Clare are All-Ireland champions for the first time in 11 years after beating Cork in an extraordinary extra-time hurling final.
As always there was a large crowd of supporters from Antrim among the 82,300 supporters who packed into Croke Park. The Saffron Gael were there to capture the magnificent day
Click on link below for photos from the day
https://myalbum.com/album/2qpRe82C6HEPWW/?invite=68fa01d2-44f7-4abc-ab64-740fb9caa0cc
This statement was issued by Darren Gleeson at noon today.
This morning my tenure as Antrim Senior Hurling Manager has come to an end. It is a position that I have held with the upmost pride since the Autumn of 2019.
When I first made the journey in the Spring of 2018 to help with a few sessions, little did I think that I would still be there in 2024. For this to have happened there are a lot of people I need to thank.
To Naoibh, Caoimhe, Sean and Padraic, Mam and Dad, Flan and Una and our families, I thank you for your unwavering support during my tenure. The journey would not have been possible without you and our friends.
To the Antrim County Board that appointed me, Neal Peden who gave me the opportunity and Gary O’Kane who made that first phone call, I thank you and will be forever grateful. To the Board and their officers that I have worked with, I thank you for your support.
To the backroom team, your professionalism, knowledge and desire to improve Antrim hurling has been a joy to lead and I thank you for all you have done. Too many to name, but your dedication has helped rise the tide of Antrim hurling.
To my management team of Johnny Campbell, Gary O’Kane, Jim Close, Clinton Hennessey and Justin McCormick, I thank you for your support, loyalty and friendship. What you have given to help raise the standards of Antrim hurling has been incredible. Your families, clubs and county should be so proud of your efforts.
To the players of Antrim who set out with the goal of putting Antrim back to the top table of inter-county hurling, we have achieved that through your hard work, dedication and commitment. From day one we have been an extremely ambitious group who have taken great pride in representing Antrim, backed by your clubs and families and I know how proud they are of you and your achievements. Winning two Joe McDonaghs Cups in 2020 & 2022, winning the National Hurling League Division 2 in 2020, and being ever present in Division 1 since, and with Antrims place in the 2025 LHSC secured, a huge opportunity lays ahead for this group and I wish you well.
I would like to thank the following supporters and sponsors of Antrim, Dominic Kearns and Fibrus, Tony Shivers and Premier Electrics, Tony & Declan Donnelly and Northern Property, Creagh Concrete and the McKeague Family and FonaCab for their support to me and Antrim GAA.
To Tony Shivers, your ambition, drive and passion for Antrim GAA has been paramount in our success. I thank you for all you have done and your friendship. To you and your committee at the Saffron Business Forum, your work has been transformative for Antrim, and I wish you well for the future.
To the committees and supporters of Club Aontroma and Casement Park Social Club, I thank you for backing this wonderful team at every opportunity.
To the clubs of Antrim, thank you for nurturing and supplying the players to the county. You should be immensely proud of them and what they have achieved to date. For the Minor and U20 management teams, who are working so hard to bring the county forward, I thank you for your support and co-operation during my tenure.
To the loyal Antrim hurling public, I look forward to meeting you around the playing pitches of Ireland as you continue to support this great county of yours and I continue my hurling journey.
Gleannta Tuath’s Cathair le Chéile
Darren Gleeson
We at the Saffron Gael would like to thank Darren for his untiring work for Antrim hurling over the last five years that he has been with us and wish him every success in the future. Darren has given everything he has got during that time and has left Antrim hurling in a much better place than when he joined.
Glenravel 2-12 Moneyglass 1-05
Con Magees Glenravel came out on top of the bottom of the table battle to help secure Division 1 status next year. Over the hour they were the better team but as appears to be the case at this time of year the teams are badly depleted, and Moneyglass suffered badly in this respect today. Both teams fielded depleted panels as they have all season, which probably contributed to their lowly league position but it was the men in green and white who had more fire power across the hour. Moneyglass’s main threat Dermot McErlain goaled after ten minutes against the run of play to put them within one point of their opponents but a thirty minute drought followed before they registered their next score during which time Glenravel had scored 1-07 and were home and hosed.
Daniel McQuillan and Eamon Fyfe opened for Glenravel before Aiden McErlain got Moneyglass off the mark. Glenravel were dominating the opening exchanges and secured the next three scores coming from Fyfe, Aiden O’Donnell and Callum Higgins. Then came that Moneyglass goal and suddenly they were back in the game. But forty seconds later Shea O’Broin goaled at the other end for the Con Magees- an excellent response from the Glenravel men, to regain a four point advantage 1-05 to 1-01. Glenravel would go on to record the next four points of the game and so the teams retired to the changing rooms with Glenravel ahead 1-09 to 1-01. Moneyglass would have been disappointed to be so far back but they had squandered at least half a dozen chances in the opening half which really cost them dearly.
Glenravel were out on the pitch for the second half well before their opponents and started it as they had left off the first half with the opening three scores to stretch their lead to eleven points with only one quarter remaining. Moneyglass did enjoy a short period of dominance recording three unanswered points to reduce the gap to eight but the game was effectively wrapped up when Eamon Fyfe blasted a penalty past keeper Donal McErlain after Daniel McQuillan was upended in the square as he was about to pull the trigger. Sean Boyd got a consolation point for Moneyglass who by now had accepted their fate as Glenravel ran out winners 2-12 to 1-05.
Aodh Oloan
to see more photos by elaine Kelly click on the link below
https://myalbum.com/album/sc3iiGNy4pYWWy/?invite=73e18b46-a2e2-4457-af92-6d06d3b3e7eb
Masters Ulster Football league
Antrim 0-14 Derry 1-8
This Masters game between Antrim and Derry was held up for nearly an hour when the Down referee got lost on his journey from Newry to Slemish Park but the Antrim search party finally located him and the action got under way.
Derry won the corresponding fixture last year but under the guidance of Portglenone man, Frank Delargy and his trainer, Timmy Connolly the Saffrons are a different animal this year.
They took an early lead through a Mark Graham converted free but that score was quickly cancelled out by Jimmy O’Connor with a good point at the other end.
Kevin Gallagher restored the Antrim lead following a strong run before Darren Cunning brought matters all square for the second time following a Mark in the 6th minute.
Rasharkin’s Brendan Etherson gave the home side the lead for the third time but the Saffrons were lucky when Colin Brady got back to clear a goal bound shot to Sean McGreevey’s net.
Spurred on by Brady’s intervention the home side started to get on top as they moved the ball around with confidence and they started to create a bit of space through their strong running half-back line of Tony Scullion, Michael Herron and Sean Kelly.
Points from Scullion, Mark Graham and Kevin McAllister saw them move four ahead by the 13th minute before Gavin Diamond briefly halted the run from a Derry free.
Sean Kelly extended the Antrim lead to four once more and Banty Mullin and Liam Magee exchanged further points to leave Antrim leading 0-8 to 0-4 at the break and good value for their lead.
The Saffrons extended their lead through Liam Magee with a point on the restart with Darren Mohan replying for the Oak Leaf County but it was Antrim who continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges.
Ryan Boyd replied from a free and Michael Herron got forward for a good point to extend the Antrim lead to six with ten minutes gone and Donal Brolly and Kevin McAllister exchanged further points as the men in Saffron continued to hold the upper hand.
Antrim were looking fairly comfortable at this stage but were rocked when Steven McGuigan was on hand to finish to the net from close range after the home defence failed to deal with a high delivery into the danger area.
Dunloy man, McAllister edged his side four ahead again with ten minutes remaining but Antrim were forced to endure a few anxious moments as the visitors went route one in search of another goal.
A pointed free from Gavin Diamond would be as close as Derry got however as Antrim held on for a three point win to maintain their great start to this year’s Ulster League campaign.
Antrim Panel: Sean McGreevey, Colin Connolly,Adrian Scullion, Colin Brady, Tony Scullionb, Kevin Herron, Sean Kelly, Brendan Etherson, Ken Golde, Liam Magee, Declan McLarnon, Kevin Gallagher, Kevin McAllister, Mark Graham, Ryan Boyd, Tony Convery, Niall Sweeney, Declan Hasson, Damien Casey, James McGreevey, Mickey Donnelly, Aidan Dunlop
Derry Panel: Pearse McCallan, Seamus O’Kane, Philly Mooney, Marty McGuinness, Paul Carlin, Brian Mullan, Donal Brolly, Kevin McGuckin, Eddie McLaughlin, Eugene Scullin, Jimmy O’Connor, Paul Mc Closkey, Darren Cunning, Gavin Diamond, Ciaran Mullan, 16 Joe Brady, 17 Liam McElhone, 18 Stephen McGuigan, 20 Daryl Mohan, 21 Brian Scullin, 22 C Murphy
For more pics from this game by Bert Trowlen and Paddy McIlwaine click on the link below
https://myalbum.com/album/CAUC72r9eAox6A/?invite=24b828eb-081f-4625-bda4-daaecd353583
ACFL Division 1 Final
St Brigid’s 2-10 Erin’s Own Cargin 0-11
Goals wins prizes is the old adage and indeed such rang true at Dunsilly on Friday evening past as a couple of majors in the Division One league decider from Niall Duffy and Jack Dowing proved decisive as St Brigid’s took delivery of the Eddie Fitzsimmons memorial trophy for the first time in their history.
Both teams took a time to settle to the task on hand with the sides exchanging early scores with Tomas Cann’s opening point finding reply in kind from Conor Mc Aleer.
Both sides were guilty of missed opportunities but after Cargin net minder John Mc Nabb despatched a 13th minute ‘45’ between the posts the reply from the city lads was quick and decisive.
James Smith pointed to bring St Brigid’s back on terms and in the next few minutes they took the lead.
A Conan Mc Nicholl point gave them a two point advantage and a mix up in the Cargin defence opened the way for Jack Duffy to find the net before corner forward Mc Nicholl followed with a point to put St. Brigid’s a 1-04 to O-02 ahead.
St Brigid’s were now dictating matters and finished the half strongly with Paddy Finnegan and Rory Mc Erlean raising further white flags with an Enda Mc Grogan’s point at the other end for the Toome men their only reply and at the short whistle St Brigid’s led 1-06 to 0-03 and were good value for their lead.
Th second half saw the South Belfast men nip smartly out of the start traps with a Conan Mc Aleer point in the 33rd minute but a foul on Jamie Gribbin was punished when Tomas Mc Cann delivered the resultant free kick between the posts.
McCann added another following another foul on the lively Gribbin and the South West sidewere starting to look more up for the fight.
Jamie Gribbin added another in the 38th minute as Cargin enjoyed a spell of dominance but St Brigid’s responded with a second major when corner forward Conan Mc Nicholl fired to the back of the net after fielding a cross from Reuben Carelton and the game had swung back in favour of the Musgrave Park side.
St Brigid’s now led 2-09 to 0-06 and looked to have secured their first league title unless Cargin could pull something out of the fire.
Another point from the accurate boot of net minder John McNabb offered some hope but St. Brigid’s replied with a point from Conor McAleer before being reduced in number when centre back Shea Downey picked up a second yellow card.
Tomas McCann added a point from a placed effort following a foul on Ronan Devlin and Callum Gribbin followed with another and when his brother Jamie made it three on the bounce the Toome men had posted notice they were not about to quietly leave the stage.
Cargin, who were missing quite a number of regulars looked to the their bench in the latter stages with Gerard Mc Corley, Diarmuid Quinn and Michael Clarke entering the fray and a foul on Jamie Gribbin saw John McNabb deliver between the posts.
That was as close as they got as St Brigid’s stood firm despite losing Conor Downey to a red card but by this stage the league title was on its way to Musgrave Park for the first time.
St Brigid’s: Declan Heery, John Toner, Joe Finnegan, R Boyle, Reuben Carelton, Shea Downey (0-01), Shay Campbell, Jack Dowling (1-00), Michael Cummings, Niall Duffy (0-01), Patrick Finnegan, James Smith (0-01), Conan Mc Nicholl (1-03), Conor Mc Aleer (0-02), Rory Mc Erlean (0-01)
Subs
Ben Doherty for Ronan Boyle
Brian Mc Gurk for Reuben Carleton
Conor Downey for R McErlean
FGergal Sherry for Patrick Finnegan
Cargin: John Mc Nabb (0-03) Paudie Mc Laughlin, Kevin Mc Shane, Ronan Gribbin, Ronan Devlin, James Laverty, Jack Harney, Gerard Mc Cann, John Carron, Callum Gribbin (0-01), Jamie Gribbin (0-02), Enda Mc Groggan (0-01), Tomas Mc Cann (0-04),
Referee: Paddy Tumelty (Lamh Dhearg)
For more of Bert and Paddy’s photos from the game click on the link below
https://myalbum.com/album/LE7E7jzFWcuJrk/?invite=adb4e1be-eb47-4da3-bce0-da54c0a252ff