The new Antrim GAA podcast We Are Antrim, which features Saffron Gael’s Brendan McTaggart, former Irish News journalist Brendan Crossan and Belfast Media’s Maghnus Dunne have launched their first episode and in a week when our hurlers play Down in the Joe McDonagh Cup in Dunloy and our footballers face Derry in the Ulster Senior Football Championship at Celtic Park, there is plenty to talk about.
ACHL Division 2
Ballycastle Reserves 3-13 Glenarm 2-19
In the proverbial game of two halves visitors, Shane O’Neill’s did enough with the gale on their backs in the opening 30 minutes to earn victory over McQuillan’s second string in Ballycastle on Sunday.
A goal from Darren Hamill after 8 minutes and a scrambled effort from Patrick McAuley with 23 minutes gone paved the way for the Feystown side as they led 2-13 to 0-7 at the hallway stage.
They were forced to withstand a strong second half rally from their hosts who now had the wind in their sales but a goal from a James Bakewell penalty in injury time, which closed the gap to three, came too late to affect the result.
Darren Hamill and Niall McGarel led the way for the Glenarm men in the opening half with McGarel striking four of his side’s points and Hamill contributing a further six to add to his goal.
Ciaran Magill, Aidan Scullion and Ben O’Boyle added to the Glenarm half time total while Jack McGowan, James McShane, Callum Campbell, Sean O’Hare, Anthony Mullan and Tadh Donnelly were all on target for McQuillan’s.
With the wind now at their backs Ballycastle were expected to launch a comeback and they got off to a flying start when Callum Campbell pointed before Dermot Donnelly followed with a goal with only two minutes gone.
They failed initially to add to that bright opening however with Niall McGarel, Ben O’Boyle and Darren Hamill replying with points for Glenarm before a second goal for McQuillan’s from Gavin McToal in the 16th minute reignited their challenge.
Hamill replied with a Glenarm pointed free but Ballycastle were coming more and more into the game and James Bakewell, Gavin McToal, Callum Campbell and Bakewell with another massive point from distance eat further into the Glenarm lead.
Ben O’Boyle from play and Bakewell from a ‘65’ exchanged further points before Ruairi McShane in the ‘Castle’ goals pulled off a couple of smart saves as Glenarnm threatened on the break.
A Darren Hamill conversion into the breeze from a ‘65’ looked to have sealed it for the visitors as it moved his side six ahead with time almost up but the home side fought to the end and were rewarded with a late goal from the excellent Bakewell from the penalty spot.
It came too late to affect the final result however and it is Shane O’Neill’s who get their division 2 campaign up and running and will be well pleased with this win with a number of regulars missing from their line-up.
Ballycastle: 1 Ruairi McShane, 2 Oisin McAuley, 3 James Bakewell, 4 Conal Magee, 5 Jack McGowan, 6 Cormac Donnelly, 7 Oisin Donnelly, 8 Tadhg Donnelly, 9 Gavin McToal, 10 Fearghal McKiernan, 11 James McShane, 12 Callum Campbell, 13 Anthony Mullan, 14 Dermot Donnelly, 15 Cormac Dallas,
Glenarm: 1 Niall Hamill, 2 Sean McDermott, 3 Barry Hamill, 4 John Scullion, 5 Kieran O’Boyle, 6 Ciaran Magill, 7 Michael Furey, 8 Conal Ward, 9 Aidan Scullion, 10 Ryan McLoughlin, 11 Niall McGarel, 12 Ben O’Boyle, 13 Sean O’Hare, 14 Darren Hamill, 15 Liam O’Neill, 17 Aidan O’Neill, 18 Patrick McAuley
Referee: Paul McSparran (Cushendun)
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ACHL Division 4
St Paul’s 2nd’s 0-9 All Saints 4-15
All Saints secured a solid win over St Paul’s Reserves, though it was far from a polished performance overall. Playing against the wind in the first half, All Saints worked hard to gain a foothold in difficult conditions.
While the play was often scrappy, they were clinical when chances came their way. Goals from Michael Connolly and Cormac Magill proved key in building a lead. Further scores came from Eoin McGuigan and Pearse Martin, while Damian Gillan added a free in the first half.
Despite not being at their fluent best, All Saints went in at the break with a strong 2-7 to 0-6 advantage. Defensively, All Saints had some standout performers. Robert Crooks, Archie McGreevey and Finn Connon were particularly strong, dealing well with the conditions and limiting St Paul’s to chances from distance.
With the wind at their backs in the second half, All Saints never fully hit top gear but remained in control. One of the standout moments was a superb long-range point from Gary Miskella, splitting the posts from his own half.
The introduction of substitute’s added energy late on, with Patrick Doherty making a big impact and finishing with 2-1 to put the result beyond doubt.
St Paul’s Reserves, who were also fielding minor and senior teams on the same day, played well throughout and showed plenty of endeavour. However, their shooting let them down at key moments, with a number of missed chances preventing them from really closing the gap.
In truth, it wasn’t a flowing display from All Saints, but they showed resilience, defended well, and took their chances when it mattered most.
Cushendun 1-22 Randalstown 1-08
Venue: Cushendun
Referee: Paddy Tumelty
Cushendun made it two wins from two in their Antrim Hurling League Division 2 campaign with a dominant 1-22 to 1-08 victory over Tir na nÓg Randalstown on home turf. After weathering an early storm against the breeze, the hosts took total control in the second quarter and dictated a largely one-sided second half to run out comfortable winners.
Randalstown played with the advantage of the breeze in the opening half and were first on the scoreboard through a Tiarnan Bonnes free in the 3rd minute. Cushendun quickly responded with a free from Conlaoth “Loaf” McNeill and a score from play by Fiontan McQuillan to edge ahead, before Emmet Murray leveled proceedings in the 8th minute.
The visitors briefly seized the momentum on the 14-minute mark with a spectacular individual goal. Sean Duffin picked up the ball 40 yards out, evaded three Cushendun tackles on a driving run, and coolly placed the sliotar into J.V. Morgan’s right-hand corner to make it 1-02 to 0-02.
However, Cushendun’s response was immediate and emphatic. Callam Kilgore and Pierce Bannon hit quick-fire points to steady the ship, leaving the sides effectively level as the game entered the second quarter.
The turning point arrived in the 22nd minute. After Randalstown goalkeeper Kevin Sheerin produced a brilliant diving save to deny a Callam Kilgore strike, Fiontan McQuillan was perfectly positioned to tap the rebound into the net from close range. Further points from Connor McHugh and McNeill helped the hosts build a 1-08 to 1-04 lead by the interval. Given they would have the wind at their backs for the final 30 minutes, Cushendun were firmly in the driving seat.
Conlaoth McNeill put on an exhibition of shooting, landing seven points in the second period alone—including a string of accurate frees—to continually keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Randalstown’s best chance to spark a revival came in the 13th minute when Declan Mallon found himself one-on-one with J.V. Morgan, but the Cushendun stopper produced a crucial save with his feet to deny the goal.
From there, the home side cut loose. Connor McHugh and Fiontan McQuillan kept the pressure on, while Callam Kilgore, Shane McQuillan, and Thomas Scally all added their names to the scoresheet as the half wore on. Randalstown battled hard but could only muster four points in the second half—two from Bonnes and one each from Emmet Murray and Caoimhin Duffin.
Ultimately, Cushendun’s second-quarter surge and relentless second-half accuracy proved far too much for the visitors, sealing a comprehensive 14-point victory to maintain their perfect start to the season.
Scorers:
Cushendun: *
Conlaoth “Loaf” McNeill: 0-09
Tir na nÓg Randalstown:
Cushendall 2-22 Ballygalget 2-07
Venue: Pairc Mhuire, Cushendall
PICS BY SEAN PAUL McKILLOP
Ruairí Óg Cushendall delivered a dominant second-half performance to secure a comprehensive 15-point victory over Ballygalget in this Antrim Hurling League Division 1 clash at Pairc Mhuire. Despite a spirited first-half display from the visitors, which saw them briefly take the lead, Cushendall’s attacking firepower, led by a devastating 2-4 tally from Fintan Bradley, proved too much to handle.
The game began at a frantic pace, with veteran marksman Neil McManus opening the scoring from a free just nine seconds in. Ballygalget’s John McManus replied immediately from play, setting the tone for a tit-for-tat opening period.
Cushendall edged ahead with scores from Callagh Mooney and a massive long-range free from goalkeeper Conor McAllister. Ballygalget stayed well in touch, picking off impressive points from Oisin Coulter, a Marc Fisher free, and another from John McManus to keep the scoreboard tight.
The turning point of the half arrived in the 24th minute. Following an Eoin McDermott point that leveled the game at 0-6 apiece, Ballygalget’s Fearghal Gilmore found the back of the net to stun the hosts and give his side a sudden 1-6 to 0-6 advantage.
However, the Ardsmen’s lead was short-lived. Cushendall responded right away, reeling off four unanswered points before the short whistle. Sean McAuley and Edmond McQuillan found their range, while Neil McManus slotted two crucial late scores (one free, one from play) to send Cushendall into the dressing rooms with a narrow 0-10 to 1-6 lead.
The second half was largely a one-sided affair as Cushendall found another gear. Edmond McQuillan fired over straight from the restart, signaling the beginning of a relentless Ruairí Óg onslaught. Fiontan Bradley quickly added two frees to extend the gap.
Ballygalget managed their only point of the second half in the 38th minute through Brook Byers, but the game was soon put beyond doubt. In the 39th minute, Bradley struck for his first goal of the afternoon. Just four minutes later, the dynamic corner-forward raised his second green flag, completely taking the wind out of Ballygalget’s sails and stretching the lead to 2-13 to 1-7.
Cushendall’s bench also made a significant impact. Thomas McLaughlin, introduced for Christy McNaughton early in the half, registered two fine points from play. EdMcQuillan continued to cause havoc, finishing the day with 0-4, while Neil McManus, Callagh Mooney, Joseph McNaughton, and Austin Birt all tagged on scores to turn the result into a rout.
Deep into stoppage time, Ballygalget substitute Dara Pucci managed to breach the Cushendall defence to grab a late consolation goal, but it was purely academic at that stage.
Scorers for Ruairí Óg Cushendall:
Scorers for Baile Mhic Uileagóid (Ballygalget):
Substitutions:
