The four Gaelic games’ codes of Camogie, hurling and men and ladies football assembled in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast to witness the club championship draw for 2025.
First up to the podium were Antrim Camogie and Úna Kelly, Chairperson, who supervised the draw where the following clubs were assigned a number that will slot into the fixtures sent to every club secretary.
Antrim Camogie Chairperson, Úna Kelly supervising the Club draw along with County Secretary, Sinead O’Kane
The structure that was voted in by the clubs is; Round Robin, first team to the final, 2nd and 3rd play semi-final and 4th and 5th team out.
Confirmed dates and venues will follow.
The fixtures assignment is as follows:
Rd 1:
Team 2 v Team 5
Team 3 v Team 4
Bye- Team 1
Rd 2:
Team 1 v Team 2
Team 5 v Team 3
Bye – Team 4
Rd 3:
Team 1 v Team 3
Team 4 v Team 5
Bye – Team 2
Rd 4:
Team 4 v Team 1
Team 3 v Team 2
Bye – Team 5
Rd 5:
Team 5 v Team 1
Team 2 v Team 4
Bye – Team 3
Men’s championship club football draw followed on from the Camogie
Men’s football followed and the four groups assigned as follows:
Gp1 Cargin, Tír na nÓg, Dunloy, St. John’s
Gp2 Portglenone, Glenravel, St. James, Rossa
Gp3 Lámh Dhearg, St. Galls, All Saints, Creggan
Gp4 St. Brigid’s, St. Paul’s, Aghagallon, Ahoghill
Club championship hurling preceded the Antrim LGFA Club championship draw
Then the hurling, assigned into two groups with fixtures and venues to follow:
Gp1 Cushendall, Loughgiel, Carey Faughs, Rossa
Gp2 St. John’s, Dunloy, Ballycastle, St. Enda’s
Antrim LFGA Chairperson, Ursula Lynch, supervises the last Club draw of the morning
Finally, Ursula Lynch, Chairperson of the LGFA supervised the draw for the LGFA and this too was assigned into two groups:
Gp1 Glenravel, St Galls, Glenavy
Gp2 Moneyglass, St. Pauls, St. Brigid’s
A photo shoot took place afterwards and everyone took advantage of the marvelous weather to go outside with Irish Olympian and guest speaker at the Saffron Forum, Ciara Mageean.
Ciara Mageean was the guest speaker at the Saffron Business Forum that followed the Club draw
You can view those photos here by clicking on the link…
Joseph McNaughton and Fintan Bradley share 1-12 as last year’s championship winners, Ruairi Og recorded their third win of the season against a spirited St. Enda’s at Middle Park on Sunday.
The Glengormley side were well in contention until late in the game after trailing by the minimum at the break with Frank Kane in splendid form and he would end the game with 2-1 to his credit.
Kane’s point came in the first half and points from Killian Jennings 0-2, Luke O’Connor, Ruairi Donaghy, Cormac Jennings 0-2, Dara Maguire and Ciaran McAllister saw the visitors trail 0-9 to 0-10 at the break.
Ruairi Og’s upped the ante in the second half but 2 goals from Frank Kane kept the visitors in touch though they were only able to add 3 further points in the second half through Ruairi Donaghy 0-2 f’s and Cormac Jennings.
Ronan Eager was in great form for the visitors and was their best performer while Oisin Quinn, Dara Maguire, Luke O’Connor and Eoin Conlon gave it everything for the Hightown men
Lámh Dhearg withheld a strong Davitt’s fightback in the second half to edge to victory in the Belfast derby with a 3-13-2-13 win at Hannahstown on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts opened up brightly on a sunsoaked Hannahstown morning with Adam Murray shooting over back-to-back scores within the first two minutes.
A converted Donn Whelan free halved the deficit, but Lámh Dhearg hit the game’s opening goal.
Niall McGarry won the breaking puck-out and laid a pass off to Donal Martin, he in turn found Adam Murray whose initial shot was blocked before he found the net at the second time of asking.
Murray clipped over successive frees, with Deaglan Mooney replying for Davitts prior to an injury to Don Whelan that saw proceedings halted.
Goal number two arrived in the 9th minute after Donal Martin received a pass from talisman Murray and lashed in at the near post to make it 2-4-0-2.
A Stephen McGivern point in reply was followed by a lull in the scoring – especially for Davitts- who went 20 minutes without a score; in between times Murray converted his third free of the half and a stinging snapshot from Ciaran Boyd was turned over the bar to safety.
Adam Murray helped himself to a further 1-1 before the half was out, on both occasions he linked up with Donal Martin to devastating effect as his personal tally stood at 2-6 and the Lámhs led was 3-7-0-3.
In first half injury time, successive frees from Christopher Gallagher narrowed the margin slightly but double figures separated the duo.
Lámh Dhearg extended their lead upon the resumption through an excellent Ryan Diamond point, however Davitt’s hit three unanswered points through Anthony Rowntree and another two Gallagher frees.
Momentum was briefly halted when Daniel Murray intercepted and swung over a point, though Thomas Toland converted a free and midway through the second half a Christopher Gallagher long range shot from the half-line dropped and was adjudged to have crossed the line according to the umpire as Davitt’s were beginning to grow in belief with the score 3-9-1-9.
Daniel Murray doubled his personal tally with an angled score and a long range Adam Murray free appeared to have settled the hosts.
However Davitts were far from finished as Gallagher sent over his fifth free of the afternoon and Anthony Rowntree held off a challenge and shot over on the turn.
Gallagher added another point from the placed ball and on the 59th minute the Beechmount outfit who trailed by 13 before the break were now just two points in arrears thanks to a fantastic Caoimhin Rainey goal that made it 3-11-2-12.
Two Murray free’s in injury time allayed any nerves that the Lámh’s might surrender the spoils, with Deaglan Mooney’s point in reply only consolation in the end as Davitt’s fightback fell short and Lámh Dhearg edged to victory.
Lámh Dhearg: PJ Herron, F Clenaghan, C Rafferty, T McKenna, N McGarry, F Mervyn, SP Gibson, C Boyd (0-1), D Murray (0-2), M Finnegan, O Waldron, A McGuigan, D Martin, R Diamond (0-1), A Murray (2-9, 0-6f). Subs: C McConville for F Mervyn (35), G Smyth for M Finnegan (47), C McGuigan for A McGuigan (52).
Davitt’s: G Cosgrove, O Cosgrove, T Toland (0-1f), E Gallagher, C Gallagher (2-6, 0-6f), C Heaney, J Winters, C McKee, D Mooney (0-2), C Rainey (1-0), S McGivern (0-1), C Maguire, L O’Grady, A Rowntree (0-2), D Whelan (0-1). Subs: O Persson for D Whelan (10), M Glennon for C Rainey (60+1). Referee: Paul McSparron (Cushendun)
St Malachy’s Castlewellan 9-17 St Benedict’s Randalstown 5-9
ST Benedict’s Randalstown paid the price for a slow start to each half in An Spórtlann in Monday’s Danske Bank Reihill Cup final.
St Malachy’s Castlewellan were 1-6 up before they scored in the first half and the south west-Antrim outfit did well to reel them in to 2-9 to 2-6 by half-time.
St Benedicts Ethan McLaverty in action during the Danske Bank Rehill Cup final against St Malachy’s, Castlewellan
However the Down school produced a devastating start to the second half and deservingly retained the title in what really was a goal-fest.
There were 14 goals scored over the hour and half of that total came from the stick of Fiachna McAleenan – two in the first half and then the first five in the second half for the St Malachy’s joint-captain.
He had the sliotar in the St Benedict’s net in the fourth minute after early points from his cousin Pauric McAleenan, Eoghan McGurnaghan and Pádraig Owens. Castlewellan added three more points – through Pádraig Owens, Pauric McAleenan (free) and McGurnaghan, before St Benedict’s got off the mark.
Even after Ethan McLaverty pointed a long-range free for Randalstown in the 10th minute, Castlewellan continued to dominate with further points from Owens and Fiachna McAleenan making it 1-8 to 0-1 with just 12 minutes gone.
However St Benedict’s lifted their game for the rest of the half and closed the gap significantly. Points from Rorie Martin and Eoin Carey were followed by a goal when a first time pull from Kyron Shannon hit the Castlewellan net.
Fiachna McAleenan scored his second goal in the 17th minute. But that was St Malachy’s last score of the half and points quickly followed from Shannon (two) and Martin. Then Rorie Martin squeezed a shot home at the near post and suddenly the game was wide open again at 2-9 to 2-6.
However things changed rapidly after the throw-in for the second half when midfielder Fiachna McAleenan was fouled and picked up a leg injury. St Malachy’s moved him to full-forward while he recovered and accidentally pulled off a master stroke.
The Liatroim Fontenoys’ player buried goals in the 3rd, 8th, 10th and 12th minutes to complete a double hat-trick and put his side into a 6-13 to 2-8 lead. St Benedict’s were shell shocked and the Reihill Cup was as good as on its way back to mid-Down.
Another McAleenan, Pauric (three) and club-mate Matthew O’Shea added the four points while the goals were flying in. Fiachna buried his seventh goal in the 17th minute of the half before St Benedict’s captain Thomas Neeson began a late rally that delivered three goals and a point over the final ten minutes.
St Benedict’s Kyron Shannon in action during the Reihill Cup final at Colaiste Feirste
Pauric McAleenan answered Neeson’s goal with one at the other end and Pádraig Morgan fired home a ninth goal for the winners. However there was still time for Jack Nichol and Kyron Shannon to grab late goals for the mid-Antrim side.
St Benedict’s were physically strong and at times Neeson, Shannon and Martin troubled Castlewellan’s defence only to find diminutive goalie and joint-captain Daithí Brown in superb form. Elsewhere Eoin Carey and Ethan McLaverty put in a good shift for the Randalstown side.
However St Malachy’s, who were built around many of the Liatroim Fontenoys team that collected a first ever Down Division 1 Féile na nGael title a few days earlier, showed a lot of deft touches and were able to move the sliotar quickly into the scoring area. Fiachna McAleenan was the best player on show, but there were also fine performances from Owen Gallagher, Pádraig Owens, Daithí O’Hare and Pauric McAleenan.
Fiachna McAleenan, whos scored 7-01 in St Malachy’s win over St Benedicts is seen here with his dad Brian, his aunt Maureen and his uncle Seamus after the game.
St Malachy’s: Daithí Brown, Cathal Doran, Owen Gallagher, Miceal Curran, Jay O’Hare, Pádraig Owens 0-5, 2 frees, Patrick Feeney, Daithí O’Hare, Fiachna McAleenan 7-1, Pádraig Bannon, Pauric McAleenan 1-8, 0-5 frees, Eoin McGurnaghan 0-2, Pádraig Morgan 1-0, Matthew O’Shea 0-1, Harry King
Subs used: Darragh Rodgers, Dualtach O’Hare, Leo Burns, Louis Grant, Rory Quinn, Aidan McVeigh
St Benedict’s: James óg Letters, Corey Carroll, Alfie McNally, Kayden Townsend, Odhran Magill, Eoin Carey 0-1 free, Ciaran Redmond, Ryan McCann, Ethan McLaverty 0-1 free, Kyron Shannon 2-2, Thomas Neeson 1-2, Rorie Martin 1-3, Dillon Loughran, Jack Nichol 1-0, Cahir Sisk
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
A man of the match performance from Luke McFerran helped Dunloy to a comfortable win against Ballycastle on Sunday afternoon. Lining out at full forward, McFerran would finish the match with 1-4, have his hand in another major and so much more as the Cuchullains put Ballycastle to the sword.
Nicky McKeague would top score for the home side, finishing the hour with 1-10 while Deaglan Smith and Tom McFerran all chipped in substantially from open play.
Playing into a substantial breeze, Dunloy’s work rate and fluency in the opening half laid the foundations for the Dunloy victory. Ballycastle struggled to curtail their attacking unit that had a spread of 10 different scorers throughout.
Ballycastle had sporadic moments of joy and but for the brilliance and bravery of Eoghan Richmond between the sticks, could have added to their goal tally. Tiarnan Smyth top scored for The Town, finishing the match with 1-5 while half time substitute Lorcan Donnelly had a positive impact with his speed and direct running at a well marshalled home defence. Ronan ‘Rambo’ McCarry was carrying the fight for Ballycastle before having to come off at half time while Ardan Kelly and Seamus McAuley worked tirelessly throughout.
The first goal of the game came in the fourth minute with the home side three points to one ahead. Anton McGrath spraying the sliotar into the path of Ryan Mort and while the danger looked to have been quelled, Mort found Nicky McKeague running through the middle and despite the bravery of Eamon Elliott between the sticks for Ballycastle, McKeague squeezed the sliotar over the line.
Dunloy continued to dominate the middle third and could have had another major midway through the half, McGrath’s effort well saved by the Ballycastle ‘keeper.
The home side had stretched the lead to eight points going into first half injury time when they found the back of the net again. Luke McFerran with the assist and Mort with the finish to give Dunloy an 11 point lead.
Nicky McKeague fired over his third free of the half to take his personal tally to 1-5 ended the scoring to leave the half time score 2-12 to 0-6 in the home sides favour.
Despite playing into the elements, Ballycastle started the second half strongly and played with more urgency. The home side did manage to extend their lead to 13 but the McQuillan’s managed to score their first goal of the game in the 35th minute. Collecting a long ball, Tiarnan Smyth got the yard needed before giving Richmond no chance between the sticks.
It could have been better for the visitors but Lorcan Donnelly’s effort from an acute angle was saved superbly by Richmond and deflected over the bar.
A trio of points unanswered by the home side cancelled out Smyth’s major before Ballycastle had another goal chance. Conor Donnelly this time with his eyes on the Dunloy goal but the Cuchullains full back Sean Óg Blaney produced a blind side block to deny the Ballycastle forward with the goal at his mercy.
The third Dunloy goal came mid way through the second half and was down to the genius of Luke McFerran again. Getting on the end of a long delivery, he deflected the sliotar into his path. His initial shot was well saved by Eamon Elliott but McFerran was first to the breaking ball and fired home to the empty net.
With the difference 13 points, the Cuchullains were relentless in the final quarter. Scoring seven points in the last five minute and the couple of minutes of injury time played while Smyth and Lorcan Donnelly added to their tally for the visitors.
A comprehensive win for the Cuchullains who travel to Loughgiel in their next game on Wednesday 28 May while Ballycastle entertain Cushendall on the same evening.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Eoghan Richmond; Oran Quinn, Sean Og Blaney, Conor Kinsella; Eamon Smyth, Kevin Molloy, Ben O’Kane; Deaglan Smith, Oisin McCamphill; Ronan Molloy, Nicky McKeague, Tom McFerran; Ryan Mort, Luke McFerran, Anton McGrath
Scorers: N McKeague 1-10 (7fs 1’65); L McFerran 1-4; D Smith 0-4; T McFerran 0-3; R Mort 1-00; A McGrath 0-2; E Smyth 0-1; B O’Kane 0-1; Jack Martin 0-1; Ryan McFarline 0-1
