Up for the Match in Dunloy Hall on Friday night
Category / Hurling
Thanks to North Antrim GAA for your support
A big thank you to Paddy Gray and the North Antrim GAA committee for their continued support of the Saffron Gael. At half time in Sunday’s Senior Feis Cup final Paddy presented us with a cheque for £500, and we can’t thank him enough. More importantly Paddy and his team, plus the host club Glenariffe Oisins, once again did a great job last weekend in their promotion of Feis na nGleann, which despite the number of obstacles thrown in its way continues to be a great event.
Photo courtesy of Darrach O’Mullan – Black Sparrow Media –
Late scoring burst seals Feis Cup for Cushendall
Feis na nGleann 2025
Senior Hurling Final
Cushendall 1-24 Loughgiel 1-16
A strong scoring burst late in the game gave Cushendall an eight point victory over holders Loughgiel in the Senior Hurling final final Feis na nGleann in Glenariffe. Just minutes earlier it looked like it was going to be a close finish when the Shamrocks closed the gap to just two with time almost up. However the Ruairis finished with a flourish and quick points from Neill McManus, Joseph McLaughlin and Ed McQuillan, plus a McManus goal, pulled them clear of the danger.
With the temperature in the mid-twenties Cushendall started quickly and point from Scott Walsh and Joseph McLaughlin put them two up in as many minutes. Declan McCloskey pulled one back for Loughgiel with a great strike from distance but McLaughlin sent another one over from a placed ball and Fred McCurry added another from play to put the 0-04 to 0-01 in front.
Paul Boyle sent over for Loughgiel to keep them in touch but three in a row from Woodhouse, McLaughlin and Ronan McKillop stretched the lead to 0-08 to 0-03 by the end of the first quarter. The Ruairis appeared to be in complete control but a pointed free by James McNaughton started a run of scores for the Shamrocks which saw Bubbles McMullan, Declan McCloskey, Jack McCloskey and McNaughton again left them trailing by just a single point at the break. (0-11 to 0-10).
The second half developed a similar scoring pattern to the first and with Cushendall now aided by a fresh breeze they hit four of the first five scores through Eoghan Campbell, Dominic Delargy, Joseph McLaughlin and Ronan McKillop, in reply to one from Ronan McKillop for the Shamrocks.
Just like in the first half it appeared that Cushendall were in command, but Loughgiel hit back strongly with a scoring burst that brought a goal from Paul Boyle and a point direct from a sideline cut by Betty McKee which boosted the Shamrocks challenge. When James McNaughton pointed on 31 minutes there was just two between the sides but the county champions finished strongly with three quick points from Joseph McLaughlin, Ed McQuillan and Neill McManus before McManus delivered the killer blow with a brilliant goal.
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Strong second half gives Dunloy the parish bragging rights
Feis na nGleann 2025
Dunloy 1-17 Cloughmills 1-09
A strong second half saw Dunloy win the Junior Feis Hurling title at Waterfoot on Saturday at the expense of parish neighbours St Brigid’s, Cloughmills.
The Biddies had a good first half and went in leading by 1-06 to 0-08 at the break but the Cuchullains got their measure in the second period and a goal from midfielder Padraig McGilligan five minutes into that second period gave them a lead they would not lose.
An early exchange of points by Dunloy’s Oisin McErlane and Cloughmills Niall McNaughton set a good early pace. Top score Liam Kearns put the Biddies in front soon afterwards but again the Cuchullains drew level, this time with a point from Francis McMullan, Cathal Mullan got the Biddies noses back in front with a well taken point and though Aidan Richmond replied for Dunloy a goal from Cloughmills corner forward Timmothy McNeill gave his team a two point lead on eleven minutes. It was score for score for the remainder of the first half with three more pointed frees by Kearns being answered by Dunloy’s by Padraig McGilligan, Ryan McFarlane, Francis McMullan (2) to level the scores late in the half, but Cloughmills got their noses in front going into half time when Niall McNaughton grabbed a late score.
McGoilligan and McMullan got the first two points of the second half and when midfielder McMullan grabbed a goal in the 35th minute the Cuchullains were in control. Two more McMullan points from frees stretched the lead before Cloughills got their first score of the second half through a Liam Kearns free on 42 minutes. Four in a row at the other end by Francis McMullan pulled Dunloy clear of the danger, and though Kearns added two more from placed balls the Dunloy men were not to be denied as they won with eight to spare in the end.
Match reforee Shane McDonnell with the team captains Seamus Duffin and Francis McMullan before the game
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St Olcan’s beat Glenarm to take their first Feis trophy
Feis na nGleann 2025
Under 16 B Hurling Final
St Olcan’s 4-18 Glenarm 3-11
St Olcan’s won their first ever Feis trophy at Glenariffe on Saturday, the Tir na nÓg-Creggan-Naomh Comgall’s combination beating Glenarm in a highly entertaining Under 16 B hurling final.
When Glenram’s top marksman Kian McGarel brought his team level with a goal in the 21st minute it looked like we were in for a real ‘ding-dong’ battle but driven on by their excellent midfielder Ronan Colgan, St Olcans came back with three goals in the next four minutes, and with Colgan adding a point the south west Antrim side opened a ten point gap, one which was going to take a lot of bridging. McGarel, who was the real heartbeat of the Glenarm team, got two quick goals early in the second half to close the gap to five, and suddenly it seemed possible for the boys from Feystown, but St Olcan’s shut up shop, and with Colgan picking off the points they pulled away again to win by ten in the end.
Colgan opened the scoring for his side in the first minute and after McGarel brought Glenarm level a strong run from full forward Oisin Mooney set up a goal for corner forward Oisin Devlin. Three points from Colgan were answered by McGarel and Aaron Maguire to keep Glenarm in touch and when McGarel sprinted through from midfield so score a brilliant goal the sides were level.
Unfortunately for Glenarm they didn’t get any time to build on McGarel’s major as the next four minutes saw St Olcan’s hit the net three times, two of them from Michael Sloan and on from Colgan and by half time they were they had stretched their lead to 4-09 to 1-07, Colgan hitting four of their five points, and Sloan the other.
Two points by McGarel early in the second half gave Glenarm a bit of hope but McKay and Colgan hit back with two of their own to restore that ten point gap. When McGarel came back with goals in the 41st and 42nd minutes there was renewed hope for the Shane O’Neill side, but that was as close as they would get and the south west side steadied the ship to wrap up the silverware and collect their first Feis trophy.
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