A Charlie Mone inspired Clontibret O’Neill’s of Monaghan swept aside the challenge of Derrygonnelly from Fermanagh in the first quarter-final of the St. Paul’s-fona/cab Ulster Minor Football club championship at Colaiste Feirste on Saturday.
The Monaghan side led 1-7 to 1-3 at the break with their goal coming from Evan Treanor after 11 minutes and Darragh Keenan, Malachy Treanor, Charlie Mone, Jack Brady, Daniel Boylan and Odhran Boylan all weighing in with points.
22/11/2026 Clontibrets Charlie Mone in action with Derrygonnellys Michael Duffy in the St Pauls Minor Competion at Colaiste Feriste
Derrygonnelly did well to contain the O’Neill’s to four in the opening half but with the elements in the favour of the Monaghan men after the break it was going to take something better from the Fermanagh champions if they were to turn this one around.
The second half was less than a minute old when Odhran Boylan fired home Clontibret’s second goal and even then it looked as good as over and the Monaghan champions would push on to rake up an impressive second half tally.
Darragh Keenan, Charlie Mone, Jack Sullivan, Daniel Boylan, Jack Brady and Shane Connolly gave an exhibition of point taking as Clontibret romped home winners by 19 point to set up a semi-final meeting with Bredagh of Down.
Charlie Mone led his line superbly and caused endless problems for Derrygonnelly up front while Darragh Keenan, Odhran Boylan, Evan Treanor and Shane Connolly were others to impress for a Clontibret team who could go all the way.
22/11/2026 Derrygonnellys Evan Mc Kenna in action with Clontibrets Charlie Mone and Alex Windrum in the St Pauls Minor Competion at Colaiste Feriste
Featured image: The organising committee of All Saints 50th Anniversary Gala Ball with special guests, Dublin Footballers, Dean Rock and James McCarthy.
In 1975 when Fr. Fergus Jordan called for interested people to gather to discuss the formation of a GAA club in Ballymena he did so having learned that local people were regularly heading beyond the parish boundaries to watch Gaelic games elsewhere. The result of his call was the establishment of the All Saints club and the rest as they say is 50 years of history.
Five hundred members, friends & supporters gathered in the Tullyglass House Hotel on Saturday evening to pay tribute to those founding members and to celebrate 5 decades of providing Gaelic sport in the parish of Kirkinriola.
Master of Cermonies, Mark Sidebottom interviews special guests, Dean Rocks and James McCarthy.
Superbly co-ordinated by Master of Ceremonies, Mark Sidebottom, the evening brought all in attendance on a journey that included the successes, near misses and challenges experienced by the club … all of which began on the parish field at Hugomont 50 years ago. Memories of an All Ireland Scor na Nog title, football championships won and hurling & camogie successes were revisited and shared on stage by members of the various teams from across the years.
A club song specially written for the occasion by local musician Johnny Murphy and sung by former player Declan McNally led the audience through the twists and turns of the All Saints journey. Accompanied by a video the compilation provided a summary of the club’s illustrious past and the role played by its people. A further visual told the story of the All Saints family and the pastoral role the club plays in times of difficulty. The video was a tribute to all former members no longer present and in telling their story featured former coach Orlaith O’Kane who passed away in 2018.
Club President Denis Martin was in attendance. At 93 years young and with 50 years of membership behind him Denis was well placed to sum up his thoughts and feelings on the evening. As one of the loyal band of early volunteers he informed all in attendance that when the journey started they “couldn’t have foreseen how far the club would develop over the years”.
All Saints chairman, Jim Brady addresses the 500 guests who attended the clubs 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner while county chairman, Seamus McMullan gives his address.
Guests of honour were former Dublin footballers James McCarthy and Dean Rock. With an incredible 17 All Ireland medals between them they had plenty to share with those in attendance. As MC Sidebottom switched to sports journalist mode amongst other revelations he teased from the lads were the inner secrets of the Dublin training regime.
Saturday brought the club’s anniversary year to a close and club chairperson, Jim Brady, took the opportunity to pay tribute to the 50th Commemoration Committee for all they had organised and achieved over the last 12 months. Singling them out for special mention he acknowledged the range of events and activities they had organised including the club celebration Mass, the Return to Hugomont day and the Bank Holiday Marquee Weekend in August to name but several.
Looking to the future he outlined the timeframe for the completion of the club’s new £650k capital development programme that will see facilities enhanced to include a club gym, ball wall, floodlit juvenile 3g training area and a community hub. Scheduled to complete just before Christmas the project marks another 2025 milestone achieved.
A night of nostalgia and friendships rekindled, with plenty of craic thrown in for good measure for the 500 guests saw the Saints live up to the words of their celebration song – Ballymena Hear Our Call!
Club President and founder member, Dennis Martin is interviewed by Mark Sidebottomand right: Members of the All Saints All Ireland winning Scor Group from 46 year’s agowho were guests at the dinner.
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St. Patricks celebrated their 60th Anniversary on Friday 21st Nov with a Gala Ball in the Balmoral Hotel. We were delighted to welcome Michael Geoghegan, Ulster GAA President , Seamus McMullan , Antrim GAA Chair , Ursula Lynch. Antrim LGFA Chair, Patrick McGroarty, Antrim LGFA Development Officer & David Honeyford MLA, from our good neighbours at Glenavy. Michael Fitzpatrick ran a very smooth operation as our MC for the evening. The occasion was captured by our friend , Bert Trowlen , Saffrongael.
Our evening commenced with our Chair. Tony Ewing, giving a short recount of the trials and tribulations that the club experienced in its nomadic existence from 1965 through to 1995, due to the troubles and the mis representation at local government level. The club were always thankful for the support we received from St.Josephs & St.James. clubs. Through the work of Kieran Drayne, the club secured a lease in 1995 for our current ground on Kirkwoods Road through Lisburn Council, although at the time , we were unable to play home on a Sunday! The club developed good working relationships with Council officials and the pitch and changing room facilities improved over time. Thirty years later we are on the cusp of purchasing Kirkwoods from the MOD, how times have changed for the better.
The Lynchpin – We reflected and celebrated on the central role Mickey Lynch (Club President) played throughout the decades and enthused at his experiences and story telling. 2025 was a memorable year for Mickey as we had a surprise event as part of our Club history night to celebrate his 80th birthday, alongside his lovely family.
Senior Awards LGFA Most Improved Player – Eva Devlin Players’ Player – Ciara Marshall Manager’s Player – Clare Kearney
Minor Most Improved Player – Katie Longley Players’ Player – Niamh George Manager’s Player – Beth Gartland
GAA Reserves Players’ Player & Manager’s Player – Owen Drayne
Seniors Young Player – Jude Rafferty Players’ Player & Manager’s Player – Adam Patterson
President’s Award recipient- Peter Burns.
The ballot prize were then drawn out with the top prize being a trip to New York.
Ballot Prize Winners 21st Nov
NY Trip- Kashif Akrim AIF tickets (Club) – Aoife Mc Kibbin £100 ( Ronnie Thompson)- Peter Ferris £50 ( CD Plumbing)- Kathlyn Mc Laughlin Glenfenndich – Helena Maginness-Fitzpatrick Jameson ( Hagues Bar) – Fiona Healy Prosecco ( Hagues Bar)- Patricia O’Neill
Thank you to all our sponsors in supporting the ballot.
The evening concluded with a great set of tunes from Finn Mc Ginn.
On behalf of the organising team, we would like to thank Elaine and her team for the excellent service & support in planning this memorable evening for St.Patricks GAC.
buildkirkwoods- in the next 10 years, we aspire to drive Lisburn GAA forward with ground and facilities improvements to match the needs of our ever-expanding club & community.
TO SEE MORE OF BERT’S PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
A brilliant display of score taking by left-half-forward Tomas Adams steered St John’s to victory over West Belfast rivals Rossa in the final of the Antrim Minor B Hurling Championship at Rossa Park on Sunday.
In a game played in rain and wind Adams’s accuracy stood out as he sent over points from all over the field. Liam McEnhill was Rossa’s star man accounting for all his team’s total but it was evident from the early stages that the Johnnies would be very hard to beat.
County committee member Kieran Megraw presents the trophy to St John’s captain Fintan McKinney
The first half saw the Corrigan Park side move into a 0-03 to 0-01 lead, despite playing into the strong breeze, Adams getting two of the points and Daniel McKenna the other, while McEnhill got Rossa’s score from a 65. Two more by McEnhill were followed by a brilliant individual goal from the same player to put the home team a goal ahead at the end of the opening quarter. Alex Robb pulled one back for St John’s but McEnhill restored his team’s three point cushion with a great strike from a free well inside his own half.
However in the run-in to half time St John’s got the upper hand and another Lewis Rafferty point and two from frees by Adams sent them in level at the break (Rossa 1-05 St John’s 0-08)
Liam McEnhill put Rossa ahead again in the early stages of the second half but Alex Robb had the Johnnies back on terms less than a minute later, and when Rafferty broke through to fire home a goal from close range in the 37th minute there was no way back for Rossa. Adams stretched the lead out to six with three pointed frees by the end of the third quarter.
Liam McEnhill who was Rossa’s top performer
McEnhill pulled a point back for the home team but it was to be their last score of the game while St John’s finished with a flurry with five more points from Adams, plus a goal from a long range free, plus and excellent goal from midfielder Caolan Wilson to get home with a bit to spare.
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St Brigid’s clinched this year’s U21A football title piping a gallant St Gall’s outfit by five points in a gripping encounter. After being delayed for a week due to inclement weather, it’s fair to say that this year’s showpiece was well worth the wait. Chaotic, frenetic, hard-hitting, dramatic and with scores aplenty: it really was a spectacle for the sizable crowd in attendance who’d braved November’s cold chill. These two have been trailblazers when it comes to underage success in recent years with St Gall’s targeting two in a row and St Brigid’s keen to add to their already glittering list of accolades. It should’ve come as no surprise that this one would be a proper stormer.
Opting to play with a stiff breeze in the first half, the Musgrave Park men took full advantage of the elements as they racked up an eleven-point lead at the break with Joseph Logan in prolific form, firing in two majors. St Brigid’s were electric going forward and with the two McGurks dominating midfield and scoring from range for fun, the Milltown men’s hopes were looking rather bleak.
JJ Higgins (14) turns away in celebration after scoring the goal that sealed victory for St. Brigid’s over St. Gall’s in the U21A Football final at Woodlands on Sunday
Indeed, Naomh Gall had it all to do in the second thirty but my word did they come close. Daniel Quinn’s prowess from range saw him tally 0-07 with four coming courtesy of the orange flag. Despite being reduced to thirteen men, it looked like a Lazarus-like comeback was on the cards as when Niall Fallon’s two-pointed effort found it’s mark, the gap was reduced to a single point with five minutes of normal time left on Colin Thompson’s watch.
Nevertheless, Naomh Bríd steadied the ship and kept their composure well to finish the stronger of the two as the numerical advantage became more apparent in the closing stages. JJ Higgins found the net two minutes from the end with a clinical finish before Joseph Logan fired over another point to cap off a fine individual performance and seal the silverware for the men in white and blue.
St Brigid’s flew out of the traps and raced into a seven-point lead in the opening ten minutes. Donncha McGurk’s perfectly flighted effort from the forty-five brandished an orange flag before St Brigid’s fired in an early major as they pounced on the counter with a superb goal from Joseph Logan who rifled his effort into the roof of the net. McGurk’s name-sake Brian then demonstrated his own ability from range with another towering effort from well beyond the arc as Naomh Bríd were fully cashing in on the wind at their backs. Naomh Gall were giving as good as they got but just couldn’t make anything stick on the scoreboard as St Brigid’s were devastating on the counter.
Joseph Logan whoes first half double sent St. Brigid’s on their way to victory
It wouldn’t be until the eighteenth minute when St Gall’s would break their duck as Padraig O’Muirigh tapped over a close-range free to give his side some respite. St Brigid’s responded emphatically though as Rory McErlean found his bearings from a free before Brian McGurk doubled his two-point tally for the day with another soaring effort from well outside the arc. JJ Higgins would then open his account on the twenty-second minute as they sought to turn the screw.
Naomh Bríd’s compact defence was proving a tough nut to crack but Callum Walsh managed to power his way through to slot over St Gall’s first from play with five remaining until the short whistle. Moments later, Liam Lynn added another as he rose highest to fist over Daniel Quinn’s flighted effort from the forty-five.
Just as it appeared that the men in blue were inching their way back into it, their opponents dealt them another hammer blow. Again, it would be Logan who would do the damage as the young number fifteen found himself in acres of his space before advancing forward to drill low and hard to the net, doubling his goal tally for the day for good measure.
Lynn would again reply for his side, but St Brigid’s finished the half with yet another score. This one came from a more unlikely source as Sonny Doyle powered his way forward from full-back to put the finishing touches on a flowing move to give his side a commanding eleven-point lead before the whistle for the interval sounded with the scores 2-09 to 0-04 in favour of Naomh Bríd.
Naomh Gall understood they had an uphill battle on their hands in the second period, but with the heavy attacking artillery they had amongst their ranks, they also knew they had it in them. They started positively as centre-forward Daniel Quinn blasted over a free from beyond the arc to cut the deficit into single figures again.
Daniel Quinn is halted in his tracks as he attempts to break through the St. Brigid’s defence
Although St Brigid’s responded through Isaac Robinson, there was much more purpose about St Gall’s from an offensive standpoint as they looked to also capitalise on the wind themselves. Quinn was once again on hand to curl in a superb effort from a tight angle to galvanise his side. The game was now being played at a frenetic pace and hard-hits were flying in from all angles and there was a bit of needle injected into proceedings. With a few off the ball incidents occurring, things were getting a little heated and in one such exchange St Gall’s were reduced to fourteen men as their uphill task became even trickier.
Nevertheless, the men in blue seemed unperturbed and used this as fuel in their attempts at clawing back the deficit. Midway through the half, they got a lifeline as Aaron Mackel pounced among a melee of players to sweep in off the deck with a beautiful effort from his left foot as the ball nestled in the roof of the net. With six points now the margin, it looked as though it could be game on again.
However, the feisty element to the game soon spilled over as both sets of players were involved in a bit of an entanglement. Once all had calmed, St Gall’s were sanctioned with a second dismissal and it now seemed that with a two-man disadvantage, surely it would be too much to ask.
Yet again though, with their backs against the wall, the Milltown men rose once more as the imperious Daniel Murray would hit the next two in a row and suddenly the gap was down to four as the game approached the final ten minutes. Naomh Bríd were then reduced to fourteen men, or temporarily at least, as they fell victim to a black card which gave their counterparts that little more impetus. Talisman, Murray, would strike again on the fifty-third minute with yet another two-pointed effort as St Gall’s continued to rally.
St Brigid’s were desperate for some form of respite to quell the oncoming tide of scores from their opponents and had Joseph Logan to thank once again as he tapped over from close range moments later. However, the gap was cut to the minimum on the fifty-fifth minute as a superb effort from beyond the arc found its’ target from the cultured right boot of Niall Fallon and somehow, someway St Gall’s were on the verge of a titanic come-back.
Padraig O’Muirigh Jnr is first to the ball
Perhaps it was this score which stirred St Brigid’s back into life as they recaptured their form from the first-half to finish with aplomb. Full-forward JJ Higgins managed to stab home to the net amongst a sea of bodies to score his side’s third major. The numerical advantage was now really beginning to take its toll as St Brigid’s maintained possession well to take the sting from proceedings in the closing moments. Ethan Walsh and Logan would exchange points as the game went into time added on before Dara Quinn added a little more gloss to the score-line with a well-taken effort from close range to seal yet another title for this crop of St Brigid’s players.
Credit to both for an enthralling game. Despite suffering setback after setback, St Gall’s character never faltered. They will maintain a good few of this current crop for next year and will hope to go again and taste success at this grade once again. For St Brigid’s, they have been synonymous with titles at underage. This current crop are no exception and with the nucleus of the side still U21 next year, they will have their eyes set on repeating this feat next year.
Couinty committee member, Terry Reilly presents the U21A Football Championship cup to St. Brigid’s captain, Niall Duffy
Naomh Gall: C Óg Mullan; F McCullough, G McAdhaimh, C Hale; S MacAdhaimh, L Lynn (0-02,) E Walsh (0-01;) M McCrossan, O Maskey; D MacCrabhagain, D Quinn (0-07 – 2 t.p,) P O’Muirigh (0-01;) N Fallon (0-02 – 1 t.p,) C Walsh (0-01,) A Mackel (1-00)
Naomh Bríd: L Cullinan; C Logue, S Doyle (0-01,) T McKenna; A McNicholl, N Finnegan, C O’Connell; B McGurk (0-04 – 2 t.p,) D McGurk (0-02 – 1 t.p;) D Quinn (0-01,) N Duffy, I Robinson (0-01;) R McErlean (0-01,) JJ Higgins (1-01,) J Logan (2-02)
Referee: Colin Thompson (St. John’s)
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