by thesaffrongael

Dunloy’s Camogs hold on for the home win

Antrim Camogie Senior Division 1 League Round 3 – Dunloy 1-09 Loughgiel 1-06

Match report and photos from Michael Corcoran at Pearse Park, Dunloy

It was an evening well suited for an early summer BBQ and things certainly got sizzling in Pearse Park, Dunloy for tonight’s senior league round three game between Dunloy and Loughgiel. It was a classic derby full of vigor and skill but riddled with over enthusiastic tackles, throw balls and over carries that amounted to close to forty fouls over the 64 minutes. At this time of the year, both sides were in depletion mode but welcomed the opportunity to field a couple of county returns that were given permission to run up the club meter as a means of allegedly getting game time ahead of the Ulster final.

Owen Elliot got matters under way after the camán spin, where Dunloy elected to play into the light breeze from the start. This can be a risky strategy at this time of the year as the evening wind usually tends to drop with the failing light. On this occasion it offered Dunloy no real second half advantage but an early goal, nine minutes in, was enough to keep the Shamrocks at bay at full time in what was a relatively low scoring affair.

Loughgiel’s Charlene Campbell rescued the sliotar on many occasions but her markers didn’t make that easy for her

Dunloy’s Aine Magill and Caoimhe Molloy were the early scorers, finding the catch net from play within four minutes. Molloy added another point to her tally from a free before Erin McMullan lifted the supporters with a goal that had the hallmarks of a second bite of the cherry.

Loughgiel responded with four points in succession from awarded frees, two from Katie McKillop and two from Marie Laverty, before Magill returned to the Shamrocks’ scoring zone for a point to take the game up to the break.

The second half started with Dunloy being offered a gift from a short Loughgiel puck out that ended over the bar from Aine Magill and quickly followed by another point from an accurate Caoimhe Molloy, earned from a foul. It would take only a minute before the Shamrocks would respond with a goal from Marie Laverty as the sliotar dropped awkwardly inside the post from a free awarded due to a ‘throw ball’.

Both sides had spells of offering a real threat from goal runs but opportunity wouldn’t come knocking on anyone’s door tonight and that was the case for Aine Magill who went on a blistering solo run to goal but took the option to point and put three points between the sides again, Dunloy 1-07 Loughgiel 1-04.

Dunloy’s Katie Laverty was the source of many forages into Shamrock territory

With twelve minutes gone in the second half, Laverty would improve her scoring tally with a fine point before Aine Magill, made her fifth and final point of the evening. The game now fell into a spell of attrition as each side looked for a means to advance their cause. Almost fifteen minutes would pass without a score, until Caoimhe Molloy pointed from a free and followed quickly by Loughgiel’s Anna McKillop to close the gap to three again.

The desire from Dunloy to close out the game yielded a foul within the Loughgiel box culminating in a penalty, which Emma McAllister diffused with some ease to force Dunloy to work on for their win. That save meant Loughgiel could go looking for a late goal to square the match but in turn, Dunloy were able to withstand the effort and took the win on home soil, Dunloy 1-09 Loughgiel 1-06.

Editor’s note: A Jersey swap has been corrected in this version of the report, Aine Magill for Erin McMullan.

Dunloy Starting Panel

Clodagh O’Kane, Sarah McIlhatton, Brid Magill, Kathryn Boyle, Eilis Kearns, Katie Laverty, Caoimhe Conlon, Katharine Mullan, Bronach Magill, Caoimhe Molloy 0-04 (3f), Casey Crawford, Aine Magill 0-05, Dearbhail Elliott, Erin McMullan 1-00

Loughgiel Starting Panel

Emma McAllister, Charlene Campbell, Megan McGarry, Aoibheann Gillan, Shauna Devlin, Katie Lynn, Louise McKillop, Anna Connolly, Lucia McNaughton, Shanna Deery, Marie Laverty 1-03 (2f), Katie McKillop 0-02f, Carlina Sullivan, Annie Lynn, Anna McKillop 0-01f

You can view photos from the game by clicking here…

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by thesaffrongael

Ruthless Ruairi Og too strong for Bridini Oga

Antrim Camogie League – Division 1

Bridini Oga Glenravel 0-04 Ruairi Og Cushendall 4-25

Ruairi Og Cushendall continued their unbeaten run in the Antrim Camogie League Division 1 with a thoroughly dominant performance against Bridini Oga Glenravel at Fr Maginn Park. From the very start, Cushendall dictated the pace of the game, ultimately securing a comprehensive 4-25 to 0-4 victory. Bridini Oga, unfortunately missing a third of the squad that captured last year’s Intermediate championship title, fought hard but were ultimately no match for the sheer quality and attacking prowess of the visiting team. The gap in available personnel was evident as Cushendall controlled possession and created scoring opportunities at will throughout the contest.

The visitors made their intentions clear early on, with Eva McNeill converting a penalty for a goal just over a minute into the game. This was quickly followed by points from Kady Mcneill, Orlaith McCurry, and another from Eva McNeill. Bridini Oga managed to find a brief spell of resistance midway through the first half, registering a point from play by Sarah Fyfe, a free converted by Caoimhe Duffin, and another score from Sorcha Carey. However, this proved to be their most productive period of the match. Cushendall ruthlessly responded with a flurry of points from Cliodhna Thompson, Cara O Boyle, Dervla Cosgrove, and Brogan Abram, leaving the halftime score at a commanding 1-15 to 0-3 in favour of Ruairi Og.

The second half offered no respite for the Glenravel side. Within the opening minute, Cara O Boyle found the back of the net to extend Cushendall’s lead even further. While Ciara McCormick managed to secure a well-taken point from play for Bridini Oga a few minutes later, it would be their final score of the evening. Cushendall’s relentless attack continued as Eva McNeill added her second goal of the match, alongside a steady stream of points from Kady Mcneill, Brogan Abram, and Cara O Boyle. The dominance was underscored late in the game when Cara O’Boyle struck for her second goal, and substitute Lara Haughey immediately made an impact by pointing shortly after her introduction. Eva McNeill and Cara O Boyle tapped over the final points of the game, capping off a clinical display that highlighted Cushendall’s formidable form this season.

Bridini Oga: 1 Orla Donnelly, 2 Una Mc Aleenan, 3 Bronagh Laverty, 4 Ciara McCormick, 5 Erin Coulter, 6 Danielle Scally, 7 Sarah Fyfe, 8 Kirsty O’Doherty, 9 Orlaith Gould, 10 Emily Sharpe, 11 Sorcha Carey, 12 Shauna McDonnell, 13 Eimear Butler, 14 Caoimhe Duffin, 15 Niamh Donnelly.

Ruairi Og: 1 Orlagh Burke, 2 Laoise McCollam, 3 Anna McNeill, 4 Tamara Black, 5 Ellen Leech, 6 Abi McNeill, 7 Aoife McClafferty, 8 Dervla Cosgrove, 9 Rhianna Black, 10 Brogan Abram, 11 Orlaith McCurry, 12 Cara O’Boyle, 13 Cliodhna Thompson, 14 Eva McNeill, 15 Kady McNeill.

Ruairi Og Cushendall (4-25)

  • Eva McNeill: 2-9 (1-0 penalty, 0-3 frees)
  • Cara O’Boyle: 2-4
  • Kady McNeill: 0-5
  • Brogan Abram: 0-3
  • Orlaith McCurry: 0-1
  • Cliodhna Thompson: 0-1
  • Dervla Cosgrove: 0-1 (0-1 free)
  • Lara Haughey: 0-1

Bridini Oga Glenravel (0-4)

  • Sarah Fyfe: 0-1
  • Caoimhe Duffin: 0-1 (0-1 free)
  • Sorcha Carey: 0-1
  • Ciara McCormick: 0-1
  • Referee – Paul O’Neill (Creggan)
by thesaffrongael

Antrim face Carlow in the Tailteann Cup

Antrim have been drawn against Carlow in round one of theTailteann Cup in the draw which took place on Monday afternoon.

The Leinster side, who beat the Saffrons by 2-16 to 1-15 on the opening day of the National Football League Division 4 in Portglenone, went on to win the title when they beat Longford after extra time in the final in Croke Park in late March to claim the county’s first national silverware since 1944. Antrim have to travel to Dr Cullen Park for the game which will be played on the weekend of 9th or 10th of May.

Antrim and Fermanagh are the only Ulster teams in the competition to date, but they could still be joined by Down, who shocked Donegal in the Ulster Championship on Sunday, should they lose out to Armagh in the Ulster semi-final in Clones this weekend.

Tailteann Cup Round One draw

Fermanagh v Longford

Laois v Wicklow

Clare v Offaly

Carlow v Antrim

Wexford v Limerick

TBC (Cavan/Westmeath/Down) v Leitrim

Sligo v Tipperary

Waterford v London

by thesaffrongael

St. Paul’s hang on to take the points

ACHL Division 2

Creggan 3-14 St. Paul’s 2-18

In ideal conditions, St Pauls travelled to Staffordstown to face Kickham’s in a helter-skelter game that was played at break neck speed.  Both teams battled continuously for 60 minutes, but it was the City side’s Caolan O Duibhfinn ,injury time free, that edged them a point ahead and secured the points.

 The visitors’ Sean Munce had a white flag raised within the first minute and his colleague Seamus MacDomhnall pointed seconds later.  Creggan responded on the 3rd & 4th minute with a point a piece for Morgan Nelson and Ruairi McCann to level proceedings before Nelson scored again to edge his side ahead for the first time.

O’Duibhfinn won the puck out and soloed from the centre of the park before firing to the Creggan’s net from close range. Three more pointed frees from play for the visitors, Sean Og MacHabhraim, Conal MacAnChrosan and Conal O Fionnagain, had the visitors 5 points ahead and Sean Og MacHabhraim and Seamus MacDomhnall stretched the lead to 7 and the gap increased between the sides. 

Thomas McCann and Sam Maguire for the home side narrowed the gap again to 5 with 17 minutes on the clock.  With Creggan struggling for possession, the City side were impressing all over the field with 4 more points from play for Sean Og Machabhraim, Lorcan MacPhilib, Caolan O Duibhfinn and Conal O Fionnagain. 

Their management must have been impressed with 7 different players notching up scores.  Creggan’s Ronan McGuckian and Lee Johnston narrowed the gaps slightly, but when Seamus MacDomhnall found the net in the 26th minute, things were not looking good for the home side.  When Referee, John O’Connor, blew the whistle for Half Time, many of the Creggan supporters would have felt that this was one that was already out of reach. 

HALF TIME SCORE:  CREGGAN 0.7 v ST PAULS 2.12

 As proceedings got underway for the 2nd half, the Creggan management had made a reshuffle and within one minute of the restart Creggan’s, Kevin Rice, had raised the green flag to signal his side’s intention to finally get into the game.  Rice added the next point on the 39th minute followed by a goal on the 41st minute to narrow the gap to 4 points. 

The home sides, Morgan Nelson, reduced the deficit further to 3, pointing from a goal scoring effort that just nipped over the bar.  The visitors had no answer for this and struggled all over the field.  It wasn’t until the 42nd minute that Sean Og MacHabhraim got his side’s 1st score from play for the second half. 

Creggan kept up the pressure with 2 points from Ruairi McCann and a converted free from Morgan Nelson, levelling the sides and the home team had the momentum.  Nelson got his side’s 3rd goal of the game on the 46th minute to put them 3 points up and it was looking good for the Staffordstown Road side.

The visitors responded however with 3 points on the trot from Caolan O Duibhfinn to level the proceedings once again.  With minutes left on the clock, Nelson put the home side ahead once again from a converted free with St Pauls replying again, from a Caolan O Duibhfinn free. 

Teddy McKeown edged Creggan ahead once more on the 61st minute as the game moved into injury time  but Caolan O Duibhfinn replied from another free to tie the contest once more and it looked like ending all square.

As the game moved 3 minutes into injury time, O’Duibhfinn was once again called upon to step up and take a 30 metre free to edge his side one ahead and as we approached the final whistle, Creggan were handed a lifeline but Morgan Nelson’s free from 40 metres out in the dying seconds which sailed agonisingly wide of the post. 

Referee, John O’Connor, concluded proceedings to what was an extremely exciting contest, a game of 2 halves where St Pauls dominated the 1st Half while Creggan will feel they did enough in the second to get something from the game.

 CREGGAN: Conor McCann, Conor McLarnon, Aidan McIlwee, Peadar McGuckian, Sennan O’Boyle, Kealan McCann, Teddy McKeown (0.01), Sam Maguire (0.01), Ronan McGuckian (0.01), Lee Johnston (0.01), Daniel Dornan, Morgan Nelson (1.05) Thomas McCann (0.01), Sean McAuley, Kevin Rice (2.01), Ruairi McCann (0.03).

 ST PAULS: Criostoir O Muiri, Paul MagAoidh, Marcas Munce, Tiernan Auld, Caoimhin Killyleagh, Lorcan MacPhilib (0.02), Thomas O Duibh, Conal O Fionnagain (0.02), Deaglan O Coinne, Sean Munce (0.01), Sean Og MacLabhraim (0.03), Caolan O Duibhfinn (1.06), Shea MacConboirne, Caolan Mac An Chrosan (0.01), Seamus Mac Domhanall (1.02), Deaglan Chapman, Odhran O Donnghaile, Cian Mac Cana, Aaron O Ciara, Padhraic Mac Dhaibheid.

REFEREE:  John O’Connor

by thesaffrongael

Carryduff’s late snatch and grab seals victory over Cushundun

Antrim Hurling League – Division 2

Cushendun 3-14 Carryduff 3-15

Carryduff produced a dramatic late comeback to inflict the first defeat of the season on hitherto unbeaten Cushendun Emmets in a thrilling Antrim Hurling League Division 2 clash at the Riggs, winning by a single point, 3-15 to 3-14. Two late goals from the Down visitors turned the game entirely on its head, leaving Ballycran as the sole remaining unbeaten side in the division.

The visitors bolted out of the gates, racing into a four-point lead within the first five minutes. Donal Rooney opened his impressive tally from a free, quickly followed by points from David Morrissey, Oran Teague, and James Laverty. Cushendun finally settled in the seventh minute when Loaf McNeill converted a 65, but Rooney kept the scoreboard ticking over for Carryduff. The turning point of the first half came in the seventeenth minute when Dominic Sharkey found the back of the net for the Emmets, dragging them right back into the contest. A flurry of scores from Loaf put Cushendun ahead, but Carryduff responded instantly with a twenty-fifth-minute goal from Ciaran O’Callaghan. However, a late major just before the whistle from Leo Morgan ensured Cushendun went into the dressing room with a narrow advantage, leading 2-06 to 1-08 at the break.

The second half began as a tight, point-for-point affair. Rooney continued his dead-eye accuracy for Carryduff, while Connor McHugh, Sharkey, and Loaf kept Cushendun’s noses in front. In the eighth minute of the half, Cushendun seemed to take a definitive grip on the tie when Colm McKeggan fired in their third goal of the day, extending their lead to 3-09 to 1-11. Carryduff’s Rooney duo, Donal and Eoin, slotted points to stay in touch, but as the half wore on, the Emmets appeared comfortable. Scores from Pierce Bannon, McHugh, and Connor Bannon had the home side looking well on their way to maintaining their flawless league record.

Trailing as the game entered its dying stages, Carryduff engineered a spectacular smash-and-grab. With five minutes of normal time remaining, Darragh Goodwin rattled the Cushendun net, breathing sudden life into the visitors, and Sean O’Callaghan quickly added a point to close the gap further. Though McHugh pointed to momentarily stem the tide, disaster struck for the Emmets a minute later. Lorcan McCaughey capitalized on the shifting momentum, burying Carryduff’s third goal to incredibly put the Down men two points clear with time evaporating. Cushendun threw everything forward in a desperate search for a late match-winner, and deep into injury time, they carved out a golden opportunity to snatch the victory. However, Conor McHugh’s well-struck shot flew agonizingly over the crossbar, and the final whistle blew on a sensational one-point victory for Carryduff.

TO SEE MORE OF MICKEY MORGAN’S PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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