November 27, 2023November 27, 2023 by thesaffrongael

Rathmore win the Sciath na gContaethe title

Sciath na gContaethe camogie final:

Rathmore Grammar 1-8 St Joseph’s Donaghmore 1-3

RATHMORE Grammar collected their first ever Ulster schools’ camogie title yesterday when they won Sciath na gContaethe final in Meadowbank at the expense of St Joseph’s Donaghmore
The Belfast school has only recently entered camogie through Ulster schools’ and they made their way through to yesterday’s decider after winning a group that featured last year’s winners St Ronan’s Lurgan, St Benedict’s Randalstown and Dominican Fortwilliam.
They then comfortably defeated St Aidan’s Cootehill before Halloween to reach the final.
The group games featuring St Joseph’s Donaghmore had been delayed before the mid-term break, but the Tyrone side emerged to beat St Paul’s Bessbrook in last week’s semi-final by 3-1 to 1-2.

Although Rathmore registered the first two points through Player of the Match Róise Matthews and Anna Adams (free), they didn’t make their dominance of possession through the first quarter count on the score-board.
St Joseph’s grew into the game and the diminutive Charlotte Daly caused all kinds of problems during the second quarter, opening the scoring for her team with a point and then setting Bláithín McGee up for a goal.
Donaghmore led by 1-3 to 0-2 coming into the break, but with the last play of the half, captain Róise Stevenson sent a 45 into the goal area where a scramble resulted and Erin Wall forced the sliotar over the line.
Anna Adams tied the teams from a free at the start of the second half before Róise Matthews took over to score four points from play to gradually edge Rathmore clear.
Matthews made the difference with those second half scores, but there were also sound performances from Jessica Morgan and Róise Stevenson in defence as well as Anna Adams and Olivia Morgan.
St Joseph’s also had a number of good players particularly Hollie Croucher in goals and Holly Stinson and Niamh Donaghy in defence. But once Rathmore got to grips with the threat of Charlotte Daly and Bláithín McGee, it was a matter of wearing that defence down for enough scores to win.

Rathmore: E Wall 1-0, R Matthews 0-5, A Adams 0-2 (frees), O Morgan 0-1.
St Joseph’s: B McGee 1-0, C Fitzpatrick 0-2 (frees), C Daly 0-1.
Rathmore: Roisha Grant, Roisin Quinn, Jessica Morgan, Mia Molloy, Sophie Bell, Róise Stevenson capt., Lucy Kelly, Anna Adams, Olivia Morgan, Róise Matthews, Lila McCann, Lila McCavannagh, Poppy McGarrity, Ella Rose Watson, Eirinn Wall.
Subs: Niamh Lagan, Hannah Rush, Jane Carlin, Siofra Wall, Néabh Pendleton.
St Joseph’s: Hollie Croucher, Brianna Holland, Holly Stinson, Tiegan Lennon, Niamh Donaghy, Clodagh Mallon, Amelia Sheehan, Clara Burns, Katie McEldowney, Aoibhe Kerr, Chloe Fitzpatrick, Charlotte Daly, Eabha Coyle, Blaithin McGee, Clare McKee

November 27, 2023November 27, 2023 by thesaffrongael

Glenarm awards dinner in this their 120th year

Glenarm Shane O’Neill’s, a club in thier 120th year, held their awards dinner in the Londonderry Arms in Carnlough on Friday night with the internal club awards handed out. Saffron Gael dropped in late to grab a few photos. A great club who always warm a welcoming, made another donation to Saffron Gael.

Some of the more ‘seasoned’ members of Glenram Shane O’Neill’s who attended the club’s 120th anniversary dinner.

Emma McDermott, Aimee Magill and Caitlin Magill at the Glenarm GAC dinner

Glenarm club secretary Kathryn Bradley receives a bouquet of flowers from club chairman Eamon Matthews at the club’s awards dinner in Carnlough.

Pictured at the Shane O’Neill’s GAC dinner

Emma and Benny McDermott at the Shane O’Neill’s 120 anniversary dinner.

Ciaran Matthews presents the Senior Hurler of the Year award to Niall McGarel at the Glenarm Shane O’Neill’s awards evening in the Londonderry Arms, Carnlough.

Young Player of the Year Ciaran O’Boyle received his award from Dessie Matthews at the Glenarm dinner.

Ninth is Sean O’Boyle, Kieran O’Boyle(Murph), Sean O’Hare, Ryan McLoughlin, Kieran O’Boyle and Liam McLoughlin at the Glenarm dinner

November 26, 2023April 9, 2024 by thesaffrongael

North Antrim awards dinner in the Marine Hotel

The North Antrim board held their annual awards evening in the Marine Hotel on Friday evening with a wide range of trophies on show from Under 11 hurling right up to the Senior Hurling Championship cup. Guests of honour included county chairman Ciaran McCavana, who will shortly hand over the reigns after completing his five year term at the Antrim helm and 93 year old Jimmy McVeigh of Carey Faughs, a man who gave his life to Antrim hurling. Ballycastle Comhaltas members provided the music as the guests arrived.

Members of the Ballycstle Comhaltas who performed at the North Antrim dinner

Ciaran McCavana, Jimmy Gaston and Martin Magee with the Shield of the Heroes, which was on display at the North Antrim dinner in the Marine Hotel, Ballycastle

The Shield of the Heroes, one of the greatest trophies in the history of the GAA, which was played for at the first Feis in 1904, was on show and many people took the opportunity of having their photo taken with it

Members of the Carey Faughs Club with the famous Shield of the Heroes trophy at the North Antrim dinner.

Paddy Gray presents the Under 11 Airborne Div 2 trophy to Kevin Johnston and Kevin Fawl of Creggan Kickhams at the North Antrim GAA dinner in the Marine Hotel, Ballycastle.

Darrach O’Mullan presents the Healty Club Award to Ruairi Og chairman Skinner McAlister

North Antrim PRO Darrach O’Mullan presents the award for the Best Club in Antrim Scor to Paula Fyfe of Con Magees, Glenravel.

County chairman Ciaran McCavana presents the Senior Hurling Championship and Senior Feis Cup trophies to Ruairi Og captain Neill McManus.

Ciaran McCavana presents the Junior Football Championship Cup to the Rasharkin captain

Special guest Fr PJ McCamphill and North Antrim PRO Darrach O’Mullan

November 25, 2023November 25, 2023 by thesaffrongael

St Marys GAC Ahoghill Annual Presentation Dinner

Michael Scullion and Adrian Agnew present the joint U13 Hurler of the Year to Lochie Scullion and Brian Agnew.

Dominic Meedson and Stephen Hardy present the Joint U11 Footballer of the Year award to Sean O’Reilly and Tiernan Neeson.

Joint U10 Camogs, Ella Devlin and Einin Neeson receive their awards from Rachel Neeson and Mairead McMaster.

Molly Horan receive the Mary Martin Pepetual Shield from Naoise Kelly.

The Cloney Gaels North Antrim U14 Airborne Shield winners with their managers, Adrian Agnew and Brendan Kelly.

Patrick Graham receives the Phonsie Agnew Cup for joint Senior Hurler of the year on behalf of himself and Fionnbar O’Neill, from Ryan Doherty, Shay O’Hagan and Hugh Dobbin.

Gerard McGarry and Colum Gram receive the Joint Reserve |Footballer of the Year award on behalf of Cathair O’Kane and Conor McGarry.

Joint Reserve Hurler of the Year, Shea Neeson and Aidan Graham receive their award from Shay O’Hagan, Ryan Doherty and Hugh Dobbin.

Catherine Murray receives the Spirit of the Year award, the Carmel Murray Cup from Dearbhaile Graffin.

Cara Swann with her coaches Rachel Neeson and Mairead McMaster.

November 22, 2023November 22, 2023 by thesaffrongael

CPC beat St Mary’s to set up first ever final meeting with St Killian’s

Danske Bank Mageean Cup semi-final

Cross & Passion Ballycastle 2-20 St Mary’s CBGS 1-5

Cross and Passion Ballycaslte booked their place in Mageean Cup final when they beat St Mary’s in Wednesday’s semi-final at Dunsilly to set up a final meeting with north Antrim rivals St Killian’s at the QUB Dub on December 8^th. The record of these two sides in hurling competitions through the school had always suggested they would end up meeting the Blue Riband of colleges hurling, the Mageean Cup, and so it has come to be. Like St Killian’s they day before them CPC were dominant throughout and always looked like winning, but that is for another day.

CPC dominated from the throw in on the second pitch at Dunsilly and the scoring pattern was all one way in the early stages, with Paudie Martin, a Mageean winner last season with St Louis, getting the Ballycastle school off to a great start with a sweetly struck sideline cut. Two fine efforts from corner forward Oisin McCallin pushed them further clear and they were seven up by the end of the opening quarter. Enda McGurk and Fionn Jemfrey came back with points for St Mary’s and for a spell they appeared to be getting to grips with their task, but two quick goals from CPC, the first a well struck penalty from Roan McGarry and the other from play by Liam Glackin had them firmly in the driving seat by half time as they took the break with an eleven point lead, (2-9 to 0-4).

Two points from Fionn Jemfrey and one from James Wilson at the start of the second half game St Mary’s renewed hope but CPC were able to lift their game again and soon had themselves clear of the danger. As they half progressed they increased their lead further with a series of excellent points, and though substitute Ruairi McGreevy managed to pull a goal back with ten minutes still to play, it was never going to be enough and CPC hit the last six without reply to book their place in the final in two weeks’ time.

St Mary’s sub Ruairí McGreevy forced a goal in the 49^th minute, but CPC again responded with the last six points of the game to set up a derby final with last season’s beaten finalists St Killian’s Garron Tower.

CPC: R McGarry 1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees, L Glackin 1-0, Conor Donnelly 0-5, P Martin 0-3, 1 sideline, O McCallin 0-2, B McGarry 0-2 frees, R Fitzgerald 0-1, T McGarry 0-1, C Cane 0-1, C Crawford 0-1.

St Mary’s: R McGreevy 1-0, F Jemfrey 0-3, 1 free, E McGurk 0-1, J Wilson 0-1

CPC: E Richmond, Cathair Donnelly, C Beaudant, N McClean, B O’Kane, B McGarry, T McGarry, J Magee, R Cunning, R Fitzgerald, L Glackin, P Martin, O McCallin, Conor Donnelly, R McGarry.

Subs: Callin Cane for R Fitzgerald (38), Cadhan Crawford for J Magee (38), Ashton McGarry for B O’Kane (52)

St Mary’s: Josh Southern, Conall Shortt, Micheal Darragh, Micheal Marlow, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Enda McGurk, Barrie Burns, Caoimhin Rainey, Lorcán McCallin, Caolan Wilson, Fionn Jemfrey, James Wilson, Corey Walsh, James Duffy, Niall May.

Subs: Ruairí McGreevy for J Duffy (HT), Ethan Walsh for C Walsh (49), Conor Corr for C Wilson (50)

Referee: Owen Elliott (All Saints)