Category / Hurling

by thesaffrongael

Shamrock beat Ballycastle in Darragh Cup opener

North Antrim Minor Hurling – Darragh Cup

Loughgiel Shamrocks 2-22 Ballycastle McQuillan’s 0-10

Last year’s beaten finalists Loughgiel Shamrocks delivered a commanding performance to defeat Ballycastle McQuillan’s by 2-22 to 0-10 in the Darragh Cup Minor Hurling preliminary round, played in excellent conditions at Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel on Friday evening. The Shamrocks dictated the tempo for the vast majority of the contest, driven by standout performances from Joe Deery, Liam McGarry, and Cian Higgins. Ballycastle struggled for consistency early on and looked out of sorts in the opening half, ultimately leaving themselves with too steep a mountain to climb against a sharp home outfit.

Loughgiel opened the game brightly with a string of early scores to put the visitors on the back foot. Ballycastle eventually settled into the contest and managed to reduce the deficit to a single point by the 12th minute. However, the Shamrocks responded emphatically when Joe Deery found the net for their first goal. Cian Higgins compounded Ballycastle’s troubles by striking for another goal in the 17th minute, though Ballycastle goalkeeper Ruairi McShane did exceptionally well to pull off a strong save shortly after to prevent a third. Loughgiel kept the pressure firmly applied, with Deery pointing a free in the 18th minute and Higgins following up with another score to stretch their lead to 1-7 to 0-4. Deery added another free on 20 minutes, and Liam McGarry struck a fine point from play right before the whistle, sending Loughgiel into the half-time break with a comfortable 1-9 to 0-4 advantage.

The second half began with Ballycastle attempting to mount a comeback as Peter Laverty pointed an early free. Loughgiel, however, easily absorbed the pressure and quickly reasserted their dominance. Dylan O’Boyle registered a point on 37 minutes, and Deery converted another free shortly after to make it 1-11 to 0-5. Ballycastle showed a glimpse of resistance when Liam McGee scored from play, followed immediately by another point from Laverty. Any lingering hopes of a Ballycastle revival were swiftly extinguished by the hosts. McGarry answered with a free and Caolan McCollum fired over an excellent point in the to keep the scoreboard moving.

As the game entered its closing stages, substitute Joe Casey struck a crucial blow, raising a green flag in the 58th minute to effectively kill the tie and push the lead out further. The Shamrocks kept their foot on the pedal until the very end. McGarry tapped over a free in the 59th minute, which was quickly followed by a beautifully worked team point. Higgins then showcased his striking ability with a massive long-range point, and McGarry converted yet another free on 64 minutes. While Laverty managed one final late consolation free for Ballycastle, Higgins fittingly had the last word, clipping over a final point to cap off a comprehensive victory for Loughgiel.

Loughgiel: 1 Cody McGarry, 2 JJ McGarry, 3 Eunan Johnston, 4 Padraig McNulty, 5 Liam Smyth, 6 Domhnall McKay, 7 Corin McCullough, 8 Liam McGarry, 9 Joe McFadden, 10 Joe Deery, 11 Logan McConville, 12 Conor McCann, 13 Caolan McCollum, 14 Dylan OBoyle, 15 Cian Higgins.

Ballycastle: 1 Ruairi McShane, 2 Cillian O’Connor, 3 Oran Baudant, 4 Peter Campbell, 5 Ruairi Laverty, 6 Oisin Donnelly, 7 Ronan McBride, 8 Peter Laverty, 9 Cormac Scanlon, 10 Sean McHenry, 11 Luke Connolly, 12 Cormac McGhee, 13 Ben Woodhouse, 14 Liam McGee, 15 Patrick McCaughan.

Referee – Deaglan Carey (Con Magees)

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/nHiri8pFZr6T97

by thesaffrongael

Happy 9th birthday Saffron Gael

Nine years ago today, May 29th 2017 we covered our first game as the Saffron Gael. Since that first match in Armoy between Dunloy and Loughgiel in the final of the Under 21 Hurling Championship we have posted countless match reports, previews and interviews and upwards on 15,000 photographs. To all who have supported us, especially our sponsors who we simply could not do without, to those volunteers who have taken photos and written reports and clubs who have given us their support we truly thanks you.

This is a link to that first game that Monday evening in Armoy.

Cuchullains in cruise control

by thesaffrongael

Dall take the points after good contest

Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

St Endas 4:10 to Cushendall 5:20

With both teams having a few county players return for some game time St Endas and Cushendall played out an entertaining game at Hightown on Wednesday evening, with plenty of goals from both teams.
With a breeze favouring St Endas they were quick out of the blocks and hungry for goals against Cushendall.


It seemed to be that once a team got a goal the opposition went up the field to cancel it out right away.
The game was level at half time St Endas 4-06 with goals from Joe Maskey 2, Niall O Connor and Ruari Donaghy to Cushendalls 3:09, thier goals coming from Ed Mc Quillan and from Joseph Mc Laughlin, who got 2.


The second half Cushendall got to grips with the goal threat from St Endas and built up a lead with scores coming from a variety of players including Neil Mc Manus from placed balls and play.
Joseph added another goal to completed his hat-trick before Christy Mc Naughton added a 5th just before full time.



PICS BY PHILIP OF PMC.JPEG

by thesaffrongael

Bredagh climb above Cloney with good away win

ACHL Division 2

Cloney Gael 2-19 Bredagh 2-24

Bredagh climb above Cloney Gaels at the bottom of the ACHL Division 2 table following this five point win over the Ahoghill men in an entertaining game of hurling at a sun kissed Cloney on Wednesday night.

It was the Ahoghill side who got off to the better start with a goal in the first minute from Dan O’Neill with Colla McDonnell, Ronan Graham and Patrick Graham adding point to keep their side three ahead by the 8th minute.

The Bredagh points came from the sticks of Sean McCollum, Donal Hughes and John Dougan and at this stage it was end to end with Colla McDonnell 0-2 and Ronan Graham adding to the Cloney score card and Eoin Kennedy 0-2, Ben Christie, Luke Doran and Christie again bringing the Bredagh total to 8 by the 20th minute.

Fionnbar O’Neill and Colla McDonnell replied for the home side and a second goal of the evening from Dan O’Neill put the ‘Gaels’ in a strong position going into half time where they led by five.

It was visitors Bredagh who made a quick reply at the start of the second half with Donal Hughes, Sean McCollum and Ben Christie all pointing in the opening minute before Colla McDonnell edged the home side three ahead again with 3 minutes gone.

Tim Rankin responded for the Belfast men but a couple in quick succession from James O’Connell kept the Cloney noses ahead before McCollum and O’Connell exchanged further minors.

Further exchanges between Patrick Graham for the hosts and Eoin Kennedy for Bredagh kept it finally balanced in favour of the Ahoghill side but the visitors were beginning to get on top.

Eoin Kennedy had been proving a handful and he fired home his side’s opening goal in the 20th minute and it seemed to fire his colleagues into action as they dominated the closing exchanges.

Ben Christie 0-2, Sean McCollum 0-2 and two excellent points from mid-fielder, Donal Hughes swung it decisively in favour of the visitors with Ahoghill’s only response coming from Fionnbar O’Neill, James O’Connell and Colla McDonnell.

A good win for Bredagh which sees them climb out of the bottom two and as they get their county men back on board I would expect them to climb further up the table.

Cloney Gaels were missing a few themselves and they should improve as the season progresses if they get everyone fit and for a good part of Wednesday night’s contest they looked to be heading for victory.

Cloney Gaels: 1 Martin Graham, 2 Shea Neeson, 3 Patrick Dougan, 4 Ryan Martin, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Bernard Graham, 7 Eoin Graham, 8 Eamonn Brady, 9 Paul Crossey, 10 Patrick Graham, 11 Ronan Graham, 12 Jack McFall, 13 Colla McDonnell, 14 Dan O’Neill, 15 James O’Connell

Bredagh: 1 Ian Galway, 2 Odhran Morgan-Little, 3 Michael Woods, 4 Mel Lavery, 5 Patrick McGarry, 6 Niall McFarland, 7 Liam Hogan, 8 Cormac Hughes, 9 Donal Hughes, 10 Luke Doran, 11 Tim Rankin, 12 John Dougan, 13 Sean McCollum, 14 Eoin Kennedy, 15 Ben Christie

Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)

by thesaffrongael

McBride’s First-Half Double Seals the Points for Carey in Cushendun

ACHL Division 2

Venue: CushLig an Airgid.

Referee: Fionntan McCotter

Carey Faughs secured a well-deserved 2-15 to 1-13 victory over Cushendun Emmet’s in this ACHL Division 2 clash on Wednesday evening, with a devastating four-minute spell from Conor McBride proving to be the decisive factor.

McBride was the dominant scoring figure throughout the hour. His unerring accuracy from both open play and dead balls kept the scoreboard ticking for the Carey men, ultimately proving too much for the home side to handle

The opening twenty minutes were a tight, point-for-point affair. McBride opened the scoring in the third minute, but Cushendun quickly responded through Pierce McKeegan. The sides traded blows with Dominic Sharkey, ‘Loaf’ McNeill, and Calum Kilgore raising white flags for the Emmet’s, while McBride and Conail McGlynn kept Carey right in the mix with accurate frees.

By the 19th minute, a point from Cushendun’s Fiontan McQuillan left the game finely balanced. However, the momentum shifted entirely in a decisive four-minute window. In the 22nd minute, McBride breached the Cushendun defence to rattle the net for the game’s opening goal. Before the home side could fully regroup, McBride struck again in the 26th minute, grabbing his second major to put Carey firmly in the driving seat.

Late first-half points from John McBride and another Conor McBride free sent Carey into the dressing rooms with a commanding 2-08 to 0-07 lead at the interval.

Cushendun emerged for the second half determined to eat into the deficit, with ‘Loaf’ pointing a free straight after the restart. Carey, however, quickly reasserted their dominance. McBride knocked over three consecutive frees in a three-minute purple patch, followed quickly by a score from Caolan McCaughan to stretch the lead further.

To their credit, the Emmet’s refused to throw in the towel. Conor McHugh hit a quick-fire double, and ‘Loaf’ added another free to keep the scoreboard moving. On the 16-minute mark, Donncha Laverty provided a real lifeline for Cushendun when he found the back of the net, narrowing the gap to 2-14 to 1-11 and giving the home support something to shout about.

Jack McKay followed up with a point to close the gap further, but Carey’s first-half foundation proved too solid to crack. Fiachra McVeigh and Conail McGlynn had chipped in with crucial second-half points to keep Cushendun at arm’s length. Fittingly, it was McBride who tapped over another free to help see the game out. ‘Loaf’ managed one final point for Cushendun in the closing stages, but the Faughs held firm to take the points back to Ballyvoy.

Match Scorers

Cushendun Emmet’s:

  • Donncha Laverty (1-00)
  • ‘Loaf’ McNeill (0-05, 4f, 1 ’65’)
  • Calum Kilgore (0-02)
  • Conor McHugh (0-02)
  • Pierce McKeegan (0-01)
  • Dominic Sharkey (0-01)
  • Fiontan McQuillan (0-01)
  • Jack McKay (0-01)

Carey Faughs:

  • Conor McBride (2-09, 7f)
  • Conail McGlynn (0-03, 3f)
  • John McBride (0-01)
  • Caolan McCaughan (0-01)
  • Fiachra McVeigh (0-01)

TO SEE MORE OF MICKY MORGAN’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/aEdZJRfTwwQfVd/?invite=8be65a0b-731c-43ca-ba1b-3eb16c97e4d0