St Dominic’s Belfast top the list of winners in the Gaelfast Year 9 Camogie All Star team which was named on Friday. Cara Garland is selected in goals, Nina McBride is centre-half back, Cara Flynn at centre half back, Niamh Keenan at centre-half forward and Lucia Murphy and right-corner-forward.
St Louis Ballymena have three players selected with Eireann Johnston at full-back, Aoife Kelly at midfield and Molly Watson at right-half forward.
St Killian’s have two players on the team, Georgie Quigg and left-half forward and Aoife Molloy at full-forward, while CPC’s two slots go to Eleyna Madden at left back and Megan Conor at right-half back.
The other two positions are filled by St Louiese’s, Belfast who have Abbie Lennon at left-corner-forward and St Genevieve’s who have Alexia Largey selected at right-full-back
Antrim continue their Leinster championship campaign on Saturday afternoon as they welcome Dublin to Corrigan Park. It’s the third match of the campaign and while the Saffrons are still chasing their first points, it’s far from doom and gloom.
The final score last time out against Kilkenny two weeks ago gave an unfair reflection of the 70 minutes that transpired and was a harsh lesson for Davy Fitzgerald’s side. If you take your eye off the ball at this level, you get punished. Teams akin to that of Kilkenny are relentless yet for 45-50 minutes, Antrim went toe to toe and had the Cats on the back foot.
James McNaughton was again top scorer against Kilkenny
Their ability to cut through the Kilkenny defence, create serious goal chances, stem any attacking threat that come their way, stick to a game plan despite a strong start from the visitors. It’s all serious positives to take from the game along with the game seven days previous against Wexford, Fitzgerald has the Saffrons difficult to come up against despite what the scoreboard read at the end of both games.
So, what about Dublin? So often seen as the team that Antrim should have in their sights when it comes to trying to take that next step in their progress yet perhaps, they don’t get the credit they deserve. They reached the Leinster Final in 2024, only to come up second best against Kilkenny while narrowly losing out to Cork in the All-Ireland quarter-final. In the recent past, Antrim have come up against them on numerous occasions between Walsh Cups, League and Championships, but have yet to come away with a win.
There has been some close calls in there, notably last year in the league when the Dubs left with the points on offer by the narrowest of margins but largely, Niall Ó Ceallacháin and his predecessor’s men have dominated the Saffrons.
The last time Antrim played Dublin was Fitzgerald’s first match in charge. Under the floodlights of Croke Park, the home side ran out 1-25 to 0-14 winners in a chastening 70 minutes but it’s fair to say the Saffrons have improved dramatically since that night. Cian O’Sullivan the tormentor in chief with 0-13 beside his name while Conal Ó Riain, Dara Purcell and Paddy Dunleavy all impressed.
Of the 15 Dubs that started that night, only eight will make their way to the starting 15 for Ó Ceallacháin. The likes of Paddy Smyth, Paddy Doyle and Andrew Dunphy coming into defence while Donal Burke makes the bench on his return from injury.
When Antrim lined up against Kilkenny, 10 of that 15 that started that night in the league opener had a starting place with another three coming off the bench. It was the beginning of a bedding in of sorts and something of an exploratory period while Fitzgerald began his search for a formula that would take Antrim forward. The road, as promised by the Sixmilebridge native, has been bumpy but there’s no doubting that there has been savage improvements as the season has progressed.
The Dubs have a style of play that Antrim have struggled against. Physically, they are a well-tuned machine and their slick passing, running off the shoulder and overall strength in depth make them a serious proposition. Power and pace in abundance, skill and athleticism at every corner you turn and only start with two of the Na Fianna side that won this years club All-Ireland against St Thomas. Another sign of their savage strength in depth.
Keelan Molloy damaged fingers against Kilkenny and is doubtful for the Dublin game
Antrim still have doubts over Conor Johnston, the St John’s man had to come off after just 30 odd minutes against Kilkenny after missing the Wexford game, Keelan Molloy damaged fingers against the Cats, while Seaan Elliott’s return is still unclear. Niall McKenna is closing in on a starting berth and would give a serious boost to the forward line with his strength and directness but whether or not he makes the starting 15 remains to be seen.
Dublin come to Corrigan on form having accounted for a resurgent Offaly and Wexford last day out. If Antrim are to get anything from the game, they will have to match their efforts against Kilkenny and produce that over 70 minutes. It’s going to be a massive ask but if they can get it right for the entirety of the game coupled with playing on home soil, there could be an upset in the air.
A late rally by Dunloy came up short against visitors Aldergrove in Wednesday evening’s Division 1 Football League game at Pearse Park. When Aldergrove started the second half by adding a goal and four points to their half time tally of 2-06 they were ten clear and it looked like it was all going to be one way traffic. However the Cuchullains were not going to give it up that easily and during the final quarter they fought back to hit a goal, two 2-pointers and two single points, in reply to a single point from the visitors and suddenly there was just one score between the sides. The fans who made the journey from Crumlin down to Dunloy must surely have been biting their nails at the thought of losing a game they had dominated for long periods, but their top performer Seamus McGarry settled thing down with a well taken point before right half back Declan Gough fisted over the insurance point deep in injury time.
Playing with the aid of the fresh breeze Dunloy started with a 2-pointer from centre back James Scally, but a minute later Eoin Gough put Aldergrove ahead with a goal from a narrow angle on the right. Corner forward Ryan McCarthy pointed for Aldergrove to put them two ahead but points from the excellent Paudi Martin and Kevin McQuillan had the home side back on terms by the 12th minute. It was score for score for the next ten minutes until Aldergrove got their second goal thanks to an element of good fortune. Man of the match Seamus McGarry won the ball on the edge of the large square and appeared to be firing over another point, but Dunloy midfielder Padraig McGilligan got a touch to the ball as McGarry connected and it spun up into the air and dropped into the corner the net just out of reach of reach of the despairing dive of the home team’s goalkeeper Sean Doherty. Aldrgrove’s Oisin Graham added a point to put five between the sides, but Dunloy ended the half with two pointed frees from full forward Kevin McQuillan to trail by three at the interval. (0-09 to 2-06)
Aldergorve sprinted from the traps at the start of the second half and after adding a point in the first minute they added a goal a minute later when corner forward Ryan McCarthy drove a low shot to the Dunloy net. Three more points followed, two of them from McGarry and one from Chris McSteen and suddenly the gap was out to ten.
It looked like Dunloy were down and out, but they steadied the ship and held Aldergrove scoreless for the next seven minute as the found their bearings again. Kevin McQuillan settled them with a point from a free before corner forward Fitzpatrick struck a two pointer into the breeze on 45 minutes. Eight minutes later he did it again with another great strike, but there still seemed to be no threat to the Aldergrove lead.
That was to change when the visitors somehow brought the ball back from inside the Dunloy twenty metre line, right back down the field to their own danger area, before losing possession, which let Dunloy through for a goal. The pressure was on but to their credit the Crumlin men never panicked and they slotted over two injury time points to seal the win.
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Creggan travelled to Shaw’s Road on Wednesday evening and scored a convincing win over Rossa to maintain their third place position in the league table.
With both teams down a few regulars this game was over by halftime as the South West side had just two much power for their opponents. With Mathew Rodger’s and Conor Johnston hitting two points each and Aiden Maguire coming up front for a rare point, Kickhams moved five ahead with just ten minutes gone. It went from bad to worse for Rossa with Ethan Carey-Small finishing to the net for the visitors after a nice move up the field. With Keelan and Conor McCann controlling midfield the points continued to flow with Mathew, Conor Johnston and Jamie McCann contributing to the score with two points each and Joe McAteer adding a point of his own. The last three points of the half went to the visitors as Jamie McCann, Conor Johnston and Ethan Small slipping up front to score Kickhams last point to go in at the break 1-14 to no score.
The second half continued on the same vein as the first with Conor Johnston scoring two more points to take his total to seven and the hard working Ruairi McCann got his first point. Rossa got off the mark with with two points from Corey Walsh and one from Gavin McGrath but Kickhams came back with a goal from Joe McAteer after great work from Fintan Close. Kickhams added three more points one each from Jamie, Ruairi and Kealan McCann. To their credit a badly undersrenght Rossa kept plugging away and the got some reward when they scored the last two points from Setanta Mac Domhnall and Maitui Mac Thiarnain.
The win keeps Creggan in the top four while Rossa will be hoping to get back to winning ways soon at they sit third from bottom.
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In perfect conditions for hurling, Sarsfields hosted Tír na nÓg at the Bear Pit on Sunday in Division 2 of the Antrim Hurling League
Despite both teams missing a few regular starters, the match showcased high-quality hurling with impressive individual performances. Tír na nÓg started brightly and got an early boost when Eamon Og McAlister grabbed a goal in the second minute as they went on to establishing an 8-point lead. However, Sarsfields, driven by the scoring prowess of Donal McKernan, fought back well. However the Randalstown men just held the upper hand and by halftime the led by 1-11 to 0-11 The second half saw Tír na nÓg regain their earlier dominance, and with Sean Duffin in great scoring form, from frees and from play, they extendied their lead once more. Sarsfields continued to press hard, remaining a constant threat throughout the game. Donal McKernan grabbed a goal late in the game but despite their efforts, Tír na nÓg’s early advantage proved decisive, securing them the victory in an exciting
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