ACHL Division 4

All Saints 1-12 Loch Mor Dal gCais 0-8

All Saints got their ACHL division 4 campaign off to a winning start when they produced a strong second half comeback to defeat Junior B champions, Loch Mor dal gCais at a windy Quinn Park on Sunday.

 Playing into a strong wind in the opening half, All Saints faced a tough challenge from the throw-in. Loch Mór Dál gCais used the conditions well, keeping the scoreboard ticking over through Darragh Turley’s accurate free-taking.

Despite the difficult conditions, All Saints showed great determination and work rate across the pitch. Their defence held firm under pressure, limiting Loch Mór Dál gCais to mainly long-range efforts and preventing any goal chances.

Going forward, scores were hard-earned into the breeze. Damian Gillan contributed two valuable points from play, while Pearse Martin added a free. A number of promising attacks were built, but the conditions made shooting difficult, reflected in three wides.

Around the middle third, Archie McGreevy and Luke Mulholland worked tirelessly, competing well for breaking ball and helping to keep All Saints in contention despite the elements.

Half Time: All Saints 0-03 LM 0-06

With the advantage of the wind in the second half, All Saints produced a dominant display to overturn a three-point deficit and run out comfortable winners. Goals from Eoin McGuigan and Daniel Kelly were key moments in the turnaround, while Damian Gillan added four from play and Pearse Martin adding from frees.

In midfield, Archie McGreevy and Luke Mulholland covered huge ground and played a vital role in shifting momentum after the break. The impact from the bench also proved decisive, with substitutes Jack Magill, Robert Crooks, Sean O’Brien, Gary Miskella, and Dan Kelly all making strong contributions as All Saints pulled away.

All Saints: Ronan McAllister, Finn Connon, Dwayne McKee, Kevin Brady, Dan Gray, Cormac Magill, Niall Savage, Luke Mulholland, Vinney Esler, Eoin McGuigan, Pearse Martin, Michael Connolly, Archie McGreevey, Damian Gillan, Fintan Brady Subs P Doherty, J Magill, J Downey, R Crooks, L Wash, G Miskella, D Kelly, S O’Brien, A Casey, D McGettigan, J Mooney

Antrim Hurling League – Division 4

Rossa 2-22 St Brigid’s 4-23

The sport of hurling has been given an unprecedented boost on Belfast’s Malone and Lisburn roads where the St Brigid’s club has been crowned Antrim Division Four champions with a game to spare.

The men from Musgrave Park took on and beat Rossa seconds at Shaw’s Road on Wednesday evening in an epic top of the table clash, which saw the fledgling squad from South Belfast prevail by seven points.

St Brigids teenage marksman James Kelly, who bagged 1-14 in their previous outing against Ballymena All Saints weighed in with a remarkable 0-17 haul ( 0-9 from play) in the historic win which guaranteed St Brigids – formed just five seasons ago – would be playing division three hurling in 2026.

But this was far from a one man performance, corner forward David Prenter pounced for the “ Biddys” opening goal which he buried after 5 minutes, Oisin “ willo the wisp” McDonnell added a second shortly after.

A delicious over the shoulder point from Fionntain Cleary followed and then came a long range effort from teenager Donnacha McGurk which gave the away team a ten points interval lead.

But Rossa came with an early third quarter surge, James Close popped over three points from midfield and then two second half goals sniped in quick succession saw the West Belfast outfit take the lead with five minutes remaining on the clock.

But St Brigid’s, minus two talismanic leaders in the injured Phelim Lennon & Nial Murtagh, found a way.

With the clock ticking, Dara Sidebottom thieved a ball from a ruck on Rosa’s 13m line and found Cathal Conway with a subtle hand pass and the latter first timed to the “ onion bag”.

Game on.

Nearing injury time, Conway – a grizzly bear of a man – returned the compliment, emerging from a forest of sticks to boot the ball into the raiding Sidebottom’s path, which he whipped on first time low of his left. The net bulged and the covered stand heavily populated with travelling fans convulsed in a guttural roar.

Deep into injury time, James Kelly -the schoolboy with ice in his veins & kryptonite in his wrists – landed another monster free from 85m, St Brigid’s had hurled themselves into history.

The whistle sounded, Brian McGurk, so pivotal as goalkeeper let out a primal shriek, Jake Massingham who’d been a contender for man of the match at corner back,  jumped higher than an Eastern bloc pole vaulter, Peter Heaney who played with a groin tear had a perma smile tattooed on his face that was wider than the mouth of the Lagan, Peter Middleton back with titanium screws in his ankle after a year out had played like a man in titanium armour; Todd Engman from Minnesota had a hurl in his hand & a tear in his eye, Darren Hamill hugged his boy Pearce, coach and player, father & son- suspended somewhere between disbelief and ecstasy – ; John McGuckian -a veteran of many campaigns with St Brigid’s Cloughmills  – who thought he’d seen it all before confessed that he hadn’t, Conor McElhatton, Cuan Polley, Mikey Kerr and Michael Burke, three pups and an aul gnarly dog, jigged and leapt uncontrollably;  big Jack Pardy from Offaly, stood wide eyed like a majestic lighthouse, unshakable & unsinkable as he’d been all season.

And somewhere amidst the frothing sea of waving hurls, John Rush, a prisoner of a collapsed moment, gazed south over the cityscape,  stunned as an Easter island statue beckoning home some unseen ship on a hitherto unimagined horizon.

“ We’ve done it, we’ve done it “

The words spilled from the manager, first a trickle, then a torrent, just like the team he & big Darren had built.

ACHL Division 4

St. Brigid’s 1-24 All Saints 1-19

A fine display of point taking by ace marksman, James Kelly kept St. Brigid’s firmly fixed at the top of the table and possibly on their way to promotion to division 3 when they overcame the challenge of a depleted All Saints at Musgrave Park on Sunday evening.

Kelly struck an impressive 1-14 over the hour with 0-12 of his total coming from the placed ball and the visitors will surely reflect on the number of frees they conceded unnecessarily when they look back on today’s result.

Despite being without half a dozen regulars through injury and other commitments it was the Ballymena men who made the early running with Damian Gillan, Darach Bradley and Eoin McGuigan driving them on as they raced into a 0-6 to 0-2 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

McGuigan hit 0-4 during those opening exchanges with Gillan and Bradley also on target and Fintan Cleary and Niall Murtagh replying for the home side.

James Kelly became the catalyst of a St. Brigid’s comeback  as he  hit three of the next four points, all falling the way of the Musgrave Park men with Peter Middleton their other scorer to draw level with 19 minutes on the clock.

McGuigan briefly restored the All Saints lead with his 5^th point of the afternoon but points from David Prenter, a ‘65’ from Michael Kerr and a goal from the excellent Kelly swung matters decisively in favour of the league leaders.

Damian Gillan from a long range free and James Kelly exchanged late points to put the home side 1-10 to 0-8 ahead and Oisin McDonnell and James Kelly from a massive long range free extended the St. Bigid’s lead to 7 before Damian Gillan replied for the visitors to leave seven between the sides at the break.

Darach Bradley reduced that lead to six within 30 seconds of the restart but All Saints continued to concede unnecessary frees with Kelly gratefully converting two and Michael Kerr and David Prenter adding two more from play.

The St. Brigid’s lead had been extended to 10 with only 4 minutes of the new half gone and it was looking ominous for the Slemish Park side but to their credit they kept battling with Perarse Martin, Eoin McGuigan, Darach Bradley and McGuigan again bringing their total to 0-14.

At the other end the imperious Kelly kept the score board ticking as he converted another three frees and two from play with McGuigan replying to leave 10 in it again with 11 minutes remaining.

All Saints threw everything at their opponents during the closing stages with Darach Bradley and Damian Gillan pointing and Bradley finishing to the net from close range in the 29^th minute to close the gap to five.

It was as close as they got however and it was free taker supreme, James Kelly who concluded the scoring with his 12^th of the game from the placed ball to leave the Musgrave park side 6 to the good at the final whistle.

This win moves St. Brigid’s two points clear of second place Rossa who they are set to meet at Rossa Park on Wednesday the 25^th June and that result will go some way in deciding who will win division 4.

There are three rounds of games to play after that however and it could be the last day of the season before we know the eventual overall winners.

St. Brigid’s: 1 Brian McGurk, 2 Oliver Leggett, 3 Conor McElhatton, 4 Dara Sidebottom, 5 Jack Pardy, 6 Michael Burke, 7 Seamus Massingham, 8 Niall Murtagh, 9 Michael Kerr, 10 James Kelly 1-14, 11 Peter Middleton, 13 David Prenter, 14 Fintan Cleary, 15 Oisin McDonnell, 17Finlay Blockley, 18 Owen McCarney,  19 Cuan Polley

All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley, 2 Francis Casey, 3 Eoin McAllister, 4 Archie McGreevey, 5 Daniel Gray, 6 Harry Connon, 7 Niall Savage, 8 Damian Gillan, 9 Darach Bradley, 10 Pearse Martin, 11 Eoin McGuigan, 12 Vinny Esler, 13 Antoin Martin, 14 Daniel Kelly, 15 Fintan Brady, 16 Luke Walsh

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ACHL Division 4

Ardoyne 0-23 St. Brigid’s 1-20

This highly anticipated top of the table clash at Fennell Park between Naomh Bríd and Ciceam Ard Eoin was an entertaining encounter, without ever really igniting for the gathered crowd. Twenty nine scores coming from frees in what was never an over physical encounter tells a tale.

The game got off to a good start with the home side firing ahead with a point from Matt McKillen. James Kelly soon replied for Naomh Bríd with his first of ten points from frees in the opening half. While Kelly will be pleased with his contribution, Naomh Bríd will reflect that not a single point of their scores came from opening play.

Ciceam Ard Eoin scored four points from open play in the first half but the continual stoppages in play prevented either side getting anything resembling a rhythm into their play. Patrick McGreevey for Ciceam Ard Eoin also had his signs lined up, managing to pick up seven scores from frees along with two from open play.

The opening half came to an close with only two points between the two sides and the crowd looked forward to a more free flowing second half.

Half-Time: Ciceam Ard Eoin 0-11 Naomh Bríd 1-10

Kelly opened up the second half scoring for Naomh Bríd with another point from a free before Cormac Barnes struck the sliothar over the bar following a clever free from McGreevy. Oisin McDonnell came more into the game for Naomh as the second half progressed and picked up three points from play.

McGreevy was the target man for Ciceam Ard Eoin with Paddy Heaney increasingly making his presence felt, but they were frustrated by the free count that continued to mount in the second half.

The sides were never far apart and Ciceam Ard Eoin drew the gap even tighter as the game entered its final quarter. They sensed the win that would bring them level with Naomh Bríd but were let down by a lack of discipline that saw their numbers reduced and were unable to overcome the disadvantage of a player short.

The excitement increased in the final 10 minutes as it was clear that this was anyone’s game. The sides were nip and tuck and while Ciceam Ard Eoin drew level they were unable to press ahead. Both sides had opportunities to win this match, but neither will be too disappointed as a draw was a fair result on the day.

Full-Time: Ciceam Ard Eoin 0-23 Naomh Bríd 1-20

Ciceam Ard Eoin:   Conor O’Neill, Sean Searle, Caolan Wallace, Eamonn Mac Lochlainn, Dan Moore, Martin McLaughlin, Christopher McShane, Piarais Hull, Paul McGuigan, Aran Stewart (0-01), Paddy Heaney (0-04), Matt McKillen (0-01), Enda Slattery, Fionntain Lagan, Padraig McGreevy (0-13, 11f), Cormac Barnes (0-03), Kealan McCallan, Fiachra McVicker, JP Agnew, Cahal Clarke, Stephen Hill, Micheál McGreevey (0-01)

Naomh Bríd: Michael Burke, Peadar Middleton, Garrett Gilleece, Jack Massingham. Jack Pardy, Conor McElhatton, Peter Heaney, Niall Murtagh, James Kelly (0-16, 13f) Donncha McGurk, David Prenter (0-01), Cuan Polley, Oisin McDonnell (1-03), Brian McGurk, Owen McCarney, Matthew Madden, Finlay Blockley, Oliver Liggett, Dara Sidebottom, John McGuckian, Chris Lundy, Pearse

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