Category / Division 3

by thesaffrongael

Devlin’s late points keeps the Biddies on top

ACHL Division 3

Shane O’Neill’s 0-16 St. Brigid’s 1-15

Mickey Devlin pointed a free and struck another from play to earn St. Brigid’s Cloughmills a narrow victory over a battling Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm in Feystown on Sunday to maintain their unbeaten run at the top of division 3.

They were pushed all the way by a battling Glenarm side who will feel they could have something from this highly entertaining and very competitive battle of two well matched sides.

It was Shane O’Neill’s who enjoyed the better of the opening half and they took a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes with points from Niall McGarel, Ciaran Magill and Ben O’Boyle from a sideline cut. Cloughmills had been slow to settle but they began to find their range and Rian Dobbin, James Doherty and a couple from Mickey Devlin saw them hit the front with15 minutes gone.

Ciaran Magill edged the Feystown side ahead once more but it was short lived as Corey Blair out-muscled his marker at the other end to beat Michael Abram from close range and move the visitors 1-4 to 0-5 ahead with nine minutes remaining to the break.

Reece Watt gets his shot away despite the attention of Kieran O’Boyle

The home side responded positively as they went on to dominate the closing stages of the first half as Liam Mulvenna, Daniel Black, Niall McGarel, Ciaran Magill and a spectacular long range point from Darren Hamill saw them move 0-10 to 1-4 ahead at the short whistle.

As the sides changed ends it was Shane O’Neill’s who had the bit firmly between their teeth with Aidan Scullion adding a great point and Ciaran Magill followed with another to move them five in front and the league leaders looked in a bit of trouble.

They replied with points from James Doherty and another from a Mickey Devlin free but Glenarm came back with a point from a ‘65’ by Ciaran Magill to edge four ahead again as the visitors introduced Stephen Smith for Corey Blair.

Slowly Cloughmills began to wrestle control from the home side as Ruairi Laverty and Mickey Devlin from another free cut the gap to two but Shane O’Neill’s continued to look dangerous as the excellent Niall McGarel replied at the other end in the 13th minute.

Glenarm’s Declan McDermott claims the sliotar

St. Brigid’s were coming more and more into contention at this stage however and they hit three unanswered points through Liam Kearns, a massive point from Mickley Devlin from 60 meters, and another great point from Ruairi Laverty to move one in front with 11 minutes remaining.

Both sides introduced subs at this stage with Chris Matthews replacing Sean O’Hare in the Glenarm side and Gary McCollum coming in for James Doherty for the visitors.

A draw looked a distinct possibility as Ciaran Magill levelled matters with four minutes remaining but Mickey Devlin became the St. Brigid’s hero as he pointed a free and struck another from play to claim the points for the Biddies to keep them in top after four rounds of games.

Shane O’Neill’s: 1 Michael Abram, 2 Aidan O’Neill, 3 Barry Hamill, 4 Conal Ward, 5 Daniel Black, 6 Darren Hamill, 7 Declan McDermott, 8 Ben O’Boyle, 9 Kieran O’Boyle, 10 Liam Mulvenna, 11 Aidan Scullion, 12 Niall McGarel, 13 Kevin O’Boyle, 14 Ciaran Magill, 15 Sean O’Hare. Chris Matthews for Sean O’Hare

St. Brigid’s: 1 Chris McKiernan, 2 Aaron McGuckian, 3 Sean McKendry, 4 Seosamh MacGabhann, 14 Reece Watt, 6 Conor Laverty, 7 Stephen Martin, 8 Geoffery Og Laverty, 9 Ruairi Laverty, 10 Eoin Dobbin, 11 Michael Devlin, 12 Rian Dobbin, 13 James Doherty, 19 Corey Blair, 15 Liam Kearns, Subs: 17 Stephen Smith for Corey Blair, Gary McCollum for James Doherty, Johnny Duffin for Stephen Martin

by thesaffrongael

Loch Mór stay unbeaten with win over Ardoyne

Ardoyne Kickhams 2-11 Loch Mór 3-10

Pics by Brian McKee

Loch Mór continued their unbeaten start to their ACHL Division 4 campaign with a two-point win over Ardoyne Kickhams in an entertaining clash at Fennell Park.

The home side got off to a flying start when Oisín McVicker rattled the net in the opening minutes, with Jim McAuley adding a free moments later. But the Ardoyne men would fail to score for a further 22 minutes with the visitors adding 1-4 without reply, Ferdia Carson with the major and Darragh Turley accurate from frees.

A Simon McCrory free stopped the rot for the north Belfast side but Turley raised another white flag from a placed ball to ensure a three-point lead for the visitors at the break, 1-5 to 1-2.

A Turley brace extended the Loch Mór lead after the restart but Ardoyne then enjoyed a period of dominance with Dan Moore, Paul McGuigan and Aaron Stewart adding points from play and McAuley getting a touch on a McVicker delivery for his side’s second goal of the day.

Turley forced a great save from JP Agnew between the Ardoyne posts and the same player pointed the resultant 65 to edge Loch Mór back into the lead. Moore and Turley swapped points but the decisive score came from Murtagh Moran who fired home Loch Mór’s third goal.

Ardoyne’s Pearse Hull made it a three-point game with five minutes on the clock. Conor Jones stretched the visitors’ lead to four points, and although McCrory and McVicker narrowed the gap, Ardoyne were unable to reel in Loch Mór who now sit in second place in the Division 4 table behind leaders Ballymena.

Ardoyne: JP Agnew; C Clarke, P Clarke, S McGearty; C Wallace, S McCrory, A Stewart; P McGuigan, D Goodall; D Moore, M McLaughlin, P Hull; O McVicker, J McAuley, S Searle

Loch Mór: B Graham; A Monaghan, P Molloy, J McKenna; R Moran, C Jones, O O’Boyle; M Braniff, M Jones; D Phillips, C Dwyer, L Rooney; M Moran, F Carson, D Turley

Referee: C Brown (St Pauls)

by thesaffrongael

Goals the difference as Carryduff step up to division 2

ACHL Div.3 League Cup Final

Carryduff 2-18 Cuchullain’s 0-16

An opportunist goal by Gareth Lynch in the 10th minute of the first half and a second from Conor McAlister in the 26th minute of the second secured an impressive victory for Down side, Carryduff over their Armagh rival, Cuchullain’s in this division 3 league cup final at Dunsilly today.

Lynch’s was on hand to finish to the net following a mighty scramble in the Cuchullain’s goalmouth at a time when the Armagh side were holding a slender one point lead and it proved to be a turning point in the game as the Down men, led by the impressive Ronan Beatty went on to lead by four at half time though it looked far from over at this stage.

Beatty was proving almost unmarkable for the Cuchullain’s defence, proving supremely accurate from both frees and play and when he placed Conor McAlister with Carryduff’s second goal on a plate with six minutes remaining there was no way back for the Armagh city side.

It was Carryduff who opened the scoring with a point from Sean O’Callaghan with Conlaith Lavery replying for Cuchullain’s before Adrian Downey edged Carryduff ahead again with a point in the 9th minute.

Lynch extended that lead from a sublime side-line cut and both sides wasted chances before Niall Duffy and Tony Duffy edged the Armagh men in front by the 13th minute but it was a lead that was short lived and when the Cuchullain’s defence failed to deal with a high delivery it was Lynch who got the final touch in the scramble that followed.

It was fairly even in the exchanges leading up to the water break with Lavery and Devlin pointing for Cuchullain’s and Lynch and Beatty on target for the Down side who led 1-5 to 0-5 going into the second quarter.

On the restart Adrian Downey and Gareth Lynch extended the Carryduff lead to five but a well struck ‘65’ from Connlaith Lavery got Cuchullain’s on their way again as both sides continued to waste chances.

Cuchullain’s were finding it hard to break down a solid Carryduff defence where Conor Cassidy and James ‘Twin’ Woods were turning away everything that came their way and were dependent on the free taking of Lavery who hit another fine score to keep his side in touch.

Another from play from Conor Devlin kept the opposition within striking distance but two late frees from Eoin Conway and the superb Beatty saw the Down side in a strong position at the break where they led 1-9 to 0-8.

With the slight breeze no in their favour Cuchullain’s needed a good start to the second half and when Lavery pointed an early free it was down to three between them and should have provided the platform for the Armagh side to drive on.

  • Former Glenariffe player, Conor McAlister who scored Carryduff’s second goal today with his mother Rosaleen, brotherNiall and son Harry after the game
  • Harry McAlister had a great day at Dunsilly watching his dad, Conor help Carryduff to the division 3 league cup title

Carryduff had other ideas however and replied through Ronan Beatty from a close range free and when the same player was crowded out at the expense of a ‘65’ as he bore down on goal it was the talisman number 11 who directed the award between the uprights.

Tony Duffy for Cuchullain’s and Eoin Conway for Carryduff exchanged further points and a late Conlaith Lavery point just before the second water break meant that the gap between the sides remained at four points.

When play resumed Con Lavery had an opportunity to reduce the gap further from a close range free and a point would have been a good score at this stage but the big number 14 opted to go for goal and his shot was saved and cleared to safety.

Play swung immediately to the other end and Ronan Beatty looked in for a goal for the Down side but fired well wide when right through on goal. A let off for Cuchullain’s but Beatty wasn’t fazed by his miss as he pointed a free in the 23d minute as his side continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges.

Connlaith Lavery made amends for his earlier miss as he pointed another free but his side were getting no change from a strong and well organised Carryduff defence and when Michael Conway sent the sliothar between the sticks from all of 70 meters the momentum was with the Down side.

Ronan Beatty had been a constant thorn in the side of the Cuchullain’s defence and he received the sliotar about 40 meters from goal and raced through the heart of the opposition defence before placing Conor McAlister who batted to the net from close range in the 26th minute.

  • County committee member, Terry Reilly presents the div. 3 League Cup to Carryduff captain conor Cassidy

It was as good as over at this stage but the Armagh city side kept going to the end and were rewarded with points from Clifford, Lavery and Devlin with Beatty finishing as he had started with a couple for Carryduff to see them claim the division 3 league cup.

Carryduff: Conor McLornan, James Woods, Conor Cassidy, Ciaran Goodwin, Conal Haigney, James Lavery, Niall McArdle, Michael Conway, Eoin Conway, Gareth Lynch, Ronan Beatty, Ciaran O’Callaghan, Sean O’Callaghan, Adrian Downey, Conor McAlister. Subs:

Cuchullain’s: Adam Murtagh, Caolan McReynolds, Stephen McParland, Caolan Rice, Ciaran Duffy, Tom Marley, Ciaran Clifford, Conor Devlin, Conor Cartrill, Niall Duffy, Tony Duffy, Fionntan Oliver, Jordan Murtagh, Conlaith Lavery, Ronan Davidson. Subs:

Referee: Brendfan Toland (Lamh Dhearg)

  • Sean and Ciaran O’Callaghan with their parents Geraldine and Paul after todays final at Dunsilly
    by thesaffrongael

    Carryduff edge it at Hightown

    Shane Uí Neills   1-16     Carryduff   3-14                                                 

    Venue. St. Enda’s GAC. Hightown Rd. Glengormley.

    By Pete Hyndman

    The last time these two clubs met was at the start of the League campaign, with a draw being the final result. This game was as tight as the previous encounter and served up a treat for the hurling purists. Ronan Beatty was the hero of the hour for the South Belfast boys with a personal tally of 3-07.

    As early as 2 minutes Carryduff opened up a 4 point lead, with a point from their forward Ronan Beatty and then rattling the Glenarm net for a goal. The Feystown teams   reply was immediate with a trio of points. First score came from wing forward  Ciaran Magill from an acute angle out near the sideline. Ben O Boyle pointed next from midfield with Magill slotting over a free from 50 yards.                                     

    On the resulting puck out Dylan Mc Laughlin jumped up to claim the ball and fed a hand-pass to Daniel Black who rifled the sliotar to the net!!    GAME ON!  This semi final was heating up with some sterling work from both defences working hard and after all the work from the Glen’s team to crawl back into the game back came Beatty who pounced in for his second major. Gareth Lynch added to the city teams tally with a free.                                                                                               

    To their credit back came Shane O Neills with Daniel Black, Mc Laughlin and Magill all raising the white flag taking a narrow lead. At the end of this first quarter Michael Conway levelled the game before the short water break.                                                                                                                                                                                Glenarm pushed forward after the break with points from Dylan, and a double from Magill, his latter effort was a converted “65”.   Lynch replied with a free reducing the gap to two points.  Daniel Black and Ben O Boyle added a point each before the half time whistle.

    HALF TIME SCORE.       Shane O Neill   1-11     Carryduff  2-04

    With a strong wind advantage in this second period the Knockbracken club boys  reduced the arrears with a double from Beatty and Conor Cassidy driving over a point.Glenarm’s Aidan Scullion lit up the night sky with a fine solo effort from the midfield area. Carryduff’s tails where up in this third quarter and added another brace of points from Beatty(free) and Conor Mc Alister getting on the scoresheet, to level this tight tussle.

    Again for the blues Dylan Mc Laughlin shifted a couple of heavy tackle’s and split the uprights for a great individual score. The score’s where level again when Beatty converted a free out on the wing. A  few moments later the big No. 13 Beatty punched the air with delight when he pointed to give his side the lead. Paddy Mc Auley shortly afterwards was shown a second yellow for dragging down his marker and sent off by the referee.

    A strong evening sun was’nt helping Glenarm’s cause with the game slowly drifting away from them. Score’s where getting harder to get as the wind was slowing down any ball from defence. With the game in the final quarter the Beatty/Lynch combination resulted in two more points for the South Belfast boys.

    On the 55th minute Glenarm’s Darren Hamill sent in a high ball towards the pavillion end but with the low sun the forwards could’nt see to get any contact on the sliotar.  A minute later Hamill then found his range and pointed from a dead ball effort. D. Mc Laughlin added to the Glenarm scoreline with a nice point trying to eat into the “Duff’s” lead.                                

    Gareth Lynch pointed again putting three between the teams.Shane Uí Neill’s where throwing everything at Carryduff  in the final moments, a dropped ball in their box was pulled on by Sean O Boyle which agonisingly went over the bar for a point.  To add insult to injury a cleared ball fell into the path of Carryduff’s  Beatty who rounded his marker and put the ball beyond Hamill, for the forwards third major in this tight semi-final. The final whistle then blew to the delight of the Belfast team.

    For the victors they now face Armagh Cuchulainn’s in the Final.  Ronan Beatty was the main threat for the Carryduff boys, hitting 3-07 in the process. Lynch also played well. Woods, Goodwin and Conway all deserve a mention.For Glenarm this was their first defeat all year in all competitions and deserve massive credit for that achievement. However a bitter pill to swallow as the boys know themselves they did’nt play to their strength’s. Paul Magill, Darren Hamill and Ben O Boyle tried hard in vain, with Magill, Black and Mc Laughlin the main scoring force.   

    Shane O’Neills: Niall Hamill, Paul Magill, Barry Hamill, Ciaran Finnegan, Chrissy Matthews, Darren Hamill(0-01), Hugh Pat Mc Neill, Aidan Scullion(0-01), Ben O Boyle(0-02), Ciaran Magill (0-05 1f,165), Dylan Mc Laughlin(0-04), Sean O Boyle(0-01), Sean O Hare, Daniel Black(1-02), Kevin O Boyle. Subs used: Declan Mc Dermott for Ciaran Finnegan, Paddy Mc Auley for Hugh Pat Mc Neill. Conal Ward for Sean O Hare, Jake Hamilton for Kevin O Boyle.   subs. Kieran O Boyle, Ciaran O Boyle, Ryan Mc Loughlin, Joe Cunning, Darryl Mc Mullan.

    Carryduff: Conor Mclornan, James Woods, Conor Cassidy(0-01), Ciaran Goodwin, Conal Haigney, James Lavery, Niall Mc Ardle, Michael Conway(0-01), Eoin Conway, Gareth Lynch(0-04, 2f), Sean O Callaghan, Ciaran O Callaghan, Ronan Beatty(3-07, 3f), Adrian Downey, Conor Mc Alister(0-01). Subs used: Aodhan Mc Manus, Mark Mc Conville, Eoin Rooney, Donal Teague, Donal Rooney, Michael Woods, Michael Collins, Ciaran Rogers, Lorcan Mc Caughey, Jack Laverty.

    Referee: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg)

    by thesaffrongael

    Lámhs shade it in the Ballymena heat

    ACHL Division 4 

    All Saint’s Ballymena 1-12 – 1-14 Lámh Dhearg 

    Kevin Herron reports from Quinn Park 

    Lámh Dhearg finished the first series of the league unbeaten- but only just- after working hard to overcome All Saint’s Ballymena 1-14-1-12 at Quinn Park on Sunday afternoon. 

    Leading through an early Fionn Mervyn point the Saint’s pulled level through marksman for the day Ciaran Neeson from a close range free. 

    Daniel Murray split the posts, but Neeson replied from a second free and then gave his side the lead with a flick to the net past Francis Dugan from Damian Gillan’s floated cross to make it 1-02-0-02 after five minutes. 

    Murray converted his second free of the afternoon and he was involved in his sides next score, linking up with Declan Straney who sent his shot straight between the posts to reduce the deficit to the bare minimum. 

    All Saint’s moved two ahead again after Neeson withstood the pressure of Paddy Mervyn and was able to steer the ball directly between the posts. 

    The visitors edged ahead with the last attack before the first half water break. 

    Paddy Mervyn spotted a gap and attempted to thread a pass through to younger cousin Niall McGarry, Luke O’Rawe failed to clear the danger and McGarry went through for a goal chance which was originally parried to safety by keeper Ciaran Cassley- but Gerard Smyth was waiting to tuck away the rebound and give his side a 1-04-1-03 lead. 

    McGarry would find a point upon the resumption, but All Saint’s pulled level – Daire Hasson was chopped in midfield and Neeson converted his third free of the afternoon, a fourth would follow after Tiarnan McKenna felled Neeson and the full-forward tapped over in front of the posts to restore parity. 

    Lámh Dhearg were ahead again as Murray converted a 65’ – however it was all square at the break with Damian Gillan pointing from range to make it 1-06 apiece at the interval. 

    The hosts settled quickly after the break with a brace of Neeson free’s moving them two to the good. 

    Daniel Murray halved the deficit after charging down the channel and accurately firing it over and he would convert his fourth placed ball of the afternoon to level. 

    Neeson (free) and Murray would trade further points before Lámh Dhearg hit the front for the first time in the half after Padraig Magill chopped down on the stick of Murray who would convert the resulting free. 

    All Saint’s levelled through a Neeson free as the game was finely balanced approaching the final quarter. 

    Daniel Murray conjured up his eighth of afternoon and fifth from play with a terrific angled effort, though Neeson converted his ninth free of the proceedings and it was 1-11 apiece. 

    Ryan Diamond instantly restored his sides lead and a fine Fionn Mervyn point would open up a 1-13-1-11 lead. 

    Ciaran Neeson converted his final free of the afternoon in response, but Daniel Murray did likewise at the other end. 

    All Saint’s almost nicked it at the end with Cory Little’s shot bouncing invitingly in front of Francis Dugan who cleared at the second attempt as Lámh Dhearg held on for a 1-14-1-12 victory which will see them take on St Brigid’s in the league quarter-final on July 11th. 

    All Saint’s: C Cassley, D McKee, C McAfee, K Brady, Colum Neeson, L O’Rawe, T Diamond, P Magill, D Hasson, C Magill, D Gillan (0-01), S O’Rawe, C Little, Ciaran Neeson (1-11, 0-10f), J Magill. Subs: D Hasson for C Magill (40). 

    Lámh Dhearg: F Dugan, C Nolan, T McKenna, C Boyd, P Fitzsimons, P Mervyn, SP Gibson, R Diamond (0-01), M Hamill, F Mervyn (0-02), D Straney (0-01), D Murray (0-09, 0-05f), R Fegan, G Smyth (1-00), N McGarry (0-01). Subs: E Murray for D Straney (40), A Ferris for N McGarry (42), N McGuigan for P Fitzsimons (58). 

    Referee: Lorenzo McMullan (Bredagh)