The Minor and Junior Camogs had most reason to celebrate as Cushendall Ruairi Og held their first awards dinner for three years in the Golf Club on Saturday night. The girls in the club had a great year with the minors winning the A championship and resevere team winning the Junior Championship and the Bridie McMenamon Shield.
Saffron Gael went along to grab some photographs.
Danske Bank Foresters Cup – Ulster Schools Hurling
St Louis Ballymena 3-14 St Mary’s 2-11
Dunsilly hosted the first group match of this year’s Danske Bank Foresters Cup as St Louis and St Mary’s played out an entertaining game, in which St. Louis finished the strongest to come out on top.
On a windy day, that didn’t really favour either team, scores were exchanged early, with points from Paudie Martin for St Louis and Conor McConville for St Mary’s. It would however, be the Ballymena men who rose the first green flag of the game when Fintan Bradley fired the ball to the back of the St Mary’s net in the 15th minute. Two more goals would be registered in the half, the pick of them from St Louis Caleb Smith, who collected a great cross field ball from Luke McFerran, rounded his man, and finished excellently to the bottom corner.
Half time – St. Louis 2.9 St. Mary’s 2.7
The Glen Road men would put St. Louis to the sword early in the second half and in no time, had turned their 2 point deficit into a 2 point lead through Shea Burns and Ethan Walsh.
The middle section of the half was blow for blow, with flawless free taking from Martin and McConville, the game was entering the last 10 minutes firmly in the balance.
However, a long ball into the heart of the St. Mary’s defence broke fortuitously to Bradley and the Cushendall man made no mistake.
From that point St Mary’s struggled to get back into the game, and a few late pointed efforts meant that St Louis ran out winners on a scoreline of 3.14 to 2.11.
Up next for St Louis is competition favourites CPC, whilst St Mary’s play the same opponents a week later.
St Louis scorers: Paudie Martin 0-7 (0-4 frees), Fintan Bradley 2-2, Caleb Smith 1-1, Caolan McFerran 0-4, Caolan McCollum 0-1.
St. Mary’s scorers: Shea Burns 1-2, Conor McConville 0-6 (0-4F), Corey Walsh 1-1, Lorcan McCallin 0-1, Ethan Walsh 0-1
Walsh Cup, Group One
Westmeath 0-15 Antrim 0-13
Saturday 14th January
Antrim fell to a two point defeat to Westmeath on Saturday afternoon as they played out a feisty encounter with the Lake County.
In a contest that threatened to boil over on a number of occasions, the Saffrons played the last 20 minutes down to 14 men. Substitute Conal Bohill seeing red to leave Darren Gleeson’s men with an uphill task in the final quarter.
While the numerical disadvantage didn’t help, it wasn’t the main reason for the defeat. Both sides hit plenty of wides, Antrim with more and a number of frees going wayward. While it was a winter day in Dublin, it wasn’t the worse conditions with a cross field wind helping neither side and the surface at the Abbotstown venue was like a carpet but the Saffrons just couldn’t get any attacking fluency.
Defensively, Antrim were solid. Conceding nine points from open play and 15 overall is a fair return and will win you most games of hurling but it was the opposite end of the pitch where the problems lay and Antrim manager Darren was making no excuses for his sides performances: “The wind was sweeping across the field and all that, but when you’re playing at this level you use it to your advantage,” he insisted.
“You’re shooting at the wrong posts if they’re constantly going wide that side. It’s disappointing to have 13 or 14 wides, a lot from placed balls, but overall it was a very disappointing day and I’m very disappointed with it.”
Antrim opened this game very brightly with Michael Bradley lashing over within 40 seconds and Niall McKenna adding another from deep on the left moments later.
The Sarsfield’s man had a sight of goal soon after but was hooked and his effort went out for a 65 that resulted in the first of seven first-half wides for the Saffrons.
Westmeath had just as many in the opening period but they began to settle with free-taker Niall O’Brien landing three placed balls to give Joe Fortune’s men the lead on 11 minutes.
Just prior to that, Westmeath’s Shane McGovern and Antrim’s Gerard Walsh were cautioned after a bit of a fire-up that appeared to begin with Walsh seething at comments he heard in his direction.
Westmeath’s first from play arrived on 20 minutes through Niall Mitchell with Eoin Keyes adding another within seconds, but a barren 22 minutes for Antrim came to an end with James McNaughton converting a free and then McKenna hit his second of the day.
O’Brien hit his fourth of the half with McNaughton replaying and Gerard Walsh then levelling from deep.
The sides traded late points to go in at the break locked on 0-7, but again tensions were frayed towards the end of the half as Westmeath’s Aaron Gray picked up a yellow.
The trend continued in the second period with scores at a premium, but Antrim were first on the board as Michael Bradley arrived a perfect ball into younger brother Aaron who split the posts from a tight angle on the left.
McNaughton had a shot at goal that was saved out for a 65 that would go wide, but Westmeath free-taker O’Brien was not having the same issues as he levelled.
The Loughgiel man did point to restore the Antrim advantage, but Westmeath began to make the most of their opportunities with Keys coming into his own, cracking over a further three points to bring his tally to four for the day, O’Brien tapping over a free and Davy Glennon launching over a missile from deep.
A brace from Eoin O’Neill and one from McKenna was the Antrim response as the gap was one with six to play despite the Saffrons playing with 14, but O’Brien got his first from play and seventh overall and Joseph Boyle adding another to leave a goal in it in injury-time.
A McNaughton pointed free was all Antrim could muster as they came up short for the second week running.
Next up for Antrim is a McGurk Cup semi-final on Monday at Owenbeg against Donegal (7.30pm) before their final Walsh Cup game against Galway at Darver next Saturday (2pm) and Gleeson is hoping for a marked improvement from his side.
“You’re in the middle of a heavy training programme and the lads have played a lot of games,” he accepted.
“A few played a bit of McGurk Cup and the game last week against Dublin, but you’re on a really good surface here today and dry conditions.
“The retention rate of the ball up front was shocking and we conceded just 15 points. Had you told me coming down we’d concede that you would think you’re winning the game, but to score just 13 with a lot of chances is disappointing.
“There were a few goal opportunities there as well, but wrong options (taken) and bad passes… We’ve a few weeks to straighten that out, but that is a disappointing performance to say the least.”
WESTMEATH: N Conaty; D Egerton, C Shaw, T Doyle; A Craig, S Clavin, K Regan; J Gallagher, S McGovern; N Mitchell (0-1), E Keys (0-4), J Boyle (0-1); N O’Brien (0-7, 6f), S Williams (0-1), P Clarke
Subs: G Greville for S Clavin (19), D Williams for A Craig (HT), D Glennon (0-1) for S Williams (HT), M Cunningham for P Clarke (HT), E Daly for J Gallagher (48), R Holding for C Shaw (69), E Cunneen for E Keys (69)
ANTRIM: T Smyth; D McMullan, P Burke, N O’Connor; M Bradley (0-1), E Campbell, G Walsh (0-1); J Maskey, D McKernan; P Boyle, E O’Neill (0-2), N McKenna (0-3); R McMullan, J McNaughton (0-5f), A Bradley (0-1).
Subs: S McAuley for R McMullan (48), C Bohill for P Boyle (48), E McAlonan for J Maskey (57), C McKernan for A Bradley (57), S Walsh for G Walsh (60), E Trainor for D McKernan (65)
REFEREE: Shane Guinan (Offaly)
Allianz Ireland Cumann na mBunscoil Indoor Hurling Blitz
Mount St Michael’s Randalstown were the victors as the Allianz Ireland Cumann na mbunscoil indoor hurling competition returned to the Antrim Forum.
Seven schools competed throughout the day namely, St Brigid’s Ballymena, St Joseph’s Crumlin, Gaelscoil Ghleann Darach, Mount St Michael’s, St Patrick’s Rasharkin, Mary Queen of Peace and Moneynick. The skill, competitiveness and sportsmanship on display was a credit to each and every one of the schools.
The group stages saw six games for each with plenty of quality hurling on view. Emerging from the group to compete in the semi-finals were Mount St Michael’s, Mary Queen of Peace, St Joseph’s Crumlin and Gaelscoil Ghleann Darach.
The first semi-final began as a tight, cagy affair with Mount St Michael’s eventually overcoming a talented and spirited Gaelscoil team.
The second semi was an end to end, tough but fair encounter that saw St Joseph’s Crumlin emerge victorious over Mary Queen of Peace with the winning goal coming seconds before the final whistle.
The day culminated in victory for a strong, skilful and determined Mount St Michael’s team, congratulations to them and well done to all involved in a great days hurling.
The build up to the All Ireland Senior Club hurling final started early for the pupils at St Joseph’s Primary School Dunloy when RTE cameras visited the school on Monday . The pupils sang the Dunloy song that was written by The Saffron Gael’s resident Dunloy fan Brendan McTaggart, who was there in a couple of different capacities, teaching the pupils the words, and to caputre the actions
