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Antrim continue to make progress.
Road narrows as Leitrim visit Corrigan
NFL Division 3
Antrim v Leitrim
Saturday-Corrigan Park 2-30pm
After Sunday’s implosion at O’Connor Park Antrim are left with little room for error as Division 3 basement side, Leitrim visit Corrigan Park on Saturday.
In what was always going to be a difficult campaign, Antrim got off to a great start when they defeated a fancied Clare at Saturday’s venue.
They were hoping to carry that good form into their second game when they travelled to play Fermanagh in Round 2 in Ederney but despite a descent performance they lost by the minimum to the Lake siders.
A win against Mickey Harte’s high flying Offaly last Sunday would have kept their promotion hopes alive and that win looked very much on the cards as they finished the opening half on the ascendancy to trail by two at the interval.
The wheels came off the wagon however at the start of the second half when the Saffrons had two players Red carded in the opening seven minutes and despite a brave battling performance by the ‘13’ Offaly pulled away to win comfortably in the end.
Both Conor Stewart and Conor Hand look likely to miss Saturday’s must win encounter with Leitrim as the road narrows and Division 3 survival becomes the immediate concern.
In such a competitive division the goal posts can move from week to week and a couple of wins coupled with results going Antrim’s way elsewhere could change all that but getting points on board will be Andy McEntee’s main concern for now.
With Antrim’s regular mid-field looking likely to miss the Leitrim visit Antrim will have to reshuffle the pack with Marc Jordan and Fionn Nagle possibly moving out the field to take up the slack.
Joe Finnegan limped out of the Offaly clash and is another concern while Kavan Keenan missed the Offaly game through injury and is unlikely to be ready for Saturday.
Ryan Murray got some game time at O’Connor Park and is likely to start if declared fit while James McDonnell and James McAuley were given first starts in Tullamore.
Patrick Ferris replaced Finnegan with John Morgan and Callum Higgins seeing some game time at O’Connor Park and will all be looking to get the nod on Saturday but at the time of writing no team had been announced.
Leitrim have made a poor start to their division 3 campaign, losing heavily to Clare, Laois and Kildare but may see their visit to Belfast as an opportunity to arrest their dreadful start to this year’s campaign.
Despite the enforced changes that Antrim will have to make I believe the Saffrons will have enough at their disposal to put their last two defeats behind them to move onto four points and push Leitrim into deeper trouble.
St Louis had three to spare at the end
Danske Bank Foresters Cup
St. Louis 2.14 – 2.10 Gaelcholáiste Dhoire
Coleraine University, February 20th, 2025
St. Louis secured a hard-fought victory over Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in Thursday’s Foresters Cup quarter final at Coleraine University.
Making good use of the strong diagonal wind in the first half the Ballymena school built up a commanding lead in by half time, and as things turned out they needed every point of it as the Dungiven side fought back to close the gap, but St Louis held on to seal a semi-final meeting with St Mary’s next week.
With wind advantage in the opening half St Louis had four points on the board through Eanna McGuckian, Joe Casey, Neil Rodgers and Dylan O’Boyle before Gaelcholáiste Dhoire got their first score through Emmet Óg Mac Íomhair in the seventh minute.
Eunan Curry, Joe Casey and Neill Rodgers tacked on points for the Ballymena boys, before Mac Íomhair got his team’s second point and their outstanding centre forward Dylan Ó hEireamhoinn added another but a great scoring burst by St Louis Eanna McGuckian, which yielded a goal and two point had St Louis eleven to the good at the interval.
Cónan Ó Giolláin and Kian Ó Ceallaigh started to close the gap for the Dungiven boys with well taken points before Eunan Molloy replied with one for St Louis. However Gaelcholáiste Dhoire were starting to find their range and they closed within seven by the end of the third quarter. A goal and a point by St Louis Eunan Molloy appeared to have settled it, and so it proved, but the Derry boys never gave up and a goal on 45 minutes by Dylan Ó hEireamhoinn gave them hope.
St Louis were finding it hard to get the scores by this stage and a scoring burst by Gaelcholáiste Dhoire,, which included a second goal from hEireamhoinn brought them to within a goal of St Louis at the final whistle.
St Louis: Cody McGarry, Joe McFadden, Cillian Scullion, Rory Blaney, Ollie McClements, Domhnall McKay, Jamie McMullan, James McGarry, Eunan Curry, Dylan O’Boyle, Neill Rodgers, Joe Casey, Eanna McGuckian, Conall Boyd, Euan Molloy
Gaelcholáiste: Kevan Mac an tSaoir, Aaronn Mag Uiginn, Dylan Ó Ceallaigh, Ailbhe Mac Con Midhe, Sean Mac Con Midhe, Emmet Óg Mac Íomhair, Cónan Ó Giolláin, Cormac Ó Catháin, Peadar Ó Ceallaigh, Ódhran Ó Cléirigh, Dylan Ó hEireamhoinn, Kian Ó Ceallaigh, Seán Paul Ó Ceallaigh, Aidan Ó Ceallaigh, PeadarPio Ó Duibhne
Late McQuillan point edges St Killian past Maghera
Danske Bank Foresters’ Cup quarter-finals
St Killian’s Garron Tower 1-15 St Patrick’s Maghera 3-8
St Killian’s held off a spirited second half comeback from St Pat’s Maghera to edge their way through to the semi-final of the Danske Bank Foresters Cup at UU Coleraine. The Tower boy appeared to be in charge when they turned around at half time leading by 1-10 to 0-3, after having the use of a strong diagonal wind. They were still in the driving seat when they held a six point lead with ten minutes left to play, but the Derry side hit were now dominating possession and when they drew level near the end the smart money would have been on St Pat’s to push on and book that semi-final place.
However St Killian’s steadied the ship and good work on the left wing sent Shane McQuillan off on a run and he sent over what turned out to be the winning point. There was still a lot of anxiety for the Tower supporters to endure and it took a good save from defender Dylan McNaughton and a fantastic score saving ‘hook’ by corner back Brian McNeill to keep the lead intact.
Three points in the early stages of the opening half, two of them from midfielder Cadhan Graham and a monster strike from his own half by Odhran Kerr had St Killian’s four clear by the eighth minute, before midfielder PJ Glover got St Pat’s first score on the board. Midway through the half Connlaodth McNaughton stretched the Tower’s lead to four again and four minutes later the north Antrim school got a great break when a high shot for a point by left half forward Charlie Black hung up on the wind, deceiving the St Pat’s keeper and ending in the net. Things got even better as McNaughton added three more points, to one from Maghera’s Owen O’Neill, to stretch their lead to ten by the time referee Owen Elliott blew the half time whistle.
Centre back Ultan McCloskey pulled a point back for St Pat’s with a fine long range strike within a minute of the restart, but Donacha Laverty and Cahir McCambridge got the next two for Garron Tower to put eleven clear by the the 37th minute.
St Pat’s were in deep trouble, but the got themselves back in contention when Owen O’Neill fired in a brilliant goal from 25 metres, and when McCloskey added two quick points the gap was down to six. The danger appeared to have been averted when St Killian’s came back with points from Laverty and McNaughton, but a goal from corner forward Sean O’Kane and a point from full forward Fionn Cartin brought St Pat’s right back into the game.
When St Killian’s full forward Cahir McCambridge stretched the lead to four with just three minutes of normal time left to play it looked like the game was safe for the north Antrim team, but Cartin pointed in the last minute and followed it up with his team’s third goal to bring his side level, and it took that late Shane McQuillan point to get a very relieved St Killian’s home through to a semi-final meeting with CPC
St Killian’s: Ben Duncan, Jake Laffan, Paddy Morgan, Brian McNeill, Odhrán Kerr, Dylan McNaughton, Cadhan Graham, Ronan Magee, Christopher Leech, Shane McQuillan, Connlaodth McNaughton, Charlie Black, Donncha Laverty, Cahir McCambridge, Conal óg Trainor
Subs:
St Patrick’s: Fionn Wallace, Dan McEldowney, Ultan McCloskey, Brennan O’Kane, Dara McKenna, Cathal McCloseky, Owen O’Neill, Lorcán McMullan, Seán O’Kane, Neil McDermott, Fintan Hardy, Charlie Bradley, Ryan Tohill, Fionn Cartin, Seán O’Hara.
Referee – Owen Elliott (All Saints)
To see more photos from the game click on the link below
https://myalbum.com/album/rzZnkRZdSggQ2z/?invite=f868967a-0d85-4d67-b4ba-5a43fa767d2e
Aghagallon Armada sank Leitrim at Corrigan Park
Leitrim visit Corrigan Park on Saturday in Round 4 of the NFL Division 3. The visitors are pointless after three rounds of league fixtures while their hosts, Antrim have one win from three starts and both sides will be keen to get some points on board.
The Saffron Gael takes a look back at the meeting of Saturday’s opponents back in 2023 in the Tailteann Cup in Corrigan and later we will be previewing Saturday’s league meeting.
Tailteann Cup Round 1
Antrim 3-18 Leitrim 2-12 (May 14th 2023)
The Aghagallon Armada, Adam Loughran and Ruairi McCann combined to sink Leitrim in this opening game of the Tailteann Cup at Corrigan Park on Sunday. Loughran justified his selection in the Antrim starting line with two second half goals and in between his St. Mary’s colleague, McCann climbed to palm home another to put the home side in control.
Last year Antrim travelled to Carrick on Shannon in the first round of the Tailteann Cup and suffered defeat and it wasn’t looking too good for the Saffrons on Sunday as late replacement Barry McNulty rose to meet Keith Beirne’s dropping shot to palm home in the 3rd minute.
Adam Loughran replied with a point for Antrim and the Saffrons looked to be in for a goal but Marc Jordan’s shot was saved by Nevin O’Donnell.
Pearce Dolan replied for Andy Moran’s side but Antrim again came tantalisingly close to a goal when a great delivery from Loughran saw Aghagallon’s Ruairi McCann get a touch but the ball crept over.
Creggan’s Ruairi McCann, Conor Stewart and Michael Byrne (45) hit unanswered points as the Antrim charge gained momentum but Byrne was called into action to deny Beirne at close range and the Rossa clubman would make further vital stops later in the half from McNulty and then Darragh Rooney at point-blank range.
Antrim looked susceptible to conceding further goals at this stage as Leitrim were able to carve open the Antrim defence too easily and always had a reply to Antrim scores as Mark Plunkett and a brace from Rooney found the target with Dominic McEnhill keeping the score board ticking at the other end from frees.
The Saffrons were beginning to get on top however with Marc Jordan producing a number of defence splitting runs and they looked in for a goal when Aghagallon’s Ruairi McCann’s low shot was stopped on the line by O’Donnell in the Leitrim goals.
Dominic McEnhill, who scored 0-6 for Antrim challenges for possession
The visitors were still giving as good as they got with just a point separating the sides as half time approached after a superb score from Beirne but Ronan Boyle would finish a great Antrim move to send Antrim into a 0-10 to 1-05 lead at the interval.
The Saffrons stepped it up a notch on the restart with points from the impressive duo of Loughran and McEnhill, but were then caught again when Aidan Flynn’s inviting ball from the right to the back post saw Jack Heslin rise to fist home with Antrim keeper Michael Byrne hurt as the players challenged.
Byrne was able to resume after treatment and Antrim returned to the offensive with Ruairi McCann pointing, and although Leitrim replied with points it was Antrim who struck a decisive blow when Patrick Finnegan placed Adam Loughran who fired home.
Andy McEntee’s side were now playing with confidence and moving the ball around with conviction and Paddy McBride set up Ruairi McCann with an astute pass and the Aghagallon man palmed to the net.
The home side continued to press and struck with a third goal and again it was Loughran who was on the end of a good ball for McBride and he stepped inside to crash to the net to end any hope of a Leitrim comeback.
Adam Loughran was excellent for Antrim and finished with a personal total of 2-3
To their credit, the visitors kept going to the end with Paul Keaney kicking four when introduced, but they needed much more with Antrim out of sight and Patrtck McCormick became Antrim’s ninth name on the score sheet to complete an excellent start in the competition for Andy McEntee’s men.
The Meath man will be pleased by his side’s performance with Ronan Boyle, Adam Loughran and Dominic McEnhill all in the starting line-up and all three made telling contributions while Cathal Hynds and Cormac McGettigan saw game time and Dermot McAleese returned to the side after a lengthy injury.
Antrim: Michael Byrne (0-02, 1f, 1 45); Ronan Boyle (0-01), Peter Healy (0-01), James McAuley; Paddy McBride, Joseph Finnegan, Dermott McAleese; Jack Dowling, Conor Stewart (0-01); Patrick Finnegan, Adam Loughran (2-03), Ruairi McCann (0-01); Marc Jordan, Ruairi McCann (1-02), Dominic McEnhill (0-06, 5f)
Subs: Patrick McCormick (0-01) for J McAuley (27), Cathal Hynds for J Dowling (47), Pat Shivers for R McCann (Aghagallon, 66), Odhran Eastwood for P Finnegan (66), Cormac McGettigan for M Jordan (70+2)
Leitrim: Nevin O’Donnell; Paddy Maguire, Mark Diffley, Conor Farrell; James Rooney (0-01), Shane Quinn, Aiden Flynn; Pearce Dolan (0-01), Donal Wrynn; Darragh Rooney (0-03), Keith Beirne (0-01), Mark Plunkett (0-01); Jack Heslin (1-01), Barry McNulty (1-00), Domhnaill Flynn
Subs: Tom Prior for J Rooney (54), Oisin McLoughlin for K Beirne (54), Paul Keaney (0-04, 2f) for D Flynn (57), Cillian McGloin for C Farrell (62), Stephen McLoughlin for M Plunkett (70)
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)