Antrim v Waterford at the TU Sports Grounds, Dublin
Antrim 2-13 Waterford 1-04
PICS BY BERT TROWLEN
Antrim Minor Camogs booked their place in the final of the All Ireland A Shield when they had too much power for Waterford in Sunday’s final in Dublin. Playing against a strong breeze in the opening half the Saffrons fell behind when Waterford scored the first two points of the game but as soon as they settled into their stride they dominated the remainder of the half to lead by 1-08 to 0-3 at half time.
The stretched that lead to eleven after half time and when Amy McAlister got their second goal the only thing is question was the size of the winning margin.
Aoife Latimore and Kim McGrath game Waterford an early lead but points from Amy McAlister and Eva McNeill brought Antrim level. An Eimear McCaughan point put the Ulster champions ahead after McAllister added a point, corner forward McCaughan popped over a point before scoring the first goal of the game to put Antrim firmly in charge. Right half back Laura Black chipped in with a point as did the midfielder pairing of Eva McNeill and Amy McAlister to stretch their team’s lead to 1-08 to 0-02 at half time.
Two points from left half forward Mary McArthur and another by Amy McAllister at the start of the second half stretched the Antrim advantage after half time, but Waterford came back with a point from corner forward Emma Walsh. Centre forward Aimee Ferris chipped in with a point and when McAllister fired in her team’s second goal the victory was virtually sealed. To their credit Waterofrd came back with a goal from substitute Muireaan Hickey but Ferris and McAllister wrapped up the victory with two more excellent points.
A fantastic win for the Antrim girls and their management team who now go through to face Laois in the Shield final in two weeks’ time
ANTRIM
Orlaith Johnston, Rhianna Black, Eva Lee, Leona Gillan, Maeve Devlin, Casey Crawford, Laura Black, Eobha McAllister, Eva McNeill, Cara Delaney, Aimee Ferris, Mary McArthur, Amy McAllister, Aoife Fitzsimons, Eimear McCaughan.
Subs – Kady McNeill, Lisa Stone, Cara Lynch, Niamh Mullan, Sarah Louise Kearns, Sara Flavin, Erin Mae Mitchell, Amelie Annett, Orlaith Gould, Mary Angela NicCarthaig
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O’Neill’s Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 2
Glenariffe Oisins 1-22 St Gall’s 0-14
A good start that saw them hit the first five points of the game set Glenariffe up for a win over St Gall’s on Sunday at Waterfoot. St Gall’s finished the half strongly with three points in the last three minutes to cut the gap to three at the break and with the wind in their favour in the second half they were right back in contention. However the Oisins steadied the ship after the change of ends and with man of the match Alex O’Boyle unerring from frees they pulled clear again to win comfortably in the end.
Three from O’Boyle and one each from Seanie McIntosh and Phelin Ward had the Oisins five ahead after eight minutes. Aidan Mullan got St Gall’s first score in the ninth minute, and though Oliver Kearney got one back right away the visitors got four in a row to get back in contention, two of them from Dubaltach Wilson and one each from Marc Napier and Paddy Friel. Arnie Cosgrove, Oliver Kearney and Niall Murray replied for the home team to bring them six clear with minutes left in the first half, but St Gall’s strong finish which brought two points from Napier and one from Wilson to cut the deficit to three at the interval.
Alex O’Boyle turned out to be the man who dictated things in the second half and he stretched the Oisin’s lead to five with two early points from frees. Churchill and Wilson came back with two for St Gall’s but after adding another point from a free O’Boyle struck the killer blow with a brilliantly taken goal on forty minutes. It was going to be hard for the visitors to get back at this stage and though Aaron Mackle and Aodh Mullan got a couple back for the men in blue O’Boyle’s brother Michael chipped in with a couple for the home team and Alex finished it all off with two more at the end.
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St. Mary’s Rasharkin maintained their good start in division 3 when they travelled to Ballycastle and recorded a three point win over the home side.
Conor McKeever led the way for the Dreen side and recorded an impressive 0-12 and gave an exhibition of free taking, converting 0-9 on the day and three from play.
Donagh Quigg was once again in fine form for St. Mary’s and finished with 1-2 while Cahir Henderson, Conor McKillop and Emmet McKeever got the other Rasharkin goals.
Mid-fielder Shane Hasson struck two fine points for the visitors with Conan McMullan and Thomas McMullan also on target as the Dreen men make it two wins from two starts
Cloney Gaels withstood a late rally from St. Paul’s to claim their second brace of points in a well contested ACHL Division 2 clash in Ahoghill on Sunday. The home side were pushed all the way by a Shaw’s Road side who were excellent on the press and gave the home side little time to settle on the ball.
It was Caolan Crossan who pointed the visitors in front in the second minute but their lead was short lived as Dan O’Neill cut in from the right and fired past Chris Murray to give the Gaels the lead.
The game was being played at breakneck pace and Sean Munce closed the gap to the minimum with a point for the visitors before Patrick Graham restored the Ahoghill side’s two point advantage with only four minutes gone.
Patrick Graham (10) finishes from close range for Cloney Gaels second goal
Both sides were giving it everything and Dan O’Neill 0-2, for the home side and Caolan Duffin 0-2, for St. Paul’s kept the score board ticking before Daire Stevens from a long range free and Ronan Graham exchanged further points as play swung end to end.
St. Paul’s had trailed for most of the opening half but they responded with a goal of their own in the 20th minute when Caolan Duffin’s well struck free from 25 meters appeared to have been blocked but the sliotar deflected of an Ahoghill stick and crept over the line.
Duffin added a point and Paul Magee followed with a second goal and the visitors were five ahead and worthy of their lead but Cloney finished the half strongly with points from Ronan Graham 0-2 and Patrick Gram to leave it 2-7 to 1-7 for the visitors at the halfway point, Duffin getting the last point for St. Paul’s
It was Cloney Gaels who made the better start to the second half and within 2 minutes they were back on level terms as Dan O’Neill from play and Ronan Graham from two pointed frees tied the contest.
Graham added another from play and then Patrick Graham was on hand to finish to the net from close range after Colla McDonnell’s shot had been saved by Chris Murray in the St. Paul’s goals.
The visitors rallied once more and Caolan Crossan from play and a couple of pointed frees and one from play from the excellent Duffin had them back on terms by the 19th minute.
It was end to end hurling as the intensity of the game increased and Bernard Graham and Ronan Graham pushed the Ahoghill side two in front again and when James O’Connell split the posts with his first touch after entering the contest things appeared to be turning in the Cloney Gaels favour.
Caolan Crossan for the visitors and Ronan Graham exchanged further points and two more from Colla McDonnell and the sweet striking Graham looked to have sealed it for the Ahoghill men but the visitors quite simply refused to go away.
Caolan Crossan, St. Paul’s evades the challenge of Eoin Graham, Cloney Gaels
They dominated the closing exchanges as they fought to take something from the game and replied through Crossan and a massive free from full-back Daire Stevens deep in injury time to close the gap to one but that was as close as they got.
An excellent game of hurling, played at real championship pace with Aiden Graham, Patrick Dougan, Patrick Graham and Ronan Graham excellent for the Gaels and Daire Stevens, Caoimhin Killyleah, Caolan Duffin and Caolan Crossan in great form for St. Paul’s.
Cloney Gaels: 1 Aiden Graham 2 Shea Neeson, 3 Patrick Dougan, 4 Harry O’Donnell, 5 Charlie McCloskey, 6 James Magee, 7 Diarmaid Graham, 8 Eamonn Brady, 9 Bernard Graham, 10 Patrick Graham, 11 Ronan Graham, 12 Eoin Graham, 13 Donal Graham, 14 Dan O’Neill, 15 Colla McDonnell.
Subs: Fionnbar O’Neill, Jack McFall, James O’Connell, Neil O’Connell
St. Paul’s: 1 Chris Murray, 2 Padhraic McKevitt, 3 Daire Stevens, 4 Tiarnan Auld, 5 Mark Munce, 6 Liam Walsh, 7 Thomas Duff, 8 Sean Lawell, 9 Caoimhin Killyleah, 10 Caolan Duffin, 11 Caolan Crossan, 12 Declan Chapman, 13 Sean Munce, 14 Paul Magee, 15 Declan Quinn
Referee: Colin Thompson
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For over 45 minutes in this compelling contest at Corrigan Park on Saturday, Antrim dared to dream. They led All Ireland champions Armagh by a point at the break and that lead might have been greater but Kavan Keenan had his penalty attempt saved by replacement goalkeeper, Blaine Hughes after Ethan Rafferty was shown Black.
The introduction of Oisin O’Neill for the second half saw a clinical Armagh take control as a tiring Antrim ran out of steam and ideas but what a fright they gave the odds-on visitors during the opening 45 plus minutes.
Top – Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty grabs Ruairi McCann by the leg, a foul that saw him receive a black card while (Below) – Kavan Keenan takes the resultant penaltybut substitue goallkeeper Blaine Hughes was equal to it
The National media will show that Armagh won by 11 points in the end but it masks the fact that this was a rip-roaring contest for three-quarters of the game that will have gone some way to restoring the Saffron pride after a lack-lustre league campaign that ended in relegation to division 4.
The All-Ireland champions were the hottest of favourites as they travelled to Belfast and were expected to canter through this Ulster quarter-final but Antrim were determined from the start to spoil the party and certainly rose to the occasion.
Armagh started brightly and kicked the first three points as Rory Grugan opened his account from a free, and Andrew Murnin and Callum O’Neill followed with two from play to move the visitors 0-3 ahead.
Ryan McQuillan opened Antrim’s account and then Dominic McEnhill landed a two pointer before Ethan Rafferty kicked a two-point free as this game came to life.
Antrim’s Ryan McQuillan sends over a point during the second half. Thy young corner forward ended the day with 1-5
Armagh rattled off another three with Antrim goalkeeper Mick Byrne pulling off a smart save to deny Callum O’Neill, but the home crowd came to life again in the 20th minute when their side was awarded a penalty as Ruairi McCann was grounded as he was about to finish to the net.
Rafferty was shown Black for the resulting penalty but after what seemed an eternity, Blaine Hughes came in to face the penalty and he dived full length to his left to deny Kavan Keenan.
To make matters worse, Grugan kicked a two-point free to push Armagh five ahead, but Antrim again roared back with Byrne kicking a 45, McEnhill with a two-point free and Marc Jordan bringing them right back into contention.
Rafferty returned to the play as Greg McCabe saw his shot tipped over, but Antrim were simply flying and Ryan McQuillan pointed and McBride kicked his second two pointer before Grugan tied it and Antrim lost Keenen to a black card, they went upfield and McBride slung over again.
Armagh corner back Tomas McCormick fires a fantastic goal high to the corner of Mick Byrne’s netto set his team firmly on the victory trail
Darragh McMullan fisted over with the last action of a compelling first half that saw Antrim fans roaring their team into the dressing room with a 0-14 to 0-13 advantage.
McBride extended the gap straight after the break, but Oisin O’Neill’s introduction at half time would pay dividends as he kicked the first of three two-point frees to level.
When Ross McQuillan edged Armagh back in front after 42 minutes, it was a lead they would hold to the finish as Aidan Forker pointed and then the Armagh defence forced a turnover and broke with pace with Tomas McCormack finishing clinically past Mick Byrne.
O’Neill and Grugan added scores, but Antrim again found a reply with McQuillan kicking a 2-pointer and McBride fisting over.
The hosts continued to battle and Ronan Boyle split the posts to bring the gap back to seven, but Antrim were now running on empty as Armagh hit seven on the bounce.
Ryan McQuillan scrambled home for a consolation goal for the Saffrons and it was just reward for the Glenravel youngster who was sharp and dangerous throughout but it is Armagh who advance to the Ulster semi-final while Antrim can now look forward to the Tailteann Cup with renewed confidence.
Man of the match Paddy McBride sends over a superb 2-pointer during the opening half of Saturday’s game
Scorers for Armagh: R Grugan 0-8 (1xtpf, 4f), O O’Neill 0-6 (3xtpf), C O’Neill 0-4, T McCormack 1-1; E Rafferty 0-3, (1xtpf), R McQuillan 0-3, G McCabe and C McConville 0-2, A Murnin, D McMullan, A Forker, B McCambridge, J Hall 0-1 each.
Scorers for Antrim: P McBride 0-9 (3xtp, 1f), R McQuillan 1-5 (1xtp), D McEnhill 0-4 (tp, tpf), M Byrne 0-2 (45), M Jordan, E Quinn, R Boyle 0-1 each.
Armagh : Ethan Rafferty; Gareth Murphy, Barry McCambridge, Tomás McCormack; Ross McQuillan, Greg McCabe, Jarlath Og Burns; Callum O’Neill, Ciaran Mackin; Darragh McMullan, Rory Grugan, Peter McGrane; Tiernan Kelly, Andrew Murnin, Stefan Campbell.
Subs: Blaine Hughes for T Kelly (20), Oisin O’Neill for B Hughes (HT), Jemar Hall for S Campbell (49), Cian McConville for D McMullan (52), Aidan Forker for A Murnin (53). Blood subs: Jemar Hall for R McQuillan (2-4), Aidan Forker for O O’Neill (42-45).
Antrim: Michael Byrne; Eoghan McCabe, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; James McAuley, Dermot McAleese Marc Jordan; Conor Hand, Conor Stewart; Patrick McBride, Patrick Finnegan, Ronan Boyle; Ryan McQuillan, Ruairi McCann, Dominic McEnhill.
Subs: Eunan Quinn for C Stewart (HT), Niall Burns for M Jordan (46), Ryan Murray for D McEnhill (46), John Morgan for J McAuley (48), Fionn Nahgle for P Finnegan (54).
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).
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