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by thesaffrongael

Cathy Carey calls time on a great Antrim career

By DAIRE WALSH

Antrim LGFA captain Cathy Carey has decided to step away from the county team after more that 20 years service. Dairi Walsh take a look over her great years of service to the Saffron shirt.

After giving more than 20 years of service to the Saffron cause, Antrim stalwart Cathy Carey feels the time is now right to step away from inter-county ladies football.

Since making her senior debut way back in 2002, the St Ergnat’s Moneyglass star has established herself as a key component of the Ulster side. Having appeared off the bench for Antrim’s TG4 All-Ireland junior football championship success over Limerick in 2009, she was listed at right half-forward when Northern Ireland soccer international Kirsty McGuinness inspired the Saffrons to a final victory against Louth in the same competition three years later.

Following showpiece defeats to Longford and Wicklow in 2016 and 2021 respectively, she scored 2-1 in a superb captain’s performance as Antrim defeated provincial rivals Fermanagh to claim their third All-Ireland junior crown in a replayed fixture at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh in August 2022. Last year saw them narrowly losing out to Clare at the semi-final stage of the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate championship, but even though there is a sense they could push on to even greater heights, Carey will be watching on from the outside in 2024.

“I suppose I’m pushing on a wee bit. It has been 20 odd years of playing senior county, so there’s been a lot in that. I kind of started thinking about it midway through last season. Then getting towards the end of the season, I started to talk about it a wee bit,” Carey explained.

“We’ve good underage coming through the county. It’s other people’s time to play and represent the county, I’ve kind of done my service. In terms of whether I’d be physically ready, I probably would be, but I just felt it was time to do it and finish up there.

“It has been a long stint, but that is probably what made the decision harder. You’re going ‘God, I’ve been there that long, what’s going to happen without it?’ Not to the team obviously, just in terms of me seeing a big massive change to my life. People always tell you that you find plenty to do, so hopefully that’s right.”

Cathy Carey in action in the 2022 drawn final against Fermanagh in Croke Park

Before opting to retire from inter-county duty, Carey (who is set to turn 34 next month) consulted a number of people within her own family and wide circle of friends – including those who had made a similar decision in the past.

“Nobody believed me because there has been plenty of years I’ve been like that. That’s me! I’ve always gone back, I never really thought seriously about it. A couple I’ve spoken to that have retired, [I was] trying to get their viewpoint on it.

“Everybody comes at it with so many different opinions that I made my mind up as much as possible myself. Because it’s only me that’s really going to either go or not go, but talking it over is helpful.”

Although she cherishes the All-Ireland junior titles that she has won with the Saffron County, Carey believes that last April’s Lidl National Football League Division 4 final triumph is up there as one of the biggest achievements in her Antrim career.

Following many years of trying to get out of the fourth-tier of the NFL, Carey and Antrim managed to do so with a 1-19 to 2-6 victory at the expense of Leitrim at Parnell Park. She scored 0-3 from play in a typically assured display from centre-forward and was subsequently selected on the Division 4 team of the Lidl National Football Leagues alongside six of her county colleagues.

“That was probably the biggest thing for me because there had been so many years that we had been so close to getting out of Division 4 and we just never did it. The All-Ireland was really special, the Ulster is really special, but that Division Four title is one of those ones where it was like ‘Thank God’ and you could take a breath after that final.

“Some were just happy to win Division 4 and win the final, but a few of us had been slogging along for a good few years. It was nearly more of a relief than anything to get out of it.”

Having been so competitive in a higher championship grade last year, Antrim will be hoping to make a big splash in Division 3 of the Lidl NFL in 2024 – starting with their opening game against Louth at Davitt Park in Belfast tomorrow week (January 21). While Carey plans to be a spectator for her old team’s games as the year progresses, she acknowledged only time will tell how she adapts to this new role.

“I don’t know if I’m looking forward to being a spectator, but I’ll definitely go to their games and see how everything is going. I’ll be keeping in touch with Emma (Kelly, Antrim manager). There’s still that connection to it, but I’ll see how the first game goes watching it. I’ll know my true feelings then I would imagine!

Given she also had a spell as an inter-county dual player — she was corner-back on the Antrim team that reached an All-Ireland intermediate camogie championship final in 2011 — Carey is used to having a lot on her plate.

This will remain the case in spite of her stepping away from the Antrim panel as she currently has a busy job as operations manager at CrossFit Anam in Toomebridge and intends to continue lining out at local level for reigning county champions Moneyglass. She has also been heavily involved from a managerial perspective with a number of underage sides in her club and was named Coach of the Year at the Antrim and Newtownabbey Sports Awards in November 2023.

She hasn’t ruled out the prospect of moving into adult coaching at some point in the future – whether that be at club or inter-county level – but for now she is just embracing her combined responsibilities as a Moneyglass senior footballer and juvenile mentor.

“That’s something I would probably think about moving further afield [adult coaching]. I just want to concentrate on club and enjoy coaching underage girls at the minute. I would imagine maybe at some stage possibly, but at this stage I’m very happy taking underage girls,” Carey added.

by thesaffrongael

An Antrim view of the Maghera v Magherafelt derby

Danske Bank MacRory Cup quarter-final

St Patrick’s, Maghera 1-4 St Mary’s, Magherafelt 1-6

Watching Friday evening MacRory Cup quarter final at Owenbeg you could not help but admire the quality of players on show, two neighbouring schools, many of whom were members of the Derry team who won last year’s All Ireland Minor title, battling it out in a top class game of football.

Of course both teams had a sprinkling of Antrim players in their ranks, one starter Tiernan McCormick of Moneyglass and two subs Sean Boyd (Moneyglass) Conor Johnston (Creggan) on the St Pat’s team while St Mary’s had two starters Ben McClarnon and Jack Harney, both from Cargin, while Daniel McCann (Cargin), Liam McLernon and Fintan Close of Creggan on the bench. Of course the St Mary’s manager Kevin Brady is also a former star for Antrim and Moneyglass, and his assistant Ronan Devlin is the current Cargin manager.

Ben McLarnon from Cargin
Jack Harney, St Mary’s and Cargin

There is one other player on the St Mary’s side with Antrim connections. Right half forward Eamon Young of Newbridge is grandson of former Glenravel man Paddy Magee, who was joint manager when the Con Magees won the club’ first Antrim Minor Championship title back in 1964. Young, who won an All Ireland medal with Derry last season, had an excellent game against St Pat’s and was involved in the key score of the game for the Magerafelt side. Leading by 0-3 to 0-2 at the end of a low scoring opening half, St Pat’s appeared to have taken control when a great move involving Fionn McEldowney and Johnny McGuckian was finished to the net by Dara McPeake.

Eamon Young’s grandfather Paddy Magee (2nd from left on the back row) was joint manager of the Glenravel team who lost the 1963 Antrim Minor Final to Sarsfields. He was still in charge when they beat St John’s in the final in 1964

St Mary’s were now well and truly up against it, but incredibly St Pat’s didn’t score again during the next 27 minutes, and while St Mary’s weren’t exactly fluent either they were starting to dominate the possession. A pointed free by Conall Higgins left three between the sides before a length of the field move which saw Patrick Birt  find Young who put Higgins clear with the most perfect of passes for the Maghera man in to fire low to the corner of the net.

They went three clear in injury time though Maghera threw everything they had at them in search of a goal that would have forced extra time, all they conceded was a last gasp point from Moneyglass man Tiernan McCormick as they booked a semi-final place against champions Omagh

Tiernan McCormick of Moneyglass and St Pat’s Maghera
by thesaffrongael

Colaiste Feirste left to regret slow star

Ulster Colleges Danske Bank McCormack Cup Football Final

St Aidan’s Derrylin 0-9 Colaiste Feirste 0-6

Pics by Bert Trowlen

Lady luck deserted Colaiste Feirste in Friday’s McCormack Cup Football final when they were beaten by Derrylin of Fermanagh in a highly exciting game of football at St McCartan’s in Augher.

When they failed to score in the opening half and went in at the break trailing by six points, the prospects of a victory looked pretty remote, but they fought back really well in the second period and had the gap back to two with ten minutes still to play. St Aidan’s came back with a point to put the Fermanagh school three points clear again, but the Belfast boys fought all the way and when Darragh Quinn broke through in injury time and looped a shot over the Derrylin goalkeeper for a brief moment it appeared as if they had saved the day. However Quinn’s well struck shot came back off the crossbar and the excellent Derrylin defence cleared the danger yet again to seal the win that gave the Fermanagh team its first Ulster title in their 51 years of existence.

Heavily outnumbered on the supporters’ side (St Aidan’s had all their feeder primary school pupils in attendance) Colaiste Feirste looked nervous at the start and were lucky not to fall behind when Derrylin hit the post in their first attack. The Belfast boys began to settle and for the remainder of the half they matched their opponents in everything except on the scoreboard. They had as much possession as Derrylin but just could not hit the target, while the Fermanagh boys picked off some great scores through Ronan Fitzgerald, Thomas Fitzpatrick (3), Alex McCaffrey and Dan O’Connor to lead by 0-6 to 0-0.

Things looked bleak for the Belfast boys as they left the field at half time, but they re-emerged with new hope in their hearts and during the third quarter they took control of the game. Noah McDonnell finished a great move with a well taken point on 34 minutes to get them on the scoreboard, full forward Nathan McKeanna added another fine effort a minute later, before centre forward Oisin Cussack hit a beauty from a narrow angle to cut the gap back to three by the 39th minute.

The Fermanagh side could not get out of their own half, but their full-back line defended magnificently and Colaiste Feirste’s Darragh Quinn was denied by a brilliant save from Derrylin goalkeeper Daire Maguire on 55 minutes. One minute later free taker Christopher Roberts brought the gap back to two when he slotted over a free, and though St Aidan’s first point of the second half restored their three point cushion, Roberts struck again to leave just two between the sides.

With time running out Ciaran Shannon put Derrylin three clear yet again but as the game entered injury time Colaiste Feirste came oh so close to bringing the game to extra time when Darragh Quinn’s shot from close range came back off the crossbar.

by thesaffrongael

Aquinas advance to quarter-final

McLarnon Cup play-off

Aquinas Grammar 2-8 St. Louis Grammar 0-4

A strong second half performance propelled Aquinas into the quarter-final of the McLarnon Cup when they overcame the challenge of a shot shy St. Louis Ballymena in this play-off at Colaiste Feirste on Friday evening.

Goals from Daire Oglsby in the opening minute of the first half and another from Declan McArdle, 11 minutes into the second paved the way for a comfortable victory for the Belfast side over a St. Louis team who offered little in attack.

The first half was an even enough affair as Daire Oglsby got on the end of a turn over from John McAtamney’s misplaced kick out to finish to the net from close range.

St. Louis settled however and enjoyed their best spell in the game with Ryan McKeever and Darach Bradley from a free closing the gap to one by the 7th minute but it would be their only scores of the half as they wasted a number of good chances to draw level.

Their opponents, Aquinas didn’t fare much better though they did launch a number of promising attacks but were thwarted by some excellent blocking by the St. Louis defence and were wayward in their shooting when the opportunities did present themselves.

Indeed the remainder of the half would prove disappointing for both sides with Jacko Watson’s point for Aquinas in the 19th minute the only further score but it was enough to send the Belfast side into a two point lead at the interval.

St. Louis need a better start to the second half if they were to get back into contention but it was Aquinas who made the more promising start but continued to miss the target.

Declan McArdle celebrates after scoring Aquinas’ second goal
Daire Oglsby scorer of the opening goal

Three early opportunities went a begging before David Leggett fisted over in the third minute and when Fergus Donaghy finished to the net with 11 minutes gone it looked a long way back for the Kintullagh boys.

St. Louis continued to enjoy a fair percentage of possession but continued to take the wrong options and were turned over time and again by a resolute Aquinas defence.

In fact their only two second half scores came from Shea O’Brion frees as Aquinas began to find their range with some excellent approach play as the gaps in the opposition defence began to appear.

Jacko Watson 0-2, JJ Higgins, David Leggett, Con Gileece and Jude Dixon all weighed in with points as the Ravenhill Road side pulled away to win comfortably in the end and will now meet Abbey, Donegal in the quarter-final.

Aquinas: 1 Seanan Nagle, 2 Eoin Browne, 3 Colm Boyle, 4 Frankie Fergson, 5 Daire Oglsby, 6 Ben Christie, 7 Con Gileece, 8 Peter Mulgrew, 9 Jude Dixon, 10 Joseph Mellon, 11 Declan McArdle, 12 JJ Higgins, 13 Pearse Loughry, 14 David Leggett, 15 Jacko Watson.

Subs Used: Lorcan Cooney for Frankie Fergson, Conor McKavanagh for Con Gileece (Blood sub), Rory O’Donoghue for Peter Mulgrew, Oisin O’Hare, Sean Doyle and James Kelly

St. Louis: 1 John McAtamney, 2 Oliver O’Rawe, 3 Hugh O’Donnell, 4 Sean McDermott, 5 Jack Martin, 6 Harry Connon, 7 Caleb Smith, 8 Luke McFerran, 9 Daniel Doherty, 10 Patrick O’Neill, 11, Fergus Donaghy, 12 Darach Bradley, 13 Ryan McKeever, 14 Shea O’Brion, 15 Eddie Smith.

Subs: 21 Corey McKillop, 24 Pauidin Mitchell, 17 Shea McAuley, 22 Jack McCloskey, 18 Caolan McGarrell, 25 Josewph McNeill

Referee: Martin Conroy (Tyrone)

by thesaffrongael

St. Louis in McLarnon play-off action

McLarnon Cup Play-off

St. Louis Ballymena v Aquinis

Colaiste Feirste 4-00pm Friday

St. Louis Grammar, Ballymena face Aquuinis Belfast tomorrow (Friday) at Colaiste Feirste with a place in ther qurter-final of this year’s McLarnon Cup the prize for the winners.

The Ballymena side have had a good McLarnon campaign to date and in the group stages beat St. Pius Magherafelt and St. Patrick’s Downpatrick but lost to Rathome Grammar to finish second in their group to Rathmore.

St. Louis have a wide spread of players from South West clubs in their panel and a few Antrim minors with representation from All Saints, Cargin, St. Comgall’s, Tir na nOg , Loughgiel, Rasharkin, Glenravel and Dunloy.

John McAtamney, Ryan McKeever, Hugh O’Donnell, Patrick O’Neill, Darach Bradley and Shea O’Brion are just a few of the players who have performed well this year with Cargin man O’Donnell captaining the side and Harry Connon from All Saints is their Vice Captain.

The Kintullagh side have an experienced management team and Antrim County player, Paddy McAleer, Sean Cassidy from Slaughtneil and Neill McNicholl are sure to have their side well prepared.

The winners of tomorrow’s game will meet either Abbey CBS of Donegal or Carrickmore in the quarter-finals so why not come along to Colaiste Feirste on Friday and give the boys your support.