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by thesaffrongael

Antrim on their way up after their league final win!

Very Div 1B National League Final, NGDC Abbotstown 29th March 2025 

Antrim 3-10 Clare 1-11 

Match report and photos from Antrim Camogie PRO Michael Corcoran 

Today’s league final encounter proved to be everything camogie fans had hoped for. Windy conditions with just a light sprinkling of rain failed to dampen the intensity of today’s game. Clare chose to play with the wind in the first half, but it was Antrim that took charge from the whistle and the effective communications between Caitrin Dobbin and Katie Molloy had Clare on the ropes in the first quarter of the game as two goals wreaked havoc before Clare’s Ellen Casey restored some order with a goal on the eighteenth minute.  

Dobbin ran her marker into the ground for her first goal as Clare’s Michelle Powell dropped her stick and let Dobbin through, staring down the eyes of keeper Rachael Daly and placing the sliotar far right of Daly’s reach.  

Katie Molloy’s goal came from a Dobbin pass and looked too easy but that was simply a reflection on the quality of play from these two full forwards. 

Katie Molloy’s shot to goal was unstoppable in Saturday’s Very Div 1B League final

Dobbin was in superlative form and pulled on her second of the game and a third for Antrim, from a dropped in ball from player of the match, Nicole McAtamney, rolling out after a spill from the goalkeeper that would give Antrim a slender two-point lead at the break, Antrim 3-03 to Clare’s 1-07, but a distinct advantage from the elements in the second half. 

Clare though had their chances as a nimble footed Ziyan Spillane wrong footed her marker, Caoimhe McNaughton but eventually drilled the sliotar wide and a rasping shot from Ellen Casey was bravely diverted over the bar for a point by Antrim’s alert goalkeeper, Caitriona Graham. 

Today’s referee, Patrick Murphy, had little to do in the way of bookkeeping in the first half, with only six fouls but that was about to change as the second half increased in intensity and physicality. Antrim’s Cassie McArthur would stir the scoreboard into action with her point in the first four minutes, but Clare would now enter a period of domination for upwards of ten minutes, preventing Antrim from returning a score as they dropped three points over the bar before Roisin McCormick brought that to a halt with a fine point on the fifteenth minute.  

Antrim’s Nicole McAtamney collected Player of the Match in today’s Very Div 1B league final

Clare were frustrated once again by the adept goalkeeping skills of Graham and could only point three minutes later as Áine O’Loughlin found substitute Aisling Cooney but that’s when Antrim pulled the shutters down on Clare and for the remaining seven minutes plus four added on, clipped five points over Clare’s bar, one of those coming from Antrim’s Eavanne Martin as she picked up a ball from Cassie McArthur. McArthur would be justly rewarded for her unselfish play with her own fine point being the last of today’s final and stopping the scoreboard at Antrim 3-10 Clare 1-11. 

Antrim will now enjoy promotion up into division 1A next year but in the meantime, a five-point difference in favour of Antrim at the end of a hard day’s work should give onlookers much to consider as this McCormick and Coulter developing team now look forward to an Ulster campaign in a couple of week’s time. 

Antrim starting panel and scorers 

Caitrin Graham, Clare McKillop, Katie Lynn, Caoimhe McNaughton, Erin Coulter, Sarah O’Neill, Shannagh Heggarty, Amy Boyle, Nicole McAtamney, Maeve Kelly, Roisin McCormick 0-03 (2f), Dervla Cosgrove 0-01, Cassie McArthur 0-03, Katie Molloy 1-01, Caitrin Dobbin 2-01. 

Eavanne Martin 0-01 

Clare starting panel and scorers 

Rachael Daly, Susan Daly, Michelle Powell, Cliodhna Queally, Lynda Daly, Abby Walsh, Clare Hehir, Niamh Mulqueen, Grace Carmody 0-01, Aoife Anderson, Caoimhe Carmody 0-01, Áine O’Loughlin 0-01, Caoimhe Cahill 0-01, Ellen Casey, 1-00 Ziyan Spillane 0-05f 

Jennifer Daly 0-01, Aisling Cooney 0-01 

Photos from today’s play can be found in the album here… 

https://myalbum.com/album/PgzCnApjHoEnFa/?invite=67979030-50a2-4b8b-93bc-2d12a923c4dd

by thesaffrongael

McCloskey and Bradley Shine as Saffrons See off Westmeath Challenge

O’Neills Leinster U20 Hurling Championship – Tier 2

Antrim 2-23 Westmeath 1-15

Saturday 29 March

By Brendan McTaggart

Antrim put in a strong performance in Mullingar to get their Leinster u20 championship off to a winning start on Saturday afternoon.  11 points was the difference between the sides at the end of an hour that saw the Saffrons start slowly in both halves but such was their recovery from that, it will merely be seen as a footnote to the game.

Fiontan Bradley top scored with 1-9 in Antrim’s win over Westmeath in Mullingar

Fiontan Bradley maintained his excellent form at this level by top scoring for the Saffrons with 1-9 beside his name and just five of those coming from placed ball but he was edged out of the Man of The Match accolade by the returning Jack McCloskey.  In his first start of the campaign, McCloskey was at his electric best.  He finished with seven points beside his name and tortured the Westmeath defence with his pace and trickery and was part of an inside forward line that shone.

The two Antrim goals came in either half from Bradley and Aodhan McGarry, the latter coming seven minutes into the second half that gave Antrim an eight point lead but the concession of a soft goal for the home side gave Westmeath a glimmer of hope.  The Saffrons went through the gears in the final quarter however and finished superbly, adding 10 points with six unanswered before the long whistle.

The home side got off to a fast start and had four points on the board inside the opening five minutes – one each for Cormac McKeogh and Calum McKeogh either side of a brace of frees from Dylan Corrigan.  Corrigan would finish top scorer for his side with six of his eight points coming from placed ball.

Antrim began to find their feet in the game and restricted Westmeath to just another five points in the time that remained in the half and a period of dominance for 20 minutes that saw them turn the screw.

Aodhan McGarry got in for Antrim’s second goal seven minutes into the second half

Four points in as many minutes from Oran Donnelly, Niall Magee, Bradley and McCloskey were answered by a Cody Ward point in the 12th minute before the first goal of the game.  Donnelly and Bradley combining before the Cushendall man fired to the back of the net and give the Saffrons the lead.  It could have been even better with the next attack when Donnelly deflected the sliotar into the back of the net from a long delivery but he was penalised for a square-ball infringement but scores from McCloskey (two) and Thomas McLaughlin stretched the Antrim lead to five.

Antrim were creating chances and space in the Westmeath defence and could have had another couple of majors but Bradley and Joseph McLaughlin were both denied by some last-gasp defending.

Westmeath seemed to have weathered the Saffron storm and outscored Antrim four points to three in the time that remained of the first half to leave the half time score 1-10 to 0-9 in Antrim’s favour.

It was largely an excellent from Antrim who played with huge intensity.  Their slick passing and movement nullified the elements, the four point margin at half time was the minimum they deserved and gave Antrim an excellent platform for the second half.

Thomas McLaughlin at full stretch to win the ball.

The lead was stretched to five before McGarry found the back of the Westmeath net in the 37th minute.  Collecting a sideline from Joseph McLaughlin, McGarry’s touch took him beyond the Westmeath challenges before he produced an expert finish.

The home side responded superbly however.  Another point from Calum McKeogh was followed by a fortuitous goal in the 41st minute.  Ivan Smyth making the most of a spill from Eoghan Richmond in the Antrim goals and punished the error to leave four between the sides going into the final quarter.

While it may have been easy to put their head down following the sucker-punch, Antrim found another gear and were relentless to the final whistle.  They outscored Westmeath 10 points to three with just three of those white flags coming from placed ball to give Antrim a comfortable win in the end.

The pleasing aspect of the finish has to be the intensity levels the whole team showed right to the end.  They were relentless and never gave Westmeath an inch with their tackling and press all over the pitch.  McCloskey and Bradley will take the plaudits but there should be a nod in the direction of the work this side have done off the park with the strength and conditioning preparation work.  Outside of the first five, maybe 10 minutes of this game, this was a top performance from a talented group of players.

They turn their attention now to a game with Meath in two week’s time knowing that a win will see them into the top tier.

Antrim centre back Sean McKay in action in Mullingar

TEAMS

Antrim: Eoghan Richmond; Malachi McGibbon, Cian Baudant, Niall Magee; Charlie McAuley, Sean McKay, Ben O’Kane; Calum McIlwaine, Ronan Fitzgerald; Aodhan McGarry, Joseph McLaughlin, Thomas McLaughlin; Jack McCloskey, Oran O’Connor, Fiontan Bradley

Subs: Cormac McKeown for R Fitzgerald (46); Callagh Mooney for J McLaughlin (52); Cian O’Connor for C Baudant (53)

Scorers: F Bradley 1-9 (5fs); J McCloskey 0-7; A McGarry 1-00; O Donnelly 0-2; C McKeown 0-2; N Magee 0-1; J McLaughlin 0-1; T McLaughlin 0-1

Westmeath: Padraig Casey; Conor Daly, Jack Murtagh, Darragh Smyth; Sean Hayes, Brian McCabe, Peter Murphy; Calum McKeogh, Cody Ward; Dylan Corrigan, Conor Leech, Conor Heffernan; Cormac McKeogh, Ivan Smyth, Nathan Cornally

Subs: Connaire Martin for B McCabe (44); Caolan Ready for C Leech (46); Adam Cassidy for C Heffernan (50); Sean Jackson for I Smyth (55)

Scorers: D Corrigan 0-8 (6fs); I Smyth 1-00; Cormac McKeogh 0-2; Calum McKeogh 0-2; C Ward 0-2; C Heffernan 0-1

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

https://myalbum.com/album/95z7RTjf5BEofJ/?invite=c09a1517-3e84-4e60-9dfa-ec7579ef1237

by thesaffrongael

Antrim gain their first point but it might have been two

Dalata Ulster U20 Football Championship,

Group A

Antrim 0-17 Fermanagh 1-14

Following midweek hammering for both of the teams in action at Dunsilly today, both Antrim and Fermanagh were determined that they were better than those midweek results had indicated.

After an hour’s football both sides will be happy to get a point each on the table with the Saffrons perhaps the happier following a last minute Tarlach Enright point from a ‘45’ that earned his side a deserved draw.

The Saffrons had only themselves to blame for being in that position however as they looked well on their way to victory when they led by six with as many minutes of the 60 remaining.

Antrim had dominated for long periods during the second half and a first win in two years looked on the cards but, Fermanagh rallied superbly to rattle off seven scores in quick succession to edge ahead in added time before Enright salvaged a point with that late equaliser. 

Both teams had conceded big scores in midweek with the Erne-siders trounced by Tyrone and Antrim suffering a similar fate to Donegal, so this was a huge test of character for today’s opponents and they responded accordingly.

Antrim manager Colin Toal made a number of changes for today’s game with the switch of Donncha McGurk from midfield into full-back and Niall Hynds taking up McGurk’s mid-field birth and it proved an excellent move as the St Brigid’s man had a solid game at the edge of the square while Hynds battled hard at mid-field.

At the other end, Lorcan Phillips marked his promotion from the bench to the starting team with the game’s opening score as Antrim settled much better in the difficult conditions with Rory McErlean kicking a free and Sé Ferris added another from play.

Fermanagh took a time to settle but struck decisively with a goal after 13 minutes as Cian O’Brien’s through ball sent Conor Mulligan through to fire to the net.

O’Brien, who kicked 0-9 over the hour, landed his first two including a beauty from play before Antrim regained control with Enright’s first 45 of the day followed by a point from Corey Walsh before Conhuir Johnston got free to fist over.

Mulligan and Rory McErlean traded points as Antrim held a slender advantage late in the opening period but Fermanagh would take the lead into the break as O’Brien slung over an excellent two-pointer and then added a late free to give his side a 1-6 to 0-7 advantage.

Lanty Feely added another for the3 visitors, four minutes after the break to extend the gap to three, but Fermanagh would fail to score for the next 20minutes as Antrim took control again.

The impressive Enright converted two, two-point frees and McErlean added three more with Conhuir Johnston hitting a brace to bring his tally for the day to three as the Saffrons led by six heading into the home straight.

The home side looked to have done enough at this stage for their first win of the campaign but Fermanagh rallied superbly as they kicked seven unanswered points in just nine minutes through O’Brien (four frees), Mattie McDermott (two) and Shay Deazley to edge ahead deep into added time.

Fermanagh lost Kealán Fitzpatrick to a second yellow late on as Antrim engineered one last raid, winning a 45 which Enright nailed to salvage a draw, which on the balance of play, was perhaps a fair outcome.

Next up for Antrim is a trip to Newry on Wednesday to face Down (7.30pm).

Antrim: S Nagle; S Doyle, D McGurk, C Hale; R Quinn, P Duffin, E Walsh; N Hynds, S Ferris (0-1); C Walsh (0-1), T Enright (0-6, 2x2ptf, 2x45s), R McErlean (0-5, 5f); JJ Higgins, C Johnston (0-3), L Phillips (0-1).

Subs: O Quinn for JJ Higgins (42), C McAleese for L Phillips (52), S Boyd for C Walsh (55), M McKenna for S Ferris (60+4).

Fermanagh: C Brown; S McCarron, C Mulligan (1-1), K McGoldrick; L Feely (0-1), O Swift, C McAnespie; L MacEnrí, B Warnock; C Brennan, D Chapman, S Deazley (0-1); K Fitzpatrick, M McDermott (0-2), C O’Brien (0-9, 1x2pt, 6f).

Subs: D Cathcart for B Warnock (42), B Goodwin for D Chapman (45), J Tierney for K McGoldrick (48), D Flanagan for C Brennan (50).

Referee: M Moore (Down)

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

https://myalbum.com/album/xkKizJEy25rMrS

by thesaffrongael

Hurling leagues get underway on Sunday

The Antrim hurling leagues get underway on Sunday with a full programme from Division 1 right down to the newly formed Division 4.

With several of the Senior Reserve teams complaining about a lack of regular matches some of them have joined Division 2 to make sure they get enough games this season. A few of the Division 2 club’s I spoke with are not too keen on the idea, saying that too many of the clubs are able to manipulate the fixtures to make sure they have full use of their best players in these games.

DIVISION 1

Division 1 gets underway on Sunday at 2pm when Portaferry host Dunloy Cuchullains, but the other two games in the top division don’t start until 4 when St John’s host county champions Cushendall at Corrigan Park, Rossa have Ballycaste as visitors to Shaw’s Road and Loughgiel have a home tie against St Enda’s at Fr Healy Park, this one starting at 4-30

DIVISION 2

All but one of the eight Division 2 games get underway at 2pm when St Gall’s host Cloney Gaels at the Bog Meadows, Creggan are at home to Ulster Intermediate Champions Carey Faughs, while Tir na nOg take on Oisins Glenariffe at Whitehill. St Paul’s host Cushendun Emmet’s at Shaw’s Road while Loughgiel Shamrocks 2nds have Bredagh as visitors to Fr Healy Park. Sarsfields have Carryduff visiting the Bear Pit while St Brigid’s Cloughmills have a home tie against Glenarm. The final game in this division starts at 4 when St Paul’s 2nds take on Loch Mor Dal Chais.

DIVISION 3

2 pm is also the start time for the five Division 3 fixtures which sees Davitt’s take on Dunloy 2nds, Glenrovers Armoy face Ruairi Og seconds 2nds,  Gort na Mona’s welcome Con Magees Glenravel to Enright Park while in the last game in the division Lamh Dhearg take on visitors Ballycastle 2nds.

DIVISION 4

In Division 4 All Saints Ballymena are at home to St Brigid’s, Belfast, Belfast Saints face Ardoyne in a Belfast derby while Rossa 2nds face Glenarm 2nds at Rossa Park.

by thesaffrongael

Antrim U20s face Westmeath in Mullingar

Leinster Under 20 Hurling Championship – Tier 2

Westmeath v Antrim at Cussack Park, Mullingar

Antrim Under-20s step into the unknown tomorrow (Saturday) when they take on Westmeath in the Leinster Championship in Cussack Park, Mullingar. (Throw-in 2pm).

Liam Glackin who played at full back in the Ulster final for Antrim in their win over Down and at centre back in CPC’s Paddy Buggy final win. The selectors will have to decide what suits him best in Mullingar

When we spoke to team manager Michael McShane he sounded upbeat about things, saying that training has been going really well since beating Down in the Ulster final three weeks ago. The four senior players in the panel, Sean McKay, Cormac McKeown, Aodhan McGarry and Joseph McLaughlin were away last weekend with the senior squad at their warm-weather training camp in Portugal, returned a few days ago and trained with the rest of the squad last night.

Michael and his management team will not name the starting 15 until they arrive at Cussack Park as there are a couple of players with slight niggles and they want to asses them in the morning to be sure they are good to go. However the Ballycastle man assures us that the spirit in the camp is very good. They have worked very hard for a few months now and are really looking forward to the challenge of playing in Tier 2 in Leinster.

Aodhan McGarry
Niall Magee
Callagh Mooney

Their group in the second tier contains Westmeath and Meath and McShane stressed that nothing short of a win on Saturday will suffice. One team of the three advances to Tier 1 and that is something the management team have set their sights on since the campaign started. They have seen Westmeath in action on a couple of occasions and have been impressed with what they saw.

“I have got to see the opposition in action in a couple of games. They are a very big, strong team and they play a very distinctive running game. We know that any time you go into Mullingar to play Westmeath you are going to be up against it.” Like ourselves their aim is to get into Tier 1 and to do that they need to win tomorrow. McShane added “ To be honest whoever loses tomorrow will be more or less out of it.”

The way the group works sees whoever loses out tomorrow facing Meath next weekend, while the winners of tomorrow’s game face the same opposition the following weekend on April 12th.

Summing up McShane added “We are all very excited about this game, which should have a real championship feel about it, We are really looking forward to it and hopefully we get the win.”

The Saffrons have qualified for this stage of the competition by winning the Ulster title which saw them beat Derry and Down in the round robin section, and them beat Down in the final in Ballycastle. Down provided stiff opposition in that final and at half time there was only four points between the sides. However they pulled away in the second half and were comfortable enough winners in the end.

McShane and his team have had a wide selection to pick from, especially with St Killian’s winning last season’s Paddy Buggy Cup (All Ireland Colleges B Championship) and Cross & Passion doing the same this year. There is deep pool of talent available and they have been given their chance during a series of challenge games, plus their Ulster campaign.

Oran Donnelly
Charlie McAuley
Ben O’Kane
Fiontann Bradley who was top score in the Ulster final win over Down

We would expect to see a team along the lines of the one that beat Down in the Ulster final. Cormac McKeown did not start that day because he selected to start on the senior team the following day against Laois in the National Hurling League Division 1 B game at Corrigan Park. However he did get a run out during the second half of the Down game and looks certain to start tomorrow.

Team manager Mickey McShane

The team who beat Down in that Ulster final was

Antrim: Eoghan Richmond; Ciarán McAllister, Liam Glackin, Malachi McGibbon; Charlie McAuley, Ben O’Kane, Niall Magee; Sean McKay, Calum McIlwaine; Aodhan McGarry, Oran Donnelly, Thomas McLaughlin; Callagh Mooney, Joseph McLaughlin, Fiontan Bradley

Subs: Sean Óg Blaney for C McAllister (28); Cormac McKeown for O Donnelly (38); Orrin O’Connor for J McLaughlin (58); Austin Birt for L Glackin (58)

Scorers: F Bradley 0-10 (5fs); A McGarry 1-1 (1f); J McLaughlin 0-3; S McKay 0-2; O Donnelly 0-2; C Mooney 0-2; O O’Connor 0-2; N Magee 0-1; C McIlwaine 0-1; C McKeown 0-1

THE WESTMEATH LINE-OUT

Tomorrow is the biggest game most of these young men have faced. The stakes are high and it promises to be a great contest. Get yourself down to Mullingar to cheer them on.

For those not able to travel the game is being streamed live on Clubber