Our Lady & St. Patrick’s Knock, St. Malachy’s Belfast, St. Joseph’s Belfast and St. Louis Ballymena contest a very enjoyable Gaelfast Year 8 Football Cup at the Ballymena College’s excellent all weather facility on Wednesday.
The action got off to a great start with Our Lady & St. Patrick’s taking on St. Malachy’s in the first quarter-final with St. Malachy’s coming back strongly in the second half but the Antrim Road side were edged out by a couple of points.
St. Joseph’s BelfastSt. Louis Ballymena
The standard of football from both sides was right out of the top drawer and the game could have gone either way.
In the second semi-final hosts St. Louis had too much fire power and strength for a battling St. Joseph’s who fought hard all the way but had no answer to a high scoring Kintullagh outfit.
And so it was on to the final where again St. Louis looked the team to beat and despite a big effort from Our Lady & St. Patrick’s it was the Ballymena College who claimed the spoils to go forward to next week’s final against St. Mary’s CBGS at Dunsilly.
Our Lady & St. Patrick’s KnockSt. Malachy’s Belfast
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Mary Butler, who was laid to rest on Monday after Requiem Mass in St Mac Nissi’s RC Church Randalstown was the third ex Antrim All Ireland winning Camog to pass away in as recent weeks, following Maeve Gilroy an Margo Kane.
Mary Butler (nee McFall) top right and the other four St Mary’s Ahoghill player who won All Ireland medals
Mary, who was born Mary McFall in Cloney, Ahoghill, was one of a family of eight children, six girls and two boys. She started her Camogie career with the local St Mary’s club where she was joined by her sister Bridget, whose grandsons PJ and James O’Connell went on the play club and county hurling.
Mary was selected for the Antrim team in later years, winning an All Ireland medal in 1946 on the team that beat Galway in the final at MacCrory Park and two year later was a member of the Ahoghill team who won the Antrim county title.
A few months ago a member of the current Cork All Ireland winning team, Saoirse McCarthy, brought the O’Duffy Cup along when she and Mary’s granddaughter Charlene Campbell visited her in the Prospect Nursing Home in Ballymena.
Mary holding the Bridie McMenamin Shield after Ahoghill beat Lavey in the final in November 2019
Mary Buter’s love of Camogie (and hurling) endured long after her playing career ended and she was keen follower of her children and grandchildren who played the games, like the O’Connell’s for Cloney Gaels, the Hamills with Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm and her granddaughter Charlene who has had a great career with Ulster and Antrim champions Loughgiel Shamrocks and with Antrim. When her home club Ahoghill won the Bridie McMenamin Shield against Lavey in 2019 Mary was there cheering them on and joined in the celebrations afterwards.
When Mary’s body was carried from St McNissi’s Church on Monday to her final resting place, four members of the current Antrim Camogie team formed a guard of honour, a lovely touch, which was a nod back over almost 80 years to that day in MacCrory Park Belfast when Mary and her team-mates raised the O’Duffy Cup after the final win over Galway.
To Mary’s family, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren we offer our sincere condolences.
Limerick v Antrim Very National Div 1B League Saturday 22nd February 2025
Antrim panel in Ahoghill against Wexford, standing for the one minute silence to respect Mary Butler – Pic Michael Corcoran
Antrim will take an overnight stay on the way down ahead of Saturday’s game against Limerick in the Very National Div 1b league, arriving fresh and focused for the game. At the time of writing, Castletown Ballagran GAA Club has been proposed as the venue, but there is a possibility of that changing to a closer venue, depending on pitch availability.
Both sides can claim to have a chequered past with their 2024 encounters, where Antrim turned around a half time Very National league score of 0-04 to 2-02 in Ballycastle in early March, before the final whistle to 3-10 to 2-05, Antrim’s majors coming from Annie Lynn, Sarah Fyfe, and Fionnuala Kelly, Limerick’s goals came from Niamh Ryan and Caoimhe Lyons and Limerick got the better of Antrim by just two points in the senior championship in Mick Neville Park in late June, winning 2-17 to 3-12.
Limerick will want to avoid a repeat of last year’s league encounter in Ballycastle– Pic Michael Corcoran
Antrim will be buoyed by their recent win over Wexford in Ahoghill (0-14 to 2-07), despite some regulars on the panel missing due to holidays and injury, but Limerick will be in a similar mood, having travelled away last Saturday to Clonduff and came away with a 1-13 to 1-05 win over Down.
Clare McKillop, along with the rest of Antrim’s defence will want to keep Limerick out of the scoringzone in Saturday’s Very National Div 1B League game– Pic Michael Corcoran
The all-important weather will no doubt place its mark on the game, with the most recent forecast suggesting no rain at the 2pm throw-in, but it may be a blustery day with gusts reaching upwards of a predicted 32 mph. It’s liable to change though before the game at this time of the year, as last year’s league game in Ballycastle can attest; sunshine, heavy showers and hailstones battered players and match officials within the sixty minutes of play. The Saffron Gael is pleased to be pitch side on Saturday for the game and we’ll bring you a match report and the usual bumper album of photos from the game.
MAIN PICTURE – The Glenariffe-Glenravel team who made history in 2024 by winning the Antrim and Ulster Minor Hurling Championship for the first time are seen here at the Oisins CLG dinner in the Tullyglass Hotel.
Senior Managers Hugh Dobbin and Shay O’Hagan presenting the Players’ Player of the Year award to Oliver Kearney at the Oisins GAC dinner in the Tullyglass Hotel.
Senior Managers Hugh Dobbin and Shay O’Hagan presenting the Most Improved Player of the Year to Ronan Leech (photo left) and the Most Dedicated Player award to Ben O’Boyle at the Oisins awards dinner in the Tullyglass Hotel.
The Glenariffe-Glenravel team and management who won the 2024 Antrim and Ulster Minor Hurling Championships were the stars of the show at the Oisins dinner Oisins treasurer Teresa Gettins presents a sponsorhip cheque to the Saffron Gael at the club’s dinner in Tullyglass Hotel
Padraig McIlwaine presenting the Supporter of the Year to Carol Ward and Orlaith McAllister presents Kate Ewings with the Senior Ladies Gaelic Football Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year.
Teresa Gettins receives the Clubperson of the Year awards from Hugh McIlwaine at the Oisins awards dinner in Tullyglass Hotel
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Main picture – The Ruairi Og team who won the Division 3 League title in 2024 are seen here at the club’s annual awards night in the Tullyglass Hotel. Included is team manager ‘Jackie’ Carson
Ruairi Og Cushendall held their annual awards evening in the Tullyglass Hotel, Ballymena on Saturday evening where they celebrated another speical year for the club. Top of the list was winning the Senior Hurling Championship, closely followed by the Minor Camogie team who captured their third county title in a row. Guests of honour were county Chairman Seamus McMullan and his wife Siobhan, plus the new county Camogie chairperson Una Kelly and treasurer Angela Boyle
Saffron Gael went along to grab some pics
The Cushendall team who won last season’s Antrim Senior Hurling title received their medals at the RuairiOg dinner in the Tullyglass Hotel.
Cushendall Minor team who won their third county title in a row
Brian Delargy and his backroom team who helped him win the 2024 championship and league titles
The Ruairi Og club committee at the clubs awards night. Back Row: (L-R) Mick Quinn, Fergus McAlister, James McCurry, Marie Hayden, Aidan McAteer, Emmett McNaughton, Martin Magee Front row: (L-R) Eimear O’Hara, Clódagh McAllister, Kevin McCann, Martin Allen, Ann Marie McNaughtonSeamus McMullan makes a special award to Anne Marie McNaughton to mark an individual presentation made to her a few weeks ago to mark her dedication to the GAASeamus McMullan and Neill McManus presnt a framed jersey, which was worn by her late husband Danny in the 1992 county final Emmet McNaughton with his wife Tina, daughters Cara and Caoimhe, son Killian and his mum Anne Marie with the jersey his late dad Danny wore in the 1992 Championship final.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Maeve & Amy McAlister who shared the Minor Most Improved awardEva McNeill receives the Minor Camogie Player of the Year award from Una Kelly
