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by thesaffrongael

Hat-trick hero Clarke stars as St Comgall’s win in Rasharkin

Antrim Football League Division 2

Rasharkin 2-11 St Comgall’s 3-13

St Comgall’s came from five points down at half time to beat Rasharkin by five in Wednesday evening highly entertaining Division 2 League game at Dreen. The home team held the upper hand for most of the first half and were 0-10 to 0-03 ahead at one stage, but when St Comgall’s got it back to five by half time you felt they were in a strong position, considering the strength of the breeze, and so it proved.

A 2-pointer from Brian Og O’Neill got Rasharkin away to a good start and when they added the next three points, one of them from an O’Neill free, they were five to the good.

Man of the match Ryan Clarke, who was to end up with 3-2 to his name, brought St Comgall’s right back into the game. He grabbed his first goal after a well worked move through the middle, but Ryan Lynch fired home at the other end for the home side and when Donagh Quigg and O’Neill added points apiece they were seven ahead. However the Antrim men finished the first half strongly and points from Ruairi Griffin and Tom Patchett brought the gap back to five by half time.

St Comgall’s cut the gap to just two early in the second half, Patchett, Devine and Clarke hitting the target, and you felt it was only a matter of time until they hit the front. However a good move through the middle by the home side saw Brian Og O’Neill get his team’s second goal. The home didn’t get a chance to see the benefit of that goal as St Comgall’s had the ball in the net at the other end within a minute.

Ryan Lynch pulled another point back for Rasharkin, but the scoring dried up for them after that and when Clarke completed his hat-trick for the visitors the writing was on the wall, and when Ruairi Griffin added two points the Antrim men had the upper hand. Rasharkin did have chances but they found the scores harder to come by playing into the Pavillion end and all they could muster was another point by O’Neill.

St Comgall’s were well on top but not 100% certain of the win, but they finished strongly with five points on the trot to wrap up the points and move themselves up out of the relegation zone.

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

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by thesaffrongael

McAleer hat-trick paves the way for Saints victory

ACFL Division 1

Cuchullian’s 2-7 All Saints 4-12

All Saints had their county players available for the first time this year as they travelled to Dunloy but it was one of their former county men, Paddy McAleer who again showed why his county are missing his services.

McAleer stepped down following a distinguished career for the Saffrons and it is his club who have reaped the benefits this season as he has turned in man of the match appearances on several occasions.

The St. Louis Ballymena teacher, now lives in Ballycastle but has thrown his weight behind a club he has served so well and he was at his best again at Pearse Park on Wednesday night as he finished with 3-0 to his credit.

AntonMcGrath (Hidden) fires past a diving Ryan Stewart for Dunloy’s first goal

His first came after 21 minutes as he rose to palm a James McDonnell fisted cross past Sean Doherty to give the visitors the lead for the first time after Jack McShane and Kevin McQuillan had opened with early points for the home side.

Cuchullian’s quite simply didn’t make enough of the strong wind at their backs and it was the Slemish Park side who dominated early possession but were unable to turn it into scores as they kicked 5 wides in the opening ten minutes.

Connell Lemon and Peter McReynolds settled them with a couple of points before Tom McFerran moved Dunloy two ahead again from a 30 meter free after Matty Downey was adjudged to have touched the ball on the ground.

McAleer’s first goal lifted the visitors and Connell Lemon, Paidi Mitchell and Benny McDonnell added points before Tom McFerran got the final point of the half for the home side to leave it 1-6 to 0-5 at the break.

With the wind now firmly in their favour, All Saints were expected to push on as the action got under way but a number of early passes were over hit or went astray and they were made to pay when the excellent Anton McGrath waltzed through a stagnant defence to fire past Ryan Stewart with five minutes of the half gone.

It seemed to fire Baker Bradley’s side into action however and Conor Stewart shot straight at Sean Doherty when a goal looked on but made amends, a minute later when he palmed to an empty net after Sean McVeigh and Kavan Keenan had combined to create the opening.

Stewart and McVeigh added points before Paddy McAleer rose above Sean Doherty to fist a McVeigh delivery to the net in the 15th minute.

Hat-Trick hero, Paddy mcAleer comes under pressure

Two minutes later the All Saints number 11 robbed Doherty as he attempted to clear to return the ball to the net and complete his hat-trick and the same player followed with a point to move the visitors 4-10 to 1-7 ahead.

Stewart and McVeigh would add two further points as their scoring dried up with a Matthew Downey attempt coming back of a post and the home side were finally rewarded for their efforts as Anton McGrath got through for his second goal of the evening with the full-time whistle sounding from the kick-out.

A seventh win in nine starts for the Ballymena side whose pace and movement caused problems for a Dunloy side who were without a number of starters but who battled hard throughout.

Once again it was Paddy McAleer who ran the show and his work rate matched his finishing throughout while Matty Downey and James McDonnell in defence, Peter McReynolds at mid-field and Paidin Michel and Sean McVeigh also impressed.

Anton McGrath was Cuchullian’s best performer on the night with Conor Kinsella, Padraig McGilligan, Tom McFerran, Jack McShane and Kevin McQuillan were others to impress for Dunloy.

Dunloy: 1 Sean Doherty, 2 Ben O’Kane, 3 Conor Kinsella, 4 Cathair McCloskey, 5 Anton McGrath, 6 Callum Scullion, 7 Padraig Martin, 8 Padraig McGilligan, 9 Ryan McFarlane, 10 Charlie Cunning, 11 Tom McFerran, 12 Jack McShane, 13 Oisin McCamphill, 14 Kevin McQuillan, 15 Luke McFerran

Subs: Sean Og Blaney, Adrian Scullion, Karl Fitzpatrick, Oisin McErlane

All Saints: 1 Ryan Stewart, 2 Matthew Downey, 3 Kavan Keenan, 4 Cal O’Brien, 5 Patrick Ferris, 6 Shaun O’Callaghan, 7 James McDonnell, 8 Conor Stewart, 9 Peter McReynolds, 10 Connell Lemon, 11 Paddy McAleer, 12 Brendan McDonnell, 13 Ciaran Campbell, 14 Sean McVeigh, 15 Paidin Mitchell

Subs: Michael McCarry, Rian Tom, Harry Connon, Peter McNicholl, Joe Rafferty

Referee: Cathal McDermott

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by thesaffrongael

Naomh Eanna come up just short

ACHL Division 1

Ruairi Og 1-20 St. Enda’s 2-12

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

by thesaffrongael

Year 8 Camogie Blitz at Slemish Park

St Pat’s Maghera: Main pic St Mary’s Magherafelt

Pics by Claire Fawl

The Year 8 Camogie Blitz was held on Tuesday at Slemish Park, Ballymena featuring five teams St Mary’s Magherafelt, St Pat’s Maghera, Cross & Passion Ballycasle, St Louis Ballymena and St Killian’s Garron Tower. The two Derry teams were dominant throughout the day with St Pat’s beating the three Antrim teams, but losing to St Mary’s Magherafelt.

So next week’s Cup final will be between St Mary’s and St Pat’s while the Shield final will feature CPC and St Louis Ballymena. (Dates, venues and times to be confirmed)

St Louis
St Killian’s
CPC

TO SEE MORE OF CLAIRE FAWL’S PICS FROM TUESDAY’S EVENT CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Lámh Dhearg edge to victory in local derby 

O’Neills ACHL Division Three 

Lámh Dhearg 3-13-2-13 Davitts 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

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)