by thesaffrongael

Antrim Cruise Past Meath in Goal Fest

Leinster Minor Hurling Championship – Tier 2

Venue: Trim, County Meath

Final Score: Antrim 10-20 | Meath 1-10

Despite an evenly contested opening quarter where the home side showed real promise, the signs grew ominous for Meath as Antrim pulled away to a 2-09 to 0-07 lead at halftime against a strong wind. What followed in the second half was a complete demolition job, with the Saffrons dominating from start to finish, adding an incredible eight more goals to register a facile 10-20 to 1-10 victory.

Antrim laid down an immediate marker, finding the back of the net in the very first minute through their formidable full forward, Connlaodh McNaughton. Jay Gault quickly followed up with a point just three minutes later. Meath, to their credit, did not fold. By the seventh minute, full forward Kian McKeigue had slotted two points over the bar, and corner forward Ben Healy added a third from a free. Midfielder Darragh Wright chimed in with a score in the tenth minute, and Healy leveled the proceedings with another well-struck free on twelve minutes.

However, Antrim shifted gears to regain control. Gault put them back in front on the fourteen-minute mark. Though McKeigue replied with his third point of the day for Meath, Antrim’s superior link-up play began to show. A beautifully worked move initiated by midfielder Logan McConville allowed Matthew Murray to score, and despite another point from Meath’s McKeigue, Antrim closed the half with authority. Oisín McLaren added a free, and while Healy managed one final point for Meath on twenty-three minutes, the closing stages of the half belonged entirely to the visitors. McLaren scored again from open play, Gault added a point and narrowly missed a goal, and both Gault and McLaren tagged on frees. McNaughton capped off the half with a point from play, leaving the halftime score at Antrim 2-09, Meath 0-07. Antrim had built a commanding lead, notably while playing into a stiff breeze.

With the wind at their backs for the second period, Antrim was relentless. Within the first minute of the restart, Lewis Rafferty raised a green flag, followed swiftly by a point from Murray. Meath’s Kian McKeigue offered brief resistance with a point in the third minute, but it did little to stem the tide. McNaughton knocked over a point before the floodgates truly opened: McNaughton and Éanna McGuckian rattled the net with two rapid-fire goals. Even a red card for Antrim wing-back Ollie McClements in the thirty-eighth minute, following a second yellow, couldn’t derail their momentum. Undeterred, McNaughton shortly fired home yet another goal.

The scoreboard kept ticking with points from James McGarry and a superb score from play by Murray. Oisín McLaren added a massive 65-meter free, and substitute Conor McCann made an immediate impact by grabbing a goal in the forty-eighth minute. After McLaren converted another long-range free, Meath substitute Rob Kelly managed a point in reply. Antrim’s bench continued to torture the Meath defense. Substitute Conall Dempsey announced his arrival with two goals in the space of two minutes—one pouncing on a goalkeeper fumble and the other a thunderous finish from open play.

In the closing stages, Conor McCann put on a clinic, scoring a point at the fifty-four-minute mark following a brilliant solo run, and then repeating the feat a minute later with a run that started inside his own half. Nathan McKenna and Logan McConville added to the tally, capping excellent individual performances. At the sixty-minute mark, substitute Cathair McCaughan registered Antrim’s tenth goal of the afternoon, with Dempsey adding a final point. In the fourth minute of injury time, Meath’s Ben Healy managed a late consolation goal, bringing a punishing afternoon for the home side to a close at 10-20 to 1-10.

Antrim’s victory was built on dominance across the pitch, with several players putting in top-class shifts. Connlaodh McNaughton was the focal point of the attack, proving unplayable at full forward as he netted multiple goals and terrorized the Meath full-back line. Jay Gault was superb at right half-forward, acting as a constant creative and scoring threat. Further back, Nathan McKenna, Eunan Curry, and Logan McConville excelled in defense and midfield, establishing the platform for Antrim’s relentless attacks. Finally, the Antrim substitutes made a massive impact, highlighting their squad depth. Conor McCann was phenomenal upon his introduction, scoring a goal and two points, while Conall Dempsey was lethal in front of goal, bagging two quick-fire majors.

by thesaffrongael

Aggies have no answer for rampant Naomh Comhghall

ACFL Division 2

Naomh Comhghall 6-15 Naomh Una 0-4

A St. Agnes team, missing 8 of the side who won last year’s Junior Championship and division 3 double had no answer to a slick Naomh Comhghall in round 2 of the ACFL Division 2 at a sunny Dunsilly on Good Friday.

An excellent game of attacking football that was spoiled by an unsavoury incident after 24 minutes when players became embroiled in a flare up and after the dust had settled, referee Paul McNally dismissed a Naomh Comhghall official and a player from Naomh Una.

After that it was back to the real business with the Antrim town side, already 1-4 to 0-1 ahead pushing on to take almost total control.

Their first goal came from Caolan O’Loan in the 12th minute to move them six ahead and it was 18 minutes before Shay Madden pointed to open St. Agnes account. Three minutes earlier Conall Turley pulled his penalty effort wide of the post.

Torin Hodkinson, Ryan Clarke and Ruairi Griffin were making score taking look easy at the other end and they continued to add to their ever increasing total with Stuart Wilson also on target.

A second goal from Ruairi Griffin saw the home side 2-8 to 0-2 ahead at the short whistle against 14 man Naomh Una and it wouldn’t get any better after the break.

Quick-fire points from Hodkinson and two from Tiernan Floyd moved Naomh Comhghall 15 ahead by the 10th minute and while the ‘Aggies’ were still battling hard it had already become an exercise in damage limitation.

James Halleron raised the visitor’s third white flag but further goals from Leo McAleer and substitute Dylan Murdock had it all wrapped up by the 22nd minute and another substitute, Aaron McHugh kicked three point, one an excellent 2 pointer to stake a claim for a starting birth next day out.

Miles Devine converted a penalty with three minutes remaining to put the icing on a polished performance from the Antrim town side who will be well satisfied with their start to the season after an opening day draw at Gort na Mona last week.

Conall Turley converted a late free for St. Agnes to bring their total to 0-4 and Caoimhin Floyd, Mark Caldwell, David McGrahahan, Paudie Meehan and Patrick Carroll were best for a Naomh Una side still trying to find their feet in division 2

Referee, Paul McNally had an excellent game and kept play flowing and was quick to take appropriate action when required and the young Creggan Kickham’s official should have a bright future.

Naomh Comhghall: 1 Peter McAuley, 2 Danaan O’Hara, 3 Cathal Donnelly, 4 Shane Og Gribbon, 5 Eoin Lynott, 6 James McCabe, 7 Ruairi Griffin, 9 Michael McCabe, 10 Aaron McGaw, 11 Miles Devine, 12 Leo McAleer, 13 Ryan Clarke, 14 Tiernan Floyd, 15 Torin Hodkinson, 22 Bailleigh Close, 17 Aaron McHugh, 25 Stuart Wilson,

St. Agnes: 1 Colum Carroll, 2 Keevan Og Grieve, 3 Patrick Carroll, 4 Killian McCormick, 5 James Halleron, 6 Paudie Meehan, 7 Caoimhin Floyd, 8 Matthew Corr, 9 Mark Boyle, 10 David McGaharan, 11 Conall Turley, 12 Mark Caldwell, 13 Colin Mallon, 14 Shay Madden, 15 Cormac McBride

Referee: Paul McNally (Creggan)

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by thesaffrongael

First-half surge secures St. Enda’s victory over Davitt’s in windy Hightown

Antrim Football League Division 2

St. Enda’s 3-16 Davitt’s 0-11

St. Enda’s delivered a commanding performance to secure a convincing victory over Davitt’s in their Antrim Football League Division 2 clash on Friday evening. Played in blustery conditions at Hightown, the home side fully utilized a strong first-half breeze to build an unassailable lead that a spirited Davitt’s side simply could not overturn

The opening fifteen minutes saw Davitt’s work hard to hold their own against a stiff breeze, but St. Enda’s methodical attack soon began to wear them down. The home side opened their account early with a pointed free from Conor Eastwood. This was quickly followed by a well-worked team score finished by midfielder Padhraig O’Hare.

The Hightown men extended their advantage on the eight-minute mark when Michael McKenna landed a brilliant two-pointer from play. Sustained pressure yielded further points from Odhrán Eastwood in a scramble and a sharp strike from half-back Sean McBride.

The turning point of the half arrived at the fifteen-minute mark when a flowing St. Enda’s move was emphatically finished to the net by full-forward Darragh Rooney. Odhrán Eastwood followed up with a difficult point under heavy pressure to widen the gap.

Davitt’s finally found the target at the 25-minute mark. With standard avenues closed, goalkeeper Aaron Slane stepped up to launch a massive, long-range two-point free through the wind. However, St. Enda’s instantly cancelled it out when midfielder Sean Murray split the posts with a long-range two-pointer of his own.

The final ten minutes of the half belonged entirely to St. Enda’s as they ruthlessly put the game to bed. Conor Eastwood struck for two goals in the space of two minutes—the first from open play, and the second capping off another excellent team move. A fisted point from Sean McBride just before the whistle left the halftime score at a daunting 3-09 to 0-03.

Armed with the wind advantage after the turnaround, Davitt’s faced a massive uphill battle. St. Enda’s struck first again, with Darragh Rooney pointing two and a half minutes into the half.

Davitt’s began to apply heavy pressure, but they were repeatedly thwarted by St. Enda’s goalkeeper Owen Kennedy, who produced a brilliant blind save in the 37th minute to deny a certain goal.

At the other end, Davitt’s keeper Aaron Slane continued to be his team’s primary offensive weapon from dead balls, reducing the deficit with two quick frees. He added another spectacular two-point free in the 47th minute, but St. Enda’s managed the game beautifully. Former county star Odhrán Eastwood kept the scoreboard ticking over for the home side, landing a point from play and two composed frees to keep Davitt’s at arm’s length.

A slick team point finished by Padhraig O’Hare highlighted St. Enda’s continuing efficiency in possession. While Davitt’s kept fighting—culminating in another key save from Owen Kennedy under heavy pressure and a final two-point free from Aaron Slane on the stroke of full-time—the damage had well and truly been done in the first half.

While the second half was a much more evenly contested affair, St. Enda’s clinical 10-minute blitz before halftime proved decisive. Their ability to maximize the wind advantage, combined with a resolute defensive display anchored by Owen Kennedy in the second half, ensured a comfortable and well-deserved two points in Division 2.

St. Enda’s Starting XV: The St. Enda’s starting lineup, from numbers one through fifteen, featured Owen Kennedy in goal, followed by Cillian Browne, Diarmuid McNulty, Eoghan O’Hare, Conan Lyttle, James McAuley, Sean McBride, Sean Murray, Padhraig O’Hare, Zac Kyle, Michael McKenna, Mickey Morgan, Conor Eastwood, Darragh Rooney, and Odhrán Eastwood.

Davitt’s Starting XV: The Davitt’s starting lineup, from numbers one through fifteen, consisted of Aaron Slane in goal, followed by Sean Lindberg, Caoimhin Rainey, Jack Scally, James Lindsay, Anthony Hargan, Deaglan Mooney, Anthony Rowntree, Michael Connolly, Paul Mc Laughlin, Sean Og O’Neill, Brady Maguire, Conor John Sullivan, Oskar Deevy Persson, and Caomhan Slane.

TO SEE MORE OF BERT’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Portglenone edge out Aghagallon in pulsating Breslin Cup quarter-final

Antrim U16 Breslin Cup Quarter-Final


Roger Casements Portglenone 2-7 St. Mary’s Aghagallon 2-6

Photos and report by Brian Hamill


Roger Casements Portglenone booked their place in the SW Antrim U16 Breslin Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought one-point victory over a gallant St. Mary’s Aghagallon side on Thursday evening, running out 2-7 to 2-6 winners in a contest that swung one way and then the other before the hosts finally held their nerve.


From the very first whistle it was Aghagallon who looked the more settled side, with Michéal Mulholland opening the scoring from a free inside the first minute. Ronan Hughes added a point from play shortly after, and by the time Portglenone had found their footing, the visitors had built a comfortable two-point cushion. Portglenone’s Patrick O’Boyle brought the sides level with a goal from play, but Aghagallon responded with real character. Mulholland landed two points from play in quick succession, and then right corner-forward Finn Mulholland rattled the net to put the visitors in the ascendancy. Centre half-back Finn Kerr underlined Aghagallon’s adventure with a point from play moments later, leaving St. Mary’s 1-5 to 1-0 ahead heading into the closing stages of the first half.


Portglenone, however, refused to capitulate on their own patch. Charlie Convery who would prove to be the home side’s talisman throughout the evening began to find his range, firing over two points from play before the break to leave the scoreboard reading 1-5 to 1-2 in Aghagallon’s favour at half time. It was a flattering lead for the visitors, with Portglenone showing signs of momentum as the whistle blew.
The second half was an absorbing affair. Convery continued where he had left off, knocking over two further points from play early in the second period to drag Portglenone back to within a single score. When Ronan McAleer added a point from play to level the game at 1-5 apiece, the contest was perfectly poised. Aghagallon’s Liam Davey edged the visitors back in front with a point from play, but Convery replied immediately with a converted free to restore parity once again.
The decisive period of the game arrived in the final quarter. Portglenone’s Conan McKeever, playing at right half-forward, produced the moment of quality the home side needed, driving forward and burying a goal from play to put Portglenone ahead for the first time. Goalkeeper Joe Duffin demonstrated his confidence from placed balls by splitting the posts from a free to push the lead out to four, and it appeared the game was Portglenone’s to lose.
But Aghagallon showed tremendous courage to mount one final charge. Full-forward Liam Davey crashed home a goal from play to reduce the gap to one, and for a brief, breathless moment it seemed as though the visitors might snatch a dramatic equaliser. Portglenone’s defence, however, stood firm and repelled everything Aghagallon threw at them in the closing minutes, holding on to claim a narrow but deserved victory.

For Portglenone, Charlie Convery’s five-point haul, four from play and one free, was the backbone of their win, while the second-half goal from McKeever proved the decisive intervention. Joe Duffin’s free from the goalkeeper position showed a cool head under pressure that belied his years.
For Aghagallon, there was no shortage of heart or talent on display. Michéal Mulholland, Finn Mulholland and Liam Davey all caught the eye, while Finn Kerr’s point from centre half-back showed the attacking instincts that ran through this young side. On another day, with the fine margins going their way, St. Mary’s would have progressed, and there is plenty for their management to build on as the season continues.
Scorers — Roger Casements Portglenone: Charlie Convery 0-5 (0-4 from play, 0-1f); Conan McKeever 1-0; Patrick O’Boyle 1-0; Ronan McAleer 0-1; Joe Duffin 0-1f.
Scorers — St. Mary’s Aghagallon: Liam Davey 1-1 (1-0, 0-1 from play); Finn Mulholland 1-0; Michéal Mulholland 0-3 (0-2 from play, 0-1f); Ronan Hughes 0-1; Finn Kerr 0-1.

TO VIEW MORE OF BRIAN HAMILL’S PICS CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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by thesaffrongael

Casements through to semi-final

O’Cahan Cup quarter-final

Casement’s 1-14 Lisburn 1-7

Casements Portglenone welcomed St Patrick’s Lisburn on Wednesday 1st April for a quarter-final clash in the O’Cahan Cup.

Lisburn arrived after defeating 2025 O’Cahan champions Cargin, but it was the home side who started brightest, with early scores from Caolan Tierney and Michael Hagan. The visitors responded well through Jude Rafferty, who converted an excellent two-point free and added another, while Oisín Gorman also kept the scoreboard ticking.

Casements finished the first half strongly, with Seán Byrne, Paddy Kelly and Conor Magee helping them to a 0-6 to 0-4 lead at the break.

The hosts carried that momentum into the second half, with further scores from Paddy Kelly and Michael Hagan. Lisburn struck back on 40 minutes with a superb individual goal from Che Smyth, but Casements responded with Senior debutant Eoghan McErlain firing  1-1 in quick succession, while Stephen Kelly added three composed frees.

Lisburn battled to the end with points from Rudi Smyth and Oisín Gorman, but Casements ran out 1-14 to 1-07 winners to book their place in the semi-final.

Top performers for Lisburn included Ben McMullan, Che Smyth, Jude Rafferty and Oisín Gorman, while Casements key men included Conor McGhee, Johnny Convery and debutant Eoghan McErlain.

Both sides return to league action this weekend.