Loughgiel set up a semi-final meeting with Cushendall when they beat Ballycastle in Sunday’s quarter final of the McAuley Cup at Armoy. The Shamrocks were on top throughout and led by 0-5 to 0-1 after eight minutes, two of them coming from Shan McGrath, two from Donal McKinley and one e from Ryan ‘Bubbles’ McMullan, while Lorcan Donnelly got the Town point.
As it turned out Donnelly was the only Ballycastle man to score in the game, all eleven coming from placed balls, ten from frees and one from a penalty. McGrath and McMullan kept picking off the points for the remainder of the first half while Donnelly got two more for Ballycastle to leave the half time score 0-11 to 0-03 in the Shamrocks favour.
With the breeze behind them in the second half Ballycastle fared a bit better and after McGrath (2) and McMullan increased the Loughgiel lead Lorcan Donnelly went on a run of scoring where he hit six in a row to get Ballycastle back into the game. At the other end Shan McGrath’s radar was surprisingly off and the left half forward was off target with a few, something we seldom see from the Loughgiel man.
When Ballycastle were awarded a penalty they must have felt it was a chance to really stage a comeback, but Donnelly’s shot flashed over the bar and the chance was gone. McGrath did get back on track with a well take point from a free to wrap up the scoring and secure that semi-final place.
Glenariffe Oisins 3-22 Michael Davitt’s Swatragh 0-8
Glenariffe made their first appearance in the McAuley Cup when they beat Michael Davitt’s of Swatragh in the opening game of the day at Armoy. With the Derry Intermediate champions short a good few the Oisins, who weren’t at full strength themselves, held the upper hand for most of the game.
Team captain Conor Patterson was the hero of the hour, scoring all his team’s three goals, two in the first half as they opened up a 2-14 to 0-04 lead, and one in the second.
Centre back Mark Kirkpatrick and former Cloney Gael’s star PJ O’Connell, now a Swatragh resident, did the scoring for the Derry men.
The win earns Glenariffe a semi-final pairing with Dunloy
TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THE McAULEY CUP GAMES CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
Electric Ireland Minor A Shield Waterford v Antrim Sunday 2nd March 2025
Anyone’s sliotar in Sunday’s Electric Ireland Minor A Shield game between Waterford and Antrim
Waterford 4-10 Antrim 4-16
Match report and photos from Antrim Camogie County PRO, Michael Corcoran in Abbotstown National Sports Campus 3G pitch
A jab-lift defying sliotar that ran ahead of the hurl kept players running and running on the synthetic surface in Saturday’s Minor All Ireland championship round between Waterford and Antrim. Eight goals in total held supporters’ attention from start to finish as both sides looked for the advantage in the windswept game.
Saturday’s game went down to the final five minutes as Waterford bombarded Antrim’s goals time and time again, attempting to close the six-point gap, but Antrim held firm and earlier mistakes that drew Waterford’s first three goals were not on repeat.
Antrim got off to a flying start as Kady McNeill grabbed possession of the throw-in and a solo run finished with Antrim’s first point of the day, as referee Enda Loughnane from Galway got the game underway with Waterford winning the toss and choosing to swap ends and play into the breeze in the first half. Antrim’s fortunes are partially rooted to that decision as the breeze fell considerably in the last quarter of the game and allowed the Saffrons to dominate a significant portion of the second half to maintain their lead for the full 30 minutes of play and easily four minutes of stoppage.
Antrim, penalized for a throw ball, would have to endure an incision of play right through the back line as Waterford’s free from Aisling Bonnar rippled its way from Helen Dungan O’Neill to Kim McGrath and onto the goal scorer, Emma Walsh, but Antrim were quick to reply with two successive points and a hammer blow to Waterford’s lead came as Eobha McAllister found Eimear McCaughan and suddenly Antrim looked alive but resting early on their laurels caught the Saffrons out as Waterford’s Molly Keannelly made it two goals and then to add pressure onto Antrim’s full back line, Antrim’s sideline ball was intercepted and turned over by Molly Keannelly and then onto Aine Mackay for Waterford’s third goal
Waterford’s Emily Foran clears the threat in the first half as Antrim’s Aimee Ferris stretches for a possible hook
With only six and a half minutes gone, Antrim seemed in peril but to their full credit, went about pointing successively until on the nineteenth minute, Antrim’s Cara Delaney nosed her team ahead by a point and Antrim remained ahead for the rest of the game.
Antrim improved their lead by another goal on the twenty fifth minute from Kady McNeill and although Waterford returned time and again to collect their points into the wind, the Saffrons replied sufficiently to hold onto a two-point lead at the break, Waterford 3-06 Antrim 2-11.
The second half started well for Antrim as Eobha McAllister parted company with the sliotar on a goal attempt, although saved well, McAllister looped back within the minute and made no mistake with her second attempt as she looked up to find the top left of the goal.
Antrim were now looking comfortable and working into the breeze helped towards ball control and they started to amass their points that would win the game at the long whistle.
At twenty minutes gone in the second half, despite Waterford rallying with three points to close the gap to six in Antrim’s favour, a Waterford goal from Molly Keannelly was matched by Antrim’s goal as Eva McNeill lobbed in a lethal sliotar that had the hallmarks of a point but dropped in over the head of Waterford’s keeper, Aoife Healy and Antrim held their six point lead, despite Waterford’s attempts to score goals in the last two minutes of normal time and four minutes added on.
Antrim’s Eobha McAllister starts her solo run ahead of her 9th minute goal in the second half
But drama wouldn’t be far away that could reduce Antrim’s lead as Waterford’s Helen Dungan O’Neill stepped up to take a penalty in the last minute of the game, but Antrim’s Orlaith Johnston got the better of the shot placed down the middle of the goals and the Saffrons were able to preserve their six point lead, when the long whistle went, scores stood Waterford 4-10 Antrim 4-16.
This is a good opening test for Antrim albeit not on grass, with the synthetic surface adding pace into the game, Antrim will have to adjust back onto grass for the next game in Ballycastle, Sunday 9th March, as they play Derry in the previously postponed fixture.
Waterford starting panel and scorers
Aoife Healy, Ceire Ryan, Amy Lynch, Emily Foran, Rebecca Mason, Lana Murphy, Shayla Condon, Aishling Bonnar 0-08 (6f), Aoife Lattimore, Aine Mackey 1-00, Helen Dungan O’Neill, Kim McGrath 0-01, Emma Walsh 1-00, Molly Kenneally 2-00, Rebecca Farrell 0-01
Antrim starting panel and scorers
Orlaith Johnston, Rhianna Black, Eva Lee, Cara Burns, Maeve Devlin, Casey Crawford, Laura Black, Eobha McAllister 1-03, Kady McNeill 1-01, Cara Delaney 0-01, Eva McNeill 1-06 (3f 2×45), Órlaith Gould, Aimee Ferris 0-03, Mary McArthur 0-02, Eimear McCaughan 1-00
Photos from Saturday’s game can be found in the photo album here…
Antrim made it six on the bounce when they proved too strong for Wicklow at davitt’s Park on Sunday.
Antrim started this game in whirlwind fashion and with only 7 minutes on the clock they had the ball in the back of the Wicklow net three times.
Maria O Neill found the bottom corner after only two minutes and two minutes later Lara Dahunsi fired high to the net after a great interchanging of passes between Mellon and McKenna with the latter finding Dahunsi with an astute through ball.
Two minutes later Dahunsi was at it again when she got her second goal and her team’s third when her low shot rested in the bottom corner of the Wicklow net.
Antrim were in complete control at this stage and when Wicklow did break they found the Antrim defence in no mood to give much away with Niamh Mc Intosh and Ciara Brown in complete control at the back.
Luisne Adams then got the ball out on the right hand side and after beating two defenders she scored a great point from 35 meters as the Saffrons continued to dominate.
A long kickout from Aine Devlin then found Dahunsi and she took on the defender and laid the perfect pass of to Ana Mulholland who had run 60 metres in support and she made no mistake from the edge of the box.
The relentless Antrim pressure continued and Bronagh Devlin was next to rattle the Wicklow net after being found in space by Maria O Neill and she finished from close range.
Maria O Neill added Antrims final score of the half when she coolly slotted over the bar from 20 metres out.
Wicklow hit 3 points from frees in the first half and one from play and
they broke through near the end of the half but the impressive Aine Kelly made a timely interception for the Antrim girls.
The second half was similar to the first with Antrim in control despite the management team making 7 changes at the break but this didn’t disrupt the team whatsoever.
Nicole Jones, who was causing Wicklow endless problems banged in two goals, one on 35 minutes and the other on the 40 minute mark.
Lara Dahunsi chipped in with a point and then came the best individual score of the day.
Eimily Kearns got the ball out on the right hand side and beat two defenders and from what looked an impossible angle she hit a spectacular point from all of 40 metres to raise the biggest cheer of the day.
Lara Dahunsi had the final say of the day with two well taken points in the last five minute.
All in all an excellent performance from the Antrim girls which gaurentees top spot and a home draw in the semi-final.
Antrim were afforded the luxury of giving all their panel a run out and the Antrim management complemented their effort and dedication this season.
“We gave all our girls game time today. Every player in this group works so hard and deserves a run out. They all push each other so hard at training and encourage each other all the time.
We were really happy with the fast start and a few of our girls got their first start today and certainly didn’t disappoint but it’s one game at a time and it’s off to Derry next week so we will prepare for that game this incoming week said the Antrim management team”
TO VIEW MORE OF ELAINE KELLY’S PHOTOS CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
Two goals and a point in the opening minutes of Friday’s Foresters Cup semi-final at Colaiste Feirste proved to the winning of the game for the boys from the Glen Road. Man of the match Cormac McCann got the first goal inside a minute added a point thirty seconds later, and when centre forward Conal Dempsey got a second goal soon afterwards St Mary’s were in the driving seat.
St Louis got on the scoresheet when midielder James McGarry sent over a point from a long range free in the fifth minute but St Mary’s continued to dominate as they hit back with three unanswered points through Cormac McCann, Cormac Mulligan and Conall Dempsey to stretch their lead to twelve points.
St Louis had a mountain to climb, but they began to find a bit of rhythm in their play as they hit back with five points in a row through Joe Casey, Euan Molloy, Cillian Scullion, Jack McQuillan and James McGarry.
McCann hit back with a pointed free for St Mary’s, which gave them back the upper hand and by half time, a flurry of scores by the Ballymena school closed the gap the 2-09 to 09 at half time.
Two more points by McCann and Mulliagan early in the new half stretched the St Mary’s lead to eight, but St Louis closed the gap to five when Mcgarry, Scullion and Casey hit the target. As the game progressed St Louis were beginning to get the better of things, and when centre back domnhal McKay pointed in the final minutes there was just three between the sides.
However St Mary’s were able to lift their game and three points in a two minute spell from Matthew Murray, Cormac McCann and Darren Delander stretched the lead to six with time almost up. St Louis got back to within a goal again when James McGarry grabbed a late goal, but it was a case of too little, too late and St Mary’s were through to a final meeting with the winners of Wednesday’s semi-final between CPC and St Killian’s.
St Dominic’s Belfast 2-7 Gaelcholáiste Chill Dara 1-9
A few weeks ago St Dominic’s became the first Belfast school to reach an All-Ireland camogie final. On Saturday in Castleblayney they became the first Ulster school to lift Corn Úna since it was introduced 14 years ago.
The key score was a goal from Erin Kelly in the 57th minute, 30 seconds after the quite brilliant Aoibhín Ní Dhubhshláine had pulled the teams level at 1-7 each.
Ní Dhubhshláine, who scored everything for Gaelcholáiste Chill Dara, responded with a point two minutes later and then pointed a free more than a minute into added time. But the Falls Road side held out to take the title. Amy Gault gave them a promising start with a point from a free in the first minute, but Ní Dhubhshláine had her side level from a free and then in the 12th minute they took the lead.
Amelie Annett equalised and then Aoife Fitzsimons and Ríonach McElhatton combined for the latter to hit the net for the opening goal after 17 minutes.
Ní Dhubhshláine responded with two frees and then, when the sliotar wasn’t cleared from a scramble in front of the Belfast side’s goal, the Naas forward swept it to the net.
It was 1-5 to 1-3 then at the break and Ní Dhubhshláine extended the lead with a sixth point inside 30 seconds of the re-start. However Aoife McGivern, Erin Stewart, Aoife Fitzsimons and Amy Gault all pointed over the next ten minutes to edge St Dominic’s ahead.
Both teams then went scoreless for a quarter of an hour before Ní Dhubhshláine levelled to set up the dramatic finish.
Lamh Dhearg midfielder Amelie Annett picked up the Player of the match award, but in reality it was a huge team effort from the Belfast side to thwart the individual brilliance of Aoibhín Ní Dhubhshláine
St Dominic’s: E Stewart 0-1, R McElhatton 1-0, A Gault 0-2 frees, E Kelly 1-1, A McGivern, A Annett and A Fitzsimons 0-1 each
Gaelcholáiste: Leah Ní Bhuachalla, Tara Ní Dhufaigh, Naoise Ní Mheachair, Hanna Ní Uirlithe, Grace Gaillí, Doireann Ní Cheallaigh, Layla Nic Chraith, Aoibhín Nic Colla, Clara Nic an Rí, Niamh Ní Thuathaigh, Alex Nic Solaimh capt., Ruby Ní Bheolláin, Molly Ní Mháille, Aoibhín Ní Dhubhshláine, Dáire Ní Nualláin
TO SEE MORE OF BERT’S PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
