Category / Latest News

by thesaffrongael

St. Brigid’s on target to retain their title

O’Neill’s ACFL Division 1

St Brigid’s 2-13 Glenravel 1-8

Last year’s division 1 winners, St. Brigid’s have made an excellent start to this year’s campaign and on Wednesday night they recorded their third win from three starts when they entertained Con Magee’s at Musgrave Park.

They looked well on their way to victory at the halfway stage when they led the visitors by 10 points although the men from the Glens improved after the break, they could never get to within striking distance.

St Brigid’s Ryan Tweedy fires the ball high into the Glenravel net for the first of his two goals in Wednesday evening’s win over at Musgrave Park.

St Brigid’s opened brightly with Paul Bradley fisting over in their first attack and while Conan McNicholl doubled their advantage as they took the game to Glenravel. 

A superb kick-out by goalkeeper Declan Heery then found Bradley who placed Cathal Conway who split the posts before the visitors got off the mark through Aidan O’Donnell.

The reigning league champions responded with Bradley on target and Enda Downey converted a free before Shea Downey made a break through the middle, and placed Ryan Tweedy who had the easiest task of finishing to the empty net.

Glenravel hit back with a goal of their own just three minutes later as an excellent long ball was fetched by O’Donnell who put Declan Traynor in to finish low to the net.

Once again, St Brigid’s found a reply as Bradley kicked his third of the half and Tweedy grabbed his second goal in the space of seven minutes and this time, Dara Quinn was the provider as he cut in on the right and found his team-mate who made no mistake.

Quinn got a score of his own before Tweedy was denied a hat-trick of goals as Jonathan Fyfe made an excellent blocking save before Conor King added a point for the home side.

A St Brigid’s sub looks set to fire home a goal but Glenravel goalkeeper Johnny Fyfe makes a great save to turn the ball over the bar.

Glenravel ended a scoreless 17 minute spell from an O’Donnell free, but the hosts would have the final say of the opening period from a Heery 45 as they went in at the break with a very healthy 2-9 to 1-2 lead.

St. Brigid’s increased their lead to 11 early in the second half with Reuben Carleton firing over, but Glenravel enjoyed a decent spell with three brilliantly-taken points on the bounce as O’Donnell curled one either side of efforts from half-time substitute Rian Lennon.

The hosts steadied however as Tweedy and Conor McAleer added points to leave 10 between them heading into the final stages.

Glenravel were still battling hard and hit the next three points, Daniel McQuillan and Fergus Donnelly assisting O’Donnell, but Paul Bradley had the final score of the evening for the Musgrave Park side to leave them joint top with St. Gall’s, Cargin and O’Donnell’s who all have maximum points. 

St Brigid’s: D Heery (0-1, 1×45); N Finnegan, C King (0-1), J McCarney; S Campbell, S Downey, R Carleton (0-1); C Conway (0-1), M Cummings; D Quinn (0-1), E Downey (0-1f), P Bradley (0-4); B Doherty, C McNicholl (0-1), R Tweedy (2-1).

Subs: E Sherry for S Campbell (12), C McAleer (0-1) for E Downey (26), F Meenan for S Downey (33), S O’Hare for C Conway (52), D Magee for D Quinn (56).

Glenravel: J Fyfe; D McAuley, E McCusker, R McCormick; E Ward, D McQuillan (0-1), C Henry; D Higgins, S Higgins; C Higgins, F Donnelly (0-1), J Martin; A O’Donnell (0-4, 2f), S McKay, D Traynor (1-0).

Sub: F Lennon (0-2) for D Higgins (HT).

Referee: Colin Thompson (St John’s) 

Aodhan O’Donnell sends over a Glenravel point from a free

TO SEE MORE OF DYLAN’S PHOTOS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/pLsp2Nj2NqxsdY/?invite=4be01310-3d7d-4c64-b7ff-c45fe09dacdc

by thesaffrongael

Saints Welcome Sam!

Sam Maguire made the journey from his present home in Armagh to Ballymena this week for a very special occasion – to help the All Saints club mark the start of their 50th anniversary celebrations. Formed in 1975 the Ballymena club has planned a series of events to mark the five decades since and this week’s guest appearance provided the perfect start to their programme.

Members representing the club’s various committees and teams were in attendance and photos were the order of the day for all as The Saffron Gael’s Bert Trolan patiently accommodated all. The club wishes to thank our former Orchard County native & G4MO player, Sinead Connolly, for organising the visit and looking after Sam on his travels. Thanks also to the Armagh county board for sharing a little piece of GAA royalty with the club in this, our special year.   

TO VIEW MORE OF BERT TROWLEN’S PICS FROM THE NIGHT CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/qCkLWakVaHq4zu

by thesaffrongael

Antrim stand their ground as they welcome Armagh to Corrigan

Ulster SFC Quarter-Final

Antrim v Armagh Saturday 12-30 (Corrigan Park)

Like most of you I suspect, I’m sick to the teeth of the ongoing debate about the redevelopment of Casement Park as one obstacle after another has been placed in the way of the promised new stadium.

My views on what has happened and what is likely to happen is for another day and might be better not put in print but the more recent bombshell that Antrim would have to concede home advantage to Armagh in the Ulster SFC Quarter-Final has added insult to injury.

Talk about kicking a man when he’s down! The timing of this announcement was even worse than the announcement itself. Antrim were fighting for division 3 survival when the announcement was made and it certainly proved a distraction as they lost their last two league games to suffer relegation to division 4.

To their great credit the Antrim players and management came out fighting with the announcement that if the game was not played at Corrigan they would not be playing it at all.

A standoff between the Saffrons and Ulster Council ensued as the ‘Corrigan or nowhere’ debate gathered momentum with the provincial body finally relinquishing their stance at the 11th hour.

Corrigan Park has proved an excellent venue since the Casement Park gates were closed back in 2013. A stand and terracing has been installed at the St. John’s ground and the Whiterock Road club have done a superb job in hosting county football and hurling games there.

As the Casement Park debacle continues to drag its feet it would make a lot of sense if the powers that be would provide further funding for the up-dating of terracing and any further development that would enhance the ‘Johnnies’ ground.

Meanwhile its business as usual! Andy McEntee and his Antrim team should be applauded for their stance. It feels a little bit like the Alamo and on Saturday that courage will be needed as they welcome the All Ireland champions to West Belfast. To be fair Armagh never got involved in the argument and their manager Kieran McGeeney appeared to back the Antrim cause.

We at the Saffron Gael have supported the Antrim stance and we will be there to cover Saturday’s David v Goliath encounter.

We call on Antrim fans to get behind their team and hopefully cheer them on to what would be a historic victory.

Come on Antrim!

by thesaffrongael

Antrim last met Armagh back in 2023

 by thesaffrongael

Tailteann Cup for Antrim after Ulster exit in Armagh

Today we begin the build-up to Antrim’s eagerly awaited Ulster Championship meeting with Armagh at Corrigan Park (Saturday 12-30pm). The sides last met in an Ulster Championship Preliminary Round meeting at the Athletic Ground on the 8th of April 2023 which Armagh won comfortably and today we bring you the report and photographs from that game.

Later in the week we will previerw Saturday’s clash on the Whiterock which I believe will be a great spectacle for Antrim fans as they welcome the All Ireland Champions to West Belfast and I would expect Antrim to make life much more difficult for Armagh with an upset certainly not ruled out.

Ulster SFC Preliminary Round

Armagh 0-20 Antrim 1-8

Armagh coasted into the first round of the Ulster championship after a comfortable win over a tepid Antrim in this preliminary round opener at the Athletic Grounds tonight. The visitors lacked drive and passion during the opening exchanges and found themselves 0-9 to 0-1 down after 27 minutes but finished the half better to hit three of the last four points.

The omission of Odhran Eastwood from the Antrim starting 15 came as something of a surprise but the introduction of the Saffron’s top scorer in the National League in the second half brought about some improvement though Andy McEntee’s side never looked like getting back into contention.

The home side hit the opening three points of the game through Ruairi Grugan, Ciaran Martin and Conor Turbitt and could have been further ahead but Mick Byrne pulled off a brave blocking save to deny Jason Duffy.

8/4/2023 Antrims Ruairi Mc Cann in action with Armaghs Greg Mc Cabe . in Saturdays Preliminary Round Ulster Football Championship at Box IT Athletic Grounds

Man of the match, Turbitt added two more to move his side O-5 to 0-0 ahead after 15 minutes before Ruairi McCann, Aghagallon punched over the visitor’s first point with 17 minutes gone.

The Saffrons were running into cul-de-sacs and being continuously turned over as Shane McPartlan and Stephen Campbell stretched the Armagh lead to six by the 20th minute as Patrick Finnegan replaced Colm McLarnon in the Antrim side.

Armagh continued to look dangerous in attack as Antrim continued to shoot from poor positions and Tiernan Kelly and Jermal Hall extended the home side’s lead to 8 with 8 minutes remaining to the break.

The visitors finished the half well however with Conor Stewart, Eoghan McCabe and Ryan Murray from a free closing the gap to six as Jerome Henry sounded his half time whistle but it looked a long way back even at this stage of the game.

It was Armagh who started the second half on the front foot as they had the first and Ethan Rafferty, Shane McPartlan and Conor Turbitt moved them nine ahead by the fifth minute before the battling Peter Healey set up Pat Shivers for the visitors opening point of the half

McPartlan replied immediately with an Armagh point as Antrim introduced Odhran Eastwood and Adam Loughran and it brought about an immediate response as Marc Jordan produced a strong run before setting up Conor Stewart for an excellent goal in the 51st minute.

8/4/2023 Armaghs Stefan Campbell in action with Antrims Marc Jordan in Saturdays Preliminary Round Ulster Football Championship at Box IT Athletic Grounds

It failed to bring about the required response however as McPartlan Grugan and Conor Turbitt 0-2 (1f) moved the Orchard 9 ahead after 60 minutes and it was clear that there would be no way back for Antrim.

Creggan’s Ruairi McCann pointed a close range free for the Saffrons before the excellent Turbitt replied from play and then pointed an excellent ‘Mark’ before Odhran Eastwood, who looked lively since his introduction, fired over the game’s final score.

Armagh now travel to Cavan in the first round proper while Antrim await their draw in the Tailteann Cup after another disappointing Ulster Championship display as they remain without a victory in the provincial series since their win over Fermanagh in 2014.

Armagh: E Rafferty; J Morgan, A McKay, A Forker; Ciaran Mackin, G McCabe, B McCambridge; B Crealey, S McPartland; S Campbell, R Grugan, J Duffy; J Hall, C Turbitt, T Kelly.

Subs: S Magill, R Finn, C Higgins, S Sheridan, Connaire Mackin, C McConville, E Woods, J Kieran, A Nugent (capt), O Conaty

Antrim: M Byrne; E McCabe, P Healy (capt), J McAuley; P McCormick, J Finnegan, M Jordan; C Stewart, K Small; C McLarnon, R McCann, P McBride; P Shivers, R McCann, R Murray.

Subs: Odhran Eastwood, Dominic McEnhill, Adam Loughran

Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)

8/4/2023 Antrims Conor Stewart in action with Armaghs Stefan Campbell . in Saturdays Preliminary Round Ulster Football Championship at Box IT Athletic Grounds
by thesaffrongael

St Malachy’s battle back to claim their first Kirk Cup

Danske Bank Kirk Cup final

St Malachy’s Belfast 2-19 St Patrick’s Keady 3-14

Pics by Matthew McAllister – Ulster Schools GAA

A brilliant second half which saw them come back from two goals behind to win in the end by two points saw St Malachy’s Belfast clinch the Danske Bank Kirk Cup for the first time at Stewartstown on Tuesday afternoon against St Patrick’s Keady.  

Corner forward Shea Bell, who slotted over 10 points over the hour (6 from frees and 4 from play) plus left half back Harry Feeney who accounted for 2-2 were the heroes of the hour for the Antrim Road boys as they upset the odds to take the honours.

The Belfast school held the upper hand during the first 20 minutes and led by 0-5 to 0-4 Bell accounting for 3 of his team’s total but the Armagh boys hit back with a goal from James Hamilton and they held the upper hand during the remainder of the half. Two points from Conor McKeever, plus one apiece from Cayden Feeney and Shea McNaughton saw them stretch their advantage to three and when Sé O’Connell fired home a goal in added time the Keady school were in a very strong position going in at the break. (2-08 – 0-08)

The gap was out to seven not long after the restart James Hamilton grabbed their third goal and the Belfast boys had to be thankful to Bell for keeping them in touch. The smart money would certainly have been on Keady at this stage but St Malachy’s dug deep and points from Bell and Brennan proved to be the first steps in their comeback. Things really swung in St Malachy’s direction when Harry Feeney hit two goals, one on either side of a Bell point, to tie the scores with just ten minutes left on the clock.

Sé O’Connell put Keady back ahead but St Malachy’s were not to be denied and three points from Bell started the run which saw them home.

St Malachy’s: H Feeney 2-2, S Bell 0-10, 6fs, R Ó Scanaill 0-3, O Brennan 0-2, C Carabine and D Keenan 0-1 each

St Patrick’s: J Hamilton 2-2, S McConnell 1-1, 0-1f, C McKeever 0-4, C Feeney 0-3, 2fs, C Baxter 0-2, S McNaugthon and L Beagan 0-1 each

Sean McGourty of Ulster Schools GAA presents the Kirk Cup to St Malachy’s captain Conor McCusker after his team’s comeback win over St Pat’s Keady.