Naomh Séamas held their Annual Dinner Dance and awards ceremony last night at the Tullyglass Hotel. With nearly 400 people in attendance the night was a celebration of a club that is clearly intent on getting bigger and better.
There was some important initiatives launched at the evening with their Club Facility Development plan launched. This was followed by the announcement of their 1st club development fundraiser when they will be hosting the Quid games on the 28th Feb 2026.
There was also the significant announcement that their Chairman of 13 years, Paul McCarthy was stepping down. Paul was awarded a gift for recognition of his time and dedication to the club.
Then it was over to the awards for all their players from young to old, girls to boys where they got their awards presented by the Senior Ladies and mens captains Anna Crossan and Seamus McGarry.
There was a special presentation to the club President Seamus Henry for his time and service to the club over the past 60 years.
The club the presented Bert Trowlen of the Saffron Gael with a cheque to help support their sterling work throughout the year.
The dancing and craic kicked on into the late hours. Another hugely succesful night and the club would like to thank the Tullyglass team for a fantastic evening. Also a big shout out to Bert Trowlen for his fantastic photographs.
TO SEE MORE OF BERT’S PHOTOS FROM THE NIGHT CLICK ON HE LINK BELOW
AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Ladies Football Championship semi-final:
St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass (Antrim) 1-12 Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 1-10
Photographs: Elaine Kelly
Moneyglass wrote their names in the history books today when they pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the history of LGFA by beating Dublin and Leinster champions Kilmacud Crokes in the All Ireland Senior Ladies semi-final at Kilmacud’s home ground Pairc de Burca.
The never-say-die attitude that has epitomised Charlie O’Kane’s side over recent seasons finally paid the dividends their efforts deserved when they beat Errigal Ciaran to collect a first Ulster title last month.
The Antrim and Ulster champions, who went into the game as rank outsiders, battled from start to finish and when they went in at half time trailing by just two points, it was clear that they were not the underdogs everyone had painted them.
With club legend Cathy Carey and Maria O’Neill leading the line the Ulster champions cancelled out early score from the Dublin champions with one apiece at the other end.
The South Dublin outfit moved back ahead with two points from Michelle Davoren and one from Cotter, but two from the evergreen Cathy Carey and one from O’Neill restored parity and it was becoming clear that the gap in standards that many of the so called experts had talked about was not as obvious as predicted.
Crokes struck a telling blow when Daveron grabbed the opening goal of the game four minutes before the interval to move her team a goal clear, but Carey kept Moneyglass very much in touch when she sent over to leave just two between the sides at the interval.
It was clear the self-belief was growing in the Moneyglass side and things got even better when Cathy Carey moved them ahead from a free. The Moneyglass fans were in full cry at this stage and when Maria O’Neill got in for a goal they were in ecstasy, but they were brought back to earth when Cotter came back with three in a row for last year’s All Ireland finalists.
The Moneyglass girls still held a one point lead but when the referee Barry Redmond signalled there was seven minutes of injury time still to be played, the tension was unbearable. However the Moneyglass defence held on and a late score from substitute JoJo Darragh sealed their place in the All Ireland final against reigning champions Kilkerrin Clonberne at Croke Park in two weeks’ time
Scorers – St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass: C Carey 0-6 (4f), M O’Neill 1-3 (0-1f), L Stewart, E Mallon, J Darragh 0-1 each.
Kilmacud Crokes: N Cotter 0-6 (5f), M Davoren 1-2, D Egan, E Rutledge 0-1 each.
ST ERGNAT’S, MONEYGLASS: A Devlin; C Graffin, N McIntosh, L Stewart; A Leahy, S O’Neill, R Bradley; A Kelly, E Louise McAreavey; C Griffin, M O’Neill, N Neeson; B Devlin, C Carey, E Mallon. Subs: L McCann for Kelly (38), J Darragh for B Devlin (44).
KILMACUD CROKES: D Gower; P Greene, E Sweeney, C Regan; S O’Donoghue, A Kane, N Carr; D Egan, K Murray; L Kane, A Davoren, N Cotter; A Conroy, M Davoren, E Rutledge. Subs: K McDaid for L Kane (42), A Bedford for O’Donoghue (45), A O’Grady for Regan, E Kane for Conroy (both 52).
AIB All Ireland Senior Club Camogie ChampionshipLoughgiel 3-14 St. Finbarr’s 3-15
Report and photos from Michael Corcoran in Donaghmore Ashbourne GAA Club, Co. Meath
As the ink dries in all of the camogie articles written about the games over the weekend, one stands out to go down in history. The Loughgiel v St. Finbarr’s game. It took over ninety minutes of play, six goals and twenty nine points to decide that the Barr would go through to the All Ireland final to play Athenry, Galway, beating Loughgiel in the end by an agonising point. Sixty minutes of regular play, an additional 2 x 10 minutes of extra time and a further 2 x 5 minutes of extra extra time would be needed to bring the matter of who would be the fortunate victor to a conclusion.
St. Finbarr’s started the better of the two sides, pointing first with the chilling breeze over their left shoulder and then a sideline ball well caught and delivered into the back of Loughgiel’s net by Orlaith Cahalane had the Barr sideline excited.
The ominous threat from County Down woman, now a Cork resident by way of a student work placement, Sorcha McCartan, raised the Barr’s second green flag as she gathered up the sliotar from an unmarked position. Despite St. Finbarr’s building momentum, the Shamrock’s stayed in touch with four points, only one of those from play by Marie Laverty with the other three dropping over St. Finbarr’s bar by Róisin McCormick from two frees and a forty five.
Lucia McNaughton brought them even closer with a fine point from an Anna Connolly pass. Connolly, who has been slowly building her recent game portfolio in a quiet fashion worked relentlessly during the entire game. McNaughton brought the game to the short whistle with only four the difference, Loughgiel 0-05 St. Finbarr’s 2-03.
Anna Connolly, a whirlwind of a presence takes physio time out ahead of extra time
Loughgiel came out in the second half the brighter side, owning much of the play, which was at times hugely physical. Dobbin, McCormick and Lynn tipped sliotars over the bar in the first eighteen minutes with just one pointed reply from the Barr’s Keeva McCarthy but it was McCormick’s goal on the twentieth minute that shook more than the net as the Shamrock supporters went wild, calculating that this was the first time Loughgiel went ahead and now the dream was real.
But dreams are fragile things and when the Barr clipped three points over McAllister’s bar at the top of the pitch, one of those a recycled Kate Wall effort by Keeva McCarthy, the pendulum swung over in favour of St. Finbarr’s. A well struck forty five from Loughgiel brought them one point closer and then Loughgiel’s captain, Amy Boyle, saved the game with her point in play just before referee, Liz Dempsey, blew for full time with scores Loughgiel 1-10 St. Finbarr’s 2-07.
Loughgiel’s captain, Amy Boyle, drew sides in normal play to take the game into extra time
The first portion of extra time witnessed the Barr strike first with a point from McCartan, then the Shamrocks eased ahead by two points on the fifth minute with an Annie Lynn goal but McCarthy and McCarton neutralised that difference with two points, McCarton taking hers with the classic turn and over the shoulder effort, with 2-10 apiece at the break.
In the second portion of extra time, Loughgiel wasted no time in making use of their previous momentum and McCormick soared a point over goalkeeper Ciara Hurley’s bar from a sideline pass before Caitrín Dobbin’s point attempt morphed into a deadly drop-in behind Ciara Hurley’s stick and under the bar for the Shamrock’s third goal. Yet again the Barr pulled the Shamrocks back with a point and then a goal from substitute Eimear Hurley, driving hard towards the goal on the left flank. McCarthy would now drift the Barr ahead by one point, leaving Loughgiel’s McCormick to make sure of her free to once again level the game at the end of the second portion of extra time. If the supporters wanted tension, they had it it heaps.
Loughgiel’s taliswoman, Róisin McCormick delivered in abundance during Saturday’s titanic battle
In the third portion of extra time, no side was able to move their campaign forward, despite the Shamrocks having three successive attempts to score from inside the small rectangle but it wasn’t until the fourth and final portion, where the nerves along the sideline were etched away and voices reduced to croaks. Going into this segment of play, both sides were 3-12 apiece and the Barr struck first with a point, followed by McCormick’s point from play. Then a Marie Laverty foul, taking her out of the game, left McCormick to take the Shamrocks into the lead one last time from that free before Orlaithe Cahalane pointed for the draw and a point from an advancing Ciara Golden in a ‘do or die’ effort by the Barr took them to the final whistle as winners, the score board announcing Loughgiel 3-14 St. Finbarr’s 3-15.
Kirsty McKendry clears the threat on her first touch as Loughgiel’s Clare McKillop patrols her zone with full authority in Saturday’s semi final
This was undoubtedly one of the finest games of camogie to have been played for an All Ireland place in the final. St. Finbarr’s were able to tolerate the nerves and game intensity, despite this being their first experience at this level. Loughgiel were heroic to the end and flew the Club, County and Provincial flags at their very highest. This is the game we all love. Sometimes though, as the song sung by the late Amy Winehouse goes, ‘Love can be a losing game’.
You can enjoy photos from Saturday’s epic game here…
St. Mary’s CBGS topped Group C of the Danske Bank McLarnon Cup with a hard fought 0-10-0-09 win over St Malachy’s in the final group game at the Dub on Friday afternoon,
Going into the last round of fixtures, all teams were deadlocked on two-points after St. Mary’s defeated Leacle Trinity and St. Malachy;s accounted for Our Lady and St Patrick’s College Knock on MatchDay 2.
Leacle and Knock met on Thursday evening with the Downpatrick side running out 1-15-1-07 winners to take top spot and pole position for a passage straight into the quarter-final unless St. Mary’s could defeat their Belfast neighbours and top the group on head-to-head.
The Glen Road side played with a strong breeze in the opening half and were ahead within five minutes as Sean Og McLaren shot over a two-pointed score to get his side up and running.
Odhran McAuley then kicked a free in the aftermath before Aaron Rafferty carried the ball forward and superbly guided an angled shot inside the near post to reduce arrears after 10-minutes (0-3-0-1).
Further scores were traded as Sean Og McLaren laid the ball off for Fintan McKinney to pop over and in response Cathair McKenna offloaded to Cormac Trainor to kick a fine point midway through the half.
Back-to-back converted frees extended St. Mary’s lead, the first a straight forward effort from in front of the posts from Matthew Murray, but two minutes later he himself was fouled on the edge of the arc and he notched his sides second two-pointed score of the half.
Their scoring for the half was complete by the 27th minute with another two scores arriving before the interval.
Odhran McAuley swivelled and kicked a magnificent angled point and then Cormac McCann added another a few minutes later as their side had hit four unanswered.
Just prior to the break Aaron Rafferty swung over a free to narrowly reduce the deficit at the break, as St. Mary’s held a 0-9-0-3 advantage at halfway.
St. Malachy;s made the perfect start to the second period with a two-pointed score. Thomas Mooney popped the ball out to Cormac Trainor to swing over a fine point from outside of the arc and reduce arrears by a third.
Aaron Rafferty was then in a great position to capitalise and take possession after a slip from a St. Mary’s player coming out of defence and Rafferty shot over to half the interval deficit.
St. Mary’s only second half score came after Fintan McKinney was fouled as he went to shoot and Matthew Murray clipped over the resulting free in the 37th minute.
Midway through the second period St. Malachy;s fightback gathered further pace when Michael Jennings dropped an angled shot over to make it 0-10-0-7.
In the final ten minutes Cathair McKenna kicked two close range frees that reduced the deficit to the bare minimum but St. Mary’s closed the game out, playing the possession game effectively to secure the win that saw them top the group and head straight for the Quarter-finals in the New Year.
St. Malachy’s will meanwhile occupy third spot in the Group and face a play-off tie with the team that finishes third in Group A for a place in the last eight.
Newly crowned Ulster Champions Moneyglass are under no illusions about the task the face when they travel to Dublin on Sunday to take on Leinster champions Kilmacud Crokes of Dubliin…..in their own back yard.
Someone, somewhere will have a logical explanation as to why the Antrim and Ulster champions have to play the Dublin champions in their home ground but it escapes me why Antrim’s first ever Senior Champions are forced the journey to Dublin in their first venture outside the province of Ulster.
However if they are aggrieved about that decision they haven’t let it occupy their thoughts and the look forward to their new challenge in good spirits, and with high hopes.
Niamh McIntosh from Glenariffe who captained the Moneyglass team who became the first Antrim team to win the Ulster Ladies Gaelic Football Championship when they beat Errigal Ciaran of Tyrone in Sunday’s final in Brewster Park, Ennikillen. Pic by Elaine Kelly d
Kilmacud Crokes Leinster final win over Tinahely of Wicklow earned them their fourth provincial title on the trot, all four of them convincing wins which brought high scores….5-13 this year, 4-14 last year against Eadastown of Kildare, 4-14 against Naomh Ciaran of Offaly in 2022 and 4-15 against Tinahely in 2021. They reached their first All Ireland final last year but were beaten in the decider by Kilkerrin-Clonberne of Galway who that day won their fourth All Ireland title in a row.
As well as having a good few Dublin players in their ranks Kilmacud also have Galway star Ailbhe Davoren, who works in the capital, so they are a formidable outfit.
After adding yet another Antrim title to their roll of honour this year Moneyglass went into the Ulster campaign with mixed feelings after having lost to Armagh champions Clann Eireann in the past two years. The started off well in Ulster with a big win over Down champions Bredagh, but were still probably regarded as outsiders when they met the Armagh champions for the third year in a row. However they turned the table on their rivals that day and booked their place in the Ulster final for the second time in their history, where they faced newcomers Errigal Ciaran of Tyrone. The Tyrone champions made a promising start but Moneyglass slowly got to grips with the Ballygawley outfit and went on to win with a bit to spare.
On Sunday they take another step on their journey, a new challenge and a new adventure. Kilmacud will provide stern opposition, of that there is no doubt, but Moneyglass have players who can match it with anyone on their day.
It is a big ask for the Antrim champions, but so too was Clann Eireaan and Erigal Ciaran so give it your best girls and who knows what will happen.
