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by thesaffrongael

Heenan goal swings it decisively Johnnies’ way

ACFL Division 1

Rossa 0-11 St. John’s 1-13

When the sides headed to the dressing rooms at half time with the scores all square at 0-6 apiece it looked like Rossa were in the stronger position, having played into the breeze in the opening half.

However the home side had been made to work much harder for their scores and it appeared to take its toll as visitors St. John’s took control after the break to push on to win by five points, thanks to a goal from Lorcan Heenan.

Heenan fired past Mick Byrne with virtually his first touch of the ball after entering the game as a second half substitute and despite a late 2 pointer from Byrne for the hosts it was St. John’s who held on for a deserved win.

Hosts, Rossa opened the scoring with a point from Ruairi McDonagh after a sustained period of possession and it would be a feature of their game throughout the opening half.

St. John’s, playing with the wind, were much more direct in their play and after missing a couple of opportunities were back on level terms through Jimmy Wilson in the 8th minute.

Ross Hannigan moved the visitors ahead for the first time before Mick Byrne came forward to convert a free and leave it all square again at the end of a low scoring opening quarter.

Paddy McBride edged the ‘Johnnies’ ahead again with a point in the 19th minute but a great score from Rossa’s Conal McDonald tied it for the fourth time and there was little to separate the sides at this stage.

Rossa had an excellent opportunity to put themselves in the driving seat when a great move sent Rory Grant clear on a one on one with keeper, Pearce Donnelly but the St. John’s keeper advanced to make a good blocking save.

Ruairi McDonagh for Rossa and  Ronan Donnelly for the visitors exchanged further points as play remained fairly even and Mick Byrne from a free and Andy McGowan from play left it finally balanced as half time approached.

A further exchange between Liam McEnhill for the hosts and a fisted score from Paddy McBride saw the sides tied at 0-6 apiece as Darren McKeown sounded his half time whistle and we looked set for a treat in the second half.

It was St. John’s who got off to the better start as the action got underway again with Conal McGlade and Enda McGurk moving them two ahead before Conal McDonald reduced the gap again from a free in 6th minute.

The challenges were going in thick and fast with no quarter asked or given as McBride again moved the Johnnies 2 ahead but Rossa had an excellent opportunity to hit the front again but Michael McEnhill blazed wide from close range.

The miss was to prove costly as Conchur Adams fisted over at the other end and then followed with a pointed free and another from play from Paddy McBride had the visitors five ahead at the end of the third quarter.

Byrne in the Rossa goal made a good save to deny Dana McKeogh as St. John’s attempted to turn the screw and the Rossa keeper then turned poacher himself as he converted a free at the other end.

It proved only temporary relief for the hosts however as St. John’s continued to call the shots with James Wilson replying at the other end before Lorcan Heenan got in for a goal to move the ‘Johnnies’ eight ahead.

It was as good as over at this stage though Rossa kept going to the end but another long range free from Byrne, which raised an Orange flag proved the game’s final score.

A good win by the Corrigan Park men which sees them climb to a respectable mid table position on 8 points while Rossa remain just a point behind them as the league reaches the midway point.

Rossa: 1 Michael Byrne, 2 Mattie McKernan, 3 Padraig Moyes, 4 Fiachra McDonald, 5 Peter Byrne, 6 Niall Crossan, 7 Conal McDonald, 8 Eoghan McMenamin, 9 Liam McEnhill, 10 Michael McEnhill, 11 Dairmaid Rogan, 12 Corey Walsh, 13 Thomas Morgan, 14 Eoin Fleming, 15 Ruairi McDonagh, 16 Rory Grant

Subs: 20 Daire Morgan for Ruairi McDonalgh, 17 Setanta McDonald, 18 Jack McGurk

St. John’s: 1 Pearce Donnelly, 2 Paddy McDonald, 3 Oisin Jackson, 4 Michael Darragh, 5 Ronan Donnelly, 6 Conor McEvoy, 7 Ross Hannigan, 8 Adrian Oliver, 9 Simon McDonagh, 10 Paddy McBride, 11 Conchur Adams, 12 James Wilson, 13 Odhran McAuley, 14 Andrew McGowan, 15 Conal McGlade

Subs: 25 Enda McGurk, 27 Tomas Adams, 17 Lorcan Heenan, 21 Danan McKeogh

Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)

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by thesaffrongael

Faint hope flickers as Carlow come to town

Joe McDonagh Cup – Round 5

Antrim v Carlow

Date: Sunday 24 May

Throw in: 1pm

Venue: Corrigan Park, Belfast

By Brendan McTaggart

The Antrim team has been named for Sunday’s Joe McDonagh Cup game and Davy Fitzgerald has made a couple of changes from the side who defeated Westmeath.  Ruairi McCormick comes into the defence with Paddy Burke missing out while Joseph McLaughlin gets the nod in attack – Seaan Elliott the man to make way while both he and Paddy Burke aren’t named in the match day squad.

With Carlow already qualified for the final and the chances of Antrim making the final fairly slim, there isn’t much riding on this game.  We would need to see Down defeating Westmeath which is a possibility but we also require London to do us a favour against Laois.  Even then, if those results were to somehow go our way, we would be joined on six points with three other teams.  The best placed team on score difference would finish second so we would need to defeat Carlow with a fair bit to spare.

Is this what it means to clutch at straws?

The Westmeath game was a strange one.  We looked to be home and hosed but our performance levels dropped to let the Lake County back into the game.  It’s not the first time it’s happened this year, if you look at the matches against London and Laois we had periods where the opponents got on top of us.  Against Laois it was the winning of the game for the O’Moore County as we struggled to break their momentum while against London the Exiles finished strongly.  We held a nine point lead at one stage but we managed to see that game through.

The pleasing aspect of the performance last week was how we finished and managed to wrestle control once again.  At the end of both halves, to hit an unanswered 1-5 in a relatively short space of time, showed just how clinical this Antrim team can be.

Jack McCloskey retains his place in the 15 after a bright game last Saturday.  The Loughgiel man looked sharp and was involved in much of the good Antrim produced.  His and all of forwards work rate was exceptional and really pleasing to see.  Chasing in numbers, delivering turnovers in dangerous areas and deflating the opposition while giving your team a shot of adrenaline.  Jack, Conal Cunning and Conal Bohill went through a mountain of work while the stats on Ryan McCambridge GPS would have been off the charts by the time he was taken off late in the game.

Games historically against the Barrowsiders can be eventful.  Who could ever forget that game between these sides in 2017 in the inaugural McDonagh Cup?  An Antrim victory but a match that saw Joe Maskey, Michael Armstrong and Neil McManus sustaining injuries.  When you throw in a couple of red cards and a second half that lasted 50 minutes, calling the match eventful might be an understatement.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since that game.  Antrim generally have had the upper hand in recent times, hopefully that same trend continues on Sunday.

by thesaffrongael

Cushendall hold out in the end to take the points in Loughgiel

Antrim Hurling League – Division 1

Loughgiel 0-16 Cushendall 0-21

PICS BY SEAN TROWLEN

Cushendall secured a hard-fought victory over Loughgiel in their Antrim Hurling League Division 1 encounter at Fr Healy Park, overcoming a slow start to ultimately claim the points. The home side burst out of the blocks, racing into a 0-04 to 0-00 lead with early scores from Declan McCloskey, Eoin McGarry, Ronan Fitzgerald, and Rian McMullan. However, the visitors soon found their rhythm and fought back with points from Callagh Mooney, Oisin Woodhouse, and Thomas McLaughlin. The remainder of the first half was a tightly contested affair. Conor Dickson, Tiernan Coyle, and Paddy Laverty all hit the target for Loughgiel, but Cushendall finished the half stronger. A spread of scores from Stephen Walsh, Conor McCann, Charlie McAuley, Edward McQuillan, and Liam Gillan ensured Cushendall went into the dressing room with a narrow 0-10 to 0-08 lead.

The second half saw both teams enjoy spells of domination, beginning with an even exchange as each side registered two points apiece in the opening minutes. Cushendall then hit a crucial scoring burst to give themselves some much-needed breathing space. Fiontan Bradley knocked over a free in the sixth minute, which was followed by a well-worked score on the twelve-minute mark when Cushendall won the puck-out, allowing Callagh Mooney to deliver a great ball to Thomas McLaughlin who fired over the bar. Darach Bradley quickly added another point a minute later, and Oisin Woodhouse followed suit to stretch Cushendall’s advantage to 0-16 to 0-13.

Refusing to yield, Loughgiel began to eat into the deficit to set up a grandstand finish. Roan McGarry pointed a free in the twentieth minute, though Fiontan Bradley momentarily halted the comeback with a spectacular point after soloing up the right wing. Loughgiel responded brilliantly when Rian ‘Bubbles’ McMullan carved his way through the Cushendall defence to fire over, and substitute Shan McGrath quickly added another good score to keep the pressure on. A Fiontan Bradley free in the twenty-eighth minute put Cushendall three clear once again, but Loughgiel were unlucky not to snatch a dramatic equalizer just a minute later. McMullan found himself in space and unleashed a fierce goal-bound shot, but his effort agonizingly came back off the upright. Having survived that late scare, Cushendall managed to see out the game, and a final pointed free from Fiontan Bradley in the thirty-third minute sealed the hard-earned win for the visitors.

Loughgiel: 1 – John Francis Connolly, 2 – Conor Dickson, 3 – Enda Og McGarry, 4 – Liam Glackin, 5 – Conall McCloskey, 6 – Tiernan Coyle, 7 – Caolan Blair, 8 – Declan McCloskey, 9 – Tiago McGarry, 10 – Rian McMullan, 11 – Shane O’Boyle, 12 – Eoin McGarry, 13 – Roan McGarry, 14 – Daniel McCloskey, 15 – Pearce Patterson.

Cushendall: 1 – Christy McNaughton, 2 – Francis McGarry, 3 – Liam Gillan, 4 – Conor McCann, 5 – Alex McCambridge, 6 – Stephen Walsh, 7 – Austin Birt, 8 – Callagh Mooney, 9 – Charlie McAuley, 10 – Edward McQuillan, 11 – Joseph McNaughton, 12 – Darach Bradley, 13 – Oisin Woodhouse, 14 – Thomas McLaughlin, 15 – Fiontan Bradley.

Referee – Ray Matthews

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by thesaffrongael

Dominican come from 4 down at the break to win the Lily Spence Shield

Ulster Schools Camogie

Dominican College Fortwilliam 3-09 Carndonagh Community College 2-04

Dominican College, Fortwilliam showcased immense character and resilience in Glen Maghera on Friday, overcoming a four-point halftime deficit to capture the Lily Spence Shield with a stunning 3-9 to 2-4 victory over Carndonagh Community School, Donegal.The magnificent comeback sealed a remarkable double for the Belfast school, adding a second Ulster schools’ camogie title to the Junior Medallion Shield they previously secured in November. It was a deserved triumph driven by a devastating final-quarter surge that yielded three crucial goals, completely overwhelming their resilient Donegal opponents.

Despite a promising early start where captain Éabha Vallely fired over two of their three first-quarter points, Dominican found themselves temporarily on the back foot against the Inishowen outfit. Carndonagh’s attacking duo of Darcie Doherty and Tara McLaughlin each found the back of the net to establish a 2-2 to 0-4 lead as the break approached. However, demonstrating the grit of true champions, Vallely and her formidable midfield partner Molly McKenna crucially pulled back a couple of points just before the whistle, giving their side the vital lift they needed heading into the dressing room.

Seamus McAleenan of Ulster Schools presents the Lily Spence Shield to Dominican captain Éabha Vallely

Upon the restart, the Dominican fightback truly ignited. Vallely and McKenna quickly added to their tally with early white flags, and by the 12th minute of the half, Vallely confidently converted a 45 to bring the sides level at 2-2 to 0-8. The decisive moment of the final arrived shortly after when Méabh McComish attempted a shot for a point. Though half-blocked, the sliotar looped agonizingly over Carndonagh goalkeeper Grace McGonigle and dropped into the net. While Carndonagh’s Darcie Doherty briefly interrupted the momentum by pulling a point back immediately, Dominican would not be denied. With just seven minutes remaining, Vallely launched a free from right out on the sideline that traveled all the way into the Donegal net. Only a minute later, Saorlaith Stewart put the result beyond any doubt, smartly kicking the sliotar into the goal following a chaotic goal-mouth scramble.

The victorious charge was anchored by stellar performances across the pitch. While Carndonagh’s primary scorers Tara McLaughlin and Darcie Doherty drove their team’s challenge alongside solid defensive work from Orlaith Doherty and Blathnaid Mooney, the day ultimately belonged to Fortwilliam. Vallely and McKenna completely commanded the midfield, while Rua Fitzpatrick and Áine Maskey were absolute rocks in the Dominican defence. The final tallies reflected Dominican’s varied attacking threat, with Éabha Vallely finishing with an incredible 1-6, including frees, complemented by goals from Méabh McComish and Saorlaith Stewart. Molly McKenna added two points, including a penalty, while Aoibheann Murphy chipped in with a point. For Carndonagh, Tara McLaughlin’s 1-2 from frees and Darcie Doherty’s 1-2 accounted for their entire scoring total.

The historic victory was achieved by the starting Dominican lineup of Zara Reilly, Ava Birch, Cailtin Donnelly, Lara Hickey, Rua Fitzpatrick, Áine Maskey, Amy McGuigan, Molly McKenna, captain Éabha Vallely, Méabh McComish, Aoibheann Murphy, Niamh Carlile, Isla McGarvey, Róise McLaughlin, and Saorlaith Stewart. Substitutions, Cliodhna Hannaway replaced Amy McGuigan on 24 minutes, before both Eiblinn Simpson and Effie Walsh entered the fray on 35 minutes for Róise McLaughlin and Isla McGarvey respectively.

Carndonagh Community College

The valiant Carndonagh sidelined out with Grace McGonigle in nets, supported by Roisa Duffy, Orlaith Doherty, Eimear Gallagher, captain Tara McLaughlin, Blathnaid Mooney, Olivia Crowe, Aoife McLaughlin, Niamh McElwaine, Sophia Crowe, Faye McWeeney, Eibhlin Nolan, Kate McGonigle, Darcie Doherty, and Naomi Synott.

by thesaffrongael

Unfinished Business as Tipp visit Corrigan in the Tailteann Cup

Tailteann Cup – Round 2A

Antrim v Carlow

Corrigan Park – Sunday 3-15

Antrim entertain Tipperary in the Tailteann Cup this Sunday at Corrigan Park, fuelled by a burning sense of unfinished business.

The Saffrons’ reward for their nail-biting, eight-goal extra-time thriller of a win over Carlow in Netwatch Cullen Park is a massive home draw in Round 2A. When these sides met earlier this year in Division 4 of the National League, Tipperary ran out four-point winners. However, most of the Antrim contingent in attendance that day feel the Saffrons should have won. The controversial dismissal of two Antrim players completely shifted the momentum, a setback manager Mark Doran previously stated cost his side promotion. With Tipp coming to the Belfast cauldron of Corrigan Park, Antrim have the perfect opportunity to set the record straight.

Tipperary travel north after an impressive away victory against Sligo in the opening round, but they face a completely different animal this weekend. Boosted by the incredible character shown in their dramatic victory on Sunday, Antrim possess the scoring power and the home crowd advantage to exploit Tipperary’s vulnerabilities. With a place in the knockout stages firmly in their sights, the Saffrons are primed to avenge their league heartbreak and prove they are true contenders for the silverware.

That league defeat still rankles but Antrim are a much more settled side than that which featured in that poor start to their league campaign.

Dominic McEnhill has been in fine scoring form for the Saffrons

John McNabb, Joseph Finnegan, Kavan Keenan, Marc Jordan, Eoghan McCabe, Paddy McAleer, Eunan Walsh, Ryan McQuillan, Ronan Boyle, Pat Shivers, Niall Burns, Dominic McEnhill and Peter Healey have been regular starters and Sunday’s lineout is unlikely to show too many changes from the one that succeded in Dr Cullen Park.

The Saffrons have also built a strong bench as the season has progressed and Benen Kelly, who scored that winning goal in Carlow is just one of a number who will be hoping for a starting nod in Corrigan.

Tipperary showed that they should be considered as a serious threat thanks to an impressive two-point win over Sligo at Markievicz Park last day out and the league victory over Antrim earlier in the season.

A strong first half, during which they scored four two-pointers, was the foundation for Tipperary’s fine win over Sligo. Full-forward Sean O’Connor scored two of these two-pointers and 0-06 in all.

.Tipperary, who were breeze-assisted in the first half, made a blistering start and had built up a five-point lead by the ninth minute, 0-06 to 0-01.

Two early two-pointers set the tone for Tipperary, with Micheal Freaney and Daithi Hogan finding the range from distance. Sean O’Connor would also impressively land a brace of two-pointers for the visitors, who were good value for a seven-point lead by the 30th minute, 0-11 to 0-04.

Peter Healey whoes return tio the side has strengthened the Antrim defence

Sligo, who trailed all the way through, only played in fits and starts but Pat Spillane’s brace of two-pointers ignited a second-half rally that almost forced extra-time

Midfielders Joe Higgins and Paudie Feehan, with Charlie King also impressed for the Munster side as they held on for a deserved win and will travel North with confidence.

That piece of unfinished business and a packed Corrigan crowd could be the catalyst to drive the Saffrons on to victory however and keep their season alive.