The Creagh lorry was geared up and ready for returning the 2025 senior football champions to the Village on Sunday evening with the main street in Dunloy packed. Pappy’s Band were out, parading and drumming up the atmosphere, the Village Inn was thriving as natives young and old waited in the cold autumnal air.
The horns of the Creagh lorry could be heard from the distance and the faint chants of those celebrating in the back of it. The side boarding latches of that lorry were being tested to the maximum. The party was getting started.
Smoke bombs and fireworks filled the night air, the cheers were deafening and the sky lit up with an array of colours all superbly caught on a drone.
The lorry made it’s way up to the Parish Centre with memories of 1990 for those old enough to remember as Pappy’s Band led Seaan Elliott, Deaglan Smith and the rest following suit. Chairman James McKeague kicked off proceedings with a word on the efforts of the camogs who were narrowly defeated in their final before Anthony McQuillan, Seaan and Fr PJ all took the mic. A plethora of thank you’s, some cracking one liners from Fr PJ and the odd tune being chanted from the team.
This was a special occasion for everyone in connected with Dunloy and one remember for a club steeped in success with hurling. The celebrations will go deep for this one as this Dunloy team returned to the village as kings of the big ball.
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Naomh Padraig created history on Saturday when the club (in its 10th year) won its first ever “A” hurling title with a win over Gael na Cliniti (Cushendall & Glenariffe) in the North Antrim U14 championship final
Naomh Padraig went into the game as favourites having already won the league and the Tain Og Div 1 titles. However Gael na Cliniti who had beat reigning champions Dunloy in the semi final were in no mood to lie down and they produced a great display which nearly got them over the line. The game all square going into injury time – a power packed 90 seconds saw Naomh Padraig clinch the title in a fantastic advert for u-14 hurling.
Naomh Padraig started off well and two points from play from the fantastic Eoghan Lorcan “Bobo” Bradley got them up and running. The next few scores came from frees as Ruairi McQuillan and John og Darragh exchanged points. Gael Na Clinti were starting to get a foothold in the game as Sean McAuley and Lorcan McNaughton were driving them forward, with McAuley scoring a great point on the run from out on the wing. However John og Darragh who was a constant threat despite being double marked at times, added a good reply from play. Full back Ben Linton and Patrick McClean were rock solid in the Naomh Padraig defence. With 5 mins to go in the first half Naomh Padraig got in for the all important goal. Midfielder Killian Cassidy drove at the heart of the GNG defence before off loading to that man “Bobo” Bradley. Bradley showed the same instincts as his brother Fintan had shown in the earlier minor final with a rasper to the back of the GNG net. Gael Na Clinti responded with another converted free before Killian Cassidy sent over the final score of the half from play to send Naomh Padraig into the half break 1-7 to 0-7 ahead.
The second half was a real tense affair – as Gael Na Clinti started to claw their way back into the game. Centre half forward Lorcan McNaugton was having a real battle with Ollie Joe McAlonan – both lads starting to have a real influence on the game. McAlonan was ably assisted by Caleb McCaughan and Malachy McSparren.
Sean McAuley from frees was the main source of scores for GNG whilst Naomh Padraig’s scores were coming from their two big forward threats John og Darragh and Eoghan Lorcan Bradley.
With time heading into the last five minutes Gael Na Glinti had 2 great goal chances but Naomh Padraig keeper Liam McCelland was outstanding – pulling off two great saves and clearances. McCelland’s puckouts also a feature of the game.
With a minute to go, centre forward McNaughton drove through to equalise the game 1-10 to 0-13. The game was in the melting pot and the next score was going to be crucial. Killian Cassidy won the vital puckout and sent the ball into space for Conrad Bailey. Bailey found his full forward “Bobo” Bradley who in turn found his younger brother Oscar and he fired over the score of the game and put Naomh Padraig into the lead heading into injury time. They won the puck out and that man Bobo Bradley fired over another fantastic score from play on the wing. Moments later captain John og Darragh scored another point from play from distance and Naomh Padraig were three up and time almost up.
However their was one more attack and Gael Na Clinti delivered a long ball into their forwards, the ball broke and they pulled on the breaking ball. However it rose too high and went over the bar and that was their last attempt to try and snatch a draw.
The ref blew the final whistle and Naomh Padraig had hung on and created history with their first ever “A” title. The scenes of emotion from their supporters was evident as they congratulated their young stars.
Both teams can be proud of their effort and the quality of the hurling was excellent, played on a fantastic surface in Cushendun.
North Antrim chairman Paddy Gray presents the trophy to Naomh Padraig captain John Og DarraghGael Na ClinitiNaomh Padraig
Northern Properties Antrim Camogie Senior Championship 12th October 2025
Loughgiel 4-11 Dunloy 1-17
Match report and photos from Michael Corcoran in O’Cahan Park, Portglenone.
It took every minute of the Northern Property Antrim Camogie Senior Championship to sift out the 2025 winner. Dunloy came to Ó’Cahan Park, Portglenone, with their ace game that had Loughgiel pushed to the wire and had to work hard for their 12th consecutive county win. A glorious autumnal afternoon with warm sunshine and not a breath bundled with the exceptional condition of Portglenone’s pitch helped to set up one of the most memorable finals for the large crowd attending.
Referee, Owen Elliott’s throw-in away from the town side of Ó’Cahan Park set the game in motion as Dunloy took the sunny side from the clubhouse on their back, after winning the toss. Almost two minutes would pass before Eobha McAllister would shake off her marker for a super opening point, quickly followed by team mate , Katie Molloy as she ducked and dived her way out of trouble and when Aine Magill dropped over a third, Dunloy were looking lively and sharp.
Dunloy’s Eobha McAllister opened up Dunloy’s challenge from a tight angle near the dugout
Two forty fives from Nicole McAtamney, as a result of Dunloy pushing up hard, quickly had Dunloy drifting away with five points to no reply from Loughgiel and one of those forty fives came as a result of a super save from Loughgiel’s Emma McAllister as Aine Magill received a fine pass from Katie Molloy into the edge of the small box, but on the tenth minute, the Shamrock’s young left-full forward, Marie Laverty, would get Loughgiel’s account opened with her point over Dunloy’s bar as she recycled Loughgiel’s first attempt at a goal from Annie Lynn, that attempt well read by Dunloy’s keeper, Clodagh O’Kane.
The next ten minutes of play had both sides swapping points as McAtamney dropped over a free resulting from a challenge on an advancing Katie Molloy and Loughgiel’s Marie Laverty would return to claim another point from a clever crossed ball from Annie Lynn, before Eobha McAllister sent a high soaring sliotar over Loughgiel’s bar to bring scores to Loughgiel 0-02 Dunloy 0-07.
With five points the difference at twenty gone on the clock, Loughgiel were now pressing into the left forward zone and as Caitrin Dobbin slipped in past the Dunloy defence, the Shamrock’s had a miss at close quarters as Dobbin struck the sliotar from an angle resulting in a touch from keeper, O’Kane for a forty five that McCormick dropped over with some ease.
Dunloy inched their score by a point from McAtamney from a blown foul on Aine Magill as she fell to the ground from a push coming out of a ruck but Loughgiel would dramatically pull back three points as Roisin McCormick ran out from a ruck with the spoils, offloading to Laverty finding Lynn for the first goal in the senior championship with seven minutes left in the first half of ordinary time. But a back to back goal from Lynn, two minutes later would send Loughgiel fans into raptures, Roisin McCormick having won a foul as she was pulled to ground and setting up a gentle tap to an unmarked Lynn.
Player of the match, Eimear Johnston tracks Katie McKillop on her way to raising a green flag
Loughgiel’s fortunes were on the turn and a Megan McGarry puck out from a previous Cassie McArthur point had Loughgiel’s Katie McKillop win the bouncing sliotar and a piercing solo run ended with a green flag raised, sending out a sign that the Shamrock’s were grasping the game back.
Loughgiel’s scoring ace, McCormick added to her tally from a free taken from the town side dugouts to close the Shamrock’s first half and McAtamney would do similar for Dunloy from another foul and a forty five deflected over the line as Aine Magill tested Loughgiel’s alertness to hear the short whistle at Loughgiel 3:04 Dunloy 0-12, a point the difference.
With everything to play for in the second half, Dunloy levelled up the game at twelve points each with a fine opening point from Eobha McAllister before Loughgiel hit a purple run of four successive points, three of those frees from McCormick and a point from play from Katie McKillop after a hand pass from a hard working Clare McKillop dragging herself out of a ruck and winning a previous foul after driving deep into Dunloy’s danger zone.
With a four point drift away from Dunloy, and enjoying the bright sunshine on their backs, the Shamrock’s looked steady and composed until Aine Magill broke loose at short quarters to test Emma McAllister again, the Shamrock diffusing the danger but not for long, as a delicate lobbed pass from Dunloy’s Molloy into Aine Magill enjoying a clash of Loughgiel defenders to create dangerous space and a simple pull had McAllister beat for Dunloy’s goal…suddenly the game was back to just one point the difference and only eight minutes gone in the second half.
Between Dunloy’s McAtamney’s subsequent three set points and Loughgiels two replies from an eventual ‘hat trick Annie Lynn’, scores stood even at the seventeen minute mark and would remain that way for all of maybe ten minutes as the deadly accurate scoring from McCormick deserted the Shamrock on multiple free taking scenarios. It would be close to twenty eight minutes gone in the second half before Loughgiel applied serious pressure to Dunloy as Amy Boyle went on a searing solo run, colliding with a Dunloy player and dropping to the ground, fired in an audacious pass on her knees to a running and free Annie Lynn. Lynn’s shot from close range was marginally deflected by keeper O’Kane but into the net it rifled and the game swung in their sponsors name – favour. Marie Laverty would close out the Shamrock’s account with a fine point as Lucia McNaughton flicked in a tidy pass to the edge of the box.
Loughgiel’s Annie Lynn goes for number three and takes the Shamrock’s over the line for the win
Goals win championships, that’s what they say and despite a late point from a Eobha McAllister pass into Mary McArthur, Loughgiel players from the dugout swamped the pitch with supporters as Elliott’s long whistle signalled the end of the game and placed the Shamrock’s deep into the history books by winning twelve County titles in a row and Dunloy made them win it the hard way, with a level of play that demonstrated the immense quality of camogie in Antrim of recent times. Portglenone’s scoreboard stood at Loughgiel 4-11 Dunloy 1:17
Dunloy’s Eimear Johnston picked up Player of the Match and Loughgiel’s Roísín McCormick was awarded the ‘B Creative’ top scorer throughout the Northern Property Antrim Camogie Senior Championship.
Loughgiel will now go onto defend their Ulster title early November in a semi final game against Derry County champions, Slaughtneil.
You can see more photos from the Senior final by clicking on the following link…
Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship Final
Dunloy 3-12 Cargin 2-7
Sunday 12 October
Brendan McTaggart reports from Corrigan Park, Belfast
It was always going to take something special to derail the Green Machine, on Sunday afternoon at Corrigan Park, but Dunloy did just that. Eight points the difference by the time Darren McKeown blew his whistle for full time after 60 plus minutes of a match that saw the Cuchullains outplay and outmanoeuvre Cargin.
This was a brilliant performance from the Cuchullains who were well worthy of their winning margin, on another day, they could have had more goals and they threatened to kick away any momentum they had in the first half with a series of bad wides but they were relentless. Even when Cargin looked to build pressure towards the end of the hour, Dunloy always found a way to break with pace, precision and power.
Captain Seaan Elliott took the man of the match accolade, it’s hard to argue given he scored 1-8 with 1-6 of that coming in the second half but he had plenty of support. Reece Cunning playing in his first year at senior was outstanding while Conor Kinsella, James Scally and Aaron Crawford all formed part of a tenacious defence.
Michael McCann lead the scoring charts for the Toome men with 1-3, his major coming from a penalty and while Conhuir Johnston finished with 1-2, the Dunloy defence had him well shackled for long periods of this game.
The first half saw Cargin have the lions share of possession for long periods but making little in-roads in a well organised Dunloy defence. The Cuchullains have been notorious for hitting two pointers this championship campaign and they landed two sucker punches to the Cargin challenge with Keelan Molloy and Seaan Elliott raising the orange flag in the opening 10 minutes.
Cargin’s opening score came from a Tomás McCann free in the 13th minute while Dunloy could have been further ahead by that point but a series of wides from the Cuchullains kept Cargin within touching distance.
The Toome men were gifted a golden opportunity when Tom Shivers was fouled inside the square and they were awarded a penalty. Tomás McCann was entrusted with the spot kick but he sent it to the left and wide as Cargin searched for some fluency.
Ryan McGarry and Michael McCann swapped scored before Luke McFerran scored the opening goal of the game in the 22nd minute. Reece Cunning with the break from the Dunloy defence and sending the ball into the path of Aodhan McGarry with a brilliant pass. McGarry found Luke McFerran and he made no mistake despite the best efforts of Cargin ‘keeper John McNabb.
That would be Dunloy’s last score of the half however as more missed chances gave Cargin the chance to reel in their six point advantage. Conhuir Johnston landed his first score of the final before a piece of brilliance brought about his goal on the stroke of half time. Gathering the ball from a deflection in the middle third, Conhuir Johnston stretched his legs to try and evade the Dunloy tackles. His shot was partially blocked by Aaron Crawford but the deflection looped over Chrissy McMahon in the Dunloy goals to leave the half time score 2-5 to 1-3.
When Conhuir Johnston opened the scoring after the restart to leave the minimum between the sides, it looked like the stage was set for Cargin to push home but they wouldn’t register another score for almost 20 minutes as Dunloy took control.
They scored their second goal after just two minutes of the second half, the Elliott brothers combining with Nigel applying the finish while Seaan split the uprights moments later to stretch the Dunloy lead to five points.
With the Cuchullains in the ascendancy, they created another goal chance with Luke McFerran putting Molloy through on goal but McNabb denied the Dunloy man from close range.
Seaan Elliott split the uprights with a free before Dunloy would score their third major in the 42nd minute. Nigel Elliott fouled inside the square with Seaan Elliott finding the back of the net and putting nine points between the sides. He would convert a huge free moments later to raise the orange flag and put 11 between the sides going into the final quarter.
Cargin went in search of goals and were awarded a penalty for a foul on substitute Pat Shivers. Michael McCann took the responsibility and made no mistake. The Dunloy response was match winning with Seaan Elliott landing another huge two point free, staving any thoughts of a Cargin comeback in the closing stages.
McCann brothers Michael and Tomás combined to land three points, Michael’s a two point effort, either side of a Tom McFerran point but Cargin never looked like reeling in the Dunloy lead.
When you consider that 14 of the Dunloy starting 15 were involved with the hurling squad defeated seven days ago in the semi final, to have the psychological strength and capacity to comeback from that is a testament to this group of players. To switch their focus to try and defeat a Cargin team who hadn’t tasted defeat within Antrim since the semi final of the 2021 championship, it adds to the Cinderella story of it all. They bridge an 89 year gap with the MacNamee Cup residing in The Village for 2025.
TEAMS
DUNLOY: Chrissy McMahon; Reece Cunning, Aaron Crawford, James Scally; Aodhan McGarry, Ryan McGarry, Conor Kinsella; Eoin McFerran, Deaglan Smith; Eoin O’Neill, Seaan Elliott, Tom McFerran; Luke McFerran, Keelan Molloy, Nigel Elliott
Subs: Conal Cunning for L McFerran (37); Kevin McQuillan for N Elliott (60+4); Barry McCloskey for S Smith (60+4)
Scorers: S Elliott 1-8 (1-00 pen, 2xTPF, 1xTP, 1F); L McFerran 1-00; N Elliott 1-00; K Molloy 0-2 (1xTP); T McFerran 0-1; R McGarry 0-1
CARGIN: John McNabb; Benen Kelly, Ronan Gribbin, Conan Johnston; James Laverty, Kevin McShane, Sean O’Neill; John Carron, Kevin O’Boyle; David Johnston, Conhuir Johnston, Paul McCann; Michael McCann, Tom Shivers, Tomás McCann
Subs: Jack O’Neill for R Gribbin (HT); Pat Shivers for T Shivers (40); Eunan Quinn for J Carron (45)
Scorers: M McCann 1-3 (1-00pen, 1xTP); C Johnston 1-2; T McCann 0-2 (1F)
Referee: Darren McKeown (Naomh Gall)
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Moneyglass are the Antrim Intermediate Football Champions for 2025 courtesy of a six-point victory in the latest instalment of their rivalry with familiar foes, Sarsfields. As finals so often can be, this one was somewhat a war of attrition with both tactically deployed to stifle the other. The difference in the end was the battle in the middle third and it was the men in blue and yellow who dominated under both kickouts as their triumph was well and truly forged in their engine room with Ferghal Duffin, Seanchan Duffin and Kevin McCann winning countless possession and breaks to provide the fulcrum for attacks. With frees proving the source of half the Moneyglass tally and five from eight of the Sarsfields total, scores were hard-earned in this one and again further illustrates the combative nature of the game.
In the opening quarter, there wasn’t much to separate the sides. Both showed glimpses of their best offensively, but the final touch was often eluding them. It was Moneyglass who drew first blood and established a three-point lead after ten minutes as their captain and talisman Colum Duffin notched all three thanks to two from the placed ball followed by a curling effort from play.
Sarsfields had been huffing and puffing but were finding it hard to make their efforts count on the scoreboard. Towering midfielder Cormac Murray remedied this with a fantastic two pointer from beyond the arc to cut the gap to the minimum on the twelfth minute before Garry Lennon tapped over a free from close range to square things up.
The Paddies’ tails were up now but they struggled in maintaining possession with Moneyglass so prolific under both kickouts. One such high field in the middle third on the twentieth minute enabled Tiernan McCormick to embark on one of his trademark bustling runs. The young number five evaded tackles all around before angling over to retake the lead.
The Stewartstown Road men were inches from an emphatic reply as Sé Ferris catapulted Brian Healy through on goal. The Sarsfields ace opted to take his shot at goal early as it agonisingly dragged just wide of Jamie McLaughlin’s left post. Moments later, the South-West Antrim side pounced again as Seanchan Duffin negotiated just enough space to fire over from close range.
With the game approaching the interval, momentum was very much in Moneyglass’ favour as they endeavoured to keep their opponents camped in their own half. Their ability under the high ball in midfield was coming up trumps again, providing the source for a further two frees to be won which Aidan McErlain made no mistake in converting.
With Paul Burn’s short whistle imminent, Sarsfields sought to make a dent in the deficit. Again, it was Brian Healy causing problems with his direct running. After being brought down in a promising position, he took on the responsibility of tapping over the resulting free before the teams retreated under the stone tunnel with Moneyglass 0-07 to 0-04 to the good at the break.
The Belfast side knew they needed to be a bit more potent in front of the posts to have any chance of opening the door for a comeback. They started the second half with a real spring in their step as Healy assumed free-taking duties again to arrow over before Daniel Smyth put the finishing touches on a flowing move involving Tomas Skillen and Caolan McKernan.
With the gap back to the minimum, all signs appeared that an intriguing battle was in proposition for the final twenty minutes. However, this failed to materialise as that really was as good as it would get from a Sarsfields perspective. Their opponents would dominate the next fifteen minutes and again it was their ability to constantly emerge with the ball under the kickout which really was the winning of the game and in this case, trophy.
Centre forward, Aidan McErlain found his bearings for the second period with a perfectly flighted free before Sean Boyd blasted over from close range. The young number ten though could easily have seen the net ripple but just got too much elevation on his effort. The signs were ominous though for the men in green and black as Moneyglass began to purr. The Loughbeg side would hit the next five scores in succession as the game entered the final five minutes.
Frees from Duffin and McErlain further extended the lead before the former embraced his captain’s role by grabbing two fine scores from play. A feature of Moneyglass’ season has certainly been the devastating pace at which they attack, Tiernan McCormick showcased this string to their bow once again with a surging run from deep before fisting over to surely seal victory with his side now eight up with four minutes remaining.
Sarsfields now had to respond with haste and desperately needed to find a goal from somewhere. The dismissal of Matthew Mullan for the men in blue gave them a little more impetus going forward but not enough. Healy pointed from a close range free to cut the gap to seven before he called Jamie McLaughlin into action. A slaloming run forward paved an opening for a shot at goal but the Moneyglass number one thwarted the Sarsfields dangerman with a superb fingertip save. There was just enough time on the clock for Healy to convert once again from a free before the final whistle.
Congratulations to Moneyglass on their achievement. With Sarsfields pipping them to the Division Two title, this one was always going to have a real edge to it. Both sides were imperious throughout their respective league and championship campaigns, and it seemed fitting that they would meet again for the decider. Both will ply their trade at the top table of Antrim Football next year and a new chapter in their conflict awaits in Division One.
Teams:
Moneyglass:
J McLaughlin; M Mullan, Z McCaughan, J McCormick; T McCormick (0-02,) P Duffin, C McCann; K McCann, S Duffin (0-01;) S Boyd (0-01,) A McErlain (0-04,) F Duffin; C O’Kane, C Duffin (0-06,) T Cassidy
Sarsfields:
M Brady; M McPolin, J McNally, C McDonnell; P McPeake, L Mitchell, C Loughran; C Murray (0-02 – 1 t.p,) C McKernan; T Skillen, D Smyth (0-01,) S Ferris; G Lennon (0-01,) C Glenholmes, B Healey (0-04)
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