Report and Pics: Joe Rice

ACHL Division 2

Kickham’s Creggan 4-17 Carey Faughs 0-12

Kickham’s Creggan find themselves top of the league after one round of the ACFL following Sunday’s emphatic victory over last year’s division 2 champions, Carey Faughs at their Staffordstown Road ground on Sunday.

Carey, who opted to remain in division 2 for 2025, travelled to the Lough Shore to get their campaign under way. The conditions were excellent with bright sunshine and a slight breeze.  A larger than normal crowd had gathered to watch what was expected to be a close encounter, but this wasn’t the case as the home side romped home with 17 points to spare.

 It took 4 minutes for Creggan’s Conor McCann to trouble the scoreboard with a point from play.  With 10 minutes gone, Matthew Rodgers and Sean McAuley had increased the home side’s tally to lead 0.3 – 0.0.  Callum Cane got the visitors up and running with a point on the 11^th minute, but Creggan’s response was almost immediate with a point from Conor Small.  Conall McGlynn cancelled Small’s point out as both sides traded scores heading up to the short whistle.  

Kickham’s Sean Duffin, got on the score sheet with 2 fine points from play before Conor McGlynn and Conor McBride reduced the gap to two.  Creggan’s first goal came when Matthew Rodgers dropped a high ball in over the goalkeeper’s head to increase the distance between the 2 teams.  Conor McGlynn converted his 3^rd free of the first half and the last score until the break was another point from play from Sean Duffin.

 HALF TIME SCORE:  CREGGAN 1.07 – CAREY 0.05

 Referee, Sean Elliott, got second half proceedings under way and a confident Creggan increased the gap to 6 points from a converted free by Conor McCann.  Carey’s response was to convert 2 frees of their own from Callum Cane and Conor McBride as their confidence started to grow and the game started to open up as a contest. 

Both sides battled hard and scores were hard to come by with both guilty of inaccuracy.  The home side’s Matthew Rodgers got his second point while his team mate Thomas McCann got on the score sheet.  The visitor’s Conor McBride, hit a purple patch with 3 unanswered points before Creggan responded with a 40 minute free from Conor McCann. 

Two goals in quick succession from Sean Duffin and a converted penalty from Conor McCann killed the game as a contest.  With 15 minutes left on the clock, Carey could only add a further 2 points, one each from Caolan McCaughan and Callum Cane, while Creggan went up through the gears with 3 points from Sean McAuley, a third from Matthew Rodgers, a second from Thomas McCann before Conor Small got the home side’s 4^th goal, Creggan were home and dry. 

The last score of the game was from Kickham’s substitute, Dan Doran, with a point from play moments after entering the play.  Creggan’s management will be delighted with the margins of this comfortable win, while Carey were unfortunate to lose 2 men through injury, which didn’t help their cause.

 This win puts Creggan top of the league on score difference after one round of games but the Kickham’s won’t be getting too carried away with this result. Last year’s Intermediate and league champions Carey were without a number of players and undoubtedly their results will improve as the season progresses.

Creggan:  No.1 Shay Devlin, No.2 Peadar McGuckian, No.4 Senan O’Boyle, No.3 Aidan Maguire, No.5 Dan Doran (0.01), No.6 Ruairi McCann, No.7 Jake McAteer, No.8 Sean Duffin (0.03), No.9 Kealan McCann, No.10 Matthew Rodgers (1.02), No.11 Thomas McCann (0.02), No.14 Conor McCann (1.04), No.13 Sean McAuley (0.04), No.15 Conor Small (1.01), No.17 Michael Maguire, No.16 Joseph James Smyth, No.19 Lee Johnston, No.21 Michael Carey Small, No.20 Danaan O’Hara, No.26 Ryan McGrath, No.24 Conor Loughran, No.25 Ronan McGuckian, No.23 Paul Colgan.

Carey:  No.1 Jimmy Joe Burns, No.2 Kevin Murphy, No.3 Zach McCaughen, No.4 Oisin Healey, No.5 Somhairle Mathers, No.6 Caolan McCaughen (0.01), No.7 Daniel McBride, No.8 Callum Cane (0.03), No.9 Ryan McQuaid, No.10 Adam Hughes, No.11 Darren McGowan, No.12 Fiachra McVeigh, No.13 Ryan McQuaid, No.14 Conor McBride (0.05), No.15 Conal McGlynn (0.03), No.17 Collum McKiernan, No.18 Eoin McCarry, No.19 Eoin McKinley, No.20 Michael McCormick, No.21 James McNeill.

 REFEREE:  SEAN ELLIOTT, LAMH DHEARG.

O’Neills Antrim ACHL Division Two

Sarsfield’s 2-18

Carryduff 1-24

Visitors Carryduff claimed the points on day one of the ACHL Division 2 when they overcame a strong challenge from Sarsfields at the Bear Pit on Sunday.

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The visitors played their way into the contest after a slow start and led by two at the break following a quick exchange of goals, but powered home in the second period with a late Sarsfield’s goal a mere consolation.

Sarsfield’s Fionn Jemfrey landed the first score of the season for Sarsfield’s despite Carryduff protests the shot was wide and Jemfrey doubled the advantage with Caolan McKernan and Oisin Coleman also on target.

At this stage the home side were looking good with Carryduff were off finding the target elusive but Donal Rooney opened his account from a free in the 8^th minute.

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However, the Paddies were calling the shots with strong pressure forcing a turnover that Daniel Smyth pointed and then Donal McKernan converted a sideline.

Eventually the South Belfast side settled into their rhythm and began to get into their stride as after an exchange of points, Donal and Eoin Rooney and Lavery would fire over points to help their side into the lead for the first time.

Donal McKernan replied from a free, but Carryduff were on a roll and they opened a three-point gap late in the half.

Sarsfield’s responded through McKernan pointing and then Enda McCartan found Jemfrey to lash to the net and at this stage the smart money was on the home side.

However, Carryduff responded in kind with Sean O’Callaghan’s initial effort saved by Daniel McKernan, but Ciaran O’Callaghan finished the rebound to help his team into a 1-12 to 1-10 advantage at the interval.

They added to that lead at the start of the second half with Conor McAlister leading the way and he would finish the game with six points. He landed the first two on the restart before the hosts hit back when Donal McKernan found Daniel Smyth with a superb crossfield sideline to score.

After Rooney pushed the gap out to three with a 65, points from Anthony McGarrigle and Brendan Jackson left one in it, but this was as close as Sarsfield’s would get. 

Carryduff finished on the front foot to hit five of the next six points through McAlister and Rooney to extend the gap to six in added time before Fionn Jemfrey responded with his second goal.

This gave Sarsfield’s a lifeline, but they couldn’t engineer another opportunity as Carryduff claimed the opening day points and could be a side to watch this year. 

Sarsfield’s: Daniel McKernan; D Coleman, J Cunningham, M McCavanagh; J Maguire, C McKernan (0-1), R McKenna; A McGarrigle (0-1), E McCartan (0-1); D Smyth (0-2), Donal McKernan (0-7, 3f, 2x65s, 1 sl), O Coleman (0-2); J Ward, A McKiernan, F Jemfrey (2-3).

Subs: B Jackson (0-1) for M McCavanagh (26), N McAlea for J Maguire (40).

Carryduff: C McLornan; N McArdle, C Cassidy, C Goodwin; M Conway, D Goodwin, O Wyer; O Teague, D Rooney (0-11, 8f, 2x65s); J Lavery (0-3), C McAlister (0-6), C O’Callaghan (1-0); S O’Callaghan, J Woods (0-1), E Rooney (0-3).

Subs: D Sharkey for N McArdle (50), C Ennis for S O’Callaghan (50), C O’Reilly for C O’Callaghan (58), M McCaughey for E Rooney (59).

Referee: John Dornan (East Belfast)