Glenariffe Oisins v Leitrim Fontenoys – Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel – Throw-in 1-30pm
The Glenariffe management team of Hugh Dobbin and Shay O’Hagan are well aware just how big a challenge Leitrim will pose the Oisins when they meeting in the Ulster Intermediate Quarter final in Loughgiel on Saturday.
The two of them were in charge of Cloney Gaels Ahoghill when those two sides met in the Ulster semi-final in Dungannon in 2022, the Down men winning convincingly, despite the fact they played for three quarters of the game a man short, after one of their players received a red card.
Ahoghill were given a bit of hope when James O’Connell pulled a goal back ten minutes from half time, but Leitrim pushed on and dominated the second half to win by 2-21 to 1-15.
When I spoke to Shay about the game he told me Hugh and himself knew how good the Down champions were. The have a team of stars, with the McCrickard brothers in particular causing a big threat, but our boys have been hurling well and we are confident they have the team to beat them if everyone plays to form.
They will certainly be hoping for a better start than we got against them with Ahoghill three years ago. The Down men started like a steam train that day and had eight points on the board before Glenariffe knew what hit them and it was always going to be a long way back from there. They need to start well, but they feel they have the players to do just that.
Leitrim came through a hard fought game against Carryduff in the Down final last weekend, winning in the end by 0-24 to 2-25, with Pearse Og McCrickard giving another masterful display with 1-17. He will take some watching on Saturday and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Oisins management will assign somebody to try and curtail him… of course that is easier said than done.
This promises to be a great contest and should again be a high scoring affair, though heavy rainfall over the past week or two will not leave the pitches in great shape.
The second phase of the Under-21A Football Championship which is the quarter finals is scheduled for completion on Sunday 2nd November.
The first round proceeded without a hitch despite the unfriendly nature of the weather but Moneyglass, scheduled to meet St Brigid’s were forced to withdraw from the competition with their senior team competing in the Ulster campaign on Saturday.
All games at 12.00
Erin’s Own Cargin v St Brigid’s
Cargin impress in their opening round win over St James Aldergrove to conclude as winners and claim a place in the last eight of the competition.
In the event Aldergrove were caught napping from the outset in that one whilst the Erin’s Own lads on their own patch raced away from the start traps on the way to an early lead and an advantage in double figures at the half way stage.
The Aldergrove lads did gain in confidence in the second half, finding the net minutes after the restart but the home side had nipped away to pass the winning post with a 1-22 to 1-04 lead.
The Toome men will face tougher opposition as South Belfast side St Brigid’s visit their abode but Cargin looked the part in their opening round victory and they may well gain the day on home soil.
St. Enda’s v St Mary’s Aghagallon
Aghagallon recorded a big win over Portglenone in their opening game and impressed in a 5-20 to 0-16 victory over a young Casement’s side and will meet a St. Enda’s side making their entrance to the competition at the quarter-final stage.
The Glengormley men having enjoyed a ‘bye’ in the first round and enjoy ground advantage in this one but Aghagallon have the fire power to advance to the semi-final.
St Gall’s v St Paul’s
This all ‘city affair’ brings together St Gall’s and St Paul’s as they meet up at Milltown with the winner going forward to claim a place in the semi finals of the under-21 football championship.
St Paul’s had a bye in the first round but they are certain to be more than well prepared for this trip to St Gall’s.
St Gall’s have enjoyed a good 2025 season at senior level this term and the championship winners of 2024 were not asked a serious question in a first round win over the Johnnies, coming away with a 1-11 to 1-02 victory.
This one should be keenly contested but ground advantage may well prove crucial with St. Galls given the nod.
Under-21B Football Championship
The U21B championship is also scheduled to commence on Sunday with the four quarter-finals down for decision.
12-00pm Gort na Mona v St Joseph’s Glenavy (Pairc Mhic lonnrachtaigh)
12-00pm Tir na nOg v Ciceann Ard Eoin (Whitehill)
12-00pm St Marys Rasharkin v Padraig Sarsfields (Rasharkin)
2-00pm Lamh Dhearg v O’ Donovan Rossa (Lamh Dhearg)
U21A Creggan v Dunloy 7-00pm Monday (Creggan Kickhams)
County champions Dunloy opened their account with a victory over Con Magee’s Glenravel at Fr. Maginn Park. Their game has been moved to Monday night because of Cuchullian’s involvement in the Ulster Club Championship on Saturday
It was a hard earned win for Dunloy, coming away with a 2-08 to 1-09 victory thanks to an injury time goal and and they have conceded home advantage for this quarter final against Kickham’s Creggan.
Creggan impressed in their opening game with a 3-07 to 0-07 victory over All Saint’s and they will fancy their chances of advancing to the semi-final.
This one could be close and could go either way but ground advantage could swing it Creggan’s way.
Gort na Mona produced a power packed performance of pace, vision and finishing excellence to overcome the challenge of a fancied St. John’s in this Minor B Football Final under the floodlights at Creggan on Wednesday night.
The Johnnies played their football in division 1 of the Minor League this year while Gort na Mona finished unbeaten to top division 2 but the greater physicality of the Whiterock side saw them start as favourites.
On the night it was a slick and well coached Gort na Mona who finished strongly to win by four points and their football at times was breath taking against a St. John’s side who played their part in making this an excellent advert for football.
Lorcan Cordner (12) raises his hand in celebration after scoring Gort na Mona’s opening goal
It was Gort na Mona who made the better start on an good Creggan surface as they raced into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after 8 minutes with their goal coming from Lorcan Cordner after Aodhan O’Hanlon had opened the scoring with a well taken point.
Team captain Ruairi O’Scollain kicked the Turf Lodge side’s second point and at this stage it looked like being a long night for the Whiterock side but they settled into the game and started to find their touch.
Points from Odhran Quinn (0-2), Shae McKee and a superb effort from Lewis Rafferty from way out on the left had the gap back to two by the 21st minute but Gort na Mona responded and another great build up saw Keelan McCann finish confidently to the net.
The Johnnies reply was precise and immediate as Lewis Rafferty drilled his shot low and just out of reach of Anton Farrelly who got a hand to the ball but could not prevent it nestling in the net.
A late point from Odhran McAuley for St. John’s closed the gap to the minimum and left it all to play for in the second half as the sides headed to the dressing rooms.
It was St. John’s who came out strongly as the second half got underway and Lewis Rafferty fielded a high delivery close to goal before swivelling and firing home from close range to give his side the lead for the first time.
St. John’s Odhran McAuley comes under pressure from Caoimhin Connolly, Gort na Mona
This score lifted St. John’s and the same player added a point and further points from Odhran McAuley and Odhran Quinn had the Johnnies five in front after nine minutes and it wasn’t looking good for the Enright Park side.
They displayed tremendous character however as Aodhan O’Hanlon raised their first white flag of the half from a free in the 10th minute and when Paul Lawlor was on hand to finish to the net after Ciaran MacGiolla cheara’s shot came back of the crossbar, they were right back in contention.
A Caolan Wilson point briefly moved the Whiterock side two in front but Gort na Mona had the wind in their sails and two pointed frees from Daire Keenan had the sides level after 21 minutes.
The momentum was very much with the young Gorts now and a superb interchange involving several players saw Nathan McKenna finish to the net and put his side three ahead.
Fintan McKinley pulled one back for St. John’s but this youthful Gort na Mona side were not going to let this one go and they finished with points from an Aodhan O’Hanlon free and a great effort from play by Lorcan Cordner to take the Division B Championship title.
A great game of football with fortunes changing throughout and St. John’s certainly played their part in making it a fine evening’s entertainment for the good crowd who had made the journey from Belfast to cheer on these neighbouring clubs.
At one point a bigger and more physically imposing St. John’s looked like getting on top but they were forced to bow the knee in the end to a superbly fit and well organised Gort na Mona, 12 of whom are under age again next year.
After the game South West Vice Chairman, Sean McAtamney commended both sides for producing a great entertaining game of football before presenting the cup to Gort na Mona captain, Ruairi O’Scollain.
South West Vice Chairman, Sean McAtamney present the Minor B Football Championship cup to Gort na Mona captain, Ruairi O’Scollian
TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
The Acorn Centre at Cloney, Ahoghill was a hive of activity on Wednesday as upwards on 200 people turned up for the Antim launch of Sister Lilly Scullion’s life story ‘From Croke Park to Glencairn’. A fascinating story of a fascinating woman whose career path took many turnings during her 80 years. A former All Ireland medal winner with Antrim Camogs back in 1967 and an Ulster Club winner with her native Ahoghill in ’69 and with St Bridget’s Newry in 1975, she was a star on the field, with where no quarter was ask of given.
Sister Lilly Scullion with some of ther former club and county team-mates, plus others who have worn the saffron of Antrim over the years. Included are Carla Doherty, Olive Scullion, Doreen Graham, Helen McMullan, Angela Graham, Mairead Diamond, Mary McMullan, Anne Scullion, Catriona Graham, Kathleen McGowan, Mairead McAtamney and Grace Connolly.
Off the pitch though, she had a greater story to tell and having worked on the family farm in Ahoghill her career path meandered along from Gallaghers factory in Gracehill to becoming a youth worker in Belfast and in Newry. Those swings were mild though compared to the next move which after a moment of enlightening she decided to become a nun, a vocation that was to take over the rest of her life, which was spent in St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn, Co Waterford, where she still manages the Abbey’s 250 acre farm.
A couple of years ago she was persuaded by a friend to put her fascinating story down on paper and after last week’s launch in Waterford she came home to her native Ahoghill for the big launch where she signed copies of her book for over two hours. Members of her extended family, former school friends, work mates and many of her former Antrim and Ahoghill players, who had lined out in the red and black of her home club, and the saffron of Antrim, came along to meet and greet her.
A night to remember for a woman the people of Cloney will never forget!
Sister Lily signs a book for her 1967 All Ireland team-mate Mairead McAtamney
TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS GREAT NIGHT CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass make the trip to Owenbeg this Saturday where they will face Derry champions, John Mitchell’s Glenullin in the Ulster Intermediate football championship.
Despite losing quite a number of players to emigration at the end of 2024 and dropping down to division 2, St. Ergnat’s have defied the odds in 2025 and their youthful side make the return to the higher grade for 2026 after finishing runners up to Sarsfields in division 2 this year.
Sarsfields were a familiar foe to St. Ergnat’s this season and took three points of the Moneyglass men in the league and when they were drawn in the same group in the championship it looked a difficult draw for both.
Zac McCaughan has proved a useful signing for Moneyglass this seasonTiernan McCormick and Paul Duffin can be big players for St. Ergnats
It would be St. Ergnat’s who would emerge group winners however with a 2-15 to 0-12 win over the ‘Paddies’ in their opening group game, a draw away to St. Enda’s and wins over Naomh Padraig Lisburn and Rasharkin.
The Moneyglass side hit 4-17 in a convincing semi-final win over last year’s beaten finalists, St. Teresa’s to earn a place in the final against familiar foes, Sarsfields at Dunsilly.
St. Ergnat’s held the upper hand for the greater part of this final and led 0-7 to 0-4 in a low scoring opening half. They went on to run out deserved 0-14 to 0-8 winners in a game that was competitive throughout.
The difference in the end was the battle in the middle third and it was the men in blue and yellow who dominated under both kick-outs as their triumph was well and truly forged in their engine room with Ferghal Duffin, Seanchan Duffin and Kevin McCann winning countless possession and breaks to provide the fulcrum for attacks.
With frees proving the source of half the Moneyglass tally and five from eight of the Sarsfields total, scores were hard-earned in this one and again further illustrates the combative nature of the game.
Despite their impressive form this season, St. Ergnat’s will start Saturday’s quarter-final at Owenbeg as underdogs against a John Mitchell’s side who will be making their third appearance in the Ulster IFC in four years.
John Mitchell’s Glenullin celebrate their Derry success
Rules involving teams from the Oak Leaf County and Antrim are different with the Antrim champions unable to compete at Intermediate the following year while Glenullin have opted to remain at Intermediate level over a four year period.
Hardly a level playing field but it is what it is and St. Ergnat’s manager Benny Marron and his backroom team will be concentrating on his own side but, undoubtedly will have ran the eye over Saturday’s opponents
Glenullin were convincing in their semi-final win over Greenlough and after trailing by two at the halfway stage they came strong in the second half with goals from Ryan McNicholl, Killian Bradley and Neil McNicholl paving the way for a 3-11 to 0-12 victory.
Foreglen proved a much more difficult challenge in the final with the game in the balance right up to the final whistle and it took a superb side-line free from ‘Skinner’ Bradley to see John Mitchell’s over the line.
Glenullin’s last meeting with an Antrim side was two years ago when they met Glenravel at Celtic Park and the Derry champions ran out winners in that one and will be confident of adding another Saffron scalp in the form of St. Ergnat’s this weekend.
The McNicholl and Bradley clans will lead the Mitchell’s challenge with Donal O’Kane and Killian Bradley others who are likely to play a big part as they aim to overcome the Moneyglass’ challenge.
The underdog’s tag is unlikely to faze St. Ergnat’s however and the Antrim champions are capable of going toe to toe with their opponents with the Duffin’s, Colm, Seanchan, Fergal and Paul, Tiernan McCormick, Kevin McCann, Aidan McErlain to the fore and Zac McCaughan, who won an Ulster Intermediate Hurling championship with Carey last year making a seamless transition to the big ball game and adding strength to the Moneyglass defence.
