Category / Hurling

by thesaffrongael

Watson and McManus were the Antrim stars when the Saffrons met Cork in 2010

Cork defeated Antrim by 1-25 to 0-19 in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final in 2010. A week after a late Karl Stewart point had give the Saffrons victory over Dublin in Croke Park, the men from the ‘Glens’ faced a Cork side who were in good form. They fared well for most of the first half but got hit with a double blow in first half injury time which left them with a mountain to climb. Liam Watson caught the eye for the Saffrons with six points from play, while Neil McManus ended with 0-9 overall.

Liam Watson, who scored some brilliant points for Antrim in the 2010 quarter-final clash with Cork, goes past the challenge of Cork corner-back Shane Murphy. Pic by John McIlwaine

From the Irish Examiner newspaper

Sunday, July 25, 2010 – 03:32 PM

Cork 1-25 Antrim 0-19

Cork will face Kilkenny in the semi-final of the GAA All-Ireland Hurling Senior Championship after they enjoyed a routine victory over Antrim at Croke Park this afternoon. While the scoreline may indicate that Cork did not have things all their own way, they were always in control in a contest which seemed to lack some intensity. Denis Walsh’s side did not hit top gear, but in truth they didn’t need to as they were efficient enough to take the scoring opportunities that came their way, while not letting Antrim in with a real chance of causing an upset. The Ulster side will take plenty of positives from this game though, and they were in no way disgraced by the defeat.

Neil McManus, who will line out on Saturday, scored nine points when the sides met in Croke Park 12 years ago. Pic by John McIlwaine

At times though, their lack of experience at this level cost them and a scoring burst of 1-2 in first-half injury time was crucial in ensuring Cork won with ease. For most of the first half, Antrim did well to keep in touch with Cork. Four points was the most common gap between the sides, that amount separating them on seven different occasions. From the off, Cork threatened to run away with, Paudie O’Sullivan setting the tone with a point inside 25 seconds and after seven minutes it was 0-4 to nil, Antrim struggling to find their feet. Two Neil McManus frees helped the Saffrons to get back into the game though and once they settled they were more competitive, with full-forward Liam Watson recovering from an early booking for hitting Eoin Cadogan to convert four points.

Cork were that bit sharper though, with captain Kieran Murphy doing well at centre-forward having been moved there prior to throw-in and O’Sullivan and Tom Kenny were also on form, as well as Niall McCarthy. Antrim full-back Cormack Donnelly was keeping Aisake O’hAilpín under wraps for the most part, and with McManus continuing to send over the frees they were not letting Cork get away. McManus’s fifth free, coming after the second of Kieran Murphy’s points, cut the lead to three points, 0-14 to 0-11, with half-time approaching, but in injury time Cork did much to lay the foundations for the win. First, McCarthy found the net with a clever batted finish from a tight angle after O’hAilpín set him up, and two Ben O’Connor frees left eight points in it at the break, 1-16 to 0-11.

Johnny Campbell, who played at centre-back against Cork in 2010 is a selector with the current team

Points from their standard-bearers, Watson and McManus, at the start of the second half ensured that Antrim would not let Cork pull away, but Cork always looked capable of taking points when they needed to and in the 45th minute Tom Kenny did well to stop a Liam Watson 20m free when a goal would have cut the gap to just three points. John Gardiner’s long-range frees, and efforts from closer in by Ben O’Connor, were helping Cork and goalkeeper Donal Og Cusack, while underworked, was still alert enough to deny Karl Stewart a goal chance on 53. Another Watson 20m free was blocked by Brian Murphy for a 65 with six minutes left and that proved to be Watson’s last activity, as he was shown a second yellow card following a scuffle.

Antrm an Cork fans at the All Ireland quarter final in 2010

Though McManus sent over the free that Antrim had been awarded before that melee, Antrim were never going to pull it back and Cork advanced, Cathal Naughton rounding off the win with a fine individual point while sub William Egan also got in on the act. They will know, however, that a much sterner test awaits in three weeks’ time.

Cork: D. Og Cusack; S. Murphy, E. Cadogan, B. Murphy; J.Gardiner (0-3), R.Curran, R. Ryan; T. Kenny (0-3), C. Naughton (0-2); B. O’Connor (0-6), M. Cussen, N. McCarthy (1-2); P. O’Sullivan (0-3), A.

O’hAilpin (0-1), K. Murphy (0-4).

Subs: P. Horgan for O’hAilpin, P. Cronin for Cussen, W. Egan (0-1) for McCarthy

Antrim: C. O’Connell; K. McGourty, C. Donnelly, S. Delargey; P. Shiels, J. Campbell (0-1), C. Herron; S. McNaughton (0-1), K. Stewart; S. McCrory, N. McManus (0-9), T. McCann; P. J. O’Connell, L. Watson (0-6), K. McKeegan (0-1).

Subs: J. McKeague for Shiels, B. McFall for McCann, M. Herron (0-1) for McKeigue, D.Hamill for P. J. O’Connell, E. McCloskey for McNaughton.

Ref: M. Wadding (Waterford)

Team News

Cork (SHC): D Og Cusack; S Murphy, E Cadogan, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, R Ryan; T Kenny, C Naughton; B O’Connor, M Cussen, N McCarthy; P O’Sullivan, A Ó hAilpín, K Murphy.

Antrim (SHC): C O’Connell, Kieran McGourty, C Donnelly, S Delargy, P Shiels, J Campbell, C Herron, K Stewart, S McNaughton, S McCrory, N McManus, T McCann, PJ O’Connell, L Watson, K McKeegan

by thesaffrongael

Antrim’s best championship result against Cork was in 1986

As we look forward to Saturday’s All Ireland Preliminary quarter final against Cork we take a look back at a post from February 2021 in which we featured one of Antrim’s previous meetings with the Rebels. Looking at the teams from back then I can see two direct connection with the Antrim team. Jim ‘Jingo’ McKernan who was right half back on the 86 team is an uncle of Daniel McKernan while centre forward on the 86 side Brian Donnelly is Matthew Donnelly’s father.

Just click on the link below

Antrim ran Cork close in the 1986 semi-final
by thesaffrongael

Lámhs blow Na Magha aside with second half scoring blitz

ACHL Division Three 

Lámh Dhearg 1-23-1-10 Na Magha 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

Lámh Dhearg kept their hopes of a top-four league finish alive with a 1-23-1-10 win over Na Magha at Hannahstown on Wednesday evening. 

The game was very much in the balance until ten minutes into the second period, at that point the hosts were shading proceedings 1-08-0-09 – thanks to Daire Cunningham’s early second half strike. 

13-unanswered points would ensure that the Hannahstown side were comfortable winners at the conclusion- despite Eoin McCloskey’s late consolation goal. 

Only a point separated the sides in the table pre-match with Na Magha travelling over the Glenshane Pass looking for a victory that would see them leapfrog the red hands. 

But the return to action of Paddy Cunningham and Odran Waldron was a welcome boost for the hosts after their weekend defeat to Rasharkin. 

Lámh Dhearg began the game on the front foot- but without registering a score as they struck the post, crossbar and hit several wides in a frustrating opening. 

Timothy Rankin hit the visitors first point of the evening from a 65’ and Ruaidhri McLaughlin found space and floated over a second, a few minutes later. 

The Derry natives extended their lead through an angled point from substitute Daire McLaughlin- who himself departed through injury in the aftermath and Rankin doubled his account for the half from a free. 

Odran Waldron initiated the hosts response with Aidan McGuigan landing another score to half the deficit. 

Having finally found range parity was restored, Daniel Murray got on the end of a flowing move that involved Paddy Cunningham and McGuigan and Cunningham would squeeze a shot inside the near post to make it 0-04 apiece.

The sides then traded scores through Rankin and Murray (free) but it was Na Magha who led at the break, Barry Robinson flicked the ball over to give his side a 0-06-0-05 lead at the midway point. 

A second converted Daniel Murray free levelled proceedings upon the resumption and Lámh Dhearg hit the front for the first time through an excellent Paddy Cunningham point with Murray swinging over another to double the advantage. 

Na Magha hit back through a Timothy Rankin effort from range to put the bare minimum between the sides. 

Six-minutes into the half the opening goal arrived, Paddy Mervyn flighted a high ball into the path of Daire Cunningham in attack and the corner-forward did enough to send the ball low to the net past Oisin Duddy to make it 1-08-0-07. 

The Derry side again halved the deficit with back-to-back points from Breandan Quigley and Bliadhan Glass. 

But they couldn’t make further inroads as the hosts clicked into gear with 13-points on the spin. 

Daniel Murray landed the first four scores in the sequence, conjuring the first from play and landing a further three deadballs in succession to bring his personal tally to 0-05 from frees. 

Wing-half forward Paddy Cunningham was finding pockets of space and floated over his third point of the evening and Daniel Murray followed that with another effort from play. 

Goal scorer Daire Cunningham let fly with a shot that rose over the crossbar and Paddy Cunningham followed the footsteps of Daniel Murray and chalked up four-points in a row. 

Paddy Cunningham was in excellent form on his return from injury

Odran Waldron doubled his account for the evening after getting on the end of Declan Lynch free and popping a shot over and the last of the 13-scores in succession fell to substitute Aaron Ferris- after a lay-off from Paddy Cunningham. 

Na Magha found a consolation goal late-on after Eoin McCloskey stabbed home at the back post to make it 1-21-1-09. 

Paddy Cunningham and Breandan Quigley traded points in the aftermath before Odran Waldron finished the evenings scoring to wrap up a straight-forward win for the Hannahstown side. 

Lámh Dhearg: R Camlin, SP Gibson, T McKenna, M McGuigan, P Mervyn, D Lynch, F Mervyn, A McGuigan (0-01), C Boyd, P Cunningham (0-08), O Waldron (0-03), D Murray (0-09, 0-05f), D Cunningham (1-01), G Smyth, N McGarry. Subs: A Ferris (0-01) for D Cunningham (54), C Megraw for N McGarry (54). 

Na Magha: O Duddy, A Campbell, D Shiels, E McCloskey (1-00), O Glass, F Mac an Deanaigh, D Doherty, B Glass (0-01), T Rankin (0-04, 0-01f, 0-01 45’), A Breslin, P Doherty, R McAdams, K Doherty, B Robinson (0-01), R McLaughlin (0-01). Subs: D McLaughlin (0-01) for F Mac an Deanaigh (12), B Quigley (0-02) for D McLaughlin (20). 

Referee: Eamon Hamill (St Teresa’s)

by thesaffrongael

Armoy win keeps promotion hopes alive

Antrim Hurling League Division 3

Armoy 4-19  Davitt 2-13

Armoy kept up their promotion challenge in Division 3 of the Antrim Hurling League when they beat Davitt’s on Wednesday evening in Armoy. With the wind in their favour in the opening half Armoy were slow to get started, but once they found their range they scored heavily. Jason Parkk got the opening point of the game for Davitt’s on nine minutes but a points from Liam Dillon and two by Trevor Linton were followed by a goal from Linton on eighteen minutes. Tommy Buurns added a point for the home side but a great ball into the Armoy square by Marcus Toner was turned to the net by Andrew Rowntree and Davitt’s were back in the hunt.

However they only managed another point for the rest of the first half and Armoy pushed on to move 2-13 to 1-2 ahead, the second goal coming from Tommy Burns, when he blocked an attempted clearance to the Davitt’s net.

Armoy fared much better in the second half as they used the wind very well to close the gap. Two pointed frees by Christopher Gallagher in the first two minutes got them going and when Andrew Rowntree and Anton McLauglin all grabbed ppoints there spirits were lifted. Owen Kinney and Ciaran McCormick replied for Armoy but Davitt’s came back well with a great goal from Peter Og Carleton and two top class points by Christopher Gallagher.

PJ McBride pulled one back but Davitt’s came back with points from Marcus Toner, Christopher Gallagher and Carleton. However they were dealt a bad blow when a shot from Armoy’s Owen Kinney was turned to his own net by the Davitt’s keeper. To their credit Davitt’s kept battling until the last and Gallagher added two more points in injury time.

by thesaffrongael

All Square at Corrigan

ACHL Division 1

St. John’s 3-13 Ballycastle 1-19

St. John’s and Ballycastrle served up an entertaining draw at Corrigan Park last night with the teams level on a number of occasions over the hour and a draw was probably a fair result though visitors Ballycastle will rue a missed penalty.

A feature of the game was the free taking from both sides with Oisin McManus landing a number of fine efforts for the ‘Johnnies’ and James Bakewell equally impressive for the visitors in conditions that were far from ideal.

McManus struck a couple of early frees for the Corrigan Park side but a point from Ronan McCarry and a well worked goal from Fergal McKiernan saw the ‘Castle’ hit the front after six minutes. James Bakewell and Ciaran McKeague stretched the visitors lead to four and at this stage the momentum was with the visitors.

Another long range effort from McManus got the home side going again and Ruairi Galbraith and McManus with a free from his own half closed the gap to one as two well matched sides fought tooth and nail for every ball.

Bakewell from a ‘65’ for the visitors and Ciaran Kerr exchanged further points but further points from Seamus McAuley and Ronan McCarry had ‘McQuillan’s’ three ahead after 20 minutes and they looked to be getting on top.

Michael Dudley swung the game back in favour of St. John’s with two points in the period leading up to the break however and he put his side ahead with a goal in the 30th minute, getting on the end of a good build up to leave the home side 1-9 to 1-7 ahead at the break.

Ballycastle were first to register as the second half got under way with James Bakewell striking an impressive long range point and following with another from a free from just inside his own half and the sides were level again with only three minutes of the new half gone.

Play swung to the other end of the field however and Ruairi Galbraith was on hand to return the sliotar to the net after Benny Connor in the visitors goal had brought off an excellent save but the Ballycastle net minder was helpless to deny Galbraith’s follow up.

It got even better for the Whiterock side when the Impressive Oisin McManus got in for a third goal after getting on the end of a long delivery in the 5th minute to put his side six in front and the momentum had swung in the ‘Johnnies’ favour.

Ballycastle refused to panic however and Seamus McAuley, Bakewell 0-2 and Diarmaid McShane fired over points in response to a fine long range effort from Padraig Nugent for the home side and the momentum was very much back with the North Antrim men as they picked off their points going down the home straight.

Seamus McAuley, substitutes Ronan Laverty and Lorcan Donnelly and the superb Conor Boyd were all on target for a strong finishing Ballycastle with Padraig Nugent replying from a long range free for St. John’s to leave the sides tied at the end of a pulsating contest that was a credit to both sides given the difficult conditions on the night.

St. John’s: 1 Simon Donnelly, 2 Louis Boyd, 3 Jack Bohill, 4 Phillip Martin, 5 Aidan McMahon, 6 Padraig Nugent, 7 Ciaran McKenna, 8 Andy McGowan, 9 Conor Hand, 10 Ruairi Galbraith, 11 Ciaran Kerr, 12 Oisin McManus, 13 Michael Dudley, 14 Niall McCallin, 15 Declan Creggan, 18 Luke Loughlin, 19 David Robinson, 20 Colm McFall, 21 Fearghal McManus, 22 Matthew Mallon

Ballycastle: 1 Benny Connor, 2 Oran Kearney, 3 Niall McAuley, 4 Mark McClean, 5 Jack McGowan, 6 Conor Boyd, 7 Ciaran McKeague, 8 Ronan McCarry, 9 James Bakewell, 10 Joe McToal, 11 Seamus McAuley, 12 Eoin McAlonan, 13 Tiernan Smyth, 14 Diarmid McShane, 15 Fergal McKiernan, 17 Lorcan Donnelly, 22 Ronan Laverty