by thesaffrongael

Dungiven end Four Masters reign

Four Masters goalkeeper Lewis McCaughan is sent the wrong was as Kevin Barry Mullan’s penalty flies high into the net for his team’s fourth goal.

FonaCAB St Pauls Ulster Minor Tournament, Quarter-Final 

Dungiven 4-09 Four Roads 2-11

Pics by Bert Trowlen

Four Masters reign as Ulster minor football champions has come to an end after they were edged out in a thrilling contest by Dungiven at St Paul’s on Sunday.

The Derry champions turned round at the break leading by 10-points and at one stage Four Masters did cut the gap to the bare minimum. But they couldn’t find the score to edge them in front and it’s the St Canice’s who can look forward to a semi-final meeting with Armagh’s Dromintee on St Stephen’s Day.

Key to Dungiven’s victory was the performance of their midfield diamond. Ryan McGilligan, Daithi McCloskey, Kevin Barry Mullan and Padraig Haran all won more than their fair share of ball in the middle third while Mullan also contributed to 2-04 of his sides total.

Tomás and Turlough Carr carried the main threat for Four Masters, but after controlling much of the first half, their influence weaned in the second. Forward Conor Gallagher McCahill influence was nullified by a superb man-marking job by Emmett Óg McKeever. Star forward Gallagher McCahill was restricted to just a solitary point over the hour.

Dungiven led 2-8 to 0-4 at the break thanks to goals from Mikey Harkin and Donnach Colgan but Tomás Carr’s speculative effort at the three-quarter mark gave the Donegal side some hope.

But two late Mullan goals, one from a penalty and one opportunist stroke from distance in additional time sealed Four Masters fate.

Dungiven wasted no time in settling in when after winning the throw-in and working a one-two with the industrious Michael McVeigh, Haran split the posts after just 9 seconds.

Mullan then scored the first two-pointer of the day minutes later and it got better for the Derry side when Harkin gave Lewis McCaughan no chance by finishing high into the corner of the Four Masters net after a defence splitting ball from Mullan.

Playing into the wind, Four Masters were happy to play keep ball and points from McHugh, Lenihan and Griffin kept the Donegal side in touch.

But with the last play of the first half Dungiven added a second goal when Colgan drove low and hard to the Four Masters net.

Four Masters were finding scoring opportunities hard to come by in the second period and became over reliant on two-point frees from Lewis McCaughan, but fortune swung in their favour in the 45th minute when Tomás Carr’s effort deceived Thomas McCloskey in the  Dungiven goal to finish in the net to bring his side back into the contest.

Dungiven rallied and after McCaughan fouled Harkin in the square, Mullan finished high to the net to hand Dungiven a seven-point lead with 9 minutes to go.

The lead was cut to just one in the final minute when Gethin Mosby found the back of the Dungiven net, but the Derry side had the final say when Mullan spotted McCaughan off his line to find the net from 40 metres out and clinch a deserving four-point victory.

Teams and Scorers:

Dungiven: T McCloskey, C McKenna, P O’Kane, E Òg McKeever, D O’Neill (0-1), R McGilligan, D Colgan (1-2), D McCloskey, K B Mullan (2-4, 1-0 pen, 1tpf), M McVeigh, P Haran (0-1), P P Peoples, M Harkin (1-0), P Higgins (0-1f), S O’Kane.

Replacements: R McCorriston for Peoples (49), A O’Kane for Higgins (49).

Four Masters: L McCaughan, E McCrea, A Quinn, J McGroarty, C Gavigan, E O’Neill, P McGonigle, T Carr, C Griffin, C Maskery, T Carr, A McHugh, C Gallagher McCahill, G Mosby, T Lenihan.

Replacements: F Gillespie for Maskery (HT), C Flannery for McHugh (33), O McMullin for McCrea (45).

Referee: Mr Paul Faloon (Down).

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by thesaffrongael

Disappointment for St. Ergnat’s but they can hold their heads high

All-Ireland LGFA SFC final:

Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) 2-8 St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass (Antrim) 1-5

It was heartbreak in the end for St. Ergnat’s but the Moneyglass girls can hold their heads high after putting in a big effort at headquarters against reigning champions, Kikerrin-Clonberne but in the end they came up just short.

The Antrim champions looked well in the contest when they trailed by two points at the break in an opening half where they gave as good as they got, the two points separating them coming from a couple of questionable frees.

Chloe Miskell and Lynsey Noone grabbed goals in either half for the winners who stepped up their game in the third quarter to put considerable distance between the sides.

Leading by just two points at the midway stage in the contest, Willie Ward’s outfit turned on the style with an unanswered tally of 1-4 during the third quarter to ultimately see off their spirited Antrim counterparts.

Returning with 14 of the starting line-up from last year’s final win over Kilmacud Crokes, Kilkerrin-Clonberne initially found it difficult to break down a stern Moneyglass defence.

Olivia Divilly and Eva Noone eventually kicked a point apiece from frees in the ninth and 10th minutes, before ex-Antrim stalwart Cathy Carey split the posts in fine style at the opposite end of the pitch.

Team captain Louise Ward fired over an excellent point from play for the title holders, but it wasn’t until the closing 10 minutes of the opening period that the game truly sparked into life.

While Moneyglass reduced the gap to a single point through the boot of Leah Stewart, Kilkerrin-Clonberne immediately responded with a clinically-taken goal from Miskell following excellent approach work from Hannah Noone and Nicola Ward.

Screenshot

This looked like being a significant blow for St Ergnat’s, but they came roaring back into contention when Stewart – named in defence, but taking on a more advanced role in general – palmed to the net in the 24th minute after a Carey shot for a point came back of an upright.

The Antrim champions were matching their more illustrious opponents blow for blow with their defence giving little away while their approach play didn’t quite receive the rewards that it deserved.

Things were very much in the balance as half time approached but a second free from Olivia Divilly ensured Kilkerrin-Clonberne led 1-4 to 1-2 at the break.

Following a couple of early opportunities for the underdogs which broke down, the reigning champions refused to panic and they increased their advantage on the restart with back-to-back scores from midfielder Aisling Madden and Eva Noone.

Miskell also added to her earlier goal with a point from close-range as Kilkerrin-Clonberne produced a scintillating period of fast and highly efficient attacking football that had Moneyglass chasing shadows for a period.

St Ergnat’s came into this game on the back of an outstanding semi-final victory against Kilmacud Crokes, but they found themselves eight points in arrears when Niamh Divilly fed Lynsey Noone inside for a 44th-minute goal.

Another score courtesy of Eva Noone had Kilkerrin-Clonberne nine in front moving into the final quarter, but St. Ergnat’s battled to the end and a great point from Maria O’Neill gave them just a glimmer of hope.

Leah Stewart who had a great game for Moneyglass

The superb Leah Stewart and substitute Bronagh Devlin added two more to close the gap to six but that was as close as they would get as Kikerrin-Clonberne ran down the clock to deservedly collect their fifth title on the bounce.

Disappointment in the end for the Antrim champions but it has been an excellent season for the girls in blue where they finally conquered Ulster and overcame a fancied Kilmacud Crokes in the All Ireland semi-final.

A young side containing many outstanding performers they are sure to go again next season and they have shown this year that another trip to Croke is certainly not beyond them.

KILKERRIN-CLONBERNE: L Murphy; L Finnegan, S Gormally, K Mee; H Noone, N Ward, N Divilly; S Divilly, A Madden (0-1); O Divilly (0-2, 2f), L Ward (0-1), L Noone (1-0); E Noone (0-3, 1f), C Miskell (1-1), C Costello.

Subs: E Hynes for Finnegan (52 mins); A Shaughnessy for Miskell (57);C Boyle for L Noone (60).

ST ERGNAT’S, MONEYGLASS: A Devlin; C Graffin, N McIntosh, L Stewart (1-2); A Leahy, S O’Neill, R Bradley; A Kelly, EL McAreavey; C Griffin, M O’Neill (0-1), L McCann; N Neeson, C Carey (0-1), E Mallon.

Subs: A Griffin for Bradley (44 mins); B Devlin (0-1) for Kelly (45);A Boyd for Leahy, J Darragh for Mallon (both 57); R McErlain for McCann (60).

Referee: Ray McBride (Dublin).

by thesaffrongael

Brídíní Óga hold off St Dominic’s comeback to seal the second All Ireland title

AIB All Ireland Junior A Camogie final

Brídíní Óga  Glenravel 1-08 St Dominic’s Roscommon 1-05

Brídíní Óga Glenravel held off a determined fightback by Roscommon champions St Dominic’s to claim their second All Ireland Junior A title in three years at Ashbourne on Saturday afternoon. Playing with a strong wind at their backs in the first half the Antrim champions opened up a seven point gap by half time, but considering how strong the wind was that was by no means a safe lead. When the Connacht champions grabbed a goal six minutes into the second half to cut the gap to four there were a lot of anxious Glenravel fans wondering  if they could hold on, but their team did them proud as they hassled and harried their opponents to the very end to seal a memorable win.

To be honest it wasn’t pretty to watch for the neutral, but in these conditions it was never going to be. St Dominic’s looked a real threat in the early stages when they went 0-02 to 0-01 ahead, despite playing against the strong wind. However Brídíní Óga team captain Tori Edgar settled the nerves as she began to picks off points from frees. At 0-04 to 0-02 with just five minutes from half time it didn’t look like it would be enough but an attempt at another point from Edgar came back off the inside of the upright and bounced down on the edge of the ‘square’ where  Molly Woulahan reacted quickest to kick the sliothar to the net.

That score gave the Antrim girls a big boost and things got even better when Edgar added two more pointed frees to stretch her side’s lead to seven at the interval.

When St Dominic’s free taker Niamh Fitzgerald’s mishit shot free ended up in the back of the Glenravel net on 36 minutes it looked to be a pivotal moment in the game and with the gap down to four the smart money would have been on the Connacht champions, but two minutes later Edgar slotted over another free after Molly Woulahan was fouled and that eased the pressure a little.

The scores were hard to come by for the reaming 20 minutes of play but the intensity of the game never wavered as time after time the Glenravel girls got a hurl in to deny their opponents. Fitzgerald got the gap back to four midway through the second half and there was a heart stopping moment soon afterwards when Glenravel goalkeeper Orla Donnelly fumbled a high ball, but she recovered the situation brilliantly to clear the danger.

With time almost up Player of the match Edgar got her sixth pointed free of the game after a foul on Aimee Traynor and there was a degree of comfort for the Ulster champions as the game ticked into three minutes of injury time. Fitzgerald did close the gap to three again near the end of that extra time period but the whistle sounded on the poc-out to spark scenes of great celebration among the travelling Glenravel fans and players.

SCORERS FOR BRÍDÍNÍ ÓGA: T Edgar 0-6(6fs), M Woulahan 1-1, S Fyfe 0-1

SCORERS FOR ST DOMINIC’S: N Fitzgerald 1-3(fs); L Murray (f), K Egan 0-1 each

BRÍDÍNÍ ÓGA: O Donnelly, M Mulholland, J Woulahan, D Scally, E Coulter, B Laverty, E McCann, L Gillan, O Gould, S McDonnell, K Laverty, S Fyfe, A Traynor, T Edgar, M Woulahan

ST DOMINIC’S: E Cafferkey, SJ O’Connor, E McNally, M Rogers, H Murray, L Murray, A O’Connor, K Egan, C Dowling, N Watson, N Fitzgerald, L Mahon; A Campbell, Á O’Meara, C Kilcommons. Sub: M Lohan for O’Connor (39)

REFEREE: Simon Redmond (Dublin).

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by thesaffrongael

Ladies Day!

For the day that’s in it

As two Antrim teams head south today in search of All Ireland titles all of us at the Saffron Gael wish them both the very best. Good luck to Brídíní Óga Glenravel, who take on St Dominic’s of Roscommon in the Junior A Camogie final at Ashbourne at 2pm, and to St Ergnats Moneyglass take on Kilkerrin-Clonberne of Galway in the LGFA Senior Club Football final at Croke Park at 4pm

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL

by thesaffrongael

Brídíní Óga bid for their second All Ireland title in three years

Long hard road! It has been a long road for Brídíní Óga since their opening round game against Dunloy 2nds back in early September. They are seen here before the semi-final win Cushendall in Ballycastle. Tomorrow will be their ninth game of the campaign.

All Ireland Junior A Camogie Final

December 13, 2pm in Ashbourne

Brídíní Óga Glenravel (Antrim) v St Dominic’s (Roscommon)

Brídíní Óga Glenravel travel to Ashbourne on Saturday bidding to collect their second All Ireland title in just under three years. Standing in their way are Roscommon and Connacht champions St Dominic’s who made their way to their first final courtesy of a semi-final win over Leinster champions St Peter’s Dunboyne in their semi-final.

It has been a long road for the Glenravel girls who began their campaign against Dunloy 2nds with a big win in the group stages of the Intermediate Championship and they accounted for Creggan in the second group game to qualify for the semi-final.

Those victories set up a semi-final meeting with a very good Cushendall team in Ballycastle back in September in what turned out to be the toughest game of the campaign. A goal from a free by team captain Tori Edgar in injury time got them over the line by two points 1-09 to 2-14.

The faced Loughgiel in the final in Ahoghill where Edgar was again one of the stars, along with young midfielder Orlaith Gould as they beat the Shamrocks by five points on a scoreline of 1-12 to 0-10, the goal coming from Molly Woulahan.

In the Ulster semi-final they had their biggest win of the campaign, beating Down champions Ballyholland by 1-19 to 1-05 on their home pitch at Fr Maginn Park, Molly Woulahan  again the goal scorer as they qualified for and Ulster final against Dungiven at Portglenone.

Goals were the key in that game as they beat the Derry champions by 4-06 to 0-12. Lady luck was not on the Dungiven girls side as they came close to goals on three occasion, though the Glenravel goalkeeper Orla Donnelly also had a lot to do with it. Two goals from elusive corner forward Aimee Traynor proved vital while at the back Jaime Woulahan gave a player of the match performance in holding the Dungiven danger woman Aideen McGonigle scoreless from play.

The Ulster champions were drawn to play an All Ireland quarter final this year so it was off to Dublin to take on British champions Fullen Gaels. The Ulster champions started well and appeared to be in cruise control nearing half time but the Manchester based exiles hit back with a goal and a point to close the gap to four at the break. Fullen Gaels pushed hard in the third quarter and once again goalkeeper Orla Donnelly was called upon to keep their goal intact but during the final quarter the Antrim girls opened the gap to six. The exiles finished with and injury time goal to cut the gap to just three but Brídíní Óga held out for the win.

When  the won the title three years ago their toughest  game of that campaign was against Limerick and Munster champions Adare and when they faced the Limerick champions again in this year’s semi a really tough battle was expected. Patricksell were the opposition this time at Abbotstown and just like three years ago the Antrim champions gave their best display of the season to book a final place. The led by 1-08 to a 0-01 at a stage in the first half and though the Limerick champions performed much better in the second half Brídíní Óga still had six to spare at the end.

In tomorrow’s final they face the Roscommon and Connacht champions St Dominic’s at Ashbourne. The Roscommon girls played really well in their semi-final win, but they are an unknown quantity, though no doubt Chris Dornan and his management team have studied the video of that game and will have a plan ready.

It has been a long for the girls in green and tomorrow’s game will be the ninth of the campaign. They have scored 22-96 so far and conceded 8-67. Let’s hope they stretch that gap tomorrow and bring the cup back home again to Fr Magiin Park.