by thesaffrongael

Shamrocks overwhelm Ballygalget

Antrim Hurling League Division

Ballygalget 0-08 Loughgiel Shamrocks 4-23

Loughgiel Shamrocks recorded a massive 4-32 to 0-8 victory over Ballygalget in a highly one-sided Antrim Hurling League Division 1 encounter. The Shamrocks were simply too good for the men from the Ards peninsula, cruising to an emphatic win from the very first whistle. Establishing control early on, Loughgiel dominated the opening exchanges with a flurry of points from play. Declan McCloskey, Rian McMullan, Ronan Fitzgerald, Eoin McGarry, and Roan McGarry all found their range quickly, leaving the Ballygalget defense scrambling to keep pace.

A standout moment of the first half came just six and a half minutes in when Tiernan Coyle launched a spectacular long-range point from deep inside his own half. Ballygalget’s goalkeeper, Eoin Clarke, did well to pull off a brilliant save shortly after, briefly stemming the relentless tide. Despite facing a sharp and aggressive Loughgiel defense, Ballygalget managed to put some scores on the board, largely thanks to Eoin Pucci, who pointed from play and accurately converted a 65 just past the fifteen-minute mark. However, Loughgiel’s forwards continued to split the posts even under pressure, with Ryan McKee and Roan McGarry adding to a commanding 2-19 to 0-06 half-time lead.

The second half offered no respite for the visiting Ards men as Loughgiel continued their clinical performance. The Shamrocks kept the scoreboard ticking over with a mix of frees and points from play, orchestrated primarily by Declan McCloskey, Rian McMullan, and Roan McGarry. Ballygalget’s Marc Fisher managed to strike a point from a 65 a quarter of the way into the half, but it was a rare moment of offensive success against an uncompromising Loughgiel backline.

As the game entered its final stages, Loughgiel capitalized on their momentum to find the back of the net twice more. Rian McMullan struck for a goal from a free in the 51st minute, and ten minutes later, Ryan McKee caught the defense napping with a well-taken goal from a quick free. The Shamrocks closed out the totally dominant display with a final string of points from Ben McGarry, Ryan McKee, Ronan Fitzgerald, Roan McGarry, and Ruairi McCormick, cementing a resounding 4-32 to 0-8 victory.

Ballygalget: 1 Eoin Clarke, 2 Michael Toner, 3 Ciaran Watson, 4 Caolan Coulter, 5 Marc Fisher, 7 Brook Byers, 8 Eoin Pucci, 9 Jordan Doran, 10 Oisin Coulter, 11 Michael Dorrian, 12 Cathal Coulter, 13 Owen McDermott, 14 Daniel Toner, 15 Dara Pucci

Loughgiel Shamrocks: 1 John Francis Connolly, 2 Liam Glackin, 3 Enda Og McGarry, 4 Caolan Blair, 5 Conall McCloskey, 6 Tiernan Coyle, 7 Ben McGarry, 8 Ryan McKee, 9 Declan McCloskey, 10 Rian McMullan, 11 Ronan Fitzgerald, 12 Eoin McGarry, 13 Roan McGarry, 14 Pearce Patterson, 15 Daniel McCloskey.

TO SEE MORE OF BERTS PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/fG9nq6fwzDX792/?invite=920a48b5-9e5a-400e-8982-353f6e3810eb

by thesaffrongael

Antrim slow to get going but win in the end by eight

Ulster Junior LGFA Championship

Antrim Senior Ladies 1-19

Derry Senior Ladies 2-8 

Antrim senior ladies got their Ulster championship campaign up and running on Saturday when they made the journey to Ballymaguigan and overcame the hosts Derry by an 8 point margin…. 

In the first 30 minutes Antrim struggled to get out of the blocks and it was Derry who were playing with all the intensity and energy… 

The Derry girls raced into a 4 point lead after ten minutes but a goal from Cliodhna Logan brought Antrim back in touch… 

But again it was Derry who seized the initiative and they scored a second goal after some poor defensive play from the Antrim girls… 

Indeed it could have been worse for Antrim at this stage only for a timely intervention from Emily Kearns who prevented a certain goal… 

But to the Antrim girls credit they played some excellent football in the last ten minutes of the first half with Maria Oneill .. Aiobheann Monaghan.. Theresa Mellon all chipping in with points and just before the short whistle Laura Agnew scored a wonderful point to send the Antrim girls in one up… 

The second half belonged to Antrim… 

The girls completely stepped it up and took control of the game and started to play the free flowing football that they are capable of… 

Some great scores then came their way with Captain Bronagh Devlin leading by example with 4 excellent points and setting up Caitlin Taggart and Aine Lynch who both raised white flags… 

Hanna Donaghy then hit both posts before eventually slotting the ball over the black spot to get her name on the score sheet… 

Joint manager Micky said after the game …. 

“We took a while to get going out there today … 

It was very warm and humid and it took quite a lot out of the girls… 

There was a few things in the first half that myself and Chris probably wernt best pleased with but the girls as they always do responded well .. worked hard and stood up to the challenge…. 

Myself and Chris worked hard this week on coaching our forward play which we feel payed dividends as we hit 20 scores and also our turnover rate was high as we focused on that part of our game also …. 

But ultimately it’s all about the players and not us … 

These girls work hard and  all the credit goes to them here today as they all put a massive shift in out there and our bench again proved they can make a difference when entering the game …. 

The girls all have club games over the weekend which are very important so we will get together again on Tuesday night and prepare for our game at home to London next Saturday..” 

Antrim scorers … 

Cliodhna Logan 1-1 

Maria O Neill 0-4 

Bronagh Devlin 0-4

Aiobheann Monaghan 0-3

Laura Agnew 0-2 

Theresa Mellon 0-2 

Aine Lynch 0-1 

Hanna Donaghy 0-1 

Caitlin Taggart 0-1

by thesaffrongael

Antrim minor hurlers beat Wicklow in Leinster Peadar Ó Liatháin Cup

Leinster Minor Hurling

Antrim 2-28 Wicklow 2-07 at Darvar

Antrim’s minor hurlers continued their strong run of form with an emphatic 2-28 to 2-07 victory over Wicklow in Darver in the Peadar Ó Liatháin competition, following last week’s convincing win away to Kildare.

Playing into a strong breeze in the opening half, the young Saffrons moved the ball well and picked off some excellent scores. The standout moment of the half came when the impressive Nathan McKenna finished expertly to the net. A tireless defensive and midfield display ensured Antrim held a seven-point lead at the break, 1-12 to 1-5.

They built on that solid platform after the restart, adding an impressive 16 points in the second half. One of the highlights came from Jay Gault, who surged up the line before cutting inside to split the posts with a superb score. With Damian McMahon commanding the Antrim goal, the defence again worked tirelessly in the second half and Ronan Colgan capped off a fine team performance with a well-taken goal.

It was an excellent all-round display from Antrim, and particularly encouraging to see that the team maintained its high standard even as the squad was rotated.

Attention now turns to next week’s clash with Carlow. With a semi-final spot already secured, Antrim will be aiming to finish top of the group

by thesaffrongael

Antrim Camogs took a while to hit their stride

Ulster Senior Camogie semi-final

Antrim 1-13 | Derry 1-3

Venue: Portglenone

Antrim secured their place in the Ulster Senior Camogie Final with a convincing 1-13 to 1-3 victory over Derry in Portglenone. While the final scoreline suggests a comfortable win for the Saffrons, it masks a fairly ordinary first half where neither team truly sparkled, and it wasn’t until the final ten minutes that Antrim hit their stride to pull away from their Oak Leaf rivals.

The game began with Derry applying intense early pressure and dominating possession. However, after missing a couple of initial opportunities, it was Antrim who opened the scoring with a point from full-forward Eobha McAllister.

Derry quickly turned their early momentum into a tangible reward when centre-forward Jackie Donnelly found space and fired home an excellent goal from an angled shot, giving the visitors a sudden two-point advantage. Surprisingly, despite this fantastic start, Derry would only manage to register one more score from open play for the remaining 58 minutes of the contest.

Antrim’s response to the goal was swift and composed. Midfielder Maeve Kelly slotted over a point following a smart pass from Katie McKillop, before McKillop herself split the posts to level the sides at 1-0 to 0-3. Nicole McAtamney then stepped up to land a long-range free, giving Antrim their first lead of the afternoon.

Derry managed to pull a point back through a ’45 from full-forward Carla Collins, but Antrim replied immediately with another score from the lively McKillop. Just as the half drew to a close, Antrim struck a critical blow. Corner-forward Cliona Griffin found the net with a well-taken goal after soloing in from the left wing to extend the Saffron lead. Derry’s Amy McKenna replied with a ’45 just before the whistle, leaving the halftime score at 1-5 to 1-2 in favor of the hosts.

Antrim emerged for the second half with renewed purpose, and Eobha McAllister quickly added to their tally with the opening point. Derry’s Cliodhna Ní Mhainain responded with a point—Derry’s solitary second-half score and their only other score from play all game. From that moment on, the Antrim defence, anchored by the likes of Katie Molloy and Caoimhe Conlon, completely shut down the Derry attack.

Despite Antrim’s general improvement in the second half, the game remained somewhat in the balance until the final ten minutes when their attacking unit finally clicked into high gear. Róisín McCormick got in on the action, scoring a fine point after being set up by McAtamney. The McAtamney-McAllister connection proved highly fruitful, with McAtamney turning provider once again to set up Eobha McAllister for another well-taken score.

McAllister was on fire in the closing stages, adding another point following a pass from Katie Molloy in the left corner. The Antrim forward line was relentless, drawing fouls that McAtamney calmly punished, converting both a 45-meter free and a standard ’45 to stretch the lead further. Eobha McAllister also won a penalty late in the game, but her shot was turned over the bar by the Derry kkeeper Niamh Gribben.

In injury time, Antrim continued to hunt for scores. Substitute Elen McIntosh and Róisín McCormick linked up beautifully to create a goal chance for McAllister, though her shot trailed wide. However, McCormick and McAllister would both find the target with excellent points from the right flank before the final whistle, sealing a commanding ten-point victory.

Antrim’s dominance in the closing stages, spearheaded by the scoring prowess of Eobha McAllister, the playmaking of Nicole McAtamney, and the steady presence of Katie McKillop, ultimately proved too much for a Derry side that struggled to translate their early promise into sustained attacking threat.

Antrim: 1. Becky Ellis, 2. Colleen Patterson, 3. Caoimhe Conlon, 4. Caoimhe Mc Naughton, 5. Clare Mc Killop, 6. Katie Molloy, 7. Shannagh Heggarty, 8. Amy Boyle, 9. Maeve Kelly, 10. Nicole Mc Atamney, 11. Róisín Mc Cormick, 12. Katie Mc Killop, 13. Janey Mc Intosh, 14. Eobha Mc Allister, 15. Cliona Griffin.

Derry: 1. Niamh Gribben, 2. Aoife Mc Guckin, 3. Eimear Mc Closkey, 4. Sinead Mc Gill, 5. Shauna Mc Guckin, 6. Rachel Mc Allister, 7. Aine Mc Gill, 8. Niamh Quinn, 9. Sinead Mellon, 10. Emma Wilson, 11. Jackie Donnelly, 12. Cliodhna Ní Mhainain, 13. Aoife Shaw, 14. Carla Collins, 15. Amy Mc Kenna.

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/n8qRY9TSRunDYm/?invite=867dc2c3-862d-47ea-b73e-5e93e246d5ef

by thesaffrongael

Saffrons’ McDonagh Cup dreams hanging by a thread

Joe McDonagh Cup Hurling

Laois 2-21 | Antrim 0-22

What began as a campaign burdened with the heavy tag of favoritism has quickly spiraled into a nightmare for Davy Fitzgerald’s Antrim. Following last week’s disastrous home defeat to Down in Dunloy, the Saffrons desperately needed a bounce-back performance at O’Moore Park. Instead, a devastating second-half collapse condemned them to a seven-point defeat against Tommy Fitzgerald’s Laois, all but ending their hopes of lifting the Joe McDonagh Cup.

Playing with the breeze at their backs in the opening half, Antrim looked eager to banish the ghosts of the Down defeat. The visitors started brightly, with Conal Cunning and Ryan McCambridge splitting the posts early on.

However, disaster struck just two minutes in. A piercing solo run from Laois’s Tomas Keyes carved open the Antrim defense, allowing Cillian Dunne to fire past Cormac McFadden into the Saffron net after the Loughgiel man had made a brilliant stop from Laois’s initial effort.

To their immense credit, Fitzgerald’s men did not panic. Despite Laois adding points through Stephen Maher and Martin Phelan, Antrim dug deep and fought their way back into the contest.

The Saffron attack found its rhythm, heavily orchestrated by the instrumental trio of James McNaughton, Ryan McCambridge, and Seaan Elliott. Antrim weathered the storm and impressively turned the deficit around to march into the dressing room with a hard-fought 0-15 to 1-11 lead at the break.

The opening exchanges of the second half were a tense, tit-for-tat affair. Eoin O’Neill (1) and Seaan Elliott (2) rattled off three points—including two crucial frees—to give Antrim a 0-20 to 1-16 lead after 54 minutes, the traveling support dared to believe the campaign was back on track.

Incredibly, and tragically for Antrim, the scoring completely dried up.

The Saffrons hit a proverbial brick wall, failing to register a single score for a prolonged, agonizing period. Laois smelled blood and ruthlessly punished the drought, rattling off 1-6 without reply. Tomas Keyes leveled the game before a procession of Laois points from Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher (who finished with a staggering 0-14), David Dooley, and Cillian Dunne broke Antrim’s resolve.

The fatal blow was delivered when Dunne found the back of the net for his second goal of the afternoon, putting the game entirely out of Antrim’s reach. Late consolation points from James McNaughton and Jack McCloskey did little to soften the blow as Laois ran out worthy, if not comfortable, winners.

For Antrim, a season that promised so much now requires nothing short of a miracle to salvage.

Antrim Scorers:

  • Sean Elliott: 0-9 (7 frees)
  • James McNaughton: 0-6 (3 frees)
  • Ryan McCambridge: 0-3
  • Conal Cunning, Paul Boyle, Jack McCloskey, Eoin O’Neill: 0-1 each

Laois Scorers:

  • Stephen Maher: 0-14 (8 frees, 3 ’65s)
  • Cillian Dunne: 2-2
  • Martin Phelan: 0-2
  • Tomas Keyes, Ian Shanahan, Fiachra C-Fennell, David Dooley, James Keyes: 0-1 each

Antrim Lineup: Cormac McFadden; Ryan McNulty, Paddy Burke, Stephen Rooney; Oisin Donnelly, Niall O’Connor, Joe Maskey; Eoin O’Neill, Paul Boyle; Keelan Molloy, Ryan McCambridge, Conal Cunning; James McNaughton, Ruairi Donaghy, Sean Elliott. Subs used: Conal Bohill for Donaghy (42), Conor Johnston for O’Neill (46), Jack McCloskey for Boyle (62), Ruairi McCormack for McNulty (65), Joseph McLoughlin for Elliott (66).

Laois Lineup: Eoin Reilly; Ian Shanahan, Podge Delaney, Lee Cleere; Ciaran McEvoy, Fiachra C Fennell, Ryan Mullaney; David Dooley, Aidan Corby; Stephen Maher, Tomas Keyes, Aaron Dunphy; Martin Phelan, Ben Conroy, Cillian Dunne. Subs used: Gearoid Lynch for Corby (HT), James Keyes for Dunphy (50), Mark Dowling for Conroy (58), Jack Kelly for Dunne (66), Cormac Byrne for Maher (69).

Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)