanswered points from Conor and Oisin Doherty (free), the final 10 minutes of the first half belonged to Dunloy.
They created a massive goal chance through Seaan and Nigel Elliott before finding Luke McFerran. He got his shot away despite having very little room only for Rocks to deny him with his legs. Molloy (free) and Sean Young fired over before another Dunloy goal chance went a begging. Seaan Elliott skewed his effort for a point and with the ball dropping around the edge of the six yard box, Luke McFerran managed to get a hand onto the ball to palm it goalwards only for Rocks to be equal to his shot.
A brace of two pointers from Molloy and Deaglan Smith took Dunloy into a two point lead in the last minute of the 30 but Dunloy managed to create another goal chance. Nigel Elliott breaking from a ruck and found space to run into as Newbridge retreated. He looked for Keelan Molloy inside who had the goal at his mercy but Shane McGrogan managed to get a hand onto the ball as the half time whistle blew.
It was a great ending to the half and the interval came at the wrong time for the Cuchullains. They were getting up a head of steam and had Newbridge on the ropes. Dunloy were playing into a stiff breeze in the second half and a two point lead was precarious but they began the second half superbly. Keelan Molloy and Ryan McGarry pointed either side of a Mark McGrogan point to stretch their lead to three as they looked to play with patience and precision.
Dunloy had the lion’s share of possession but Newbridge were dangerous from turnover ball with their pace and power. Oisin Doherty fired over his third free of the contest to leave two points between the sides before they scored the only goal of the game in the 43rd minute. Oisin Doherty showing tremendous pace and skill to cut inside the Dunloy defence and had the presence of mind to pass across to Callum McGrogan who palmed to the back of the Dunloy net.
Dunloy continued to play with patience and restored parity with Seaan Elliott splitting the uprights, giving the Cuchullains a timely response to the Newbridge goal with a little over 10 minutes remaining. That was to be Dunloy’s last score of the contest though as Newbridge took a stranglehold of the game.
Mark Doherty split the posts before the Cuchullains created another massive goal chance. Nigel Elliott breaking from a ruck once again and as Newbridge tracked back, Elliott looked to find Smith to his left. His pass was too long however and Newbridge took full advantage.
Two efforts from outside the large ‘D’ from Conleth McGrogan and Oisin Doherty put daylight between the sides while Doherty would take his tally to six points for the evening with his fourth free of the night.
It was a harsh lesson on the clinical nature of Ulster football for the Cuchullains and a case of what might have been. Newbridge proved to be a bridge too far for Anthony McQuillan’s men who have lit up the Antrim championship this year. The Ulster Odyssey was stopped before it got out of second gear but they will take plenty of learnings from this hour and look to 2026 with plenty of promise.
Feaured image: David McGaraghan who scored 1-1 in the opening 7 minutes to give St. Agnes a four point lead
Ulster Junior Football Championship quarter-final
St. Patrick’s Donagh 2-11 St. Agnes 1-7
Despite a blistering start where they raced into a 1-1 to 0-0 lead after 7 minutes, St. Agnes first venture into Ulster would end in defeat when they were beaten by Fermanagh Champions, St. Patrick’s Donagh at Brewster Park on Saturday.
The Antrim champions were dipping their toes in the Ulster waters for the first time after completing a league and first Junior Championship in Antrim when they defeated Na Piarsaigh at Davitt’s Park a fortnight ago and for a time their fairy story looked like continuing.
David McGaraghan kicked them into an early lead direct from a ‘45’ and when the same player raced along the bye-line and placed his shot inside Shaun Montgomery’s left hand post the Woodlands travelling support were in fine voice.
Dan Turley, St. Agnes takes on St. Patrick’s Patrick Grue
At this early juncture in proceedings the ‘Aggies’ were dominating possession with Dan Turley and Patrick Mulgrew controlling mid-field and Conall Turley proving a handful with his strong running and smart distribution.
Significantly the Belfast side didn’t take advantage of their possession and were guilty of some poor finishing when they should have been further ahead and when Nathan Beattie opened St. Patrick’s account from a 30 meter free in the 12th minute, the game began to change.
Mid-fielder, Johnny O’Reilly followed with a couple of excellent points and then a great movement, involving several players saw Thomas Cadden fire past Colum Carroll in the 22nd minute to give the Fermanagh side a lead they would not lose.
Points from a Conall Turley 40 meter free and another fine effort from the same player had it all square by the 26th minute but it was St. Patrick’s Donagh who would finish the half on top.
Colum Carroll had pulled of an excellent save to deny Cadden minutes earlier but he was beaten all ends up three minutes later when Jimmy Tormey finished confidently and a point from Nathan Beattie had the Fermanagh side four in front at the break.
Both sides wasted opportunities as the second half got under way but a point from Cormac McBride for the ‘Aggies’ closed the gap to a goal and when Donagh lost Sean Daly to a straight Red card after a high tackle on McGaraghan the tide looked to be turning in favour of the Antrim champions.
Instead it was St. Patrick’s who upped their game with Nathan Beattie moving them four ahead again from a free in the 12th minute but St. Agnes were still fighting hard and Eoghan Curran saw his attempt come back of an upright before the excellent Turley cut the gap to three once more in the 16th minute.
That would be as close as they got however as Donagh responded and the impressive Nathan Beattie raced clear at the other end with a good point.
Daire Tracey and Thomas Cadden added two more before Conall Turley responded at the other end but that was as good as it got and it was the excellent Tormey who would conclude the scoring with the game’s final point for the Fermanagh champions.
Jimmy Tormey (21) raises his fist in celebration after scoring St. Patrick’s second goal
A disappointing end to the season for the Woodlands side but Martin Shortt’s side can hold their head high after a superb season where they recorded a first Antrim championship success and a division 3 league double.
They will reflect on some wayward shooting during an opening quarter where they dominated possession but will undoubtedly regroup and press forward next season where they will be playing their football in division 2 and competing in the Intermediate championship.
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