Glenavy claimed the bragging rights and the Minor C Football title with victory over neighbours Aldergrove in Aghagallon on Sunday but they had to thank their keeper, Matthew Nelson who pulled off three superb second half saves to deny St. James’.
It was Darragh Brown who opened the scoring in Aghagallon with a point in the 4th minute and when Leon Laverty pointed a free into the breeze, St. Joseph’s were on their way.
Aldergrove took a time to settle but Luke Delaney opened their account from a free in the 9th minute and a fine long range effort from Lewis Smith and a pointed free from the same player had the Crumlin side ahead after 12 minutes.
It was end to end at this stage as Leon Laverty hit three on the bounce for the Chapel Hill side to move them two in front by the 21st minute but Aldergrove regrouped in the closing stages and Lewis Smith converted two long range frees off the ground to tie the contest at half time.
HT Glenavy 0-5 Aldergrove 0-5
With the elements now in their favour St. Joseph’s were expected to push on in the second half and James Monaghan restored their lead with a point in the 5th minute before Odhran McDonagh replaced Jim Highim in the Glenavy side.
In a low scoring second half Monaghan moved the Chapel Hill side two in front from a 12th minute free as the Glenavy defence denied their opponents scoring opportunities.
They had to be thankful to their keeper Matthew Nelson who pulled off a great save to deny St. James’ with 16 minutes gone and two minutes later he denied his neighbours with a fine fingertips stop.
Luke Delaney finally opened the Aldergrove second half account with a good point under pressure with ten minutes remaining and it still looked anybody’s game.
James Monaghan restored Glenavy’s two point advantage from a free in the 22nd minute as the game stepped up an notch but they lost Leon Laverty to a Black card and Odhran Maguire struck a fine long range effort for the Crumlin side to leave it in the balance as the clock ticked into time added on.
A James Monaghan point in the 33d minute looked to have secured victory for the Chapel Hill lads but Aldergrove created one last chance but were denied the goal they need by the excellent Nelson.
A great game of football with both sides enjoying periods of supremacy and little between them throughout.
Glenavy will be thankful to their net minder, Matthew Nelson however as he denied Aldergrove with three excellent saves over the hour and the Glevavy number 1 received the plaudits of his colleagues at the final whistle.
Glenavy: 1 Matthew Nelson, 2 Michael Campbell, 3 Joe Gilbride, 4 Liam Reynolds, 5 Dominic Doherty, 6 Padhraic McKevitt, 7 Nathan Morris, 8 Eugene Mulholland, 9 Oisin McArdle, 10 Jim Highim, 12 James Monaghan, 13 Coilin McKernan, 14 Darragh Brown, 15 Leon Laverty, 22 Darraghy Phillips, 24 Odhran McDonagh, 25 Ryan Phillips
Aldergrove: 1 Jamie Murray, 2 Sean O’Toole, 3 Ronan Ferguson, 4 Malachy Kennedy, 5 Lonan Magee, 6 Cayden Lagan, 7 Rory Finney, 8 Liam Og Cullen, 9 Luke Delaney, 10 Breagh Maguire, 11 Lewis Smith, 12 Fionntan Muldoon, 13 Chris Robb, 14 Rian Carl, 15 Cormac Morris, 22 Odhran Maguire
Con Magees, Glenravel were crowned Laverty Cup champions on Sunday after a convincing victory over current holders Creggan in terrible weather conditions in Rasharkin. The weather may have been dismal but the talent on show from both sides was anything but as these young lads put on a display of fast moving football combined with high fielding and slick passing that defied the slippery conditions and served up a feast of delightful football for the hardy souls who braved the elements to cheer on their team. On the day Creggan had exceptional individual talent but Glenravel were able to match that and had more strength in depth which eventually saw them crowned champions.
Creggan opened with a point form Aiden McIlwee which was cancelled out by Glenravel’s Peader McDonald. Back came Creggan with their star man Conor Johnston whose speed on the ball gave the opposition plenty to think about over the hour. Glenravel equalised through Colla Ward who had an excellent hour’s football and the same player stretched the Con Magees lead with fifteen minutes gone on the clock. The lads in green and white were starting to dominate across the pitch playing into a fairly strong breeze and that dominance paid dividends when Peader McDonald finished a fine move to the net for the game’s opening goal. Back came Creggan with a point from a deflection which diverted a goal bound shot over instead of under the bar. But Glenravel’s dominance was beginning to show and a brace of superb points from influential full forward Daire Higgins put Con Magees firmly in control on a scoreline of 1-05 to 0-03 with twenty minutes gone. Creggan needed a lifeline and Shea Devlin delivered that for them with a well taken goal to leave two points separating the teams. Oisin McKeown and Tristan McCann traded points before Daire Higgins popped up again with the final score of the first half. Both teams retired to the shelter of the changing rooms with Glenravel ahead by three points having played into a fairly stiff breeze.
The second half started as cagey affair with Creggan chasing scores and Glenravel determined to keep them out. Both sides traded points in the opening ten minutes before Colla Ward blasted to the top corner to give Glenravel a six point lead. Things were beginning to look bad for the Creggan lads but they were handed a lifeline when Shea McCann blasted a penalty to the net to half the deficit. McCann proved to be a real threat across the sixty minutes and despite ultimate defeat this lad has a very promising future for Creggan providing a display silky skills throughout the sixty minutes on a day when silky skills were hard come by. With one quarter of the game remaining and only three points separating the teams it really was all to play for to see who would eventually lift the Laverty Cup. Callagh Mooney stretched Glenravel’s lead to four – Mooney too had an impressive afternoon’s football defying the difficult conditions and providing a pivot off which the lads in Green and White could really benefit from. With twelve minutes of the match remaining Daire Higgins delivered the final blow as his piledriver found the net and effectively put the game beyond doubt. Fintan Close would tag on a couple of points for Creggan between which Glenravel’s Joe McKay slotted over a free. At this stage Creggan were adopting Route One tactics with an aerial assault on their opponents goal but time and time again the lads in green and white defended heroically. So when referee Karl Doherty called time Glenravel had won with a six point margin.
Creggan might look back at some missed chances in this game but eventually the better team won on the day. It must be said though that, despite challenging conditions, both teams served up some exceptional football underlining why both had made it to the final. The 2023 champions certainly didn’t yield their crown lightly but longer term both Clubs will look to build on the talent on display in Rasharkin in the hopes that it can deliver positive results longer term.
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Glenariffe Oisins 2-14 Tir na nÓg Randalstown 0-14
Second half goals from Oliver Kearney and Orrin O’Connor were the scores that made the difference when Oisins beat Tir na nÓg in Sunday’s Intermediate Hurling semi-final at Slemish Park, Ballymena. Trailing by a point at half time (0-07 to 0-08) after having played with the aid of the strong wind, the Oisins appeared to be up against it, and when Randalstown stretched their advantage to two early in the second half the Randalstown men appeared to be getting the upper hand. However a five minutes spell of dominance which saw Seanie Tosh point a 65 and a free, on either side of a goal from Oliver Kearney turned the game on its head and despite losing a man to a red card they managed to keep Tir na nÓg at arms length to the finish.
The early stages saw the wind assisted Oisins hold a slender lead as a point from play by Oliver Kearney and three from Seanie Tosh had them 0-04 to 0-03 ahead at the end of the opening quarter, the Tir na nÓg points coming from the stick of the accurate Sean Duffin.
Ti na nÓg’s Eamon Og McAlister breaks clear of Oisins Niall Magee and Phelim Ward during Sunday’s Intermediate Hurling semi-final in Slemish Park, Ballymena. Pic by Aaron Alatas
As the game progressed Tir na nÓg began to gain the upper hand and with points from Duffin, his brother Caoimhin and left half forward Josh Higgins thy went in at the break with a 0-07 to 0-08 advantage.
The Oisins started the second half brightly with an Oliver Kearney point but points from Sean Duffin and Aaron McNeilly gave the Whitehill side a two point lead. However the next few minutes changed the game and a point from Seanie Tosh and one from Kearney was followed by the first goal of the game, Kearney connection with a McIntosh sideline cut to send the ball to the Tir na nÓg net. McIntosh added another point just second later and suddenly there was daylight between the sides.
Sean Duffin kept Tir na nÓg in touch with two more pointed frees and Darragh Fagan added one from play but the Oisins always found an answer to keep the gap at four, though it took a couple of sharp saves from goalkeeper Paul McMullan and some last gasp defending to keep them on top. The pressure was eased in the final minute when Orrin O’Connor picked up a ball that was cleared off the Randalstown goal line and he fired it home from close range to seal the victory and set up a final meeting with Carey Faughs in two weeks’ time.
Orrin O’Connor (23) fires the ball to the Tir na nÓg net late in the game to seal the Oisins win
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Lamh Dhearg proved too strong for Rossa in this LGFA Junior Championship final in Glenavy on Saturday. The Shaw’s Road girls hung in during the opening half but the Hannastown side found another gear after the break to win comfortably.
Despite playing into the gale force wind in the opening half Lamh Dhearg led by a goal at the interval and even at this stage it was hard to visualise anything other than a win for the Red Hands.
The excellent Aoife Fitzsimmons was the architect in chief for a smooth moving Lamh Dhearg machine and would finish the game with 0-6 to her name as she gave an exhibition of scoring.
Playing into a strong wind, the Hannahstown side maintained possession and worked the ball patiently before taking their scores.
Robyn Murray got the Hannastown side off the mark before Rossa hit back immediately with Elmer Matthews splitting the posts, but they were hit on the counter in the sixth minute as Ráichéal Mullholland’s shot looked to be drifting wide but, Aoibhean Larkin was lurking unmarked and finished from close range.
Sophie Ball blocked an Isla Annett effort as Lamh Dhearg threatened again and Rossa began to grow into it, yet the wind at their backs wasn’t a huge help at times with kick passes carrying well beyond their target.
They did have their chances as Meadhbh Gallagher intercepted an Orlaith Webb kick-out but shot straight at the Lámh Dhearg goalkeeper and late in the half, Aoife McKenna found herself one-on-one but again Webb was up to the task as her team took a 1-2 to 0-2 lead into the half.
With the wind now at their backs Lamh Dhearg began to exert control with Amelie Annett marking her arrival just two minutes after the break, scoring with her first touch.
The teenager would finish with seven in all as Aoife Fitzsimmons showed her class with half a dozen of her own, while Robyn Murray chipped in with another two and even midfielder Ráichéal Mulholland got in on the act with a well-taken score.
Rossa never gave up but came up against a side who were better all round on the day and a late pointed free by Aoife McKenna was all they had to show for their second-half efforts as Lámh Dhearg claimed the title in fine style.
LÁMH DHEARG: O Webb; C Hayes, S McCloskey, E McGarry; N Quinn, N Webb, T Fegan; R Mulholland (0-1), C Larkin; A Larkin (1-0), R Murray (0-4, 1f), I Annett; M Diamond, C Doherty, M Martin.
Subs: A Annett (0-7) for C Doherty (HT), A Fitzsimmons (0-6) for M Martin (HT), L Smyth for M Diamond (42), S Kennedy for T Fegan (55), M Megraw for E McGarry (57), D McAufield for S McCloskey (blood-sub, 60+2-FT).
ROSSA: E Rea; S Bell, S Erskine, S Armstrong; E Taylor, G Holbrook, E Rogan; E Doyle, K Ferran; A Copeland, E Matthews (0-1), R Tubridy; M Gallagher, A McKenna (0-2f), Roise Matthews.
Subs: Riona Matthews for M Gallagher (30+1), G Ward for E Rogan (45), B Rogan for S Bell (47), O Little for A Copeland (48), R McCourt for E Trainor (48), S Brown for Roise Matthews (48), E Early for G Holbrook (57), G White-Davey for R Tubridy (57).
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pairc Mhuire, Bun Abhann Dalla
Dunloy sealed their place in this year’s senior hurling final with a 10 point win against their old rivals, Loughgiel. In truth, the score line perhaps flattered the Shamrocks. The Cuchullains weren’t exactly clinical in front of the target but that will matter little with the final score all that matters in a semi final as they put to rest some of the demons from 12 months previous at the same stage.
Both sides were dealt blows before the game with Dunloy giving starting berths to Caolan and Luke McFerran. A big call to give starting debuts in a match of this magnitude while the Shamrocks were without the talismanic Paul Boyle.
In a game played in atrocious conditions with the wind and rain an ever present over the hour, it was Dunloy who made light of the elements. A final look at the stats from the game will show 13 wides, just under half of those from placed ball but 12 different scorers with three of the changes made getting their name to that list makes for pleasant reading for the Cuchullains.
You can make of the stats what you will but when it comes to championship encounters of this magnitude, it comes down to desire and hunger. It’s impossible to coach and that has to come from within. It was Dunloy who showed that hunger and willingness to do what needed done right from the first whistle. They won enough of the big moments when it mattered with the goals coming at the perfect time from a Dunloy perspective. Nigel Elliott with the first after just five minutes and Keelan Molloy’s goal came with 12 minutes of the hour remaining and put daylight between the sides.
The Shamrocks will be disappointed with their showing. They never really got going and while they threatened goals at different times, they were heavily reliant on the genius of James McNaughton. The All Star nominee excelled in the first half but he’ll have been glad to hear the final whistle after a brilliant Dunloy defence kept him under wraps in the second half. They were restricted to just three points after the break with a little under half of their scores coming from placed ball while Dunloy had 2-12 from open play.
Dunloy hurled into the wind in the first half and played with that trademark style of theirs, short passes and precision. Patience was the order of the day among the mayhem of a championship battle and the Cuchullains dictated the opening 20 minutes or so of the first half. The scores were tied at one apiece when the opening major came. Luke McFerran making the break before finding Eoin O’Neill. He passed to Cunning and while his shot was superbly saved by Cormac McFadden, Nigel Elliott was on hand to bundle the sliotar over the line from close range.
A trio of frees from McNaughton came in response to scores from Luke McFerran, Cunning and O’Neill. The Cuchullains were dealt a blow with the loss of Coby Cunning 17 minutes into the game and while the Shamrocks were starting to get to the speed of the game, by the time Seaan Elliott pointed his first free of the match in the 20th minute, Dunloy were four clear.
It would be their last score for almost 15 minute however as Loughgiel looked to finally play with some of the swagger they’ve shown in recent times. Again, it was McNaughton who got them firing with a free and two from open play. Both coming from distance to leave the minimum between the sides.
The Shamrocks had a glimpse of goal in the last minute of the half when Declan McCloskey found an acre of space in front of him. He soloed through the heart of the Dunloy defence unopposed and drilled a super shot goal bound. Ryan Elliott was called into action and he was equal to the effort with a strong save. McCloskey looked to have plenty more yards to run into and on reflection, he’ll know that he could have gone further before taking his shot.
Tom McFerran and Shan McGrath traded scores in the time that remained to leave the half time score 1-6 to 0-8 in favour of the Cuchullains.
It was certainly a case of advantage Dunloy at half time. It was a strong wind and while it wasn’t exactly blowing straight into the town goals at Pairc Mhuire, it favoured the Cuchullains after the restart.
Frees from Seaan Elliott either side of Shan McGrath’s third of the match came before Dunloy had another sight of the Loughgiel goal. Kevin Molloy breaking the lines and finding Eoin O’Neill in space. His effort was blocked and while Chrissy McMahon gathered the sliotar, his effort was superbly saved by Cormac McFadden.
Rian McMullan left the minimum between the sides but that was their last score for 14 minutes and while Dunloy were wasteful in front of the target with a series of missed frees, points from Aodhan McGarry and O’Neill put them three clear before Keelan Molloy’s goal. Substitute Gabriel McTaggart providing the assist and Molloy’s finish both unorthodox and brilliant.
Loughgiel responded with McNaughton’s fifth free of the match and the seventh time he would raise a white flag with 10 minutes of the hour remaining but it would be their last score as Dunloy put further daylight between the sides down the stretch. The Shamrocks went close to goals with Ben McGarry and Declan McCloskey going for goal but the Dunloy substitutes added icing to the result. Points from Paudie Martin (two), McTaggart and Nicky McKeague in injury time left ten between the sides at the final whistle.
It was a vintage performance from this Dunloy side who rolled back the clock a couple of years and put in the type of performance that sent a message out to the rest of the county. They haven’t gone away you know. The final in two week’s time promises to be a cracker.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn; Eoin McFerran, Kevin Molloy, Tom McFerran; Paul Shiels, Seaan Elliott; Nigel Elliott, Keelan Molloy, Aodhan McGarry; Luke McFerran, Conal Cunning, Eoin O’Neill
Subs: Chrissy McMahon for C Cunning (17); Cabriel McTaggart for L McFerran (38); Paudie Martin for C McMahon (49); Nicky McKeague for N Elliott (55); Kevin McKeague for P Duffin (60+3)
Scorers: S Elliott 0-4 (3fs); N Elliott 1-00; Keelan Molloy 1-00; E O’Neill 0-2; N McKeague 0-2; P Martin 0-2; T McFerran 0-1; A McGarry 0-1; L McFerran 0-1; C Cunning 0-1; G McTaggart 0-1
Loughgiel: Cormac McFadden; Tiernan Coyle, Rory McCloskey, Caolan Blair; Ruairi McCormick, Declan McCloskey, Damon McMullan; Ben McGarry, Enda Og McGarry; Dan McCloskey, James McNaughton, Darragh Patterson; Shan McGrath, Christy McGarry, Rian McMullan
Subs: Donal McKinley for D McMullan (40); Jack McCloskey for S McGrath (46); Eoin McGarry for R McMullan (55)
Scorers: J McNaughton 0-7 (5fs); S McGrath 0-3; R McMullan 0-1
Referee: Mark O’Neill (Glen Rovers, Armoy)
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