Cloney Gaels got back to winning ways following a number of recent defeats to Cushendun, Sarsfields and Glenariffe and a draw with Shane O’Neill’s.
Goals win games is the old adage and on this occasion the Ahoghill side hit five, four in the opening half but despite that they were only four ahead at the interval, thanks mainly to the point scoring of Carryduff’s Darragh Goodwin, who registered 0-4 in the first half.
It was Diarmaid Graham, Fionnbar O’Neill and Colla McDonnell who got Cloney Gaels of to a perfect start with three goals in the opening ten minutes and a fourth from Conor Crossey at the end of the opening quarter saw them 4-4 to 0-11 ahead at the short whistle.
The Ahoghill points came from James O’Connell 0-3 and Noah Friel while Conor McAllister 0-3, Ciaran Goodwin, Eoin Rooney and Gareth O’Lionsigh were the other Carryduff point scorers.
After the break Cloney Gaels were more reliant on their point taking though they did add a fifth goal through Fionnbar O’Neill from the penalty spot with two minutes remaining to ensure there would be no way back for the county Down men.
Colla McDonnell added to his opening half goal with 0-2 in the second half while James O’Connell brought his total for the hour to 0-6 while Eoin Graham, Diarmaid Graham, Dan O’Neill and Owen Neeson were the other point scorers.
Donal Rooney led the Carryduff challenge with half a dozen second half points with Eoin Rooney 0-4 also impressing for the visitors and Conor McAllister getting their goal.
A good win for the Ahoghill side which leaves them in joint second place but the victory was somewhat tempered by the fact that Oisin’s Glenariffe claimed the league title on the same day with a win over Shane O’Neill’s in Waterfoot.
With two rounds of games still remaining these games will turn to Championship preparations and Cloney Gaels will hope to build on Sunday’s win as they finish their league programme with away games away to Cloughmills and at home to Tir na nOg.
Over 150 school children from the counties of Antrim and Dublin connected once again in a series of games during the recent Cumann na mBunscol Friendship Games. Played in Corrigan Park, Belfast the primary school pupils gave it their all for their County before a medal swapping ceremony whereby players from each jurisdiction exchanged silverware.
Organised on an annual basis the children from both counties participate in games across all 4 GAA on-field codes and handball. The Antrim children, selected from over 50 primary schools from Ballycastle to Belfast and everywhere in between, were hosts this year for their Dublin friends and what a great day was had by all. Parnell Park will host the next instalment in 2026.
Cumann na mBunscol Aontroma wish to record its thanks to its partner schools, our team coaches and referees, committee organisers, our colleagues and pupils from Dublin, St. John’s GAC and Gort Na Mona GAC.
The Antrim and Dublin Cumann na mBunscol teams who played at Gort na Móna
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Glenariffe clinched the Division 2 Hurling title at Waterfoot on Sunday when they beat North Antrim rivals Glenarm by 1-20 to 0-10 before a good sized crowd.
Despite playing against the strong diagonal wind the Oisins had the better of the early exchanges and led by 0-04 to 0-02 after twelve minutes, two of them coming from Alex O’Boyle and one apiece from Michael O’Boyle and the other from Seanie McIntosh, while Ciaran Magill and Niall McGarel got the Glenarm scores
Niall McGarel sends over a Glenram free
Three in a row for Glenariffe, two from O’Boyle and one from Daniel Kearney, pushed the Oisins lead out a little further and even though Glenarm had excellent scores from Aidan Scullion, Ciaran Magill and Niall McGarel the Oisins held the upper hand and went in at the interval with a 0-11 to 0-06 lead.
The gap stayed at five during the third quarter but scores by O’Boyle and McIntosh were answered by McGarel and Magill for the visitors, and when second half substitute Orrin O’Connor got in for the only goal of the game the game was as good as over. O’Boyle, though missing a couple of frees, was still the top man and he hit four in a row in the run in to seal the league title.
Orrin O’Connor fires in the only goal of the game midway through the second half
These two will meet again in the Intermediate Hurling Championship in a few weeks’ time in what no doubt will be a vital game in the round-robin series, and though Shane O’Neills were well beaten in this one they will feel there not as big of a gap between them as Sunday’s result suggests
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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.
James Kelly who scored 1-14 as St. Brigid’s defeated All Saints to maintain their place at the top of division 4
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 5th 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 Eoin mcAllister comes out to clear the danger
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 29th 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 12th 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 25th 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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Ballycastle recovered from a slow start to get the better of league leaders St John’s in Sunday’s Antrim Senior Hurling League game at Pairc MacUilin. The Corrigan Park men wee 0-07 to 0-02 ahead after just seven minutes, but once they got going the men from the Town reeled their visitors in and three goals in the second quarter saw them go in at the break with a 3-12 to 0-12 lead.
The second half was much more even, and lower scoring but Ballycastle held their own during that period and ended up winning by ten.
St John’s, who were short a few regulars, started strongly and with Oisin McManus and Shea Shannon leading the line they hit the first two points of the game. Niall McKenna pulled one back on two minutes but the visitors pushed on and points from Aaron Bradley., Oisin McManus and Michial Dudley found the target to stretch the gap to four. McKenna came back with one from play for the Town, but Shannon and McManus stretched the lead to five by the ninth minute. As the half progressed Ballycastle started to find their range and three in a row from Conor Donnelly set them on a run and they had it back to a point when the game really changed.
On 22 minutes McKenna set up Conor Donnelly for a goal and two minutes later Darragh Donnelly added another major with a great finish. Oisin McManus hit three points for the Johnnies but the home team finished the half with goal number three, this time from veteran full forward Neal McAuley to give his team a 3-12 to 0-12 half time lead
McAuley increased the lead to ten in the first minute of the second but McManus replied right away for the visitors. The Corrigan Park side had a chance to get back into it when they were awarded a penalty in the 36th minute, but McManus was off target and two long range points from Seamus McAuley had the gap out to eleven at one point. That gave the home side enough breathing room and they kept answering each St John’s point to seal the win.
Despite the defeat St John’s still hold on to top spot, though Rossa, Dunloy and Loughgiel all have a game in hand on them and on Ballycastle. They face West Belfast rivals Rossa at Corrigan next time out on Wednesday 25th June in what should be a very interesting contest.
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