Paul McGirr Ulster U16 Club Championship
Clan Na Gael (Armagh) 4-07 v Portglenone Roger Casements (Antrim) 1-05
Clan na Gael became the first team to book their place in the semi-finals of the 2025 Paul McGirr Ulster U16 Club Championship after an absorbing encounter with Antrim champions Portglenone. Very little separated the sides until midway through the second half, when the Armagh boys finally pierced a stubborn Portglenone defence with a series of well taken goals.
Up until that point, things looked very different, with the Roger Casements dominating possession, driven by the powerful midfield pairing of Tom Convery and Thomas Douthart. However, their failure to convert that dominance into scores would ultimately prove costly.
The game began tentatively, with both defences on top. Playing with the benefit of the wind, the Lurgan lads opened the scoring with a fine two pointer from the game’s top scorer, Matthew McAdam, who soon after spurned a goal chance. Points from Conor Burns and Convery settled Portglenone, with another McAdam score sandwiched in between. The Antrim champions were wasteful in front of goal, and they were punished just before half-time when corner forward Calum Boyd tapped home the first of Clan Na Gael’s four majors, reacting quickest after a McAdam effort was stopped on the line. That goal sent Clan into the break leading 1-03 to 0-02.
Portglenone almost made the perfect start to the second half, but were denied by a stunning save from Harry McCavigan, who tipped over a rasping effort from Burns. As the Antrim side pushed forward in search of scores, they became increasingly exposed at the back, and with Cian McCord pulling the strings, the Clan forwards began to exploit the space. JJ O’Hagan and Aodhán Campbell added points, as did industrious midfielder Caden Conway, who carried the ball three quarters of the length of the pitch before firing over.
The imposing Convery replied with a long-range point, but Portglenone continued to squander opportunities as the game slipped from their grasp. The performance of MFC Sports Man of the Match, Darragh O’Hagan, was a highlight, remarkably still U14, his composure in defence, ability to mop up danger, and surging runs repeatedly drove his side forward.
It was O’Hagan who effectively put the game to bed, bursting through the middle before firing emphatically into the bottom corner of Eoghan Smith’s net for Clan’s second goal. As the game opened up further, the deadly McAdam added two more goals to take his tally to 2-04, the first of them coming after he latched on to a defence splitting pass from O’Hagan.
Burns converted a late penalty for Portglenone, but it proved only a consolation, as the Orchard County side comfortably saw out the game to secure their place in the semi-finals in two weeks’ time.
Clan Na Gael manager Paul O’Hagan speaking after the game was pleased with the win but mindful of areas for improvement “We are delighted to get over the line today. I don’t think either team played to their potential but we’re very happy with the effort and workrate the boys put in, we struggled with the power of Portgelnone for long periods but the boys stuck at it and took their chances when they came along. Hopefully we can improve on today’s performance in the next round”.
Clan Na Gael – Harry McCavigan, Michael McConville, Diarmuid Power, Emmet Doran, Darragh O’Hagan (1-0), Brady Martin, Aodhán Campbell (0-1), Caden Conway (0-1), Liam Lavery, Matthew McAdam (2-4, 3f), Brogan O’Kane, JJ O’Hagan (0-1), Callum Boyd (1-0), Dylan McCord, Cian McCord
Subs: Ciaran Smyth for D McCord, Zach Lavery for Campbell, Oisin McConville for M McConville, Dylan McGivern for Boyd,
PORTGLENONE – Eoghan Smith; Joe Duffin, Cillian McKenna, Patrick John O’Boyle; Cillian McDonnell, Frank McAleese (0-1), Ronan McAleer; Tom Convery (0-2, 1F), Thomas Douthart; Ethan Mahany, Conor Burns (1-2, 1 Pen), Phelim McCloskey, Charlie Convery, Patrick Jr O’Boyle, Oisin Convery
Subs: Conán McKeever for O Convery, Tom Burns for C Convery
Referee: Brian McCallion (Tyrone)
