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by thesaffrongael

Four Masters strike late to beat Magherafelt in thrilling game

FonaCAB St Pauls Ulster Minor Football Tournament

Four Masters (Donegal) 2-9) Maherafelt (Derry) 0-13

Two goals in injury time saw Donegal champions Four Masters snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in Saturday evening’s quarter final of the St Pauls Ulster Minor Football tournament against Derry champions O’Donova Rossa, Magherafelt at Colaiste Feirste.

With the wind at their backs in the first half the Magherafelt boys were in total command and after twenty one minutes play they were 0-8 to 0-0 ahead, their brilliant midfielder Conall Higgins scoring six of the points. It was twenty five minutes before the Donegal champions opened their account when Colhoon scored their first point and they added to it four minutes later, but Magherafelt came back with a J Beattie point in injury time to send them in with what appeared to be a comfortable seven point cushion.

When Four Masters got the four points of the second half, three of them from brilliant corner forward McCahill, it was clear this game was far from over, but Man of the Match Conall Higgins appeared to have wrapped it all up when got two of the next three points to push the gap out to three again. When the Derry champions pushed the gap out to five going into injury time a place in the semi-final seemed assured, but the drama was only starting.

In a totally incredible finish Four Masters were awarded a penalty which centre forward Kevin Muldoon fired to the net, which cut the gap to two points. Magherafelt must have still thought the game was safe but in the fifth minute of injury time a long ball into the Maghera square was punched home by Tiernan McBride to put his team in front, and there was still time for corner forward Turlough Carr to add the insurance point.

Four Masters: L McCaughan; A McHugh, D McGinty, T McGovern; C Gavigan, C McCrea, A Quinn; T McBride (1-0), T Colhoun (0-1); Tomas Carr (0-1), K Muldoon (1-0 pen), P McGonagle; C McCahill (0-5, 2f), O Doherty, Turlough Carr (0-2)
Subs: E O’Neill for C Gavigan (47), L McNamee for A McHugh (59), C Dunnion for A Quinn (63)

Black card:  C McCrea (37)
Yellow Cards: T Colhoun (20), C McCahill (50)

Magherafelt: K Campbell; T Cartin, Z Gavigan, C McCabe; E Spiers (0-1), R Small, C Kerr; J Beattie (0-1), Conall Higgins (0-8, 2f); M McKenna (0-1), Caolan Higgins, L Higgins; B McCormack (0-1), C Spiers (0-1f), M Higgins
Subs: K Maynes for B McCormack (38), T Beattie for C McCabe (54), M Lavery for C Kerr (54)

Black card: M McKenna (36)

Referee: C McDonald (St Gall’s)

FonaCAB St Pauls Ulster Minor Football Tournament
by thesaffrongael

Faughs scrape through after hard fought win over Clan na Gael

FonaCAB St Pauls Ulster Minor Football Tournament 

Clan na Gael 1-11 Castleblaney Faughs 1-12

Kevin Herron reports from An Sportlann

Castleblaney Faughs became the first side to reach the last four of the FonaCAB St Pauls Ulster Minor Championship with a hard fought 1-12 to 1-11 win over Clan na Gael at An Sportlann this afternoon. 

Castleblaney’s Shea Broderick celebrates after scoring a goal early in the game

The Monaghan and Armagh Champions braved Storm Elin to open up this year’s tournament and it was Castleblaney who drew first blood when Shea Broderick rifled low to the net inside of three minutes. 

They extended their lead through a Max McGinnity free, with Ronan McAlindan replying from the same scenario to get the Clans up and running.

Castleblaney almost had their second goal inside the first quarter of an hour after a well worked move saw McGinnity bare down on goal, but his low effort crashed off the outside of the post. 

They would further extend their lead through back-to-back Lorcan Mone scores, though Clan na Gael responded with Ross Marsden and Ronan McAlindan kicking successive frees. 

The sides traded further scores before the break, Max McGinnity doubled his tally for the half before McAlindan kicked a terrific point from out by the side-line- his sides first from play to ensure that Broderick’s goal was the difference, giving Casteblaney and a 1-04-0-04 advantage at the midway point. 

The Faughs began the second period brightly, extending their lead through a fisted point from Lorcan Mone that should have found the net and a Tristan Nugent angled shot. 

That generated a response from the Armagh Champions and on 34 minutes Clan na Gael were back in business. 

Castleblaney’s MaxMcGinnity who scored five points in the team’s win over Clan na Gael.

Ronan McAlindan stood over a free and opted to play it off the shoulder to Aodhan Henderson- who made and lined up a shot that was deflected into the net to make it 1-06-1-04. 

Castleblaney didn’t panic and back-to-back points from Max McGinnity (free) and Harry McQuillan saw them regain the initiative.

Momentum returned to Clan na Gael, and they had reduced arrears to the bare minimum approaching the final quarter with three scores without reply. 

Calvin McConville released Ross Marsden to pop over, McConville then swung over his first score of the afternoon before Ronan McAlindan dropped over another outstanding point to make it 1-08-1-07. 

Successive points from McGinnity (free) and Lorcan Mone afforded their side some brief breathing space until Ronan McAlindan converted a free. 

Tom Carey stretched Castleblaney’s lead back to three, after selling a couple of shimmy’s and producing a confident point. 

Clan na Gael’s Aodhan Henderson celebrates after his goal early in the second half brought his team right back into the game.

That would prove to be the last point from play as a series of frees concluded the afternoons scoring. 

McAlindan brought his tally to five from the placed ball, landing back-to-back frees to leave it a one-point game yet again (1-11-1-10). 

Max McGinnity’s fourth converted free would prove the insurance score for Castleblaney as McAlindan could only respond with a further point from a free as the Monaghan natives held on for a narrow 1-12-1-11 win at the full-time whistle to book their place in the last four and a clash with Four Masters next Sunday afternoon. 

Clan na Gael’s Ronan McAlinden who was superb despite his team’s defeat

Clan na Gael: Z McCaughley, T Maginn, S Reid, F Hegarty, A McGivern, N McParland, J McConville, C McCrory, R Marsden (0-02, 0-01f), A Henderson (1-00), R McAlindan (0-08, 0-06f), C McConville (0-01), J McCaugherty, L Murray, S McConville-Burke. Subs: D McConville for J McConville (36), D Morrow for J McCaugherty (49). 

Castleblaney Faughs: J Flanagan, D Function, P Carville, A Higgins, H McQuillan (0-01), T Carey (0-01), T McGeough, S Hanratty, C Murphy, S Broderick (1-00), T Nugent (0-01), B Sherry, M McGinnity (0-05, 0-04f), L Mone (0-04), C Conlon. Subs: S Miller for B Sherry (38), C Hughes for C Conlon (55). 

Referee: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg)

by thesaffrongael

St. Paul’s tournament gets under way tomorrow (Saturday)

The St. Paul’s fona/CAB Ulster Minor Football tournament gets underway tomorrow despite a late withdrawel by the Tyrone representatives from the tournament.

A statement issued by St. Paul’s this week read:

The organising committee has received confirmation this morning from Tyrone GAA that they have stalled the Tyrone Minor Football Championship until the new-year and as a result, there will be no Tyrone representative participating in the 2023 fonaCAB Ulster Minor Football Tournament, supported by Belfast City Council. CLG Naomh Pól now progress to quarter final 4 where Mayobridge await. 

While this is not the outcome anyone wishes to see, the organising committee is happy to bring the uncertainty to an end.

We look forward to the beginning of the tournament this Saturday with a blockbuster opening day double header at Sportlann, Colaiste Feirste between Clan na Gael v Castleblaney Faughs at 1pm and Four Masters v Magherafelt at 5pm

Sean Reid, captain of Clan na Gael
Canice Murphy, captain of Castleblaney Faughs
Callum McCrea captain of Four Masters Donegal.
Cahir Spiers, captain of Magherafelt O’Donovan Rossa
by thesaffrongael

Mageean final promises to be something special

Danske Bank Mageean Cup final

Wed 7.30pm at the Dub Arena

St Killian’s Garron Tower v Cross & Passion Ballycastle.

The Mageean Cup Final between Cross & Passion College and St Killkians which was posponed back in December goes ahead tonight back at the Dub. This is the preview from the that date and as far as we are aware there will be no changes to the teams which were named back then.

Both teams have worked hard in the interim, and although a good few players have had flu or heavy colds which interupted their preparations, none of picked up any serious injuries and are raring to go.

See you at the Dub!

Team captains Joseph McLaughlin and Ben McGarry get in a bit of practice at the Mageean Cup final launch in Dunloy a couple of weeks ago

It is hard to believe that Friday evening’s Mageean Cup decider brings together two teams that have never before met in the final of the the competition. Garron Tower first won it (then called the Ulster Shield) in 1953 when it was played for in a league format and were the first winners when it became the Mageean Cup in 1963. That win completed a four in a row for the north Antrim college, but amazingly they have not claimed the famous title since.

The logistics have changed greatly since that win sixty years ago. A lot of that team were boarders, and a good few of their team came from areas outside what is now their catchment area.

Rival managers Joe Cassidy (left) of CPC and Padraig McIlwaine of St Killian’s at the Mageaan final launch in Dunloy

Cross & Passion won their first title in 1977 and they added their second the following year. They won it again in 1994, but their real run of success came began in 2006 and they have been really competitive since then, adding another six titles as well as competing in a good few other finals.

They have crossed swords with the Tower many time during those years, but never in a final so Friday night promises to be something special.

Seldom has a season seen the finalists been as dominant as these two, both of them going through the campaign, not only undefeated, but untroubled as well.

Cross and Passion booked their place in Friday’s final when they beat St Mary’s CBGS in the semi-final at Dunsilly by 2-20 to 1-7, while St Killian’s ran up a massive 6-22 when beat St Pat’s Maghera in the other semi-final in Ahoghill, conceding just 1-7 in the process. These stats would suggest both sides have a potent set of forwards, but also very mean defences.

The record of these two sides in hurling competitions through the school years had always suggested they would end up meeting the Blue-Riband of colleges hurling, the Mageean Cup, and so it has come to pass.

The CPC team on Friday evening is expected to be much the same as the one who beat St Mary’s in that semi-final with last season’s Under 20 county goalkeeper Eoghan Richmond guarding the goals. Cathair Donnelly, Cian Beaudant and Niall McClean formed the full back line that night with Ben O’Kane, team captain Ben McGarry and Tiagao McGarry making up one of the strongest lines on the field. Joe Magee and new boy Reece Cunning were the midfield partnership in the semi final with ‘Rosie’ Fitzgerald, Liam Glackin and ace free taker Paudi Martin making up a formidable half forward line. Martin incidentally is bidding to become only the second player to win back to back Mageean medals with two different schools, following his success with St Louis last year.

CPC’s Liam Glackin in action during the semi-final win over St Mary’s
CPC’s Rosie Fitzgerald
CPC corner forward Roan McGarry

One of the youngest players on the pitch, if not indeed the youngest, Oisin McCallin, is a highly stylish corner forward, while power-house Conor Donnelly is a very dangerous full forward and corner forward Roan McGarry one of the brightest young stars in the county. Darragh Kelly, who missed the semi-final through injury, is fit again, and is likely to start.

In the semi-final they used three subs Callin Cane, Cadhan Crawford and Ashton McGarry, all very good replacements, and in a panel of 30 players there are many more to step in if needed.

In their semi-final St Killian’s had Thomas McLaughlin in goal, with Colla Ward, Cailin Devlin and John Scullion in the full back line, with Charlie McAuley pivoting the defence at centre back with the Oisins duo of Cathan Graham on his right and Niall Magee on his left. Callum McIlwaine and Callagh Mooney have been a formidable midfield pairing all season and is should be a great battle between them and the CPC pairing of Magee and Cunning.

The St Killian’s forward line having been running up big scores throughout the competition with the half forward line of Orrin O’Connor, Austin Birt and Cormac McKeown a very potent line. The full forward line of Peadar McDonnell, Oran McCambridge and man of the season Joseph McCambridge have been carry a real scoring threat, all of them carrying a real goal threat and if the Tower are to the school’s 60 year famine then goals will be essential.

St Killian’s Cormac McKeown
St Killian’s Orrin O’Connor who will line out in the half forward line.
St Killian’s captain Joseph McLaughlin

In their one sided semi-final the Tower used its full complement of subs with Niall Hynds, Eamon Ward, Cathan Michael Furey, Fintan McKillop and James Kearney all seeing  some action, and in a game of this intensity a few of them should be used again.

Overall it promises to be a great game of hurling. Both teams are very good with the forward lines in particular capable of putting up big scores. For me the one thing that will decide this contest is whoever adapts best to the Dub Arena, the small pitch and the floodlights, will triumph.

The CPC team who beat St Mary’s in the semi-final at Dunsilly
The St Killian’s team who beat St Pat’s Maghera in the semi-final in Ahoghill
Meet the team captains