The Saffron Gael are delighted to announce that one of their dedicated volunteers had received a major award from the LGFA, one which is richly deserved. Elaine Kelly from Moneyglass will receive her Overall Volunteer of the Year honour (the Lulu Carroll Award) at a gala dinner in Croke Park next Friday night (Jan 23^rd) where she joins a list of volunteers from all over the country. Announcing the award winners yesterday the LGFA, issued a press release listing the recipients from Tippeary, Kildare, Kerry, Dublin, Laois and even Boston USA, all of whom have been recognised for their dedication to the sport, but top of the list is our very own Elaine.

From our point of view we like to congratulate her and thank her not only for the work she has done for us through the LGFA but also the coverage she has given her own clubs’ footballers and lots of other clubs when the need arises. Well done Elaine, and well deserved.

Enjoy your big night in Croke Park!

Elaine Kelly and her husband Patrick with daughter Aoife, sons Eamon and Sean in Croke Park the day Moneyglass played in the All Ireland Senior Club final. Elaine, Patrick and Aoife will be back there again next weekend to receive her award

This is the LGFA, who organises this great event in association with Dooctor.i.e., press release to announce the winners.

THE Ladies Gaelic Football Association is pleased to announce the 2025 LGFA Volunteer of the Year award winners, in association with Dooctor.ie.

The award recipients will gather at Croke Park on Friday January 23rd for a very special evening to celebrate their outstanding achievements.

The LGFA National Volunteer of the Year awards scheme, now sponsored by Dooctor.ie, is in its ninth year and the 2025 winners, in nine categories, are as follows:

• Young Volunteer – Ben Allen, Fethard, Co. Tipperary
• School Coach – Valerie Herbert, Scoil Choca Naofa, Kilcock, Co. Kildare
• Club Coach – Fiona Nelligan McGuire, Currow, Co. Kerry
• PR Volunteer– Niamh Daly, St Pats Blennerville, Co. Kerry
• Club Committee – Justine O’Flanagan, St Sylvesters, Co. Dublin
• County/Provincial – Pat Heneghan, Vice Chairperson and Provincial Delegate, Roscommon LGFA
• International – Eileen Kerin, Boston Shamrocks, USA
• Hall of Fame – Mary Casey, Timahoe, Co. Laois
• Overall Volunteer of the Year (Lulu Carroll award) – Elaine Kelly, St Ergnats Moneyglass, Co. Antrim

The Overall Volunteer of the Year, Elaine Kelly from the St Ergnats (Moneyglass) club in Antrim, will receive the prestigious Lulu Carroll award, named after the late Lulu Carroll, who was a 2001 All-Ireland senior medallist with Laois.

Lulu, who passed away in 2007, was a committed servant to Ladies Football at club and county levels, and one of the game’s most popular and well-known figures.

Lulu, a former All-Star recipient, also won eight Leinster titles with Laois, along with six county senior titles and a provincial crown at club level with Timahoe.

Elaine is a dedicated volunteer who gives her time to capture unforgettable moments across all levels of Gaelic games – from fundamentals to senior teams.

Her passion for photography and community shines through as she covers not only club matches but also county games, creating cherished memories for players, families, and supporters alike.

Loved by the girls and ladies in her club and respected across neighbouring clubs, Elaine’s contribution to the sport and community is invaluable.

The LGFA’s Volunteer Hall of Fame winner is Mary Casey, one of the founding members of the Timahoe club in Laois.

From the very beginning, Mary has been at the heart of the club – starting as a player while also serving on the committee.

Her commitment and humility have been unwavering, and her dedication to Timahoe Ladies comes as naturally as breathing.

Mary’s playing career spans both club and county levels – and she proudly represented Laois on their 2001 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship winning team.

Mary currently serves her club as assistant chairperson and she’s heavily involved in coaching at underage levels.

Hailing the winners of the 2025 LGFA National Volunteer of the Year awards, in association with Dooctor.ie, Ladies Gaelic Football Association President, Trina Murray, commented: “I am immensely proud to honour the recipients of our 2025 National Volunteer of the Year Awards, in association with Dooctor.ie.

“These winners embody the very heart of our Association – selfless service, community spirit and an unwavering commitment to players of every age and ability.

“Week after week, they give their time, expertise and kindness to ensure our games are safe, inclusive and inspiring, often behind the scenes and without expectation of recognition. Their impact is felt in clubhouses, schoolyards and county grounds across the country.

“I am also delighted to once again welcome Dooctor.ie as our new sponsor of these awards. Their focus on wellbeing and accessible healthcare aligns perfectly with the values our volunteers live every day.

“Together, we celebrate not just achievements, but the people who make Ladies Gaelic Football thrive. To our winners and nominees alike, thank you for everything you do.”

Speaking on behalf of Dooctor.ie, company founder Dr Hafiz Mohd Ali, said: “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the National Volunteer Award winners, on behalf of Dooctor.ie.

“It is truly inspiring to witness the dedication and passion that these individuals bring to grassroots female sport in Ireland.

“We are eagerly looking forward to the celebratory night on the 23rd of January, where we will have the honour of presenting these prestigious awards.”

Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup quarter-finals

Rathmore Grammar 2-15 Holy Trinity, Cookstown 3-16

Rathmore Grammar produced a battling display full of grit and character but fell agonizingly short against Holy Trinity, Cookstown, in a high-scoring thriller.

Despite a challenging opening ten minutes where the Tyrone side raced into an early lead, the Belfast lads showed immense resilience to claw their way back into the contest, ultimately losing out by just four points after a storming finish.

After absorbing early pressure that saw Holy Trinity hit eight points without reply, Rathmore finally settled and began to dictate terms. Joe Logan was instrumental in shifting the momentum, opening the scoring for Rathmore before tagging on a second point moments later.

The comeback was truly on by the end of the first quarter when midfielder Conor Friel rattled the net, dragging the Belfast side right back into contention. Further points from Aodhan O’Hanlon and Jack Heatherington kept the scoreboard ticking over, showing that Rathmore were more than a match for their opponents in open play.

However, luck was not on their side just before the interval. Despite their hard work, Rathmore were hit by a cruel double-blow, conceding two goals in the final four minutes of the half to leave them trailing 1-4 to 2-9 at the break—a deficit that arguably flattered the opposition.

The second half saw a renewed effort from Rathmore. Showing great tactical awareness, Joe Logan and Donnacha McGurk both landed excellent two-point scores to cancel out Cookstown’s early efforts. Even after conceding a third goal in the 44th minute, the Rathmore heads never dropped.

In fact, the final quarter belonged largely to the Belfast school. Christopher Robb was in inspired form, hitting 0-4, including a two-pointer, while Ronan Taylor also found the range during a dominant purple patch that saw Rathmore significantly close the gap.

The “never-say-die” attitude was epitomized in injury time when full-forward Liam Carson blasted home a goal. While the clock ultimately beat them, the 2-15 total was a testament to a fighting performance that pushed the Cookstown side all the way to the final whistle.

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Scorers

Rathmore Grammar:

• J Logan: 0-6 (2tp)
• C Robb: 0-4 (1tp)
• C Friel: 1-0
• L Carson: 1-0
• D McGurk: 0-2 (tp)
• A O’Hanlon: 0-1
• J Heatherington: 0-1
• R Taylor: 0-1

Dr McKenna Cup- Group C

Antrim 0-7 Donegal 1-15

Venue: Erin’s Own, Cargin (Toomebridge)

It was a difficult afternoon for Mark Doran’s Antrim side as they fell to a heavy 1-15 to 0-7 defeat against Donegal in punishing conditions at Erin’s Own, Cargin.

Coming off the back of a tough second-half collapse against Derry, the Saffrons were hoping to restore some pride on home turf. However, faced with tricky underfoot conditions and Donegal despite fielding an experimental side, proved too strong for Antrim, who struggled to find their rhythm, ultimately succumbing to an 11-point loss.

Slow Start in the Rain

The game began in miserable, wet conditions which made flowing football nearly impossible. Antrim found themselves on the back foot immediately, with Donegal racing into an early lead thanks to a two-point free from Gavin Mulreany.

While the visitors dominated early possession, they were wasteful, kicking four consecutive wides. This offered Antrim a lifeline, but the hosts failed to capitalize initially. Paul Bradley found himself at the end of the Saffrons’ best move of the opening quarter but dragged his shot wide, while efforts from Pat Shivers and Ryan McQuillan also failed to trouble the scoreboard.

It took 18 minutes for Antrim to finally register their first score—breaking a worrying drought that stretched back to the first half of the Derry game—with Pat Shivers pointing to settle the nerves.

Keeping in Touch

Goalkeeper John McNabb proved vital in keeping Antrim in contention during the first half. In the 21st minute, he produced a smart save to deny Donegal’s Mark Curran, who had unleashed a soccer-style effort. Shortly after, Shivers converted a free to leave just the minimum between the sides at 0-2 to 0-3.

However, Antrim couldn’t maintain the pressure. Despite Shivers causing problems for the Donegal defence, the visitors began to find their range with points from Jason McGee and Shea Malone.

Ryan McQuillan did manage to find space to score a well-taken point in stoppage time of the first half, but in a recurring theme of the day, Donegal responded immediately through Conor McCahill.

Half-Time: Antrim 0-3 Donegal 0-7

Second Half Struggles

Antrim started the second period with renewed intent. Ryan McQuillan slotted a free to reduce the deficit to three, and although Hugh McFadden replied for Donegal, Paddy McBride hit back with a well-taken score in the 41st minute to make it 0-5 to 0-10.

Whatever hope Antrim had of mounting a comeback was effectively extinguished in the 51st minute. Donegal substitute Eoin McGeehin reacted quickest to a rebound to net the game’s only goal, followed instantly by a Kevin Muldoon point. Suddenly, the gap was nine, and the game was effectively over as a contest.

A Local Consolation

One of the few bright sparks for the home support came in the 56th minute. Cargin’s own Sean O’Neill, playing on his club pitch, curled over a fine point for Antrim—a moment of quality in a difficult half.

However, Antrim could not bridge the gap. Pat Shivers added a late free—his third score of the day—in injury time, but it was mere consolation. Donegal finished with a flourish, landing a two-point score via Seanán Carr to seal a comprehensive victory.

It leaves Antrim with plenty to ponder ahead of the National League, as the Dr McKenna Cup campaign ends without a win though the quality of opposition they will be facing in Division 4 will a fair bit short of what Derry and Donegal had on show this week

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Scorers for Antrim

• Pat Shivers: 0-3 (2f)
• Ryan McQuillan: 0-2 (1f)
• Paddy McBride: 0-1
• Sean O’Neill: 0-1

Antrim Lineup

ANTRIM: John McNabb; Kavan Keenan, Kevin McCann, Eoghan McCabe; Ruairi Hagan, Joseph Finnegan, Marc Jordan; John Carron, Kevin Small; Patrick McBride, Conor Small, Paul Bradley; Pat Shivers, Ryan McQuillan, Oisin Doherty.

DONEGAL: G Mulreany; M Curran, C McColgan, U Doherty; P O’Hare, D MacGiolla Bhríde, M Campbell; J McGhee, H McFadden (C); C Moore, T Carr, O Caulfield; C McCahill, K Gallagher, S Malone. Subs: D Ó Baoill for C Moore, F Roarty for C McColgan, K Muldoon for O Caulfield, C Gallagher

Referee – Barry McMenamin (Cavan)

TO SEE MORE OF DYLAN’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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