by thesaffrongael

Brídíní Óga bid for their second All Ireland title in three years

Long hard road! It has been a long road for Brídíní Óga since their opening round game against Dunloy 2nds back in early September. They are seen here before the semi-final win Cushendall in Ballycastle. Tomorrow will be their ninth game of the campaign.

All Ireland Junior A Camogie Final

December 13, 2pm in Ashbourne

Brídíní Óga Glenravel (Antrim) v St Dominic’s (Roscommon)

Brídíní Óga Glenravel travel to Ashbourne on Saturday bidding to collect their second All Ireland title in just under three years. Standing in their way are Roscommon and Connacht champions St Dominic’s who made their way to their first final courtesy of a semi-final win over Leinster champions St Peter’s Dunboyne in their semi-final.

It has been a long road for the Glenravel girls who began their campaign against Dunloy 2nds with a big win in the group stages of the Intermediate Championship and they accounted for Creggan in the second group game to qualify for the semi-final.

Those victories set up a semi-final meeting with a very good Cushendall team in Ballycastle back in September in what turned out to be the toughest game of the campaign. A goal from a free by team captain Tori Edgar in injury time got them over the line by two points 1-09 to 2-14.

The faced Loughgiel in the final in Ahoghill where Edgar was again one of the stars, along with young midfielder Orlaith Gould as they beat the Shamrocks by five points on a scoreline of 1-12 to 0-10, the goal coming from Molly Woulahan.

In the Ulster semi-final they had their biggest win of the campaign, beating Down champions Ballyholland by 1-19 to 1-05 on their home pitch at Fr Maginn Park, Molly Woulahan  again the goal scorer as they qualified for and Ulster final against Dungiven at Portglenone.

Goals were the key in that game as they beat the Derry champions by 4-06 to 0-12. Lady luck was not on the Dungiven girls side as they came close to goals on three occasion, though the Glenravel goalkeeper Orla Donnelly also had a lot to do with it. Two goals from elusive corner forward Aimee Traynor proved vital while at the back Jaime Woulahan gave a player of the match performance in holding the Dungiven danger woman Aideen McGonigle scoreless from play.

The Ulster champions were drawn to play an All Ireland quarter final this year so it was off to Dublin to take on British champions Fullen Gaels. The Ulster champions started well and appeared to be in cruise control nearing half time but the Manchester based exiles hit back with a goal and a point to close the gap to four at the break. Fullen Gaels pushed hard in the third quarter and once again goalkeeper Orla Donnelly was called upon to keep their goal intact but during the final quarter the Antrim girls opened the gap to six. The exiles finished with and injury time goal to cut the gap to just three but Brídíní Óga held out for the win.

When  the won the title three years ago their toughest  game of that campaign was against Limerick and Munster champions Adare and when they faced the Limerick champions again in this year’s semi a really tough battle was expected. Patricksell were the opposition this time at Abbotstown and just like three years ago the Antrim champions gave their best display of the season to book a final place. The led by 1-08 to a 0-01 at a stage in the first half and though the Limerick champions performed much better in the second half Brídíní Óga still had six to spare at the end.

In tomorrow’s final they face the Roscommon and Connacht champions St Dominic’s at Ashbourne. The Roscommon girls played really well in their semi-final win, but they are an unknown quantity, though no doubt Chris Dornan and his management team have studied the video of that game and will have a plan ready.

It has been a long for the girls in green and tomorrow’s game will be the ninth of the campaign. They have scored 22-96 so far and conceded 8-67. Let’s hope they stretch that gap tomorrow and bring the cup back home again to Fr Magiin Park.

by thesaffrongael

Four Masters going for 3-in-a-row

Above – The Four Masters team who beat Magherafelt in last year’s final

St. Paul’s-Fona/cab Ulster Minor Football Tournament

Four Masters (Donegal) v St. Canice’s Dungiven (Derry)

Sunday 14th December 1-pm

The 4th quarter-final of the St. Paul’s-Fona/cab Ulster Minor Football tournament is scheduled for this Sunday, 14th December at Shaw’s Road and it brings together two of the big hitters in the tournament.

Four Masters of Donegal won the competition in 2023 and 2024 and are going for three in a row but they face a formidable opponent in St. Canice’s. Dungiven.

Dungiven were winners in 2022 when they defeated Four Masters in a tight final which finished 2-7 to 1-8 in favour of the Derry side and they are back again this year to cross swords with the Donegal men.

Four Masters will probably start Sunday’s eagerly awaited contest as slight favourites but this is unlikely to bother the Dungiven side and the record of Derry clubs in this tournament is superb.

Clubs from the Oak leaf county have won the prestigious St. Paul’s tournament a mind boggling 18 times since its inception and have been runners up on six occasions.

Indeed no other county has come close to matching the success of the Derry clubs but Donegal have come closest with 5 successes and have been runners up on six occasions.

That 2022 final between Sunday’s opponents served up a real cracker and the Saffron Gael’s Kevin Herron was there to cover the game and here is his report from that game.

St Canice’s 2-07-1-08 Four Masters

Kevin Herron reports from Pairc Naomh Pól

Padraig Haran netted two minutes from time to ensure that St Canice’s became the 38th winner of the FonaCAB Ulster Minor Tournament at St Paul’s when they defeated Four Masters 2-07-1-08 in a thrilling final at Pairc Naomh Pól this afternoon.

It has been three years exactly since the decider was last played on the Shaw’s Road, on that occasion Lavey defeated Termon and little did all assembled imagine, it would be three years before St Paul’s showpiece event would return- due to the Covid pandemic.

But it was well worth the long wait as St Canice’s and Four Master’s served up a breath-taking spectacle.

Canice’s controlled the play in the early stages after surviving a scare in their defensive third. Seanán Carr charged down an attempted Padraig O’Kane clearance and headed for the target, but his driven shot crashed off the underside of the bar.

The Derry side quickly turned defence to attack and opened the scoring themselves through a measured point from Eoin Higgins.

They doubled their advantage when Odhran Murphy dropped a high shot between the posts and Murphy would turn provider for Darach McGonigle making it 0-03-0-00.

Action from the 2022 final between Dungiven a Four Masters

Four Masters were quiet in the opening quarter- but hit back approaching the midway point in the half.

The angle was against Conor Meehan- whose free dropped shot and into the path of Seanán Carr to rifle past Odhran McElhinney and into the net to draw the team’s level.

St Canice’s restored their lead after Eoin Higgins was upended and he slotted the resulting free between the posts.

It was short-lived though as Four Masters replied, another angled free from the opposite side dropped short and Conor McCahill produced a stunning point, shooting over his shoulder and the bar.

Higgins gave his side the lead for the final time in the half after Darach McGonigle was impeded.

Four Masters hit back for the third time and McCahill doubled his tally for the half, despite being dragged back on route to steering his high between the posts.

The Donegal Champions hit the front for the first time in the half when Kevin Muldoon claimed a mark, took a few steps and guided his shot over.

It looked as though the sides would depart with the scores level when Eoin Higgins steadied himself and shot over his second from play and fourth of the half, though Leo McGowan popped up at the other end to give Four Masters a 1-04-0-06 lead at the midway stage.

Four Masters increased their lead upon the games resumption when Callum McCrea took a lay-off from Daniel Quinn and shot over the bar. Conor Meehan then opened his account for the afternoon from the placed ball.

On 39 minutes St Canice’s hit back and drew level, Darach McGonigle saw his attempted shot drop short into the hands of Shea McLaughlin- who sent a low shot into the bottom corner past Daniel McGinty to make it 1-06 apiece.

A converted Eoin Higgins free ensured his side were back in the driving seat for the first time since the 26th minute, but Conor Meehan restored parity from the same scenario as the sides were locked together for the sixth time.

With five minutes remaining Four Masters put themselves back in the driving seat though a splendid Kevin Muldoon point and that score was the difference until the 58th minute when the score arrived.

St Canice’s were in search of a leveller and Odhran Murphy swung the ball out left to Darach McGonigle, the wing-half forward decided to cut in at the by-line and steer the ball into the area where Padraig Haran intercepted, steadied, and showed composure to fire to the net and give his side a 2-07-1-08 lead.

There were three minutes added on and still time for further drama, although there were no further score both sides would finish with 14-men as Leo McGowan and Eoin Higgins departed with black cards.

Canice’s successfully saw out the remainder of time and there were scenes of delirium at the final whistle as the Dungiven outfit bridged a 32-year gap to leave Pairc Naomh Pól with the Jimmy McConville Cup at the end of a breath-taking afternoon of excitement.

Dungiven supporters celebrate the clubs 2022 success over Four Masters but who will be celebrating on Sunday?

Different Day-Different game

Sunday of course is a different day and a different game. Two different panels of players and this is only a quarter-final but it could be a defining one for the winners.

As we said earlier, Derry clubs have a superb record in this competition and you can be sure Dungiven will go into this one brimming with confidence but Four Masters recent dominance in Donegal and at St. Paul’s will fill them with a similar belief.

Padraig O’Kane, Ryan McGilligan, Daithi McCloskey, Padraig Harnan and Paddy Higgins will spearhead the Dungiven challenge while Aidan Quinn, Eoghan O’Neill, Tomas Carr, Conal Flannery, Turlough Carr and Thomas Lenihan are some of the names hoping to keep Four Masters bid for 3-in-a-row on track.

by thesaffrongael

Moneygalss coach Maxi Curran speaks to the Saffron Gael

In the build up to Saturday’s All Ireland LGFA Club Final between Moneyglass of Antrim and Kilkerrin-Clonberne of Galway, the Saffron Gael speaks to Maxi Curran, the St. Ergnat’s joint manager.

Maxi Curran took Donegal ladies to two All Ireland semi-finals and a National league final during his stint with the Tir Connell team

We began, “Maxi, you were involved with your native Donegal Ladies for a number of years and enjoyed success with the Tir Conaill girls, tell me how it came about that you got involved with St. Ergnat’s”?

Maxi answered. “I got a call in March 2023 telling me the St. Ergnat’s girls were holding a training weekend in Downings and I was asked to come and take a session. So after doing that one, the girls mentioned coming up to Moneyglass to do another one in September, closer to Championship, and having witnessed the genuineness and honesty of the group first hand in Downings, it was an easy decision, and I’ve been involved ever since” 

We then posed the question to the Donegal man. “Tell us about the development and steady improvement of St. Ergnat’s over the last number of years from reaching an Ulster final to winning their first with a win over Errigal Ciaran this year. What do you put it down to”?

He answered. “Along with a large degree of talent, the Moneyglass girls are a tremendously honest and hard-working group of girls and if you persist at anything long enough, putting as much into it as they do, you tend to get the breaks at some point, and I think our time just came this year”. 

“You would probably have gone into a number of games this year as underdogs including you All Ireland semi-final against Kilmacud Crokes but your girls have overcome the challenge on each occasion. What has brought about this great belief” we asked?

He answered. “Belief is one thing, but you need a slice of luck sometimes too, and I think we got breaks at times this year that we didn’t get in previous years. And then when that helps you get over the line on a big day, you get a serious bounce for subsequent games and you just kind of get on a roll”. 

“Both Errigal Ciaran in the Ulster final and Kilmacud Crokes in the All Ireland semi-final looked like big hurdles which Moneyglass were able to overcome. Kilkerrin-Clonberne are going for five in a row and will obviously start as favourites. What do you know about the Galway side and what can you do to overcome that challenge”? we asked

“ I don’t think I’ve heard of any team, in any sport in recent times being on a 5 year winning streak of 52 games unbeaten, so that tells you all you need to know about them really. They are serial winners, blessed with buckets of talent and we will need 13/14 of our girls having the game of their lives to stand any chance. But David did slay Goliath before, so if we give our best, who knows” he concluded. 

All roads lead to Croke Park this Saturday where St. Ergnat’s are aiming to be the first club from Antrim to win a Senior LGFA All Ireland title. The task facing them is immense but the Moneyglass girls have overcome what appeared to be insurmountable odds all season and, if they are at their best then they can cause a major upset.

We at the Saffron Gael wish your side every success and we will be there to capture the action!