Under-21 A Football Championship (round one)

Erin’s Own Cargin 1-22 St James Aldergrove 1-04

Cargin defied the weather and the challenge of the men from Crumlin to claim a place in the next round of the under-21 football championship when they proved too strong for the visiting Aldergrove in a one sided affair in Toome on Sunday.

The home side, under the guidance of Tomas McCann, Justin Crozier, and Kevin Mc Shane entered this one as firm favourites and were quickly into their stride.

Tom Shivers and Charlie McCann proved dominant in the central zone from the outset and the former helped himself to several scores in the early stages and such dominance ensured a 0-14 to 0-1 lead at the halfway stage.

A couple of early scores in the second period including a converted penalty from Chris Campbell offered hope to the visitors but the home side were quick to respond with Cillian Scullion converting a penalty and Cargin had gone well clear by the final whistle.

The Erin’s Own lads, with a number of players who had been part of the ill-fated senior championship panel on duty, started as firm favourites and were quickly on their way, despite facing a cold northerly breeze in the first period they soon gave employment to those on umpire duty.

The irrepressible Jack O’ Neill split the posts after a couple of minutes and Ben McLarnon was quick to follow suit with a couple of white flags raised by the 6^th minute.

A Fiontan Hardy clearance opened the door for Jack Harney to raise a further white flag before Cillian Kennedy pulled the trigger from away out on the right wing to add another and the home side were 0-06 to 0-00 ahead a couple of minutes later when Tom Shivers sent a free between the posts,

The visitors were rewarded for their labours as the game passed the half way juncture with wing half back Cormac Morris answering the call when he despatched a 35metre free between the posts in the 17^th minute.

This score failed to inspire his colleagues however and the home side returned to the positive to add a further supply of scores in a dominant ten minutes with Tom Shivers, Ben Mc Larnon, and Caomhin Kennedy raising white flags apiece in as many minutes.

Cargin continued to dominate and Cillian Scullion, Jack Harney, and a two pointer from Tom Shivers, his second of the afternoon, ensured a 0-14 to 0-01 lead for the home side at half time.

Erin’s Own started the second half as they had finished the first and Jack O’ Neill split the posts in the 32^nd minute.

The St James men looked in serious trouble but an excellent approach and finish by mid fielder Delany raised their second white flag of the afternoon.

Delaney’s score brought an immediate reply from the home side when Hugh O’ Donnell pointed at the other end a couple of minutes later.

The visitors kept battling against what looked impossible odds and after Cormac Morris sent a free between the posts they were awarded a penalty after Ronan Aiken was adjudged to have been fouled inside the area and Colan Hanna duly delivered the award to the back of the net.

Although still well in arrears of their hosts on the score board Aldergrove had been handed a lifeline but that hope was soon to be dashed as the home side resumed control.  

Cargin dominated the closing stages and points from the impressive Jack O’ Neill and another from Cillian Scullion and a goal from the same player put the contest out of sight and sent Cargin trough to a quarter-final meeting with St. Brigid’s next weekend.

Cargin: S Laverty, Fiontan Hardy, Cahir Donnelly, Cahir O’ Boyle, Callum Gribbin, Ben Mc Larnon (0-03), Jack O’ Neill (0-04), Charlie Mc Cann (0-01), Tom Shivers (0-6), Hugh O’ Donnell, Jack Harney (0-03), C Kennedy (0-01), Cillian Scullion (0-03), Diarmuid Quinn (0-01)

Subs

Dara Mc Auley

Niall Quinn

Jack Meatchick

Aldergrove:David Mc Cutchen, Jamie Scallan, C Lagan, Adam Mageda, Cormac Morris (0-03) Liam Magee, Shea Cormon, Luke Delaney (0-01), Aiden Erwin,  Dara Maguire, Adam Conway, Jude Keenan, Fionbar Murbans, Jude Keenan, Liam Mc Carry, Ronan Aiken

Subs

C Hanna

Chris Campbell

Conal Hanna (1-01)

Referee: P Nugent

U21A Football Championship

All Saints 0-7 Creggan 3-7

Goals proved the difference between these two sides at Quinn Park in Ballymena on Sunday with All Saints trailing by two points at the break despite conceding two bad majors to Kickham’s Creggan during a first half where they failed to take advantage of their wind advantage.

It was the home side who were first on target when Paidin Mitchell pointed a 2^nd minute free but that lead was short lived as Sean Daly  advanced along the by-line through a porous home defence to set up Shea McCann for the game’s opening goal in the 5^th minute.

Both sides were finding scores hard to come by  though a Darrach Bradley pointed free for the Ballymena side reduced the gap to the minimum with 13 minutes gone but All Saints were defending too deep and inviting the opposition on.

Kickham’s were much more direct in their approach and Finn Connon in the All Saints goals pulled off a smart save to deny Sean Daly but was then forced to watch in despair as a Shea McCann  ‘45’ sailed directly to his net.

The home side attempted to respond but Conan McKeown’s attempt at goal was wide of the target before Darrach Bradley pointed a couple of frees to leave it 2-0 to 0-4 for the visitors at the end of a low scoring opening half.

Bradley pointed within 30 seconds of the restart to leave just one between the sides but All Saints were punished for a breach of the 3-Up rule and McCann converted the resulting free.

A point from a free by Darrach Bradley and another converted free from the same player had it all square at 0-7 to 2-1 by the 6^th minute and it looked like we were in for a tight second half but All Saints would not score for the remainder of the contest as the visitors took control.

Finn Connon came to his side’s rescue with a good save from Aidan McIlwee with the impressive Shea McCann pointing the resulting ‘45’ to give his side back the lead and it was a lead they would build on as he game progressed.

Eunan Johnston got in for a third goal for the visitors as the home defence got themselves in a tangle and McCann followed with a point before the home side lost a player to a second yellow card.

The Kickham’s pressed home their advantage going down the home straight with Fintan Close, Sean Daly and Shea McCann tagging on late points to see them safely through to a meeting with Dunloy in the quarter-finals next weekend.

TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/scAdrphDWhitNN

The under-21 Football Champion returns on Sunday next in a competition which bridges the gap between adult and juvenile grade.

Twelve clubs have entered the competition set to commence on 26^th October with those Clubs set to proceed on the Ulster trail possibly having to decide on participation.  

The competition is set for four rounds to be completed with a 16^th November decider.

The winners from the opening round will retain home advantage for their second round game with the semi-finals scheduled for the 9^th November and the final set to take place the following weekend.

Round One (26^th October)

• All Saints v Kickham’s Creggan
• Casement’s v Aghagallon
•  Cargin v St James Aldergerove
• St John’s v St Gall’s
• Con Magee’s Glenravel v Cuchullian’s Dunloy
•           St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v St Brigid’s

Round Two (2^nd November)

C v F

E v A

D v St Paul’s

St Enda’s v B

Semi Finals (9^th November)

Final (16^th November)

PICS FROM THE 2024 FINAL IN WHICH ST GALL’S BEAT CON MAGEES GAELS

The U21 A & B Football finals are down for decision this Sunday with Con Magee Gaels meeting St. Galls in the A final in Poretglenone at 12-00pm and Dunloy and Creggan facing each other in the B decider in Ballymena at the same time.

Good crowds have attended the earlier round of the competition but these could be affected on Sunday with Cargin Ulster clash with Errigal Ciaran fixed for 1-00pm at Corrigan Park.

U21A final

Con Magee Gaels v St. Gall’s

Portglenone 12-00pm

Both sides have impressed on their way to Sunday’s final with Con Magee Gaels pulling out all the stops to defeat Cargin at Fr. Maginn Park in the quarter-final and St. Gall’s recording a big win over neighbours St. Gall’s at Milltown.

Con Magee Gael began their campaign with a preliminary round win over St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass before getting over the line in this tough quarter-final win over Cargin at Fr. Maginn Park.

They looked in a bit of bother after a final furlong flourish from rivals Cargin when they tagged on four unanswered points in the final five minutes to draw level but then yielded two scoreable frees in added time which the home team converted.

Daire Higgins was the Glenravel hero with those two late conversions and it put the Gaels through to a semi-final meeting with Aghagallon with the Glens men again enjoying home advantage.

St. Mary’s had earned their place in the semi-final after a good 1-13 to 1-9 home win over a fancied St. Brigid’s in the quarter-final and travelled to Glenravel to meet the home side in the semi-final.

Once again the Gaels produced the goods to run out 0-14 to 2-4 winners. In the end, Glenravel’s sharpshooters at the top end of the pitch made the telling difference as they had that little bit more composure in front of the sticks when it mattered most.

F Hodgson (0-01), F Donaghy (0-02,) S O’Broin (0-04,) C Ward (0-01;) C McKeown (0-02,) P McDonell, D Higgins (0-03) were the Glenravel marksmen after a polished performance.

St. Gall’s have had an easier route to Sunday’s final after All Saints withdrew from the competition to hand them passage to the semi-final and a meeting with a St. John’s side who had impressed in their quarter-final win over St. Paul’s.

Manus McCrossan was excellent at mid-field for the Milltown Road men with goals from Niall Fallon, Daniel Quinn and Padraig Murray paving the way for a 3-14 to 0-5 win.

With three win s in the competition already behind them Con Magee Gaels will fancy their chances of adding this year’s U21A title to the B title they collected last year but they face a good St. Gall’s side and this one could go either way with the Gaels getting a tentative nod.

U21B Final

Dunloy v Creggan

Ballymena 12-00pm

Dunloy will start this one as favourites after recording good away wins over Sarsfields at the Bear Pit on day one while Creggan were recording an opening day win on the adjacent pitch when they finished strongly to defeat Rossa by five points.

Dunloy were on the road again in the semi-final when they travelled to Whitehill and proved too good for Tir na nOg.

Daire McMullan hit 2-2 as the visitors ran out 2-10 to 1-3 winners while Padraig Martin, Thomas McFerran, Aodhan McGarry and Eoin McFerran impressed in a good all round Cuchullian’s side.

At the same time over on the Staffordstown Road Creggan were made to work hard before overcoming the challenge of visitors Lamh Dhearg in the other semi-final.

The Kickham’s led 1-4 to 0-5 at the halfway stage but were reeled in early in the second half with half time substitute, Patrick Tumelty kicking two early points to close the gap to the minimum.

Creggan rallied though to dominate the final quarter and finish 1-13 to 1-7 ahead with Odhran Hampsey, Sean McAuley, Tristan McCann, Fintan Close, Sean Duffin, Shea McCann and Conor Johnston seeing them comfortably over the line.

This could be another close encounter but Dunloy might just have enough to see them home but there is not likely to be a lot between these two South West rivals.