by thesaffrongael

Davy’s Saffron Reign Begins at HQ

Allianz National Hurling League – Divison 1b

Antrim v Dublin

Saturday 25 January

Throw in: 5:15pm

Venue: Croke Park, Dublin

Brendan McTaggart looks ahead to Antrim’s opening Allianz National Hurling league match of the 2025 season as they travel to the Capital to take on Dublin.

A new year, new hurling league campaign and a new management team.  There’s plenty to be optimistic about with a hurl and sliotar within the Saffron County as Davy Fitzgerald’s rein as Antrim hurling manager goes under the spotlight.

Davy watches the action at the Antrim v Derry challenge game at Dunsilly last week

With no pre-season competitions this year, denying Fitzgerald the chance of having a look at his panel as a collective in action, they’ve been busy with challenge games.  Matches against Limerick, Down and Derry have given Fitzgerald and his backroom team the chance to cast a ruling eye over the side he has inherited.  A side that is now without the talents of Neil McManus, Conor McCann and the injured Conal Cunning.

From being at the Derry match, I did notice a couple of returnees.  Namely Ryan McCambridge and Conor Johnston.  Both had eye catching club championship campaigns with St John’s Oisin Donnelly also drafted into the squad, another who caught the eye during the championship.  There are a number of injury concerns though and when we spoke with Davy Fitz, he gave us an update: “Seaan Elliott is going to need game time.  He’s only back and hasn’t really trained for four or five weeks.  Paul Boyle, that was only his second bit of field action (against Derry), still out.  Gerard (Walsh) is just back (vacation), Keelan Molloy is still out.

“That’s four lads I’d certainly like to have had available.”

Gerard Walsh
Paul Boyle
Seaan Elliott
Keelan Molloy

The Sixmilebridge native has made full use of the games arranged.  Travelling to Limerick before hosting Down and Derry on Tuesday and Friday last week.  Regarding where he sees the panel in what he’s trying to implement, Fitzgerald said: “We played a different 15 on Tuesday night and a different 15 tonight.  Two or three of that team out there tonight might play against Dublin.

“I’m happy enough.  The only thing I wouldn’t be happy about there is we went eight points up and we went back to doing stuff we’ve been doing for the last two or three years.  It’s frustrating but we’re only four or five weeks into trying to do what we’re doing.  We’re changing a lot of things and I can see patches of where we’re doing a lot of right things and then we’re overplaying at times when I don’t want it overplayed but listen, they have decisions they have to make.  We’re not in a position where we can make the right decision all the time but in order for us to be competitive, we have to play a certain way and do certain things” Fitzgerald continued: “We’re only at the beginning of that process.  It’s going to be frustrating but are they giving everything?  Yeah.  Are there patches of play that are really good and they’re making the other teams hit the ball long?  Yeah, but we’re not doing that consistently.  We’ve a lot of work to do.”

With the leagues restructured, Antrim have games against Westmeath (home), Offaly (away), Waterford (home), Carlow (away) and Laois (home) after this weekend.  A week break between the Westmeath and Offaly games before a bye in the last round of fixtures on 22 March.  It’s a hectic schedule and one that the Saffrons will have to hit the ground running.  The Clare native was under no illusions as to the goals for the 2025 league: “We have to maintain and stay in our Division.  That’s our number one goal.  But we have to learn as much as we can this year and then hopefully into championship and next year, you’ll see improvements.”

Croke Park under the lights, delightful stuff.  It’s hard to beat any match on the Jones Road down Drumcondra way but when you throw the floodlights into the mix, it’s something special. 

As Storm Éowyn subsides and thoughts turn to the Dublin match, memories cast to recent matches against the Dubs.  A chastening defeat in Parnell Park during the Leinster championship last year came after a brilliant display against Wexford while there was just one point between the sides at Corrigan Park last year in the league.  Fitzy said that he’s fully aware of the challenge ahead but is keen to look for improvements: “I saw Dublin play Limerick.  They were on fire.  They won by six, it’s a big ask.  I’m very happy with what we’ve done but look, Dublin were in a Leinster final last year.  Are they in a different position to where we are?  Maybe. 

“If this team keeps working as hard as they have been working and keep working on the things that we’ve identified, I’d expect you will see a difference in Antrim in the next number of months.”

When they last met….

Dublin put Antrim to the sword at Parnell Park in last year’s Leinster Championship

Saffrons Sunk by Brilliant Dubs

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Group Stage

Antrim 1-18 Dublin 3-32

Saturday 11 May

Brendan McTaggart reports from Parnell Park, Dublin

It’s the hope that kills you.  As Dublin tore Antrim apart in the second half, playing like a prime Limerick, the realisation of the Saffrons hopes if not expectations being trampled over began to sink in.

It was a hard watch in that second 35 minutes.  When the P.A. announced four additional minutes at the end of the game it felt like our emotions were being toyed with. 

Antrim travelled to Parnell Park buoyant and confident.  They left with a plethora of questions remaining unanswered and their championship hopes hanging by a thread.

It was supposed to be different.  The euphoria of that infamous Wexford victory feels like a long, long time ago right now.

Antrim’s Paddy Burke and Dublin’s Danny Sutcliffe in action during the 2024 Leinster Championship at Parnell Park.

For what it’s worth, that hope that I speak of was still prevalent going into the final quarter.  Maybe just slightly outside of touching distance, Antrim trailed by six points in the 58th minute after Seaan Elliott fired over his third point of the game.  It was a brilliant score and roused the sizeable Antrim support in attendance.  The Dublin response was emphatic to the point where it was a savage knockout blow.  By the time Conal Cunning fired over his fourth free of the match in the 65th minute, the home side had recorded 2-3 to take the game away from Antrim.  They cruised through the time that remained as Antrim looked for goals to try and get some sort of way back into the game, it was just never for coming.

James McNaughton in action for Antrim in last year’s Leinster Championship against Dublin

TEAMS

Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Niall O’Connor, Ryan McGarry, Paddy Burke; Gerard Walsh, Conor Boyd, Conall Bohill; Seaan Elliott, Eoghan Campbell; Nigel Elliott, Keelan Molloy, James McNaughton; Conal Cunning, Niall McKenna, Aodhan O’Brien

Subs: Joseph McLaughlin for A O’Brien (47); Paul Boyle for K Molloy (50); Fred McCurry for C Boyd (55); Christy McGarry for N McKenna (61); Sean McKay for C Cunning (65)

Scorers: J McNaughton 1-2; C Cunning 0-4 (4 f’s); S Elliott 0-3; E Campbell 0-3; K Molloy 0-2; G Walsh 0-2 (1 f); N Elliott 0-1; Fred McCurry 0-1

Dublin: Sean Brennan; John Bellew, Paddy Smyth, Paddy Doyle; Chris Crummey, Conor Donohue, Eoghan O’Donnell; Brian Hayes, Conor Burke; Danny Sutcliffe, Donal Burke, Sean Currie; Fergal Whitely, Cian O’Sullivan, Paul Crummey

Subs: Ronan Hayes for P Crummey (47); Darragh Power for D Sutcliffe (60); James Madden for C Crummey (65); Jake Malone for C O’Sullivan (65); Sean Gallagher for B Hayes (68)

Scorers: D Burke 1-11 (1-9 f’s); S Currie 0-5; C Burke 0-4; P Crummey 1-00; B Hayes 1-00; C O’Sullivan 0-2; J Bellew 0-2; R Hayes 0-2; D Power 0-2; C Donohue 0-1; D Sutcliffe 0-1; F Whitely 0-1; S Gallagher 0-1

by thesaffrongael

GAA seminar at Ulster University with Jim Gavin

Knowledge Exchange Seminar

Ulster University

February 1st, Registration at 9.15.

On Saturday, February 1st, Ulster University will host a Knowledge Exchange Seminar where the main focus will be on coaching in Gaelic games. The keynote presentation will be given by Jim Gavin, former manager of the Dublin Senior Football Team, and current Chair of the Football Review Committee. Jim currently manages at underage level and will speak about coaching at both developmental and elite levels. In addition, there will be presentations detailing some of the findings of the Youth Participation Study, a piece of research conducted with over 5,000 Gaelic games participants across the island of Ireland, aged 13 to 20 years old. The first presentation will focus on gender differences in participation and physical activity, and explore the implications of these differences for girls and young women athletes. The second presentation will examine the nature and extent of physical activity among Gaelic games participants, with a particular focus on the differences in activity across different levels of participation, from single-code Club only players, through to players representing their counties on development squads. The final presentation will examine the importance of coach autonomy behaviours – where coaches create environments wherein the voice of the player is heard, and players feel understood and respected.

There will also be an opportunity for attendees to have their say, both on the presentations that they have attended, but also on the best ways forward in terms of minimising dropout from Gaelic games, encouraging greater participation, and ensuring that all Gaelic games participants are sufficiently physically active.

The event is free of charge, and lunch will be provided.

The event is open to those involved in coaching at all age groups.

by thesaffrongael

Aghagallon girls make history 

2025 is an exciting year for St Mary’s Aghagallon as our Senior ladies embark on their first season in ladies’ football. This is something our club has been working towards for a number of years, and we are thrilled with the opportunity for our girls to represent the club at senior level. 

Our coaches have dedicated a considerable amount of their time and effort over a number of years coaching our junior ladies and ensuring that they have skills necessary to compete with the best that Antrim has to offer. We entered teams up to U16 level in 2024 and our girls have made significant progress over the last few years. In 2024, we have also established our Gaelic for Mothers & Others (G4MO) team, which was very well supported by the community. This strengthened our belief that there was a healthy appetite for ladies’ football in Aghagallon and with that the decision was made to establish a Senior team for the first time.

Senior training began two weeks ago, and the girls are working incredibly hard to get themselves ready for the season ahead. The coaches are confident that by the start of the season, the skills will be sharpened and the fitness in place to allow us to compete in the league and championship. 

The establishment of a Senior LGFA team is a major milestone for the club as we now have senior teams representing the club across 3 different codes (GAA, Camogie & LGFA). We are positive that the girls will make us proud, and we wish them luck on their journey for this year and beyond.

As part of the preparations Fionnuala Murphy the Chairperson of Referee Committee Antrim LGFA was invited to Aghagallon to take a rules workshop with the players and management. 

Then the girls had an in-house game to help implement the rules which Fionnuala refereed.

Great to see yet another LGF senior team in Antrim. 

                                          Aghagallon Abu

by thesaffrongael

Bryson stars for St Columb’s in Shield semi-final

Coláiste Feirste came up just short in Wednesday’s Casements Shield semi-final at Owenbeg, losing out to a Jude Bryson inspired St Columb’s Derry team whose ability to grab goals set them apart from their Belfast opponents.

There were four scoring stars in the game, two from St Columb’s who each scored on seven occasions and two from Coláiste Feirste who split the posts six times each. However Bryson’s goal scoring ability was to prove the difference in the two teams, the corner forward five goal haul set up a final meeting with St Patrick’s Dungiven

The Na Magha forward scored four of those goals in the opening half with his St Columb’s team-mate Cathal McNicholl scoring all five points to take the boys from the maiden city to an interval lead of 4-5 to 0-9 from Coláiste Feirste with Tomás Mac Adaim keeping the Belfast school in the battle with five white flags.

Oran Morris became the third St Columb’s player to register a score when he pointed early in the second half. But Nathan Mac Cionnaith was starting to make an impact at the other end with the first of his five second half points, all from open play.

Bryson and McNicholl responded with points while scores from defenders Oisín Ó hÉanna and Aaron Ó Coinn, along with Mac Cionnaith, brought the Falls Road team a little closer. However Bryson’s fifth goal put St Columb’s in a strong position going into the final quarter and they were able to maintain that gap between the teams through to the final whistle.

Nathan Mac Cionnaith was excellent during the second half, while Aaron Ó Coinn and Oisín Ó hÉanna put in a solid hour. However the goals came early and it meant that Coláiste Feirste were chasing the game from the start.

St Columb’s: J Bryson 5-2, C McNicholl 0-7, 0-3 frees, O Morris and T McFeely 0-1 each.

Coláiste Feirste: T Mac Adaim (3 frees) and N Mac Cionnaith 0-6 each, O Ó hÉanna (1 free) and A Ó Coinn 0-2 each, O Mag Uidhir 0-1.

St Columb’s: Callum Mackey Richardson, Finn Mackey, Kayne Ponsonby, John Paul McCafferty, Rory Hope, Oran Morris, Conor O’Donnell, Fergal Cutliffe, Joe Bryson, Tiernan McFeeley, Cathal McNicholl, Eoin O’Kane, Jude Bryson, Liam Meenan, Oran Donnelly

Coláiste Feirste: Ciarnán Ó Cearúill, ⁠Cillian Ó Néill, ⁠Barra Mac Craith,⁠ Caomhán Ó Mealláin, ⁠Oisín Ó hÉanna, ⁠Aaron Ó Coinn, ⁠Christopher Mac Roibeaird, ⁠Ruairí Ó Scolláin, ⁠Conall Mac Mathúna, ⁠Aidan Mac Giolla Domhnaigh, ⁠Nathan Mac Cionnaoith, ⁠Tomás Ó Corráin, ⁠Dúaltach Ó Cianáin, ⁠Caolán Mac Coille, ⁠Tomás Mac Adaim

Sub: Odhran Mag Uidhir for C Mac Coille (44)

to see more of Bert’s pics from this game click on the link below

https://myalbum.com/album/m49WJ376SBn7Pm

by thesaffrongael

Difficult opener for Antrim as Clare visit Corrigan

NFL Division 3

Antrim v Clare

Corrigan Park – Sunday 26th January-1-00pm

Antrim kick off their fourth year in division 3 of the National Football League with a difficult opener against Clare at Corrigan Park on Sunday. The Banner had three points to spare over Andy McEntee’s Antrim in the corresponding fixture last year in Ennis and will travel to Belfast confident of getting their league campaign off to a winning start.

Clare came close to gaining promotion back to division 2 last year, having been relegated the previous year but had to settle for third place to Down and Westmeath with a point separating them from the Lake County.

McEntee begins his third term in charge of the Saffrons and the former Meath manager has been well received in his adopted county that has seen them play an attractive brand of football.

Mick Byrne returns for another season as Antrim’s last line of defence

Success is difficult to measure but Antrim have reached successive Tailteann Cup semi-finals which saw them lose to eventual winners Meath in 2023 and to Laois in 2024.

The Saffrons finished 4th in division 3 in 2022 under Enda McGinley having gained promotion from division 4 under the Errigal Ciaran man the previous year.

Survival in division 3 under Andy McEntee would have been seen as success in 2023 where Antrim finished 6th and in 2024 Antrim went one better, finishing 5th and this year’s campaign looks no less daunting.

Antrim face difficult away trips to Fermanagh, Offaly, Laois and Kildare with Leitrim and Sligo joining Clare in their trips to Corrigan this season.

The introduction of the new rules will add further intrigue to all of this year’s National League fixtures and Antrim have tested the water in challenges against Monaghan and Louth.

Just who adapts best and fastest to these rule changes will have a big bearing on how their league campaigns will pan out but I would expect the changes to bring about some confusion and controversy through the early rounds as teams come to terms with the changes.

The changes may well prove a benefit to Antrim however with a big emphasis on speed and moving the ball quickly and Antrim look to have the players who can adapt to these changes.

Team captain Peter Healey will miss the early rounds with an ongoing injury and Colm McLarnon is sidelined while Ruairi McCann of Creggan has opted out for 2025 and Declan Lynch and Paddy McAleer have retired but Antrim retained the majority of the panel who have served them well over the last few years.

Mick Byrne, Paddy McBride, Marc Jordan, Ronan Boyle, Joe and Patrick Finnegan, Ruairi McCann (Aghagallon), and Eunan Walsh will backbone a strong panel and Dermot McAleese will captain the side where the fit again Conor Stewart will provide a further boost.

Ryan Murray has returned to the Antrim panel following a year out with serious injury

Ryan Murray has returned to the Antrim panel after a year out with serious injury and the lamh Dhearg man will add much needed experience to the Antrim attack.

Niall Hynds, Patrick Ferris, Shaun O’Callaghan, Aaron McNeilly, and young Adams from St Johns are amongst the new faces in the panel as Andy McEntee continues to build the panel and these lads will add competition for places.

Clare manager Peter Keane has been handed a significant boost with Eoin Cleary and Keelan Sexton set to return to the senior panel ahead of the 2025 season.

Last month, former Kerry manager Keane succeeded Mark Fitzgerald in the role. Clare were without several stalwarts including Cleary and Sexton for 2024. In the aftermath of Colm Collins’ departure several squad members stepped away including Cleary, Sexton, Cian O’Dea and Pearce Lillis.

Cleary spent the summer in America playing Gaelic football for Chicago Wolfe Tones where he won a national title. His presence in Croke Park last October representing Munster in the interprovincial series sparked hopes a return was on the cards.

Clare will travel to West Belfast confident they can add to last year’s victory over Antrim in Ennis but Andy McEnee’s Saffrons have put in a lot of work in the build up to Sunday’s opener and can claim the win that could set them up for a good season.