Above – Orrin O’Connor fires in Glenariffe’s first goal

AIB Ulster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship quarter-final:

Glenariffe Oisin’s (Antrim) 2-17 Liatroim Fontenoys (Down) 1-16

Alex O’Boyle’s accuracy from frees went a long way towards booking Glenariffe a semi-final place in the Ulster Club Hurling Championship at Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel on Saturday, but it was his pass to pick out his brother Michael for the game clinching goal that really sealed the deal.

The Antrim champions certainly did not get things their own way but a brilliantly taken goal by Orrin O’Connor at the end of the opening quarter appeared to have really settled them. However their chances received a bad blow when they had a man red carded just two minutes later and that upset their rhythm. Their play became scrappy again and it was during this period that Alex O’Boyles points from frees were so vital.  

Leading by three at half time the Oisins twice opened sizeable gaps, only to be hauled back by the Down champions, but when the Boyle brothers combined for their team’s second goal it all appeared to be over bar the shouting. However the nervousness in their play popped its head up again and the seven point lead was pulled back to just three until the excellent Orrin O’Connor settled things with a late point.

Liatroim started well and despite facing the breeze went ahead with a Cormac Lynch point.  Alex O’Boyle replied but Conor Leneghan gave them the lead again to edge them 0-2 to 0-1 ahead. Alex O’Boyle’s second and third points briefly got the Oisins ahead for the first time before a slick Liatroim move ended with a goal from Chris Kelly-McEvoy.

Glenariffe reacted well as they hit 1-3 without reply over the next five minutes, the points coming from O’Boyle, Conor Patterson and Seanie McIntosh before Orrin O’Connor raced up the right wing, played a one-two with Daniel Kearney and hit the roof of the Liatroim net. When Michael O’Boyle fired over a point in the 17^th minute, the lead was out to 1-06 to 1-02,

Next came the red card which clearly upset the Oisins rhythm and Lietrim hit back with five of the next six points from the McCrickard brothers – three from Pearse and two from Conor.

However two late frees from O’Boyle and a final point from play for Orrin O’Connor were the difference between the teams at the half way stage, Oisins 1-10 – Fontenoys 1-7.

O’Boyle scored two frees on the re-start for Glenariffe and every time Liatroim got a score, there seemed to be an immediate opportunity for the Glenariffe corner-forward to return serve with a free at the other end.

Liatroim couldn’t build momentum and, with time running out, adopted a more direct route. Ruairí McCrickard’s long free in the 59^th minute landed in the Glenariffe goal-area and was bravely grabbed by goalie Paul McMullan.

His clearance was worked the length of the field before it broke to man of the match O’Boyle who set up his brother Michael for his team’s second goal At 2-16 to 1-12, it looked to be game over. But with five added minutes signalled it wasn’t quite!

Pearse óg McCrickard pointed three frees and Ruairí McCrickard another to leave three points between the sides with the five minutes allotted injury time up. The pressure was back on at this stage but Orrin O’Connor found room on the right for the Oisins and sent over the insurance point to seal a semi-final place against either Tryone chanpions Carrickmore or Donegal champions champions St Eunan’s who play tomorrow.

Oisín: P McMullan, P McIlwaine, M Haughey, C Devlin, David Kearney, N Magee, C McIlwaine, O Gillan, O Kearney, O O’Connor 1-2, C Patterson capt 0-1, M O’Boyle 1-1, A O’Boyle 0-11 (fs), S McIntosh 0-1, Daniel Kearney.

Subs: B O’Connor for C Patterson (16), C Ward for Daniel Kearney (37), Dónal Kearney for P McIlwaine (50),

Liatroim: S Duggan, R O’Hare, Ruairí McCrickard 0-1 (f), D Cunningham, Rónán McCrickard, O Duggan, W McCartan, J McCrickard, P óg McCrickard capt 0-7 (6 fs), C Kelly-McEvoy 1-1, C McCrickard 0-3, C Leneghan 0-1, C Lynch 0-1, DJ Farrell 0-1, D Magee 0-1.

Subs: M Carville for D Cunningham (ht), A Laverty for C Leneghan (44).

Referee: T Conway (Derry)

David Kearney (5) who was a tower of strenght in the Oisins defence during the second half

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Ulster Club Junior Hurling Championship

Con Magees Glenravel v Truagh Gaels (Monaghan)

Pairc Mhuir, Cushendall – Sunday 2nd Nov – Throw-in – 1-30 pm

Truagh Gaels were beaten in the Monagahan Senior Hurling final six weeks ago when they lost out to Castleblaney, a team well known to the Con Magees who played them in the quarter final of the Ulster when they won the Antrim Junior Hurling title back in 2014. It is fair to say that most Glenravel fans back then would have fancied the Con Magees to come out on top that day, but they got a rude awakening when the Blaney men showed just how accomplished they were. Two years later another Antrim team fell to the Monaghan champions when Cushendun lost out by a point to the Blaney men in the Ulster Junior final at Armagh Athletics ground.

While Truagh came up short against Blaney in the Monagahn  final, the point I am trying to make is that Glenravel will do well not to take anything for granted on Sunday when they face Truagh in Cushendall. Something that will stick to Truagh is that they had a game last weekend when they beat Tyrone champions Omagh St Enda’s in the preliminary round in Truagh by 2-11 to 0-11. One good thing about that tie is that Glenravel get ‘home’ advantage for Sunday’s game, while the Monaghan men face a 90 mile journey down into the glens.

Neill ‘Vic’ McCann, who manages the Con Magees team along with Cormac Scullion and Hugh McCann, travelled down to Truagh for their game against Omagh and are well aware of the challenge posed. The also watched the Monaghan final on Clubber so they have seen Sunday’s opponents in two different games which will help highlights their strengths and weaknesses.

It has been four weeks since the Glenravel men beat Armoy in the Antrim final in a game played in terrible conditions in Ballycastle. The Con Magees were emphatic winners that night but they have gone a long time without another knock-out game. Ironically they have played Castleblaney in a challenge game two weeks’ ago which should raise their sharpness ahead of Sunday and according to the management they have a clean bill of health ahead of the game.

Playing just down the road in Cushendall should be an advantage for the Con Magees, but it will not win them the game, but if they can turn in a display anything like they did when beat Armoy in Antrim final they should get over the line.

Ulster GAA – Senior Football Club Championship

Dunloy v Newbridge at Owenbeg. Throw-in 6pm

Sunday 12 October 2025.  A day where a ‘hurling’ club took the big ball crown.  I say that with tongue firmly planted in cheek.  Dunloy took the McNamee Cup back to the Village, the Creagh lorry was struck up and the celebrations started.  The scenes were epic, some compared them to that historic day in 1990 when the Volunteer Cup first made its way back to Dunloy, some say it was surpassed.

Those celebrations and the Monday Club are put down to history as Dunloy set their sights on new territory.  On Saturday evening, they’ll travel to north Derry to face Sean O’Leary’s, Newbridge.  A side who claimed back to back Derry titles after taking the John McLaughlin Cup in 2024 for the first time in 30 years.  They are a seriously talented side but a side who will feel like they still have something to prove to themselves and the province.

12 months ago, they came up against the then Armagh champions Clann Eireann but left Celtic Park with a two point defeat.  A same Clann Eireann team who went close to defeating Errigal Ciaran in the ulster semi-final and we all know how they went last year.

Despite an opening day defeat in the first round of the Derry championship to Dungiven, Newbridge have steadily improved.  They dismantled Loup before putting in strong performances against Sleacht Néill in the semi final and defeating O’Donovan Rossa Magherafelt in the final, despite their underdogs tag.  Callum McGrogan got the crucial goal in Celtic Park that day while Conor McAteer top scored with 0-5 and Oisin Doherty with 0-4.  Their main strength has come around the middle of the park, as showcased in the Derry final.  They dominated the middle third and had the lion’s share of the kickout stats by the final whistle.  Expect Conor Doherty, Paudie McGrogan and Mark Doherty to be in the thick of things while Paudie’s brother Conor was the driving force behind their win against Magherfelt with a mighty performance at six.  Eamon Young is a player who has shown huge potential at underage with the Derry County set up and is finding his feet at senior level, he’ll take some looking after if Dunloy are to get anything out of this game.

For Dunloy, it could well be a case of ‘let’s go again.’  They took the Antrim championship by storm with a string of mighty performances and if you are to believe the bookies, they had underdog victories from the quarter final.  Being underdogs on Saturday won’t faze this group of players, if anything you get the feeling that they relish it.  They want to continue to prove people wrong and that a dual club like themselves can be successful with both codes at the senior grade.  The pace and power that they play with is well reported on, but it’s their agility and vision that has taken them a step further this year.  Their ability to create major chances against the one of the toughest defences Antrim could put their way, taking chances and on occasions missing them but that’s the Dunloy way. 

I said earlier this year that it’s like Anthony McQuillan sat down with the FRC and said: ‘Lads, football should be played this way.’  If there is a team in Ireland who are more suited to be playing with the new rules, I haven’t seen them yet.  The space there is now in the game allows talented players to ‘breathe’ with the likes of Keelan Molloy, Seaan Elliott and Deaglan Smith flourishing.  The speed of thought and speed of play is borne from their hurling side, to combine that and use it as a strength is down to McQuillan and his backroom team.

Regarding their starting 15, it can’t imagine that it’ll change too much.  Deaglan Smith has a clean bill of health and that’s a huge bonus for the Cuchullains.  He’s pivotal for McQuillan’s team and they will need him at his best on Saturday.  The big decision comes down to whether Conal Cunning will start.  He got game time and played like he hadn’t been out with injury in the hurling semi final against Loughgiel.  Those 10 or so minutes were the pathway for him coming off the bench against Cargin.  Having come through that Loughgiel test, he got longer the following week and he’ll be itching to get a place in the starting 15.  It’s a massive call and will certainly be giving the Dunloy management team a headache as they finalise their plans.

All year, Dunloy have lived by the sword with their style of play and they might well die by the sword but they’ll play football with a sense of organised abandonment and freedom.  Like a team who play without fear, something that’s been the darkest of shadows over the game for too long, but that has been the Dunloy way for a long time now.  A fear of losing?  Dunloy don’t have that, they don’t know what it is.  They’ll need that same mentality on Saturday.