Category / Hurling

by thesaffrongael

St. Mary’s edge out Maghera in Foresters opener

Danske Bank Foresters Cup

St. Mary’s CBGS 6-05-3-09 St Pat’s Maghera

From Kevin Herron at Allen Park

St. Mary’s and St Pat’s served up a cracking game in their Foresters Cup opener at Allen Park this afternoon and it was the Glen Road side who edged home 6-05-3-09.

Played in blustery and snowy conditions it was St. Mary’s who started on the front foot – claiming the opening goal through Dubhaltach Wilson with less than a minute gone and a second through Barie Burns moments later.

A point then followed from defender Ben McCauley, but whilst St. Mary’s were making the most of their wind advantage in the opening half- Maghera couldn’t get to grips with things and hit five wides from frees in the opening 30 minutes.

They eventually hit back through Cormac Mullan’s 12th minute strike on goal– though Wilson converted a free and in the aftermath Niall Fallon struck to the net and Diarmuid Rogan added a further point as St. Mary’s led 3-03-1-00.

James Friel converted a free for Maghera in response but Adam Churchill hit St. Mary’s fourth goal of the half.

The lead would be cut before the interval as St. Pat’s battled back through superb points from Conor Murtagh and Niall Dougan.

Midfielder Calum O’Kane then burst forward and rifled the ball to the net to ensure his side trailed 4-03-2-03 at the midway point- with a strong wind advantage in the second period.

Maghera immediately closed the gap through a Niall Dougan goal within a minute of the restart and substitute Peter McCullagh then converted a free.

Diarmuid Rogan conjured up a point in response before St. Mary’s restored their two-goal lead after Barie Burns followed up on Dubhaltach Wilson’s effort which was parried by Paddy Reid.

McCullagh (free) and Conor Boyle then traded points as two-goals separated the sides midway through the second period.

Maghera would half the deficit through McCullagh- having already landed two frees since his introduction at the break- he sent three further placed balls over the bar to leave the score 5-05-3-08 with just minutes remaining.

St. Mary’s eased any worries with a sixth goal through Adam Churchill, though it came with an element of luck as Paddy Reid appeared to have batted the ball behind and over, only for it to drop to the net.

Peter McCullagh landed a further free to bring his personal tally to 0-06; though the final whistle sounded in the aftermath as St. Mary’s edged to an opening day victory in the Foresters Cup.

St. Mary’s scorers: A Churchill (2-00), B Burns (2-00), N Fallon (1-00), D Wilson (1-01, 0-01f), D Rogan (0-02), C Boyle (0-01), B McCauley (0-01).

St Pat’s Maghera scorers: J Friel (0-01f), C O’Kane (1-00), C Murtagh (0-01), C Mullan (1-00), N Dougan (1-01), P McCullagh (0-06f).

Referee: Stephen McGuigan (Slaughtneil)

by thesaffrongael

St Anthony’s make it 3-in-a-row

St Anthony’s Primary School won the Larne Schools Hurling Cup for the 4th time in 7 years.  St Anthony’s Primary School who arguably came into the tournament as underdogs came through the groupstage unbeaten, winning their first game against St MacNissis’ and drawing all the rest.  The final game of the league section was between St MacNissis and Corran Integrated with as place in the final up for grabs.  The Corran only needed a draw to guarantee a final spot but St MacNissis had other ideas and put in the most impressive performance the day winning the pivotal league game 4-0.
The games in the group stage were tight affairs with teams reluctant to give much away and the final was no different.  It was a nervous game with the St MacNissis keeper the man of the match.  At the full time whistle team coaches Ciaran McKillion and Anthony McNeill had to make changes with the teams being reduced from 6 a side to 5 a side for the two minutes of extra time.  The 2019 champions scored early in extra time and were able to hold on to take the Larne Schools Hurling Cup back to Antiville for the third year in a row. With team coach Anthony McNeill winning the competition for the second time, the first time was as a player at the first ever Larne Schools Hurling Cup in 2014.
The Larne Schools Hurling Cup continues to go from strength to strength with more volunteers and coaches getting involved and is now a well established competition giving children from schools in Larne the opportunity to play meaningful and competitive games of hurling


by thesaffrongael

Ballymacward children have experience of a lifetime

By Kevin Herron

Ballymacward principal Hugh Kennedy believes that his school children’s experience dispells the myth that you don’t meet your heroes.

Children from the small primary school on the Rock Road- not far from Hannahstown- were treated to an audience with the Tipperary hurlers on Saturday morning before the challenge game at Davitts.

The pre-arranged meeting was set-up through Micky McCullough- who is working at the school and his links with Tipperary logistics manager Billy O’Shea.

The Ballymacward students – who ply their trade with Lamh Dhearg were treated to breakfast with the Tipperary stars at the Ramada Hotel Shaws Bridge and left with a token of appreciation from the All-Ireland hurling champions as their principal explained. 

“We were exceptionally proud when the opportunity came along through Mr McCullough – who works with the school” said Kennedy.

  • A welcome to Ballymacward Primary school by the Tipperary players and management on Saturday morning prior to their game against Antrim at Davitt’s new complexs

“He coaches Ballyboden St Enda’s and he had contact with Billy O’Shea (Tipperary Logisitics) and the Tipperary management team. It kind of all happened last minute, Mr McCullough asked if there was any chance the kids could meet the team. It was back and forward and the Tipperary management team had offered us the chance to come down in the morning and have breakfast with the players, meet them and get photos with the Liam McCarthy – so we were delighted to accept that”

“We got there in the morning and it got even better – Billy O’Shea had said to us, they had presents for the children- which was jerseys that the team had worn during a match. He was actually quite embarrassed that they were worn jerseys but I said to him- it made it even more special for the children and he said they would be presented to the children after breakfas. It was an incredible gesture by the team.”

 “We were waiting in the lobby to go in and have breakfast with the players and they brought out the Liam McCarthy. We were able to get photos with all the families and their parents and older siblings were able to get photos and Billy brought us in to meet the players- they couldn’t have been nicer, the hospitality was just second to none”.

“There was couple of children at each table and the Tipp players looked after them, they actually got the children their breakfast for them – brought them over pancakes and made them toast. You wouldn’t actually believe that those players are who they are ! The day went really well and they couldn’t have done any more for the kids. At the end Seamus Callanan and Liam Sheedy brought the children up one by one and presented them with a Tipperary jersey. It was a brilliant day and dispelled the myth that you don’t meet your heroes- they are exceptional people- all of them from the logistics manager, to the players to Liam Sheedy himself- they’re just exceptional people”.

  • A chat with the Tipperary players for children from Ballymacward Primary School

The Tipperary stars were also treated to a rendition of the ‘Two Johnnies’ song ‘When I play for the County’ by young students.

Kennedy revealed that one of the children began singing it in school during the week and was encouraged by their heroes to sing a few verses – despite their initial nervousness.

“It started during the week – they sang the song by the two Johnnies (When I play for the County)” recalls Kennedy.

 “I wasn’t aware of the song myself, it was one of the kids from Lamh Dhearg (Ruairi Mulholland) had been signing it in class all week and told us he was going to sing it for them. Ruairi was actually sitting at a table with Noel McGrath and a few others, the presentation was happening and a few of the players shouted up that the kids have a song for us. They got up and were a bit embarrassed at the start but they started singing the song about being a County player – they got confident and started singing away”.

“They’d been practicing all week and the Tipperary fellas really enjoyed it and appreciated the kids singing for them and gave them a round of applause after. The kids were delighted, the players were delighted and Liam Sheedy himself – was over the moon with it and we’re very, very proud of them”.

Kennedy was delighted with the publicity that his ‘small’ school of 79 children received over the weekend- with Tipperary stars liking and retweeting them and Noel McGrath personally completing with the children.  

  • Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy and captain Seamus Callinan hand out jerseys to children from Ballymacward Primary School on their visit to the school on Saturday morningf

“We’re a small school and have very strong ties with Lamh Dhearg” Kennedy revealed.

“All the children there yesterday were from Lamh Dhearg and we have one or two kids from St Pat’s Lisburn but 95% of our kids are all Lamh Dhearg. We’re a small school with 79 kids so they don’t really get much publicity. The whole day, meeting the Tipperary players and even on twitter- we had Tipperary players liking our tweets and retweeting”.

“Noel McGrath in particular, contacted  Mr McCullough afterwards to say how much of a credit the children were to the school. They all had Lamh Dhearg tops on and the players were chatting to them about their gaelic club. They were a credit to the school, their club and their families- we’re a small school and we’re trying to expand as much as we can. It’s a good bit of publicity and it was just a great event all round for the school”.

“

by thesaffrongael

Leitrim too strong for Saffrons

Lidl National Football League Division Four

Leitrim 7-10-0-02 Antrim

From Kevin Herron at Ballinamore

It was a long afternoon for Antrim ladies who suffered a third straight league defeat at the hands of Leitrim in Ballinamore today.

Despite surviving a double scare inside the first two minutes when Emma Guckian and Leah Fox struck the upright, the Saffrons fell behind to a point from Aibe Clancy- though quickly responded with Nikki Jones conjuring an angled point to equalise.

The hosts hit the first goal on eight minutes as Leah Fox atoned for her earlier miss with a fine finish past Anna McCann.

Aibe Clancy popped over her second point of the afternoon and Ellen Morgan converted a free in response.

But just before the break Leitrim extended their lead with a quick-fire double of goals – Michelle Guckian bustled her way through and rifled to the net and Carla Le Guen slipped in Leah Fox- who doubled her goal tally.

A further point from Ellish O’Dowd before the break gave the hosts a commanding 3-03-0-02 lead at the end of a first-half where conditions could only be described as testing- owing to storm Ciara sweeping over the hills.

In a show of sportsmanship Leitrim donated a spare kit to Antrim as both sides returned with a fresh set of jerseys for the second period.

Leitrim picked up where they left off at the end of the opening half as Michelle Guckian added two points from play and another two from frees.

Charlene Tyrell added his side’s fifth second-half score on the spin before Leah Fox secured her third goal of the afternoon with a neat finish to make it 4-08-0-02.

Full-forward Fox added her second in quick succession and points from substitute’s Laura O’Dowd and Muireann Devanney followed before the midway point in the half.

The dominant hosts completed a convincing victory late on through goals from Vivienne Egan and Devanney as the Saffrons fell to their third straight league defeat.

Leitrim: M Monaghan, S Tigh, M McCawley, E Quinn, C Owens, S O’Rourke, K Connelly, S Mc Loughlin, E O’Dowd (0-01), E Guckian, A Clancy (0-02), C La Guen, C Tyrell (0-01), L Fox (4-00), M Guckian (1-04, 0-02f). Subs: L O’Dowd (0-01) for L Fox (42); M Devanney (1-01) for C La Guen (42); R McLoughlin for E Guckian (53); V Egan (1-00) for A Clancy (58); M Heslin for E O’Dowd (58); E Quigley for C Owens (62); A McKeown for S McLoughlin (63).

Antrim: A McCann, K McConville, E Kelly, N Killen, N Webb, M Hanna, G Shannon, L Dahunsi, A Tubridy, C Taggart, E Morgan (0-01f), M McGarry, N Jones (0-01), E Rocks, A Taggart. Subs: E Bradley for N Killen (HT); D O’Reilly for C Taggart (36); E Rocks for M Hanna (46); D Boyd for E Kelly (50); A Carleton for M McGarry (53).

Referee: Paul Clifford (Buncrana)