by thesaffrongael

McErlain powers Cargin to victory

Minor ‘C’ Camogie Championship final

Cargin 3-9 St. Enda’s 3-5

A player of the match display from mid-fielder, Caoimhe McErlain powered Erin’s own, Cargin to victory over St. Enda’s in a hard fought Minor C Championship final at Slemish Park, Ballymena on Friday night.

It was the Glengormley side that looked the more likely winners in an opening half where they edged the exchanges and looked in a strong position when a Cliona McGinley shot dipped to the net to give them a 2-4 to 0-6 lead as Lee O’Reilly sounded his half time whistle.

It was the sweet striking McErlain who kept the Toome girls in contention with half a dozen well struck frees but they still looked in a bit of trouble with Roise McQuillan’s opening goal for the Hightown girls, a point from the same player and three from corner forward, Aoibh Nic Coille giving them a four point lead at the break.

Caoimhe McErlain who gave a masterful display to power Erin’s own to victory

The heavens had opened about ten minutes before half time and the rain continued to fall as the second half got under way as an Orla Johnston goal in the opening minute and another somewhat fortuitous effort from Roisin Quinn saw Cargin move 2 ahead with only 5 minutes of the new half gone.

A superb point from Orlaith Johnston increased that lead to three and then Mia Carlin in the St. Enda’s goals pulled off a great save as the girls in white and green threatened to overrun they’re opponents.

Cargin were edging the exchanges and another superb point from Caoimhe McErlain, her first of the second half and 7th of the evening moved them four ahead with 12 minutes remaining and they looked to be taking control.

St. Enda’s had other ideas however and came back immediately with a goal from the excellent Aoibh Nic Coille before substitute Kila Sheehy had her shot for goal deflected over to level the contest.

It looked anybody’s game at this stage but it was Cargin who finished the stronger with Caoimhe McErlain sending over a long range point to give them back the lead with 8 minutes remaining.

Aoibh Nic Coille who led the St. Enda’s challenge

McErlain had been the driving force for Erin’s Own and she enjoyed a bit of fortune when her long range free took a deflection and ended in the St. Enda’s net.

That goal restored Cargin’s four point advantage and would be the final score of the contest with the Erin’s Own defence repelling a late onslaught from the Glengormley girls.

Sinead O’Kane, the Camogie Board secretary presented the Minor C Cup to Cargin’s joint captains, Roisin Quinn and Orlaith Johnston and commended both sides for their part in a very competitive and entertaining game of camogie in difficult conditions.

Cargin: 1 Lucia Sidebottom, 2 Holly McErlane, 3 Tara McLarnon, 4 Holly may Graham, 5 Grace O’Boyle, 6 Aimee Johnston, 7 Aoife O’Boyle, 8 Annie Griffin, 9 Caoimhe McErlain, 10 Aoibh O’Boyle, 11 Roisin Quinn, 12 Elena Sidebottom, 13 Fiadh O’Boyle, 14 Orlaith Johnston, 15 Darcie Murray.

St. Enda’s: 1 Mia Carlin, 2 Keeley Lawlor, 3 Cara Lyttle, 4 Tara Rodgers, 5 Orla Graham, 6 Gabriella McLarnon, 7 Hannah McMillan, 8 Niamh Mullan, 9 Cliona McGinley, 10 Roise McQuillan, 11 Aine McCavana, 12 Aoife Downey, 13 Aoibh Nic Coille, 14 Jane Martin, 15 Sarah O’Boyle

Subs: Kila Sheehy for Sarah O’Boyle

Referee: Lee O’Reilly

TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/LGiyC7poxUCSFp

by thesaffrongael

David v Goliath semi-final kicks off weekend action

ACFL Division 1 semi-final

Erin’s Own v All Saints

Tir na nOg 2-00pm Saturday

Reigning county SFC holders, Erin’s own Cargin and last year’s Intermediate Football Champions, All Saints kick off this weekend’s action when they face off in the Division 1 League semi-final at Whitehill on Saturday (2-00pm).

The Erin’s Own side finished their league campaign four points ahead of Creggan and St. Brigid’s and six ahead of Saturday’s opponents, All Saints, who played a game less than the other three.

Unconfirmed news suggests that St. Brigid’s have withdrawn from the other semi-final against Creggan which was scheduled for Glenavy at 5-00pm on Saturday evening and if that is the case then the Kickham’s will presumably be handed a place in the final.

At the time of writing the Erin’s Own v All Saints game is still on the fixture list and should go ahead and both sides will take the opportunity of getting a competitive game under their belts prior to the championship.

Cargin will rightly start as firm favourites and have once again been the team to beat this season, suffering only one defeat in the league against St. Brigid’s.

The reigning County Champions have continued to impress in 2025 with their excellent balance of youth and experience.

John McNabb is an excellent keeper and has contributed handsomely with important scores this year and has embraced the new rules with relish as has his Erin’s Own colleagues.

Kevin McShane, James Laverty, Gerard McCann, John Carron and Michael and Tomas McCann are all experienced campaigners in a side complemented by a host of young emerging talent.

Pat and Tom Shivers, Jamie and Callum Gribbin, Benen Kelly, Sean Og Quinn and Sean Og O’Neill are just a few of the players who will be keen to stake a place in the forthcoming championship side if called upon on Saturday.

For All Saints it has been another good season as they finished in the top four for the second consecutive year and they now find themselves in bonus territory as they face Ronan Devlin’s side in Saturday’s semi-final.

Like Cargin they are likely to be without a number of players through holidays and injuries but players like Conor Brennan, Sean McVeigh, Michael McCarry, Connell Lemon, Emmet Killough, James and Benny McDonnell, Conor Stewart, Kavan Keenan, Rian Tom and Matthew Downey will relish the challenge if available.

Whatever side Saturday’s opponents field it is Cargin who will start as firm favourites and rightly so but Baker Bradley and his All Saints side will give it their best shot and see where it takes them.

by thesaffrongael

Thanks to North Antrim GAA for your support

A big thank you to Paddy Gray and the North Antrim GAA committee for their continued support of the Saffron Gael. At half time in Sunday’s Senior Feis Cup final Paddy presented us with a cheque for £500, and we can’t thank him enough. More importantly Paddy and his team, plus the host club Glenariffe Oisins, once again did a great job last weekend in their promotion of Feis na nGleann, which despite the number of obstacles thrown in its way continues to be a great event.

Photo courtesy of Darrach O’Mullan – Black Sparrow Media –

by thesaffrongael

Antrim book final place against Louth after hard fought win over Sligo

LGFA All Ireland Junior semi-final

Antrim 3-10 – Sligo 1-10

Antrim senior ladies are into the All Ireland Tg4 Junior Championship final following their 3-10 to 1-10 semi final victory over Sligo at a sun drenched St Tiernach’s Park, Clones on Sunday and now play last years’ beaten finalists Louth at Croke Park on Sunday 3rd August with a 11-45 am throw-in. 

Sligo opened the scoring with a point after two minutes though Ellen Kelleher but Lara Dahunsi with a superb effort from long range brought the Saffrons level. The Yeats county girls went in front again with a point but Sarah O Neill had Antrim back on terms by the fifth minute. By this stage it was becoming clear just what a challenge Sligo presented and when they hit two on the bounce through Duffy to lead 0-04 to 0-02 the challenge was becoming more obvious.

However that was to be their last scores of the first half as the Antrim rear-guard shut up shop and defended magnificently for the remaining 22 minutes of the half.

The Saffrons then took control with Bronagh Devlin, Maria O’Neill and Lara Dahunsi all raising white flags to edge ahead with 10 minutes of the half remaining, and they stretched their advantage when Aine Lynch, who had a superb game over the hour, added a great point after brilliant approach work from Ana Mulholland, Aoife Kelly and Theresa Mellon.

Things got even better when Laura Agnew broke clear and put the ball over the bar with a magnificent strike and just before the half time whistle Ciara Brown broke out from the back and cleverly found Dahunsi who was pulled back.  From the resulting free Maria O’Neill hit a magnificent score and the Ulster side went in at the break with a 0-08 to 0-04 advantage.

The second half opened with a Sligo point from Anna McDaniels but Aine Lynch restored the 4 point lead and after beating 4 Sligo players Maria O Neill raised the first green flag of the day as she fired home from a tight angle.

Bronagh Devlin then got her second score of the day to stretch the Antrim advantage and two minutes later, after being put through on goal by Dahunsi, the Moneyglass star unselfishly laid the ball of for Oneill to raise her second green flag of the day. 

Things appeared to be done and dusted but Sligo’s young team hit back strongly scoring 1-2 without reply  to leave a goal between the sides with just three minutes to go. 

The pressure was then on the Ulster champions but they reacted brilliantly when Niamh Mc Intosh which saw her release Sarah Oneill, who combined with her sister Maria who sent Aiobheann Monaghan through to hammer home the game clinching goal.

Indeed it was a terrific strike from the 17 year old was a carbon copy of the one she scored in the National league final way back in April… 

That rounded off the scoring for the day and Antrim can now look forward to an All Ireland final in August… 

Scorers – Antrim: M O’Neill 2-2 (0-1f), A Monaghan 1-0, A Tubridy, B Devlin (1f), L Dahunsi 0-2 each, S O’Neill, L Agnew 0-1 each.

Sligo: L Duffy 1-4 (3fs), A McDaniel, R Smith 0-2 each, E Kelleher (f), S Curley 0-1 each.

ANTRIM: Á Devlin; N McIntosh, M Blaney, M Mulholland; S O’Neill, C Brown, C McKenna; A Mulholland, Á Tubridy; T Mellon, M O’Neill, A Kelly; B Devlin, L Dahunsi, L Agnew. Sub: O Ni Corra for McKenna (55), A Monaghan for B Devlin (57), D Boyd for Agnew and O Todd for Kelly (60).

SLIGO: E Maguire; J Creegan, C Dunne, H Walsh; C King, C Walsh, T Breheny; S Regan, R Kennedy; M McCormack, A McDaniel, S Feeney; L Duffy, C Gilligan, E Kelleher. Subs: N Brennan for Kelleher 38, C Gorman for McCormack 44, S Curley for Creegan 46, R Smith for Gilligan 50, L Normanly for Kennedy 60.

Referee: Paul McCaughey (Westmeath).

TO SEE MORE OF ELAINE’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/UgLxABc7tCvGs7/?invite=e0235308-47dd-4621-8071-82b91ef6eb78