Category / Hurling

by thesaffrongael

Antrim Cup Hurling Development Day 2018

On Saturday 21st April Antrim Coaching and Games hosted the annual Antrim Cup Hurling Development Day. Development teams from Kilkenny, Carlow and Meath were given a warm welcome to Antrim and played in keenly contested games across three venues in Belfast.

The U14 section was hosted at Queens University Malone Playing Fields. Teams competing were Kilkenny, Carlow 1 & 2, Meath 1 & 2, Antrim Slemish and Antrim Casement. Around 150 young hurlers got the opportunity to pull on their county jersey and pit themselves against other counties. The skill levels on show were certainly of a high standard across the counties and the games were played in very good spirits.

The U15 section was played at St Agnes GAC Pitch, Woodlands were Antrim U15s took on Meath U15s. This was a tough, physical game for both teams with plenty of learning that help both teams as they build for their cross provincial and national blitzes later in the year.

At Coláiste Feirste, Sportlann, Falls Road, Antrim U16s took on Meath U16s and Antrim U17s took on Kilkenny U16. With a big year ahead for all the teams involved in this section players and managements will take plenty encouragement from team and individual performances.

Antrim GAA Coaching and Games would like to thank the referees for officiating the games, Queens Sport Upper Malone, Colaiste Feirste and St Agnes GAC for the use of facilities and of course a huge thank you to the visiting counties from Kilkenny, Meath and Carlow we will hopefully see these counties visiting Antrim again in the near future.

Pics by Sean Paul McKillop

by thesaffrongael

Four goal Churchill leads the St Gall’s charge

All County Under 16 Hurling League – Division 2

St Gall’s 9-10 Shane O’Neill’s 3-13

Goals made the diffence at Milltown on Monday night when St Gall’s hosted Glenarm in the All County Under 16 Hurling League which the home side won by 9-10 to 3-13. St Gall’s opening goal came from corner forward Odhran O’Chuilian and while Glenarm came back with a series of good points and a goal Sean Murphy Lopez got St Gall’s second and though Daniel Bunting got their third they still trailed by a point at the break as Glenarm made good use of the wind.

After the change of ends wind assisted St Gall’s hit their stride and the goals came at regular intervals. Churchill got his second goal and Dara Delaney (2), Sean Murphy Lopez and Churchill knocked over points. Churchill was a key figure during the second half as he added three more goals while Bunting got his second in an impressive win.

Jack Doherty, Chris Lundy, Malachi McCloskey, Dubhaltach Wilson, Fergus Donnelly, Connla McCarthy, Niall Murtagh, Brendan Murtagh, Adam Churchill, Sean Murray Lopez, Dara Delaney, Dan Churchill, Aodh Mullan, Darragh Bunting, Odhran O’Chulain.

Subs – Sean Stewart, Conall McCabe, James Sloan.

by thesaffrongael

St. Mary’s show no compassion in opening Gallagher Cup encounter

Danske Bank Gallagher Cup – Ulster Colleges Hurling

St. Mary’s CBGS 2-13-0-02 Cross and Passion, Ballycastle

By Kevin Herron

St.Mary’s CBGS began the defence of the Gallagher Cup with a comfortable 2-13-0-02 win over Cross and Passion, Ballycastle at Cloughmills this afternoon.

The pre-game intrigue came in the form of the Herron rivalry as St. Mary’s CBGS Raymond Herron entered back into management of a school team for the first time since 2008 and upon his return he faced younger brother and ex-Antrim stalwart Ciaran – a teacher at Cross and Passion.

It was St. Mary’s CBGS who were quickest out of the traps – despite playing against the wind in the opening 25 minutes, Dubhaltach Wilson picked up the ball and despite running into heavy traffic the St. Galls corner-forward was able to get his shot over the bar.

Oisin Elliott responded for Cross and Passion with an excellent score from range, though quickfire points from Diarmuid Rogan and midfielder Conor Boyle gave St. Mary’s CBGS a 0-03-0-01 lead.

Elliott claimed his second point of the afternoon to half the deficit – but it was be his sides last of the afternoon with over 40 minutes of the game remaining.

Niall Fallon almost found the net for St. Mary’s however his shot was repelled by the Cross and Passion goalkeeper and Boyle popped the ball over the bar for his second point of the afternoon midway through the half.

Malachai McCluskey and midfield partner Boyle were dominating the centre of the park – Boyle made it back to back scores before the opening goal arrived on 17 minutes.

The move which led to the goal was free flowing as Conor Boyle combined with Pearce Short whose hand pass released wing-half forward Niall Fallon; who had impressed in St Gall’s Féile hurling games to date – with 5-07 from three games and Fallon conjured up the first goal after soloing forward and driving the silother into the top corner to give his side a 1-05-0-02 lead.

Conor Boyle struck his third successive point in the aftermath and just before the break Dubhaltach Wilson and Diarmuid Rogan claimed their second respective points of the afternoon and in between – captain Fionn Mervyn was accurate from a converted free to give St. Mary’s CBGS a 1-09-0-02 lead at the interval.

Within two minutes of the restart St. Mary’s CBGS had their second goal of the afternoon – Niall Fallon saw his low shot blocked by the Cross and Passion goalkeeper but fortuitously Fallon found the net at the second time of asking – via the post as his side were now 2-09-0-02 in front.

Fallon would bring his personal tally to 2-01 with a 35th minute before departing play – St. Mary’s CBGS ran their bench and substitute Paul Donnelly was next on the score sheet with an excellent strike over the black spot.

The industrious Malachai McCluskey deservedly claimed a point five minutes from time after turning the ball over and letting fly and the final score of came courtesy of the hard working Dubhaltach Wilson .

Cross and Passion should have added to their tally with a late rally but credit must go to St. Mary’s unsung heroes at the back including wing-backs Patrick Moyes and Adam Churchill – who were colossal in preventing the corner-forwards troubling goalkeeper Cahir Carberry.

Ben McAuley was a rock at full-back whilst Stefan Hughes and Pearce Short – were keen to contribute too many of St. Mary’s forward advances.

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Pics by John McIlwaine

 

by thesaffrongael

All Saints up and running with good win over Davitt’s

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ACHL Division 4

All Saints 2-15 Davitt’s 0-6

All Saints Ballymena recorded their first win on their return to All County action when they proved too strong for visitors Davitt’s at Quinn Park on Monday night. After coming mighty close in their last outing against Na Magha the Ballymena side were determined to win this one and they went on the offensive right from the throw in.

They got off to a great start with the impressive Padhraig Magill rattling the Davitt’s net and adding two points in the opening ten minutes and despite playing against the breeze they went on to lead by 1-7 to 0-5 at the break.

Liam Cassley started at full-forward but dropped out around the middle early on and with Luke O’Rawe and Damian Gillan he gave all Saints a strong platform in this department. Up by five at the break the game was by no means over but the spade work had been done.

Davitt’s cause wasn’t helped when they had a player dismissed early in the second half and after this the Quinn Park side began to play some great hurling, moving the ball around confidently. Cassley continued to pull the strings and finished with 1-2 and his former Cloughmill’s colleague Damian Gillan also impressed and ended up top scorer with 0-7.

Anthony Mitchell  0-1 and keeper Ciaran Neeson added points and young Neeson has been a revelation since stepping in the problem goalkeeping role while in front of him Darren McGinty, Ciaran Cassley and Colum Neeson gave nothing away.

The experienced Damian Gillan and Liam Cassley gave their side a strangle hold at mid-field where Luke O’Rawe continues to impress while Brendan McDonnell, Vinnie Esler and Padhraig Magill never stopped running  in a mobile attack.

All Saints:

  1. Ciarán Neeson(0-01)
  2. Darren McGinty
  3. Ciarán Cassley
  4. Frank Casey
  5. Anthony Mitchell(0-01)
  6. Colum Neeson
  7. Eoin McGuigan
  8. Luke O’Rawe
  9. Damian Gillan (0-07)
  10. Brendan McDonnell
  11. Gary Miskella
  12. Vinnie Esler
  13. Terence Diamond
  14. Liam Cassley (1-2)
  15. Padhraig Magill (1-04)
by thesaffrongael

Loughgiel top Under 16 table

All County Under 16 Hurling League – Division 1

Loughgiel maintained their unbeaten start in Division 1 of the All County Under16 Hurling League when they beat Dungiven by 2-12 to 2-2 at Fr Healy Park on Sunday afternoon and now sit top of the table. A goal from Conor O’Mullan and some excellent points from Enda Og McGarry and Rian McMullan helped the wind assisted Shamrocks to a 1-10 to 0-0 half time lead.

Dungiven fared better in the second half and grabbed a couple of goals of their own, but a second goal from Ronan McCollum and further points from McMullan, McGarry and Damian Quinn saw Loughgiel safely through to a convincing win.

As the saying goes, goals win matches and the goals did the damage as Cushendall hosted Dunloy in the U16 League in Cushendall on Monday evening, the Ruairis running out winners by 7-13 to 1-9. Playing with what breeze there was blowing across the pitch, Cushendall got off to a strong start with the defence standing strong and the foundation for the midfield and forwards to drive forward and dominate the first half going in 3-7 to 0-5.         31195452_1844570418896913_1714141720079237120_o                                                                                                                                              The second half started like the first but 10 minutes in Dunloy started to find their feet and started to win the breaking ball and drive forward and picked up a few good scores, however some more excellent goal scoring by Cushendall meant there was only going to be one winner. Most observers who braved the cold and wind will probably agree that it was a good all round performance by Cushendall but to Dunloy’s credit they never gave up and fought for every ball right to the final whistle.

Cushendall scorers on the night were Fionntan McQuillan 0-5, Colum McKeegan 5-3, Conlith McKinley 2-1, Conal McGlynn 0-1 and Padraig McKillop 0-3, but the management will be most pleased with the all-round performance given last week’s slow start.

Ballycastle got their season up and running when they beat Ballinascreen by 3-13 to 1-10 at Pairc MacUillin while Eoghan Ruadh Dungannon laid down a marker when they beat Rossa by 4-15 to 1-12 in a high scoring game in Dungannon.

Under 16 League table

DIVISION 2

It was a busy night in Division 2 of the Under 16 Hurling League where St Paul’s beat Glenravel by 3-9 to 1-6, while St Gall’s got the better of Glenarm in a high scoring game at Milltown, running out winners by 9-10 to 2-13. Lamh Dhearg travelled to St Enda’s and won by 3-15 to 0-6. Clooney Gaels had a 8-10 to 4-7 win over South West Antrim neighbours Tir na nÓg while Na Magha ran up a massive 9-29 when beating St Olcan’s