As the hangovers from the weekend celebrations start to abate and sore limbs receive treatment we reflect on what is always a special occasion for Antrim Gaels.
Saturday saw All Saints claim their fourth Intermediate title. The last one came in 2011 and the Ballymena men suffered a number of painful defeats in the years since that last success including two final defeats in the previous three years
Longevity is a word often used when referring to those who have served their club well over a long period of years but much has been rightly made of the fresh bunch of youngsters who finally got the Slemish Park men over the line on Saturday.
The appointment of Liam ‘Baker’ Bradley as All Saints manager, three years ago was not universally heralded by the critics but the former Antrim county manager has silenced the critics.
New faces have been introduced and there has been a buzz about training at Quinn Park with previously unimaginable numbers turning out week after week at training as the feel good factor has taken a hold.
When I briefly spoke to the Glenullin native after the game as he shared in the excitement that only winning can bring, I pointed out to him that six of the starting side on Saturday and two of the subs had featured in that championship success over Portglenone back in 2011.
All Saints went on to defeat the Fermanagh and Cavan champions in Ulster that year before narrowly losing to Cullaville of Armagh in the semi-final after extra time in Omagh.
The men of 2011! Left to Right: Rory McVeigh, Peter McReynolds, Emmet Killougth, Michael McCarry, Sean McVeigh, Peter McNicholl and Paddy McAleer
Sean McVeigh was a box to box mid-fielder back in 2011 and with Michael McCarry went on to serve Antrim well and the elder statesmen of the side back then are still driving their younger colleagues on by example.
Peter McNicholl has been another who refused to throw in the towel when he was afforded little game time last year and has been terrific at the heart of the Ballymena defence this year.
Emmet Killough, Paddy McAleer and Peter Pizza’ McReynolds were emerging youngsters in that championship run 13 years ago and with Rory McVeigh were member of an All Saints All County Minor B championship winning side a few years previous.
The aforementioned 8 stood proudly together for a photograph after the championship win in Toome on Saturday.
Big Sean is no longer a box to box mid-fielder but has weighed in regularly with important goals throughout the league and championship in 2024 and got another in the final against St. Teresa’s.
Michael McCarry has been restricted to appearances from the bench in recent games but kicked two frees when introduced late in the final proving once again that class is permanent.
Peter McReynolds has returned recently from a career threatening injury but like Rory McVeigh has had to be content with a place on the bench as All Saints emerging youngsters have staked their claim.
Emmet Killough continues to produce strong performances for the Ballymena side and is a vital cog in the side while Paddy McAleer has been part of the county setup for more than a decade and one again displayed his class in their Toome success with four points.
When the celebrations from Saturdays success have died down it will be back to the coal face and more training sessions under the regime of ‘Honda’ Mullan as the Ballymena side set their sights on another crack at Ulster.
For one or more of these men it could be a last hooray in the Black & White of All Saints but I wouldn’t rule out any of them being back next year as All Saints contest their first Senior Championship since 2012.
That winning feeling! All Saints celebrate their win over St. Teresa’s in the IFC Final in Toome on Saturday
Cargin and Portglenone fans turned out in great numbers on Sunday at Corrigan Park. This is a selection of photos taken by the Saffront Gael photographers of the big day. Just click on the links below to see some great images
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO SEE PICS FROM SUNDAY’S ANTRIM FINAL AT CORRIGAN PAKR
St Pauls were pushed all the way by Rossa, though the league Champions had four-points to spare in their 3-10-2-09 win in the Stout McDonald Cup Final at Pairc Rossa on Sunday afternoon.
The final started at a frantic pace with two goals inside the first two minutes. Rossa drew first blood when Jacob Bell lashed home before 60-seconds had elapsed, but at the other end St Pauls captain Jude Gamble struck a low shot into the far corner to restore parity.
It was Rossa who had settled the brighter and they chalked up four unanswered points in the aftermath of the early goal action.
Cillian Carabine converted a free and Conor Stewart then dropped an angled shot over the bar.
Carabine doubled his account from the placed ball and then shot over from play to open up a 1-04-1-00 lead.
Points were exchanged as Aidan Johnston converted a free and Carabine did likewise at the other end after being chopped down.
Successive frees from Johnston cut the deficit to two with 10-minutes to the break and despite Cillian Carabine popping over his second point from play, parity was soon restored in the decider.
Pre-game favourites St Pauls came from behind for the second time when Jude Gamble flighted a high ball into the path of Sian McMullan to slam home and make 2-03-1-06.
A fourth converted Aidan Johnston free would edge his side in front for the first time with goal scorer McMillan swinging a shot over to ensure St Pauls were 2-05-1-06 ahead at the interval.
Rossa talisman Cillian Carabine halved the deficit with a free a minute after the restart, however back-to-back placed balls from Matthew O’Neill saw St Pauls stretch their advantage.
Carabine (free) and O’Neill traded scores and a third O’Neill free and fourth score since the break had his side a further point clear.
The hosts closed in with their second goal of the game on the 34th minute. Cillian Carabine floated in a high free and Conor Stewart flicked the sliother to the net to make it a one-point game with little over a quarter of an hour remaining (2-09-2-08).
There was a stroke of fortune about St Pauls restoring their four-point advantage on the 38th minute.
Aidan Johnston saw his free blocked short, Johnston had a second bite that appeared to have been superbly kept out by Rossa keeper Aidan Holbrook- turning the ball onto the post, but it trickled over the line despite Holbrook’s best attempts.
Carabine clipped over his sixth free and eighth score overall, but they couldn’t close in any further in the remaining ten minutes and a fifth Johnston placed ball was the last score as St Pauls ran out 3-10-2-09 winners at the end of a fantastic final.
A strong second half and a player of the match performance from Caitrin Dobbin was the foundations for the Shamrocks as they sealed an 11th county title in a row. They had to show plenty of determination and character along with their undoubted skills to see off the challenge of Dunloy, however. The Cuchullains threw everything they could at Loughgiel and held a six point lead after just 10 minutes but it was a dominant second half from the Shamrocks as they turned the screw and when Dobbin fired in their third major, it all but sealed their victory.
It was the twin attacking threat of Roisin McCormick and Caitrin Dobbin that did the majority of the damage for the Shamrocks but the driving force of Lucie McNaughton and work rate of Christine McCloskey were vital in the middle third. McCormick finished with a final tally of 1-7 as she caused plenty of problems in an overworked Dunloy defence.
Dunloy’s early attacking threat and goals came from the brilliance of Katie Molloy and the determination of Eobha McAllister while Cassie McArthur was never far away but once the Shamrocks came to terms with the Dunloy attack, they were able to capitalise at the other end of the pitch. Katie Lynn, Emma McFadden and Finvola McVeigh were excellent while Megan McGarry proved to be a more than capable replacement for McVeigh when she had to leave the field injured.
Dunloy’s defence didn’t give anything easy to the Shamrocks as Loughgiel really had to work for their scores. The three goals came from sheer determination more than brilliant passages of play with Sarah McIlhatton, Kathryn Boyle and Brid Magill giving their all for the Cuchullains shirt but with McCormick and in particular Dobbin in sensational form, Loughgiel were not to be denied.
Electing to play into any wind that was blowing in Páirc Mhuire, Dunloy got off to the dream start with Cassie McArthur finding the back of the net in the third minute. It was Katie Molloy who broke the line and as the Loughgiel defence swarmed to nullify her threat, she unselfishly found McArthur and she made no mistake.
Nicole McAtamney split the uprights for her first of three first half points and five overall before Annie Lynn opened the Shamrocks account in the eighth minute.
With the clock ticking into the tenth minute Dunloy found the back of the Loughgiel net again. Eobha McAllister contested a restart on the 21 yard line and managed to break the sliotar into her own path. She went through on goal with a dash of pure determination and while Eimear Boyle stopped her initial shot, McAllister was first to the rebound and made no mistake.
It was the best possible start for the Cuchullains but McAllister’s goal would be their last score for 15 minutes as Loughgiel began to find their game. Three pointed frees from McCormick in a five minute spell lifted the Shamrocks confidence while the Cuchullains went close to a third goal in the same period of time. Katie Molloy once again showing great strength to hold off challenges before finding McAllister. The angle wasn’t kind for the young Dunloy flier and her effort fizzed across the goals and wide.
Caitrin Dobbin split the uprights in the 25th minute to leave two between the sides while Annie Lynn went close for the Shamrock’s first goal moments later. She evaded the Cuchullains challenges and showed plenty of grit and determination to find the half yard she needed but her drilled effort was well saved by Aileen McManus in goals for the Cuchullains.
Roisin McCormick pointed the resulting ’45 and another free either side of a Nicole McAtamney free for the Cuchullains.
A free from McAtamney in the 28th minute edged Dunloy two clear once again before Loughgiel found the back of the Dunloy net. McNaughton with the finish despite the best efforts of the Dunloy defence. It gave Loughgiel the lead for the first time in the game but the Dunloy response was excellent. Points from McArthur and Katie Molloy in injury time gave them a half time lead of 2-5 to 1-7.
The goal came at the perfect time for Loughgiel. Given the Cuchullains efforts in that opening 30 minutes and despite not scoring for 15, they posed a serious threat to the Shamrocks defence and probably deserved to be leading by more at half time. The short whistle came at a good time for Loughgiel with Dunloy in the ascendancy and the Shamrocks upped their tempo after the restart.
Points from Christine McCloskey and McCormick (free) were answered to by an excellent free from Nicole McAtamney. Wide on the right and maybe 25 yards from the end line, McAtamney split the uprights to restore parity to the score line. It would be the Cuchullains last score for almost 20 minutes however with the second Loughgiel goal pivotal.
It was McCormick who applied the finish but it was owed much to the work of Lucia McNaughton as she broke from a ruck and found McCormick running from deep off her shoulder. The Dunloy defence tried to suffocate her space but McCormick found the back of the net.
The Shamrocks were well on top but weren’t finding their accuracy. A couple of wides and efforts dropping short kept Dunloy within touching distance but it was the third Loughgiel major in the 50th minute that proved to be match winning. Lucia McNaughton again providing the assist as she played the sliotar cross field towards a heavily marked Dobbin. She managed to break the sliotar into her path and made no mistake from close range when given the opportunity.
Annie Lynn’s second of the game stretched the Loughgiel lead to seven and while Dunloy added three unanswered scores from McAtamney (free), Aine Magill and Casey Crawford, Loughgiel and McCormick had the final say when she split the uprights in the fourth minute of injury time.
It was a brilliant second half from the Shamrocks as they proved yet again they are the team to beat. Dunloy will be disappointed not to have met the challenge in the second half having played so well in the first but the O’Duffy Cup remains in Fr Healy Park for an 11th year in succession.
TEAMS
Loughgiel: Eimear Boyle; Clare McKillop, Katie Lynn, Finvola McVeigh; Maria O’Hara, Emma McFadden, Shauna Doran; Amy Boyle, Anna Connolly; Christine McCloskey, Lucia McNaughton, Annie Lynn; Anna McKillop, Roisin McCormick, Caitrin Dobbin
Subs: Ciara Laverty for S Doran (26); Megan McGarry for F McVeigh (30+3); Katie McKillop for A McKillop (47)
Scorers: R McCormick 1-7 (6fs 1’45); C Dobbin 1-1; L McNaughton 1-00; A Lynn 0-2; C McCloskey 0-1
St. Paul’s produced a strong performance to overcome the challenge of Ballycastle in wintry conditions in Rasharkin on Saturday. Ten minutes into the game the heavens opened with a heavy hail shower but when conditions settled down the sides went on to produce a good final.
It was last year’s beaten finalists, St. Paul’s who dominated the opening half and goals from Maeve Devlin in the 11th and 19th minute saw them in control at the halfway stage.
Ballycastle, for whom Emma Connor was excellent at centre-half, did better after the break and actually out-scored their opponents but never looked like getting the goal they needed to mount a serious challenge.
The heavens open in Dreen during the Junior Camogie final between St. Paul’s and Ballycastle
The ‘Castle’ were first on target as Shannon McQuillan pointed a free in the 4th minute but Nicole Munce fired over the equaliser as the game was treated to a heavy shower of hailstones.
Saorlaith Brennan gave the Shaw’s Road girls the lead with a point in the 10th minute and when Maeve Devlin followed with a goal from an acute angle St. Paul’s were in control.
Saorlaith Brennan added her second point of the afternoon before Shannon McQuillan replied from her second free in the 17th minute as the North Antrim side struggled to break down a solid ‘Hoops’ defence.
A second goal from Devlin, two minutes later and points from Rebecca McConville and Fionnghuala Rocks saw the Shaw’s Road side head for the dressing rooms leading 2-5 to 0-2 and even at this stage it looked a long way back for Ballycatle.
The Sea siders needed a good start to the second half if they were to make inroads into the St. Paul’s lead but it was St. Paul’s who extended their lead with a Niamh Ritchie point after 30 seconds.
Slowly though Ballycastle started to enjoy some success with their free taker, Shannon McQuillan adding two more to bring her total for the evening to four and Emma McQuillan striking a good effort from play to give her side some encouragement.
Rebecca McConville for the Red & White hoops and McQuillan with another well struck free exchanged further points by the 22nd minute but St. Paul’s were always able to find a response.
Fionnghuala Rocks fired over a long range free and Saorlaith Brennan added another from play before Erin O’Harra in the ‘Castle’ goals pulled off an excellent save as the Belfast girls threatened again.
Louise McBride replied with a late point for Ballycastle and it was to prove the game’s final score as last year’s beaten finalists celebrated at the final whistle after a game where they were always in control.
