June 22, 2025June 23, 2025 by thesaffrongael

Gorts win sees Rasharkin drop to Division 3 next season

Antrim Football League – Division 2

Raharkin 1-09 Rossa 1-11 Gor na Móna 2-12

It turned out to be a disappointing day for St Mary’s Rasharkin after defeat to Gort na Mona saw them relegated from Division 2 of the Antrim Football League. The Dreen men had to win their last two games to stand any chance of avoiding the drop but defeat today to the West Belfast side makes their last game irrelevant.

***Donagh Quigg celebrates after scoring an early Rasharkin goal***

Rasharkin started the game really well and were a goal up after three minutes as Donagh Quigg cut through the middle and fired home and it looked like they were going to double that lead when Oran McMullan got through a minute later, only to be denied by a great block from Gorts full-back Ciaran Donnelly.

However Gort na Mona began to settle and after Tarlacht Enright got their opening point, Eamon Scannell added a 2pointer to level the game. Padraic Mulvenna had the chance to put them in front but pulled a penalty wide of the left upright but they didn’t have long to wait as full forward Patrick McConnell reacted quickest when a ball broke around the Rasharkin ‘square’ and poked the ball past the Rasharkin keeper a couple of minutes later. Ciaran MacGiolla cheara and Conhuir Clarke tagged on points to put them five ahead before the home team got their next score, and three in a row, two by Brian Og O’Neill and one by Caolan McGarrell got them right back into, only to concede a sloppy goal just on half time, Matthew McConnell rising high to take advantage of a defensive slip.

Leading by 2-06 to 1-05 at the start of the second half Enright pushed the gap out to five with an early point, but O’Neill came back with one for the home team a minute later. A 2pointer by Caoimhin Beck stretched the gap out to seven and it was at eight soon afterwards when Dessie McClean fired over.

Hard though they tried during the final quarter Rasharkin could make little progress in clawing back the deficit and though O’Neill and Quigg did find the target Enright was able to match them for the Gorts and they went on to win by six in the end.

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/taqR8wZpJjC4bF/?invite=762cc9f1-cbb9-4573-81eb-6d5c2f264811

June 22, 2025June 22, 2025 by thesaffrongael

Saints prevail in high scoring encounter.

ACFL Division 1

All Saints 3-21 Glenravel 2-14

All Saints kept their league title chances alive with a comprehensive victory over rivals Glenravel in sun drenched Quinn Park on Saturday evening.

Smarting from a surprise defeat mid-week to lowly Rossa, All Saints wanted to get back into winning ways and indeed the gap between the teams was larger than the score-line suggests.

The timeless Sean McVeigh got All Saints off the mark after six minutes with a 2-pointer and whilst Ryan McQuillan pulled one back for Glenravel All Saints went on a scoring spree adding six more points from Conor Stewart, Ciaran Campbell, McVeigh again, Brendan McDonnell and two from Paidin Mitchell.

**All Saints Joe Rafferty drives forward from defence**

Glenravel’s only reply was an Eamon Fyfe free so with one quarter gone Glenravel trailed by six points but they redeemed themselves with 2-pointers from Eamon Fyfe and Ryan McQuillan and a single point from Fyfe closing the gap to two points after Brendan McDonnell pointed a free to leave the score 0-09 to 0-07 in the home side’s favour.

In truth Ballymena had squandered several goal chances in the opening period and may have started to rue them but in the closing four minutes of the half they recorded 1-03 as Conall Lemon, Kavan Keenan and James McDonnell all got on the score-sheet with points and finally Shaun O’Callaghan goaled with the final kick of the first half to leave Ballymena in a commanding lead 1-12 to 0-08.

All Saints brought on Patrick McAleer in the second half and he signalled his intentions for a starting berth next time out with a well taken point in the opening minute. Sean McKay pulled one back but the game was essentially ended as a contest when Ciaran Campbell found the net two minutes into the half and that was followed up by a brace from Conor Stewart to put Ballymena firmly in the driving seat leading g by 2-15 to 1-09.

**Glenravel’s Ryan McQuillan finishes in the back of the net after palming home an Eamon Fyfe cross.**

Ryan McQuillan did convert some nice scores including an injury time goal but it was all too late and when full back Kavan Keenan netted with twenty minutes left the game was well and truly put to bed as a contest. Both teams exchanged points in the closing quarter but Ballymena were never really troubled. Game ended 3-21 to 2-14 to All Saints.

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

https://myalbum.com/album/pbvW66L4UjAjfX

June 22, 2025June 26, 2025 by thesaffrongael

Antrim LGFA and Camogie dual launch for championships

Photoshoot Sunday 22nd June 2025 on location in Commercial Court, Donegall Quay and the ‘Lady of the Lagan’, Antrim Camogie PRO Michael Corcoran

The two codes of Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie came together today to launch the championship season across senior, intermediate and junior categories. The photoshoot in Commercial Court was chosen to encompass the coloured umbrellas and thus coincide with ongoing campaigns to draw attention and support to our diverse playing and supporting community.

**The combined codes of Antrim LGFA and Camogie attend today’s photoshoot in Commercial Court**

From the start of the year, both codes, under the stewardship of Ursula Lynch, Chair Antrim LGFA, and Úna Kelly, Chair Antrim Camogie, have been progressively aligning fixtures for both league and championships to work for both entities. It has been more than just a wish, as fixture committees have worked enthusiastically together to make it a reality.

**Belfast’s ‘Big Fish’ and Harland and Wolff form one of the back drops for today’s combined championship launch from Junior to Senior categories.**

At the venue, Úna Kelly had this to say “We have been working closely with the LGFA this year in terms of fixtures planning and as we move towards integration with the GAA in 2027, we believe we are working hard together to bring our organisations forward in a position of strength through our close relationship.

We have secured funding from Belfast City Council to enable us to continue to work to empower and promote sport throughout our county for women and girls of all ages and backgrounds.”

You can view today’s photoshoot launch here in our album…

https://myalbum.com/album/KjPqbevxw9WKLE/?invite=9e1d7704-f12c-4729-953f-c17c64a0da77

June 22, 2025June 22, 2025 by thesaffrongael

St Paul’s Blitz Aghagallon with First-Half Firepower

ACFL Division 1

St Paul’s 3-11 Aghagallon 1-9

ACFL Division 1 – Saturday, June 21st

Report and Pics: Brian Hamill

St Paul’s turned on the style under the Friday night lights as they swept aside Aghagallon with a powerful first-half performance that laid the groundwork for a convincing win in this Antrim ACFL Division 1 clash.

The Shaw’s Road men were out of the blocks like lightning, and within four minutes, they had rattled the net through a surging run and finish from Lorcan Phillips. That early goal set the tone for what would be a dominant opening half, with the hosts moving the ball with pace and precision.

A second green flag followed shortly after, this time from Caoimhin Duffy, who finished coolly after a mistake in the Aghagallon defence. Conall Duffy added a third goal before the break, and by the 20 minute mark, the home side had opened up a nine-point lead.

Aghagallon, to their credit, kept battling. Ruairi McCann, Eunan Walsh and Adam Loughran chipped in with points to keep the scoreboard ticking, but they struggled to gain a foothold in midfield where James Farrell and Conor Hughes were dominant.

The second half saw a brief rally from the visitors. Jonny Hannon, who had been their most dangerous outlet, found the net for Aghagallon, midway through the half to reduce the deficit to six and converted several frees on the day. Any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished as St Paul’s responded with a string of well-taken points from Ciaran Rogers-Duffy frees and from general play.

The majority of the second half was all about game management for the hosts, who controlled possession and picked off scores with relative ease. The result sees St Paul’s leapfrog the visitors in the division 1 league table.

TO VIEW MORE OF BRIAN HAMILL’S PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/FzC3ijVgXHyBYT

June 22, 2025June 22, 2025 by thesaffrongael

Dunloy in control at Pearse Park

Antrim Football League – Division 1

Dunloy 1-18 Rossa 1-11

Dunloy had seven points to spare over Rossa in Saturday afternoon’s Division 1 Football League game at Pearse Park. The Belfast side went ahead early on with a 2Pointer by Mick Byrne but Dunloy were soon in control and lead by 1-07 to 0-06 at half time. Rossa’s best period came early in the second half when they had a chance to draw level but Dunloy were able to clear the danger and from then on they dominated proceedings to secure the points.

After Mick Byrne’s early 2Pointer Luke McFerran and Ryan McGarry drew the home side level, before a great length of the field move saw Luke McFerran get through for their only goal of the game on eight minutes. Two points by Deaglan Smith stretched the lead, but Rossa came back strongly with three points from Dominic McEnhill. Deaglan Smith and Tiernan Murphy exchanged points but a pointed free by Karl Fitzpatrick gave Dunloy a 1-07 to 0-06 advantage at half time.

Early second half points by Corey Walsh and Eoin Fleming got Rossa going again, and they came close to getting the goal that would have brought them level, but Dunloy hit back strongly and a point by Keelan Molloy was followed by two 2Pointers from Luke McFerran and Deaglan Smith. Smith stretched the lead and when McFerran and Fitzpatrick added points the home team were in the driving seat.

Rossa came with a late burst through Fleming, Domonic McEnhilll and Dara Cunningham but Dunloy finished strong with points from Jack-Martin McShane and Deaglan Smith to seal the win.