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by thesaffrongael

Creggan have smooth passage to last four 

Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship, Quarter-final 

Rossa 1-10-1-15 Creggan Kickhams 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

Creggan were the third team to book their place in the semi-finals of the Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship after seeing off the challenge of Rossa with a 1-15-1-10 victory at Hannahstown on Sunday afternoon. 

Conditions on the hill were less than ideal with a swirling wind and lashing rain at times making things difficult. 

It was Kickhams who were off the mark inside of two minutes with Matthew Rodgers steering a shot between the sticks and Joe McAteer swung over a second shortly afterwards. 

Rossa took 10-minutes to open their account with a fine Thomas Morgan point and at the midway point of the half they pulled level after Dominic McEnhill was felled and goalkeeper Mick Byrne kicked the resulting free. 

The sides traded two-pointed frees, Creggan had restored their two-point advantage through Ruairi McCann’s effort from the edge of the arc. 

A foul on Morgan allowed Rossa the opportunity to peg them back, albeit from a difficult angle- though Byrne had little trouble in guiding the subsequent opportunity between the posts. 

Parity was only restored briefly as McCann kicked his second two-pointed placed ball in a three-minute period to have his side 0-6-0-4 ahead at the interval. 

Creggan made a lightning start to the second period and kicked two further two-pointed scores within the first two minutes of the restart. 

Jamie McCann was first to line up a shot from range that dropped over and Matthew Rodgers then added his side’s fourth of the afternoon. 

There was some brief respite for the Shaws Road men when Thomas Morgan bustled his way towards goal and popped over, though Dominic McAteer laid the ball off to Matty Rodgers to clip over his third score of the contest.

Gerard Walsh had again reduced arrears for a brief period, though his side fell further behind to a third two-pointed free from Ruairi McCann that had the score 0-13-0-6. 

A converted Dominic McEnhill free and Morgan’s third point of the afternoon ensured that Rossa were still within touch in the final quarter, but Creggan were still in control and Joe McAteer doubled his personal tally. 

The first goal of the game arrived in the 54th minute, newly introduced substitute Tiarnan McAteer took off and before a tackle came in, he was able to slip the ball into the path of Ruairi McCann to dispatch to the net and make it 1-14-0-8. 

A close range Conor Small free finished his sides scoring for the day, but Creggan were guilty of sleeping at the wheel in the later and Rossa claimed 1-2 unanswered in injury time. 

A curling shot from Thomas Morgan left Oisin Kerr unmoved in the Creggan goal, though the score was little more than scant consolation. 

There was still time for Diarmaid Rogan to swing over a nice point and Dominic McEnhill added a further score with the last action of the game to ensure some respectability on the final scoreline, though it was Creggan who advanced to the last four and keep their Championship hopes alive. 

ROSSA: M Byrne (0-3, 1f, 1×0-2pf), C Orchin, G McGrath, P Moyes, T Murphy, N Crossan, R Gowdy, G Walsh (0-1), O McVicker, A Devlin, C McDonald, D Rogan (0-1), T Morgan (1-3), D McEnhill (0-2, 0-1f), S Beatty. SUBS: E McMenamin for G McGrath (HT), R Grant for O McVicker (36), C Walsh for C McDonald (52), C O’Neill for P Moyes (58). 

CREGGAN KICKHAMS: O Kerr, L McLernon, R Johnston, E McAteer, D McAteer, E Carey-Small, J McCann (1×0-2pt), K McCann, P McCauley, F Close, C Small (0-1f), R McCann (1-6, 3×0-2pf), S McCann, M Rodgers (0-4, 1×0-2pt), J McAteer (0-2). SUBS: S Duffin for E McAteer (36), K Small for P McCauley (42), T McAteer for S McCann (53), S Maguire for E Carey-Small (56). 

REFEREE: Paddy Tumelty (LÁMH DHEARG)

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by thesaffrongael

Naomh Comhghall’s hopes dashed by St. Joseph’s

IFC Group 2

Naomh Comhghall 1-13 St. Joseph’s 3-18

A Ciaran Loney led St. Joseph’s Glenavy put an end to Naomh Comhghall’s chances of gate crashing the semi-finals of the IFC when they travelled to Antrim and defeated the home side.

Barry Burns’ side were impressive during the opening period and thanks to a Ryan Clare goal and a couple of 2 pointers from Eoin Lynott and Aaron McHugh were well in contention at the interval when they trailed by the minimum.

The game swung decisively in the way of the Chapel Hill side as St. Joseph’s hit 1-2 within 3 minutes to move six ahead and create a gap that Naomh Comhghall never looked like bridging.

It was Naomh Comhghall who got off to the better start at Dunsilly with Miles Devine and James McCabe giving them an early lead before James Gallagher replied with two points for the visitors to tie the contest with 5 minutes on the clock.

Eoin Lynott for the Antrim town men and Eoin Gallagher exchanged further points and Aaron McHugh edged the home side ahead for the third time before the hard working Ciaran Loney pointed to level matters again with 10 minutes gone.

Things were livening up and Matthew Emery in the Antrim goals brought off a good save to deny James Gallagher and Ryan Clarke split the posts at the other end to edge his side ahead once more.

It was end to end stuff as two well matched sides went at it toe to toe as Fergal Henry 0-2 and James Gallagher edged the Chapel Hill side ahead and Miles Devine (f) and Henry with a similar effort exchanged further points.

A well worked goal from Ryan Clarke appear to have handed the initiative back to the home side but instead it was the group leaders who finished the half with a flurry to lead at the break.

James Gallagher, Fergal Henry, Ciaran Loney and Paddy Gallagher struck four unanswered points to leave St. Joseph’s ahead by the minimum as the half time whistle sounded.

HT Naomh Comhghall 1-8 Glenavy 0-12

Naomh Comhghall needed a quick response if they were to get their challenge up and running again as the second half action got underway but instead it was the Chapel Hill side who would increase their lead.

Ciaran Loney pointed after 15 seconds and James Gallagher added another before a good move saw James Gallagher finish to the net with only 3 minutes of the new half gone.

Suddenly it was the strong running of the group winners that was causing serious problems for the home side who replied with an Aaron McHugh point which brought another response from the men in orange.

James Gallagher pointed and Fergal Henry punished a defensive error with Glenavy’s second goal at the end of the third quarter and it was as good as over.

James McCabe did reply from a ‘65’ and Aaron McHugh followed with a 2 pointer with Fergal Henry pointing a 22nd minute free for the visitors.

Dylan Murdock pulled one back for the ‘Town’ but when Fergal Henry got on the end of an excellent build up to fire home St. Joseph’s third goal with five minutes remaining, there would be no way back for the hosts.

The skilful Henry concluded the scoring with a late point and Glenavy must now fancy their chances of going all the way after going through their group unbeaten.

However they are likely to face a tougher semi-final challenge from Sarsfields who secured their place in the semis after a win away to Naomh Padraig in Group 1 yesterday or Moneyglass who can top the group if they secure a victory away to Rasharkin on Sunday evening.

Glenavy will be joined by St. Teresa’s, last year’s beaten finalists, in the semi-finals as a result of Naomh Comhghall’s defeat to Glenavy and things should liven up when an interesting looking semi-final line-up is confirmed

by thesaffrongael

Antrim lose despite strong finish

Masters Shield Final

Cavan Masters 3-12 Antrim Masters 1-14

Despite a strong final quarter where they had the opposition under the cosh, Antrim Masters came up short in this Mick Loftus Shield final against Cavan Masters in vastly changing weather conditions at Breffni Park on Saturday.

Frankie Delargy’s Antrim started this final without a number of key players and found themselves 0-5 to 0-0 behind after 11 minutes to a Cavan side for whom Kieth Fannin looked sharp. Fannin converted three frees and Paddy McNamee and Michael McGovern were the other Cavan marksmen.

Mark Graham celebrates after scoring the Antrim goal

Michael McCarry finally got the Saffrons off the mark from a converted free and added another as the visitors began to grow into the game and a Ryan Daly point left it 0-6 to 0-3 after 18 minutes play.

Just when it looked like Antrim were getting on top they were hit on the counter attack and Cavan were awarded a rather soft penalty which Keith Fannin fired out of the reach of Sean McGreevey despite the Antrim keeper getting a hand to the spot kick.

Antrim replied through Ciaran Close and Ryan Boyd but were hit again by a sucker counter punch when Paddy McNamee broke clear in the final play of the opening half to finish to the net and leave the Breffni side 2-7 to 0-5 ahead at the break.

Things went from bad to worse for the Saffrons at the start of the second half as McNamee, Tomas Leonard and Fannin kicked three quick fire points to move Cavan 11 ahead by the 35th minute and Antrim were in danger of being over-run at this stage but they picked themselves up of the carpet.

A point from David McAlernon and a goal from Mark Graham got them on their way and Michael McCarry followed with another point to close the gap to six as the visitors began to gain a bit of momentum.

Michael McCarry who finished with 0-6 for Antrim in the All Ireland Masters Shield final in Breffni Park on Saturday

Keith Fannin replied with a point, Michael McGovern added another and when Joe Sheridan got in for their third goal at the end of the third quarter Antrim’s comeback looked to have been in vain.

The gap was back out to 11 and the Antrim storm appeared to have been averted but the Saffrons quite simply refused to go away.

They began to eat into the Cavan lead as they took the game to their hosts in the final quarter with Michael McCarry 0-5, Brendan Etherson and Declan McErlean kicking the final seven points of the game to close the gap to four but that was as close as they got with a relieved Cavan happy to hear the full time whistle.

Despite defeat this has been a good year for Antrim Masters but the availability of key players for Saturday’s final certainly didn’t help their cause.

They have been competitive in all their games this season and will hope to go on to bigger and better things next season.

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by thesaffrongael

Sarsfields seal safe passage to semis

OB Construction Intermediate Football Championship – Group 1 – Round 4

Saturday 13th September

Report by Niall Kelly from Kirkwoods Park 

Naomh Padraig 0-03         Pádraig Sáirseil  0-10

Old habits seem to die hard as Sarsfields once again ensured their Intermediate Football campaign continues into the knockout stages thanks to a seven-point victory over Lisburn. With scores at a premium throughout the contest, neither side would mind me saying that this one won’t live too long in the memory. Greasy conditions coupled with the fact that both teams perhaps lacked their usual cutting edge offensively made for a rather attritional affair.  However, for the Paddies that will matter little. With the Division Two title already under their belt, their double aspirations still burn bright as either St Teresa’s or Glenavy await them in the final four. In truth, had Lisburn possessed a little more composure and efficiency in front of the posts, the Stewartstown Road side could’ve had a real problem on their hands. In the end though, it was their key forwards who fired them to victory with Daniel Smyth and Garry Lennon contributing seven points to their final total.

The visitor’s towering midfielder, Cormac Murray, got the scoring underway on the sixth minute thanks to a fine effort which he caressed off the outside of his boot to edge his side ahead. This was followed some sixty seconds later by a soaring two-pointer from talisman Daniel Smyth, demonstrating his prowess on the periphery of the arc.

Despite holding the advantage, Sarsfields were made to defend in numbers as Lisburn’s industry coming forward from defence began to open up space. However, they lacked the same potency in front of the uprights as their opponents and their final ball wouldn’t seem to stick.  Indeed, both sides were guilty of some uncharacteristically wayward shooting.

The oily Lisburn surface was beginning to fuel unforced errors as well with both battling to gain authority.  However, Sarsfields then sought to ramp up the pressure as they went in search of a green flag and Lisburn shotstopper Peter O’Neill was put through his paces.  An intricate move involving Smyth and Caolan McDonnell opened the door for the rapid Christopher Loughran to bear down on goal. O’Neill saved superbly though getting down low to block with his legs. O’Neill was on hand again moments later as Daniel Smyth’s high ball in ricocheted off Garry Lennon’s arm and looked bound for the net. Thankfully for Lisburn, the ball nestled between the legs of their number one as the gap remained at three.

The visitors finished the half in the ascendancy though as they further extended their lead thanks to a fine score from centre back Liam Mitchell. Garry Lennon was then on hand as he sent over two close range frees with Seamus Shannon’s whistle for the break imminent. Naomh Padraig, desperate to notch at least one score before the break, had Jude Rafferty to thank as the bustling number thirteen converted a well-taken forty five to see the sides retreat with Sarsfields 0-06 to 0-01 to the good.

The men in black and green then summoned their ace, Brian Healy, at half time and the talented forward put his imprint immediately on proceedings at the beginning of the second period, pointing after forty seconds.

However, in a similar vein to the opening thirty, scores were hard to come by. Lisburn again enjoyed a concerted period of possession in the third quarter but struggled to make it count on the scoreboard. They did manage to take one of their opportunities with Colm Burns curling over off his left boot on the forty second minute. Had his namesake Thomas’ soccer-style effort found the back of the net, then a proper contest would’ve been ignited but the Lisburn fullback had to watch on as the size five trickled agonisingly wide of the post.

Sarsfields again would finish the half the stronger though as Garry Lennon popped up with his third of the evening before Daniel Smyth repeated his feat from the first period with another superbly executed two pointer with three minutes remaining on the clock.

The hosts had emptied their bench by this stage as they sought to blood a few players, and it was one of their substitutes, Francis McMeel, who rounded off the evening’s action with a point from range.

Job done for Sarsfields as they now look forward to the drama of knockout football. Glenavy seem their most likely opponents as many will fancy Moneyglass to retake top spot in the group with victory over Rasharkin. They will certainly look to inject a bit more of their usual pace into their next outing and recapture their usual composure between the posts. For Lisburn, this was somewhat of a dead rubber for them. They have enjoyed a good year in the league and put in some impressive performances in the Championship which can be their foundation for next year.

Teams:

Naomh Padraig:

P O’Neill; J Broderick, T Burns, C Doran; J McMullan, B McMullan, R Kennedy; A Patterson, B McGarr; J McMullan, O Gorman, C Burns (0-01;) J Rafferty (0-01,) S Burns, R Smyth

Substitute Scorer:

F McMeel (0-01)

Pádraig Sáirseil 

B McCaul; M McPolin, P Murray, C McDonnell; P McPeake, L Mitchell (0-01,) C Loughran; C Murray (0-01,) C McKernan; T Skillen, D Smyth (0-04 – 2 t.p) J Maguire; N McAlea, C Glenholmes, G Lennon (0-03)

Substitute Scorer:

B Healy (0-01)

by thesaffrongael

Dunloy banish demons to reach last four

Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship – Quarter Final

Dunloy 0-14 St Brigid’s 0-13

Saturday 13 September

Brendan McTaggart reports from Toome

Dunloy laid to rest the ghost of championships past on Saturday evening as they defeated St Brigid’s to seal their place in the semi-finals.  The Cuchullains had to hold off a strong second half comeback from the Musgrave Park side who trailed by six points at the halfway mark but the Cuchullains game management and ability to keep ahead of St Brigid’s on the scoreboard proved to be decisive.

This was a contest filled with intensity, goal chances at either end and a dramatic ending that could have gone either way.  On the balance of play over the 60 minutes, Dunloy were deserving winners.  They played with flare in attack with speed and power on the counter while mixing the point of their attack at differing times.  Their game management in the final quarter gave them the upperhand against a St Brigid’s side who were throwing everything in their artillery to try and claw them back into the tie.

Keelan Molloy was top scorer with five white flags and one orange over the hour while the returning Deaglan Smith was pivotal for his side.  His presence in the middle third, his free taking and ability to break lines was sorely missed against Cargin but Smith showed no ill effects of the injury that had hampered him last month. 

Defensively, the Cuchullains were led suprerbly by Aaron Crawford.  ‘Snoozer’ held their defence together with his organisation while Conor Kinsella, Reece Cunning and Ryan McGarry were also pivotal.

St Brigid’s will look at the first half of this game and rue the missed opportunities.  While they rarely penetrated the Dunloy defence in the opening half, they rolled the dice on a number of occasions for two point scores.  They managed just one of those through Ronan Boyle while missing a further five.  The Musgrave Park side scored on just two occasions in the first half with 14 minutes between the scores, it did little to give any fluency to the St Brigid’s play.

They fought back in the second half however with Reuben Carleton, Boyle and the Finnegan brothers all taking centre stage.  They dominated the middle third for a period of time that saw them turn the screw but they got little joy from an excellent Dunloy defence.

It was the Cuchullains who made the brighter start to the game with Smith pointing a free in the second minute before Molloy split the uprights to raise the orange flag two minutes later.

Boyle responded with a two pointer for St Brigid’s in the sixth minute but it would be their last score until the 20th minute as Dunloy dominated. 

The Cuchullains showed their ability to mix their attack with Nigel Elliott scoring after a counter attack while Smith scored his second of the game as they patiently looked for the yard of space in an organised St Brigid’s defence to put three between the sides.

It was Dunloy who became wasteful in front of the target with Seaan Elliott going close with a couple of long range efforts while Nigel Elliott had a half chance for goal only to see his effort deflect wide.

Luke McFerran raised the white flag in the 16th minute with Dunloy in the ascendancy and when Molloy scored his second two pointer of the evening, the Cuchullains had opened a six point lead with a little over 11 minutes of the half remaining.

Paul Bradley stopped the rot for St Brigid’s when he scored in the 20th minute.  It would be their last score of the half and while a free from Smith was the only score Dunloy could manage in the time that remained, the south Belfast side saw three efforts for two pointers go to the wrong side of the posts to leave the half time score 0-9 to 0-3 in Dunloy’s favour.

With next to no wind blowing at the Cargin club grounds, it was very much advantage Dunloy at the half way mark.  St Brigid’s reduced the deficit to five with a point from Joseph Finnegan but Dunloy managed to keep the six points between the sides in the opening quarter of the second half.  Points from Smith (three frees) and Molloy came in response to frees from Bradley and Carleton.

St Brigid’s hit a purple patch as the clock went in to the 50th minute as Carleton and substitute Niall Duffy landed two pointers in the space of three minutes after a Higgins point to leave the minimum between the sides.  Duffy’s effort coming with the outside of his boot and looked to give his side a boost at the perfect time.

Dunloy’s game management and ability to create chances at the other end of the pitch proved to be decisive however.  They managed to keep two points ahead of the Musgrave Park men with Molloy’s free taking to the fore.

Substitute Calum Downey and Higgins split the posts, JJ Higgins with a half chance of goal before electing to fist the ball over the bar.

St Brigid’s looked for an opportunity to equalise in the time that remained but some disciplined Dunloy defending kept them at bay as the Cuchullains added their name in to the hat for the last four.

TEAMS

DUNLOY: Chrissy McMahon; Reece Cunning, Aaron Crawford, James Scally; Aodhan McGarry, Ryan McGarry, Conor Kinsella; Eoin McFerran, Deaglan Smith; Eoin O’Neill, Seaan Elliott, Tom McFerran; Luke McFerran, Keelan Molloy, Nigel Elliott

Scorers: K Molloy 0-7 (2TP’s, 2F’s); D Smith 0-5 (4F’s); L McFerran 0-1; N Elliott 0-1

ST BRIGID’S: Declan Heery; Peter King, Conor King, John Morgan; Shay Campbell, Shea Downey, Reuben Carleton; Patrick Finnegan, Jack Dowling; Ronan Boyle, James Smith, Paul Bradley; Ryan Tweedy, Joseph Finnegan, JJ Higgins

Subs: Niall Duffy for R Tweedy (16); John Toner for C King (HT); Calum Downey for P King (40); Mikey Cummings for J Dowling (51); Conor McAleer for J Smith (59)

Scorers: R Carleton 0-3 (1TPF, 1F); R Boyle 0-2 (1TP); P Bradley 0-2 (1F); JJ Higgins 0-2; N Duffy 0-2 (1TP); J Finnegan 0-1; C Downey 0-1

Referee: Mark O’Neill (Armoy)

TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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