Ruairi Ogs, Cushendall produced a power packed second half performance to overcome the challenge of St. John’s in a high scoring and entertaining Reserve Hurling Cup semi-final at Corrigan Park on Wednesday night.
The Johnnies kept in touch during the opening exchanges thanks to a goal from Daire King in the second minute when he got on the end of a long delivery to finish from close range.
Slowly the visitors began to find their range however with Joseph McNaughton leading the way and his goal in the 10th minute edged the Ruairi Ogs ahead for the second time in the contest.
Earlier Conor Flannery in the St. John’s goals pulled off a smart save to deny the visitors what looked a certain goal but slowly the North Antrim men began to find their range with Austin Birt, Paddy Magill, Patrick Sharpe and Charlie McAuley hitting some excellent points.
Points from Donal Carson and Ruairi Galbraith kept the St. John’s scoreboard ticking and when they got in for a scrambled goal after a mix-up in the ‘Dall’ defence in the 20th minute they looked to be back in contention.
The visitors would finish the half on the front foot however as Paddy Magill 0-3, Patrick Sharpe 0-2 and Joseph McNaugton added points with Donal Carson 0-2, Daire King and Peter McCallin leaving the home side trailing by six at the short whistle.
The Corrigan men needed a good start to the second half if they were to get back into contention but it was Cushendall who got off to a blistering start as Paddy Magill pointed after 10 seconds and three more from the excellent McNaughton saw them 11 ahead with 5 minutes of the second half gone.
St. John’s did respond with a couple of well struck points from Donal Carson and another from Collie McFall but the Ruairi Og’s responded with their third goal of the evening when Conor Carson punished a mistake in defence to finish to the net in the 8th minute.
The visitors were now very much in the ascendancy as Joseph McNaughton followed with goal number four, a minute later to effectively end the game as a contest though St. John’s continued to battle.
Conor Carson and Paddy Magill continued to find the target with some excellent points as the gap increased and Carson got in for their fifth goal with five minutes remaining to put the visitors out of site.
Donal Carson, Ruairi Galbraith, Luke Loughlin, Fearghal McManus and Odhran Carson added points to the St. John’s total but it is Ruairi Og’s who go forward to the decider where they will meet Loughgiel Shamrocks in what should be an excellent final.
St. John’s: 1 Conor Flannery, 2 Odhran Carleton, 3 Joe Hand, 4 Michael Darragh, 5 Michael Napier, 6 Colly McFall, 7 Jim Peoples, 8 David Robinson, 9 Ruairi Galbraith, 10 Donall Carson, 11 Peter McCallin, 12 Danaan McKeogh, 13 Daire King, 14 Lorcan Heenan, 15 Conan McKinney.
Subs: 18 Luke Loughlin, 19 Darragh McGuinness, 20 Matthew Mallon, 21 Michael Dudley, 30 Fearghal MacManus
Ruairi Og: 1 Eoin Gillan, 2 Senan Black, 3 Daire Mort, 4 Michael Quinn, 5 Padraig McKillop, 6 Stephen Walsh, 7 Charlie McAuley, 8 Alex Delargey, 9 Austin Birt, 10 Joseph McNaughton, 11 Paddy McGill, 12 Oisin Woodhouse, 13 Patrick Sharpe, 14 Conor Carson, 15 Christy McLaughlin.
Subs: 16 Ruairi Sharpe, 17 Andrew DFelargy, 19 Ruairi McCollum, 20 Matthew McCann, 21 Conan Brown, 22 Ciaran Neeson, 23 Mark Emerson, 24 Dominic Delargy
Referee: John Dornan
TO SEE MORE OF BERTS PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
Antrim GAA Reserve Cup Loughgiel v Dunloy 28th August 2024
Loughgiel 1-22 Dunloy 2-14
Match report and photo album from Michael Corcoran at Fr. Healy Park, Loughgiel
An electrically charged first half in Wednesday’s Reserve Cup would complement the distant rumblings of thunder, threatening to deliver a deluge in the already soft turf. But thankfully, for most of the sixty minutes, play would remain dry overhead…but heavy underfoot.
With three goals and twenty points between the sides before the break, supporters were entertained to a blistering game of hurling, refereed by Seamus Shannon. Shannon would get to work twenty seconds after the throw in as Loughgiel’s Eoin McGarry picked up a foul as he worked his way towards the goals at the clubhouse. Ryan McKee would send that wide but Maol Connolly would keep the pressure applied with the first point in the game at under the two minutes.
Dunloy would send their puck out deep into Loughgiel’s half for a goal mouth scramble that was well diffused by Loughgiel’s full back line but Dunloy’s Nicky McKeague would receive the outbound sliotar for a turnover that put Dunloy on the scoreboard with their first point.
A worrying threat around the edge of the square, Dunloy’s Decky Smith would cast a long shadow into Mark Christie’s goals and with just two and half minutes in, Smith struck a well angled sliotar to beat Christie and register his first goal of the evening.
Unphased by the early goal, Loughgiel waited patiently and Darragh Patterson would point from a Finn Henry pass and then at six minutes in, Patterson would assist Eoin McGarry with Loughgiel’s goal.
Dunloy would reply with a useful point from Tom McFerran, as he took possession in his own half around the forty-five metre mark and running into Loughgiel’s half, floated a high ball to bring scores level at 1-02 apiece on the Fridge Raiders scoreboard.
Loughgiel would now drift two points into the lead as Nicholas McNaughton delivered from a Conal McCloskey pass and a determined Finn Henry going to ground, kept possession and successfully pointed on recovery.
But Dunloy’s Smith would be a handful at almost exactly ten minutes in, when a high dropping ball originally meant to point, fell going wide but Smith got an angle on the sliotar and dropped it in past Christie for his second goal.
With just a point between the sides, Loughgiel inched ahead again with points from McNaughton and McGarry, both from the low side of the pitch but Dunloy would apply the pressure at the other end and it would be keeper Christie that would bear the brunt with a fine save but the turned over sliotar would earn Dunloy a penalty as they pressed again into the thirteen metre box. Dunloy’s McKeague stroked the sliotar down the line towards a waiting Christie and a solid save denied Dunloy another goal.
Loughgiel would now start to move ahead over the next four minutes with four points, three from McNaughton and one from Eoin McGarry as Damien Quinn scooped up the rewards from a brave block, offloading to Finn Henry and onto McGarry.
With just over eighteen minutes on the clock, Dunloy’s Aodhan McGarry would make good of a free for a throw ball, bringing scores on the scoreboard to Loughgiel 1-10 Dunloy 2-03 and with four minutes elapsing, Loughgiel’s Darragh Patterson would take his point from a McNaughton offload before Dunloy picked up another throw ball free. Aodhan McGarry was on shooting form and delivered another score over the bar.
Loughgiel’s Quinn was right back in the front line action as he turned over a Dunloy ball towards Eoin McGarry who inched the Shamrock’s up another point but Dunloy would reply when referee Shannon spotted a foul on Aodhan McGarry. McGarry took his point to bring the gap back to just four points before Loughgiel’s Patterson and McNaughton pointed and with four on the clock, it looked like Loughgiel would carry that into the break but a dropping ball into Loughgiel’s square was directed into the back of Christie’s net by Decky Smith. Shannon consulted the umpires at the road end and a decision of a square ball resulted in a disallowed goal. Smith though would take Dunloy into the break just five points adrift behind Loughgiel as he pointed from twenty metres out from an assist by Nicky McKeague.
In the second half, Dunloy’s Smith would pick up where he left off, with his point stemming from a delivery onto his stick from a diagonal ball coming in from Conor McKinley.
The pace of the game had by now eased up and settled into almost twenty-five minutes of trading points, Dunloy picking up half of their scores from frees. Almost from the whistle, Dunloy started to roll on substitutions well ahead of Loughgiel and it would eventually be Dunloy’s number 18, Ryan Mort that would point two in quick succession to offer the Cuchullains hope of closing the gap but there was a sense of urgency about that as the clock had no more than two minutes of extra time added. A final free for Dunloy was dropped in and fired to the net by Chrissy McMahon but saved by keeper Christie who was partially blocked by a body and swept away by an industrious Daniel McPeake as Shannon blew for full time in this round two match, leaving the scoreboard to register Loughgiel 1-22 Dunloy 2-14.
Loughgiel Starting Panel and Scorers
Mark Christie, Ciaran McKay, Daniel McPeake, Connor Dickson, Damien Quinn, Ben McGarry 0-01, Conall McCloskey, Finn Henry 0-01, Ryan McKee, Nicholas McNaughton 0-08 (4f), Darragh Patterson 0-04, Odhran McFadden, Eoin McGarry 1-03, Maol Connolly 0-04, Donal McKinley, Tiago McGarry 0-01
Dunloy Starting Panel and Scorers
Gabriel McTaggart, Cathair McCloskey, Karl O’Kane, Reece Cunning, Kevin McKeague, Conor McKinley, Daire McMullan, Ciaran Elliott, Ciaran McQuillan, Tom McFerran 0-01, Aodhan McGarry 0-07f, Barry Scott, Nicky McKeague 0-01, Decky Smith 2-02, Anton McGrath 0-01, Ryan Mort 0-02
Photos from Wednesday’s game can be found in the photo album by clicking on the link here:
An injury time goal gave Cloughmills victory over Carey on a highly emotional evening at Ballintoy on Wednesday, a result that puts the Biddies on track for a semi-final spot, while badly denting the home team’s chances of qualification.
Both clubs had suffered tragedies in the weeks leading up to the game with six year old Joe Heggarty, the Carey team mascot, and Cathair McKendry, brother of the Cloughmills centre forward Callum, losing their lives in tragic circumstances. Joe had worn the no 26 jersey around the Carey club during his short life and both team marked the occasion in a very dignified way. Joe’s sister Katie and two of her friends led out the Carey team, with team captain Shea Hunter carrying a photo of Joe. To make the occasion even more poignant Cloughmills captain for the night Callum McKendry presented a specially commissioned hurley, with Joe’s name on it, to Shea Hunter before the ball was thrown in.
Joe’s Heggarty’s sister Katie (centre) and her two cousins Annie and Mary who led out the Carey teamCloughmills captain Callum McKendry presents a specially commissioned hurl with the details of game to his Carey counterpart Shea Hunter, who wore the no. 26 jersey on the night
With emotions running so high it was quite understandable that the game took a while to get going, and both teams missed a few chances before Conal McGlynn opened the scoring for the Faughs after seven minutes. However once it got going the scores began to flow, despite the very heavy underfoot conditions, and two great points from the Biddies full forward Conor Laverty (one direct from a sideline cut) were matched by two by James Black and Calum Kane. Entering first half injury time points from Liam Kearns and Eoin Dobbin brought the visitors level on seven points apiece, but two quick strikes in first half injury time from Conlith McKinley and Conor McBride gave Carey a 0-09 to 0-07 lead at the break.
Two quick points from Eoin Dobbin and Odhran McCurdy had the Biddies level just two minutes after the restart, but the home side hit back with three on the spin, two of them from top scorer Conor McBride, and one from Patrick Butler, to open up a three point lead after 40 minutes.
Eoin Dobbin and Callum McKendry closed the gap to just one and the teams were level again on 50 minutes as the tension grew. When Carey had top scorer McBride sent off with just eight minutes left to play they appeared to be in trouble. To their credit the Faughs turned the game back in their favour as ‘Rocket’ Black, Conal McGlynn and Conlith McKinley all picked off points to open a three point gap. When the home team still held that three point cushion a minute into injury time, they appeared to be on course for the win, but Eoin Dobbin reduced the gap to two and in the final attack the Biddies struck a telling blow as they scrambled the ball home from close range.
Speaking to some of the players after the game nobody would say for sure they had scored the telling goal. A photo of the incident appears to show Liam Kearns (15) sweeping the ball in, but there was nothing conclusive.
The win puts St Cloughmills joint top of Group 1 with Glenariffe, but with one game more played, but if they were to beat the Oisins in their final game on September 6th then they would appear to be nailed on for that semi-final spot. Carey travel to St Gall’s on the same evening and they will need to win, and hope that Cloughmills lose if the are to get back in the race.
CAREY
Stephen McGinn, Zach McCaughan, Sean McBride, Michael McVeigh, Eoin Hill, John McBride, Shea Hunter, Callum Cane, Caolan McCaughan, Patrick Gillan, James Black, Fiachra McVeigh, Conlith McKinley, Conor McBride, Conal McGlynn.
CLOUGHMILLS
Christopher McKernan, Rian Dobbin, Corey Blair, Sean McKendry, Geoffrey Og Laverty Ruairi Laverty, Johnny Duffy, Odhran McCurdy, Kevin O’Boyle, James Doherty, Callum McKendry, Eoin Dobbin, Stephen Smyth, Conor Laverty, Liam Kearns.
FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
The Antrim Senior, Intermediate and Junior Football Championships feature prominently on the programme this weekend with games in all of the grades from Friday evening through to Sunday afternoon as the championship campaign move closer to the knock out stages.
Friday 30th August
SFC (group 2)
Dunsilly 1
Erin’s Own Cargin v Tir na Nog (6.45)
Having found the going tough thus far in their group Randalstown based Tir na nOg have already exited this year’s senior championship and their meeting with Cargin leaves them with only pride to play for.
Erin’s Own have gained a couple of wins from their games to date and are assured of a place in the next stage and the reigning champions again look the team to beat.
Nothing is certain in life but the Toome men will enter the fray as red hot favourites and barring the unexpected, they should make progress to the knock out stages with a positive result.
SFC (group 3)
Portglenone Friday 7-30
St Ergnat’s Moneyglass v St Mary’s Ahoghill (6.45)
This meeting of near neighbours Moneyglass and Ahoghill will draw a good crowd to Kelly Park with a close game in prospect.
Moneyglass failed to show their worth in the league, finishing down the field but they have gained in stride in the championship with a good victory at Glenravel and they will hope to add to that win against a St. Mary’s side who have also beat the Con Magee’s in their Group meeting.
Chris Mc Glone’s St Mary’s side enjoyed a fair league campaign and a win for either side here will probably ensure passage to the quarter-finals. Games between these two are always closely contested and this one is sure to go down to the wire with Ahoghill given a tentative nod.
Sat 31st August
Group 2
Hannahstown
St John’s v O’ Donovan Rossa (5.00pm)
If not the ‘match of the day’ this coming together of St John’s and Rossa is certainly a contender as these keen rivals come together to lock horns in the championship up at Hannahstown.
Certain to attract a bumper attendance, this one will be keenly contested with a place in the next stage as prize for the winners.
A draw would favour the Johnnies but the margin of score difference is only slight and in favour of the Corrigan men and both will be aiming for outright victory.
A close keenly contested encounter is anticipated and certain to attract a large attendance to the Hill and with outright victory as entrance into the next phase of the senior championship a good game is in prospect.
This one could go either way but in a tight encounter I would expect St. John’s to at least gain the draw they need to advance to the knockout stages.
Sat 31st August
SFC (Group 4)
Hannahstown
Kickham’s Creggan v St Galls ((2.00.pm)
Creggan travel to Hannahstown to meet St Gall’s with the prize for the South West side a possible place in the next phase of the championship.
The Kickham’s recorded a good win at Aghagallon in their opening group game but lost to St. Brigid’s in Creggan on day 2. St. Brigid’s lead the group on four points while Creggan and Aghagallon are on two points so a win here for the South West side is vital and they have the ability to gain it.
Sunday 1st September
SFC (Group 4)
Corrigan Pk
St Mary’s Aghagallon v St Brigid’s (3.00pm)
By the time this one gets under way Aghagallon will know just what is required as they meet group leaders St. Brigid’s at Corrigan and this one will almost certainly attract a bumper attendance to the Whiterock Road venue.
Aghagallon recorded a good win over St. Gall’s on day 2 at Milltown and will hope to add to that result over the reigning league champions on Sunday.
St Brigid’s have impressed this term with a couple of excellent wins to date and if they can carry on in the same positivity a win over the St Mary’s men is anticipated.
Sunday 1st Sep
SFC (Group 1)
Corrigan Pk
St Enda’s v St James Aldergrove (1.00pm)
St Enda’s have struggled this term and the absence of several from their panel has had a negative effect both in league and championship.
They may well see this one against the men from Aldergrove as a chance to gain a first championship win against a St. James side in a similar position to themselves.
This may well be a close one involving teams that are struggling at present but the Aldergrove men are awarded a tentative vote.
Ballymena
Lamh Dhearg v Cuchullian’s Dunloy (1.00pm)
Both Cuchullian’s and Lamh Dhearg have recorded two win from two starts and will progress to the next phase of the championship but this one will decide their opponents in the knockout stages and that may well prove significant.
Both sides have impressed to date with Lamh Dhearg recording wins over St Enda’s and Aldergrove while last year’s beaten finalists Cuchullian’s were impressive in their wins over the same opposition.
Both are already through to the next phase but the result in this one will prove important in deciding the opposition in their first knockout games.
IFC
Sat 31st August
Group 1
Pairc MhicDhomnaill/UiDhoctairtigh
St Teresa’s v St Pauls (2.00pm)
Both sides have enjoyed a positive start to their Intermediate championship campaign, recording two victories apiece and this looks one to watch as they come together in game number three on Saturday.
Both sides enjoyed good league campaign with St. Paul’s piping St. Teresa’s for division 2 honours and this one could be equally close with ground advantage possibly edging it St. Teresa’s way but it could go either way.
IFC
Sat 31st August
Group 1
Kirkwood Park
St Patrick’s v St Mary’s Rasharkin (5.00pm)
Rasharkin with a couple of points from their win over Ardoyne last day are level on points with Naomh Padraig who recorded a win over the same opposition and this may well be a close one.
St Patrick’s enjoy the favours of home advantage and will start as slight favourites but this is likely to be a close encounter with a draw and a share of the spoils possible.
IFC
Sat 31st August
Group 2
Chapel Hill
St Joseph’s Glenavy v Patrick Sarsfield’s (2.00pm)
Sarsfield’s have set the pace in Group 2 with three wins from three starts and will travel to Chapel Hill in a positive frame of mind. Their last win over All Saints at the Bear Pit marks them down as serious contenders for the Intermediate title.
St. Joseph’s lost to Gort na Mona last time out and really need a win here to keep their championship aspirations alive.
Sarsfields will start tis one as favourites but with home advantage Glenavy may well cause an upset.
IFC
Sunday 1st Sep
Group 2
Ballymena
All Saint’s v Michael Davitt’s (5.00pm)
After an opening day win over Gort na Mona, All Saints came badly unstuck agains Sardsfield’s on day two and anything other than a win over Visitors Davitt’s may not be enough to keep their championship aspirations alive.
Davitt’s have lost their opening two games but will see Sunday’s visit to Ballymena as a chance to open their account and have proven difficult opponents to All Saints in the not too recent past.
The visitors will travel in search of victory but ground advantage may well prove the difference and a home win looks likely.
Friday 30th August
JFC
Group 1
Pairc Naomh Una
St Agnes v Cardinal O’ Donnell’s (6.45pm)
St. Agnes have been going well in this year’s Junior Championship with wins over Pearses and Laochra Loch Lao and will hope to make it three from three when O’Donnell’s visit Pair Naonh Una
O’Donnell’s did opened their account in round one when Laochra Loch Lao visited MacRory Park but lost to Pearses on day two and the visitors need something from this one if they are to progress to the knockout stages.
St. Agnes have been impressive to date however and the home side may well gain another win.
Group 1
Colaiste Feriste
Laochra Loch Lao v Pearses
Padraig Piarsaigh lost to St. Agnes at Fennell Park on the opening day of the championship but recorded a good win over O’Donnell’s on day 2. They will hope to maintain that form when they visit pointless, Laochra Loch Lao at Colaiste Feirste and their greater need may see Pearses take the points.
Group Two
Dunsilly
St Comgall’s v Bhulf Ton (6.45pm)
League winners, St Comgall’s have opened their championship campaign with with back to back victories over Eire Og and St Malachy’s and back on home soil they look certain to continue with a win over Wolfe Tones
Wolfe Tones have lost both their opening games and face a difficult task here with the home side starting as overwhelming favourites
Group Two
Cherryvale
St Malachy’s v Eire Og (6.45pm)
This looks like a close one in prospect as St. Malachy’s play hosts to Eire Og with both sides having recorded one win from two starts in their championship games to date.
The home side opened with an away victory over Wolfe Tones while Ere Og lost heavily to Naomh Comhghall. Eire Og opened their account with a good win over Wolfe Tones on day two while St. Malachy’s lost to Naomh Comhghall and there might not be too much to separate Friday night’s opponents.
The prize for the winners will be a place in the semi-finals and this one could go either way with St. Malachy’s given the nod.
Emma Kelly has notified the Antrim LGFA Executive of her decision to stand down from the role of Senior Intercounty Manager with immediate effect.
Emma has led Antrim Ladies through their most successful ever period, taking the county to two All Ireland Junior Finals, winning the 2022 All Ireland Junior Championship, the 2023 National League Division 4 and Ulster Intermediate Championship for the first time in the county’s history and just narrowly falling short in the All Ireland Intermediate Championship Semi-Final.
The County Executive wishes to place on record our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for the work Emma and her team have put in over the last four years, the dedication and passion she has shown for Ladies Gaelic Football in County Antrim, both at the highest levels of intercounty competition and working with local clubs to grow the grassroots game.
The County Board will shortly begin the process to appoint a successor.
Emma Kelly
Emma Kelly has resigned as Antrim Senior Ladies Manager with immediate effect
I am writing to inform you that my management team and myself will be stepping down from Antrim Senior Ladies with immediate effect.
The last 4 years have been an honour and privilege to have taken the county.
I am proud to say we did win a lot of silverware and gave the county a lot of big days out over that time. Bringing pride, belief and expectation to the Antrim Jersey. We made people sit up and take notice of our county.
2021 – Ulster Junior Winners / All Ireland runners up
Unfortunately, this year was a transitional year and we had a lot of challenges both on and off the field but to be fair we didn’t look out of place up in Division 3. We were close in a few games but close doesn’t win games.
I would like to thank every single girl who was involved over the 4 years, without you none of the success and memories would have been possible. Thank you also to their clubs for developing them into such good players and for working with us and supporting the girls when needed.
To my 3 captains, Aislinn, Cathy and Ciara, no one sees how much extra commitment, effort and time you put in off the pitch with the captains role. It isn’t all the high life. Meetings, launches, events, travelling around the country. Thank you for doing all that with pride and for leading by example.
Thanks to Kyla who has been there from the start of our journey and to all those who were involved over the years- Stephen, Oisín, Ursula, Paula and anyone else who helped out at trainings or on match days.
Thanks to Debbie, Anthony and all the county board for your support over the years. Also to all the sponsors, our bus man Nigel from J&K buses who always made away days better. The physio group – in particular Brendan and Ian who took good care of the girls. All the clubs who let us use their facilities for training/games over the years, in particular Davitts, Cargin and also Antrim GAA for the use of Dunsilly, thank you.
Thanks to all the supporters, all the parents who brought your children to games to let them find real role models to look up to. All who got behind the girls at every opportunity and were that extra push to get across the line when we needed it.
I wish Antrim all the best in the future, no doubt with the talent available the silverware will not be long in returning and the saffs will rise again.
