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Armagh came back from two second half Tipperary goals taking the last three points of the game to claim a draw in the TG4 All Ireland series on Saturday. Making the long trip to FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles to face Tipperary they knew that victory would guarantee them a home quarter-final in the TG4 All-Ireland serie but they didn't bank on two second half Tipperary goals in three minutes rocking them back on their heels during the course of this very lively encounter.
Armagh manager Greg McGonigle praised his squad for the way they responded to the Tipperary goals. The two goals in three minutes from Anna Rose Kennedy and Aisling Moloney pushed Tipperary ahead in the second half in Thurles before Armagh came back to claim a 2-4 to 0-10 draw.
“Obviously we would have been happier with a win but when you concede two sucker punch goals, and then show great character to get back into the match, you would have to be pleased. We were three down with seven minutes to go and we were very aggressive with our pressing to get back on terms,” said McGonigle.
The Orchard County got the better of Meath by a single point the first round and were in pole position as they faced a Tipperary side making a first appearance since the Munster championship round robin stages when they lost out to Cork.
The visitors were the better side in the first half and could have enjoyed a greater lead than the 0-4 to 0-3 scoreline had they taken their chances. But, Tipperary showed a lot of resilience and following the opening score from Emma Morrissey in the 4th minute, Tipp added two further Morrisey points to keep in touch with Armagh who showed a lot of endeavour in their approach play.
Indeed, Armagh attacked with real pace and this yielded first half flags for Eve Lavery (2), Blainhin Mackin and centre back Lauren McConville as she charged forward and split the posts.
Tipp were without centre forward Aishling McCarthy for a ten minute spell, split by the half time break, after she was yellow carded for persistent fouling. But, they managed to weather the Armagh storm during that period and the gap still stood at the bare minimum by the time she returned — Anna Rose Kennedy and Eve Lavery trading points after resumption.
Armagh extended their leads though through Emily Druse and Kelly Mallon, but Tipp hit back with an Aishling Moloney goal in the 13th minute to draw the sides level again.
And, the Armagh net was rattled again three minutes later when Anna Rose Kennedy was on the end of a wonderful passing movement to beat Anna Carr with a looping shot.
Armagh responded well and they kicked the final three scores of the game through Kelly Mallon (2) and Angela McGuigan to rescue a point and remain unbeaten in the series as they advance to the quarter-finals of the TG4 All-Ireland SFC.
It was a well earned point for Tipperary for whom keeper Lauren Fitzpatrick was also yellow carded right at the very end of the game.
Scorers: Tipperary: AR Kennedy 1-1; E Morrissey 0-3 (2f); A Moloney 1-0.
Armagh: E Lavery 0-3 (2f); K Mallon 0-3(3 f); E Druse, L McConville, B Mackin, A McGuigan 0-1 each.
TIPPERARY: L Fitzpatrick; E Kelly, L Spillane, E Cronin; C O'Dwyer, M Curley, S English; L Morrissey, AR Kennedy; C English, A Moloney, E Morrissey; M Creedon, A McGuigan, E McCarthy. Subs: N Towey for Creedon (45); K Downey for McCarthy (44).
ARMAGH: A Carr; G Ferguson, C McCambridge, R Mulligan; C Towe, L McConville, D Coleman; N Coleman, E Lavery; E Druse, A McCoy, B Mackin; M McCambridge, N Henderson, K Mallon. Subs: S Quigley for Druse (46); C Doyle for Lavery (52); Reel for Mackin.
Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan)
Final score: Armagh 0-10 Tipperary 2-4
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Newry AC juniors continue to deliver success and silverware when it matters - at championships. This year's Ulster Championships saw two Newry AC athletes podium in middle & long distance events. Middle distance athlete Luc Le Blanc (u16) picked up a double podium across the blue ribbon events of 800 and 1500. Luc narrowly missed out on the 800 crown by five tenths of a second to Letterkenny's Darragh Naughton who broke the tape in a blistering 2:04.71 for two laps of the oval, with Luc in second place clocking 2:05.12. In the 1500 Luc closed out the podium securing 3rd place in 4:25.31, four tenths of a second behind second place Pauric Kelly of Armagh AC.
On the topic of middle distance athletics, as was evident in a recent poorly researched and poorly formed article published around sporting success of Newry natives, the blue ribbon distances of track & field are evidently unvalued and unappreciated in these parts. Although those who do appreciate that ture athletic performances are primarily laid down on tartan and not tarmac also know that Newry's greatest athlete, a Newry AC athlete who was mysteriously not mentioned in the article, was themselves prolific in these middle distance events. Said athlete in 2012 became and remains to this day Ireland's youngest ever 800m senior champion, whilst also representing their country at a world level, a feat not matched or rivaled by Newry athletes. How this athlete was overlooked remains a question only the author of the aforementioned article can answer..
In the 3000m distance specialist Megan Barnet (u16) took home silver dipping under 11 minutes with a showing of 10:59.47. Megan has been dominant on the local road racing scene in recent months picking up countless race victories and podiums, her most recent was only a few days out from the Ulster Championships, which saw her take victory at the Craigavon Lakes 5k. The most valued currency in athletics is championship medals and Megan's display at the Ulster championships, securing a podium finish when it mattered most, will no doubt be the highlight of her season so far.
Both athletes have qualified for the All Ireland championships where they will represent the club and Newry vest at the highest level possible on the Island of Ireland.
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Down ladies will take on Tyrone in the semi final of the Intermediate 2024 TG4 All-Ireland championship after a three point win over Monaghan at the weekend.
In the last four of the Intermediate grade, Down will play Tyrone and Leitrim will take on Wexford, with those ties to be played on Sunday, July 14.
Down emerged the winners in a tight contest. Natasha Ferris and Sarah Dougherty found the net for Down in either half while the free-taking of Niamh King got Down over the line. Sarah Tierney hit both goals for Monaghan, who kept in touch with Down throughout.
Results
TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship quarter-finals
Down 2-12 Monaghan 2-9
Wexford 5-15 Westmeath 4-12 (AET)
Tyrone 2-8 Clare 2-7
Leitrim 3-13 Roscommon 3-11
TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship – relegation qualifiers
Cavan 3-11 Antrim 0-7
Offaly 3-11 Wicklow 0-10
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Although it was just a fifth-round game in Division 1 of the Lidl National Football League, for Niamh Henderson, Armagh’s match against Kerry at BOX-IT Athletic Grounds on March 3 of this year held great significance.
Henderson, a key member of the Orchard County team that won the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship against Waterford in 2012, also secured NFL Division 3 and 2 titles with Armagh in 2014 and 2015. However, after undergoing two knee surgeries, she was away from competitive play for an extended period.
In the summer of 2018, Henderson gave birth to her son, Noah. She returned to club action with Clann Eireann but stayed away from inter-county play until rejoining the Armagh panel earlier this year. The March game against Kerry marked her first time wearing the Orchard jersey in nearly nine years, where she scored a point in a 3-14 to 1-13 victory over Kerry.
“I was nervous coming back for that Kerry game,” Henderson admitted. “It was a big game for us on our home pitch. I just told myself, ‘I need to be brave and try my best.’ I felt proud to wear the Armagh jersey.”
Reflecting on her time away, she said, “I took time off for my knee injury and then to have my son. He’s six now and at a great age. I’m delighted to wear the Armagh jersey and be a role model for him.”
“That game was significant for me, and I’ve been building confidence and gelling with the team since then. I’m delighted I decided to come back this year.”
After working with Greg McGonigle at Clann Eireann in 2023, Henderson, a special needs teacher is now under his guidance in the Armagh setup. Last year, she captained Clann to Armagh and Ulster championship titles and has added more silverware since her return to inter-county play.
Before her player-of-the-match performance in Armagh’s TG4 Ulster Senior Football Championship win over Donegal in May, Henderson played the full 60 minutes in April when Armagh claimed the Lidl National Football League Division 1 title against Kerry. This was her first time playing in Croke Park since the 2012 All-Ireland intermediate final, giving her another reason to cherish her return to inter-county football.
“It was a huge win for us, beating Kerry narrowly and playing in Croke Park was amazing. After winning the All-Ireland intermediate in 2012, I never thought I’d be back on that pitch,” Henderson said.
“I was absolutely delighted and overwhelmed. Lifting the cup in Croke Park with my son Noah is a moment I’ll treasure forever. I’m so happy I decided to come back.”
Clann Eireann is well-represented in the Armagh ladies squad, with eight players on the match day panel for the league final win. The men's team also has strong representation from Clann Eireann. Barry McCambridge, Tiernan Kelly, and Conor Turbitt were all in the starting lineup for Armagh’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final win over Roscommon at Croke Park.
Henderson, whose older brother Ryan also played for Armagh, hopes to draw inspiration from Kieran McGeeney’s team as her own prepares for a quarter-final against Mayo.
“I watched the match in Croke Park and it gave me extra motivation to aim for the semi-final. Barry, Tiernan, and Conor are all from Clann Eireann and it was great to see them making an impact,” Henderson said. “Seeing them motivates us to do the same.”
After quarter-final defeats in the past three seasons, Armagh aims to reach the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-finals as they face Mayo at BOX-IT Athletic Grounds tomorrow evening 7 July with throw-in at 5.45pm.
As Group 1 winners in the Brendan Martin Cup, Armagh enjoys home advantage for the quarter-final against Liam McHale’s Mayo. However, Henderson remains cautious of Mayo’s strong record.
“Home advantage is big for us this weekend. We had to travel to Mayo for the league game, which is a long journey. We’re delighted to avoid that,” she added. “Mayo will be tough and physical, but if we bring our best performance, there’s no reason we can’t reach the semi-final.”
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Newry Rugby Club has announced the appointment of Bruce Cornelius as their new Head Coach for the coming season, a move that has been warmly welcomed by senior players and officials alike.
The 54-year-old Kiwi has over 25 years of coaching experience in his native New Zealand and across clubs in Ulster and England. Since his arrival in Ulster, he has played and coached at all levels of the game.
The new coach was warmly welcomed to the club by players and officials on Friday evening at a special Meet The Coach Evening. Speaking about his new challenge at Newry Rugby Club, Cornelius said, “I am pleased to join Newry Rugby Club at an exciting time in their history with the Centenary Year coming up in 2025. I am convinced that the Club has the necessary infrastructure and potential to develop and compete at the highest levels of Junior Rugby."
Cornelius's coaching philosophy is to help each player improve their skill levels, realise their potential, and enjoy playing rugby. His extensive experience includes being the Head Coach of Shirley Rugby Club in New Zealand, where they competed in the Christchurch Men’s Metro Premier League from 2001 to 2003. He then moved to Northern Ireland as Head Coach of Instonians Rugby Club, competing in the Men's AIL Division 3 from 2003 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2012.
Cornelius added “Newry Rugby Club has a very bright future, and I am aware of the hard work being undertaken at the youth level. I look forward to working with all the talented young players at the club to develop a conveyor belt of talent that will feed the first team and build success at every level."
Chris Hanna, speaking on behalf of the senior playing squad, said, “It is great to have a coach of the calibre of Bruce at our club, and all the players are looking forward to working with him in the coming months to ensure we have a successful season. We are doing great things at Newry Rugby Club and have a great youth setup."
Cornelius also served as Head Coach of Belfast Harlequins in the Men's AIL Division 2 from 2008 to 2009 before moving to Northumbria in England to hold the positions of Head of Performance Rugby at Northumbria University and the Women's Team in the Women's English Premiership. His career shows a deep commitment to developing rugby talent and fostering a love for the game.
Club Chairman Paul Little added, “It is fantastic to have Bruce Cornelius at the club for the new season. He recognizes what we are trying to achieve at the club and wants to work with every player to get the best out of them. I have no doubt his experience as a Head Coach will have a positive impact on our senior players and inspire our youth players."
Cornelius returned to Ulster to take up the Head Coaching roles at Lisburn RFC and Lurgan RFC before his arrival this week to lead Newry Rugby Club's challenge to become a force to be reckoned with in Ulster Junior Rugby. Reflecting on his new role, Cornelius said, “We have an excellent and dedicated management committee at Newry Rugby Club, and I want to ensure that the hard work done off the pitch is replicated on the pitch. I am delighted to be here and am relishing the challenge ahead at Newry Rugby Football Club."
The club is looking forward to a great season ahead with Bruce at the helm.
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Armagh will take on Kerry on 20 July in the semi final of the TG4 senior All Ireland Football Championships following their 2 goal win at the Athletic Grounds yesterday.
Armagh's Blaithin Mackin believes there is plenty of room for improvement still. Mackin led the way with 1-3 as the Orchard County moved within 60 minutes of a first All-Ireland final date since their sole appearance when they went down to Cork in 2006.
“We are delighted,” said Mackin. “We were looking for a perfomance on our own ground and we definitely got that. But there is still room for improvement in two weeks’ time.
“Throughout the league and the Ulster championship we have gone after getting scores all over the pitch and it just instils confidence.”
It has been a glorious year for Armagh who captured their first Lidl National League title in April but while they defeated Kerry by 2-12 to 2-9 in that game, Mackin doesn’t think it will have an impact on their semi-final showdown.
“It’s massive but we are a different team than we were in the National League with players out and that, so it is going to be a different game. An All-Ireland semi-final brings different pressures to a team, so we are just looking for a good performance like we did today and hopefully that will be enough.”
Mackin said that having the quarter-final in Armagh was a huge advantage on a weekend when Galway were the only team to secure a place in the last four away from home.
“It was massive having it here,” she added. “We are very lucky in Armagh with the way the crowd really gets behind us, so we were really glad that we topped the group and had it here in the Athletic Grounds because it definitely got us over the line today.”
Armagh led by 1-6 to 0-3 at the break, having raced into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead after just 12 minutes of the contest after Mackin found the net after being set up by Niamh Henderson.
Mackin then added a free before Aoife Geraghty and Henderson exchanged points to leave Armagh ahead by 1-4 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter.
The hard-working Geraghty pulled back another good point for Mayo after 22 minutes but Armagh finished the half strongly with Lavery kicking two points to lead by six at the interval.
Mayo created several good openings in the third quarter but the final pass was often intercepted and they paid the price when Armagh countered from deep for Henderson to set up Aoife McCoy for their second goal to lead by 2-7 to 0-4 after 38 minutes.
Henderson got her second point of the evening to extend the lead before Mayo responded with points from Lisa Cafferky and Maria Cannon to leave it 2-8 to 0-6 going into the final quarter.
Mayo rallied but while Lisa Cafferky took her haul to three points from play and Cannon got her third free, they never looked like getting the goal they needed to mount a serious comeback and reach the semi-finals for the fourth year in a row.
Final score Armagh 2-11 Mayo 0-11
Scorers for Armagh: B Mackin 1-3 (0-2f), A McCoy 1-1, E Lavery 0-3 (2f), N Henderson 0-2, L McConville 0-1, N Reel 0-1.
Mayo: L Cafferky 0-3, M Cannon 0-3f, A Geraghty 0-2, L Wallace 0-1, A Gough 0-1, A Staunton 0-1.
Armagh
A Carr; G Ferguson, C McCambridge (c), R Mulligan; C Towe, L McConville, D Coleman; N Coleman, C O’Hanlon; E Druse, A McCoy, E Lavery; M McCambridge, N Henderson, B Mackin. Subs: S Quigley for M McCambridge (47), N Reel for Lavery (49), L Kenny for Druse (56).
Mayo
L Brennan; S Lally (c), N O’Malley, K Sullivan; É Ronayne, C Durkan, D Caldwell; A Geraghty, E Murray; L Wallace, A Gough, S Cafferky; S Walsh, M Cannon, L Cafferky. Subs: A Staunton for Murray (half-time), F McLaughlin for Sullivan (39), F McHale for Gough (45), C Needham for Durkan (49), M Reilly for S Cafferky (54).
Referee Brendan Rice (Down).
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This Sunday 14 July, Down senior ladies footballers will return to St. Tiarnach's Park in Clones to take on old foes, Tyrone, in the semi final of the TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Football Championship. All roads will lead south for the many Down supporters who have followed their team on what has been a successful journey thus far for the Mourne women.
The Down journey really took off after the county's 1-07 to 0-08 win over Limerick at Croke Park last August in the All Ireland Junior final, with a second half goal from Orla Swail proving to be the difference between the two sides that day in the capital. Memories from the last visit to Croke Park on finals day (2014) came flooding back when Mark Copeland's Down side beat Fermanagh to lift the Intermediate title with goals coming from Kyla Trainor (2) Lauren Cunningham, Sinead McNamee, Aileen Pyres and Lisa Morgan.
Eleven months on from last August and the Mourne County, with Caoibhe Sloan Sharkey, Peter Lynch and Mark Poland at the helm, Down find themselves one step away from another shot at the Mary Quinn cup. The Down camp have wintered well, and have now won 10 consecutive games since January.
The Mourne girls have also picked up an Ulster Intermediate title beating Monaghan by a single point back in May. Just a month later Down met Monaghan again, this time in the All Ireland Intermediate quarter final and beat the Farney by 3 points at Pairc Esler in Newry. On Sunday it's all to play for and the Mourne supporters will descend on Clones to watch their girls battle it out against Division 2 side, Tyrone, who themselves have only lost one game since the start of the year.
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Entries are now open for the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally, scheduled for Saturday, 17 August. The rally will serve as the penultimate round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
After five rounds, Keith Cronin, the 2016 Tarmac champion, leads the championship standings with 73 points, thanks to victories in Galway and West Cork, with Mikie Galvin as his co-driver. Success for Matt Edwards on the Circuit of Ireland and consecutive wins for Callum Devine have also positioned them as strong contenders. This ensures representation from manufacturers like Skoda, Ford, Citroen, Volkswagen, and Hyundai.
The event, promoted and organised by Northern Ireland Motor Club Ltd, has already seen interest from over forty crews. Wayne Turkington, the Clerk of the Course, confirmed that the Ulster Rally will be conducted over a single day in 2024 to manage costs for organisers and teams. Despite this, the rally will feature eight closed-road stages, covering a total of eighty-three competitive miles.
The action will commence with a loop of two stages – ‘Shinn Bridge’ and ‘Banbridge North’ – followed by service at Modern Tyres’ Carnbane Industrial Estate headquarters in Newry. The second loop will include ‘Tyrone Ditches’ and ‘Babylon Hill,’ followed by another service and a second pass over ‘Shinn Bridge.’ Crews will regroup at 2 pm at Banbridge Civic Building on Downshire Road before tackling ‘Banbridge North’ again. The final two stages will be repeats of ‘Tyrone Ditches’ and ‘Babylon Hill.’
Wayne Turkington believes significant changes to two stages and reversals and modifications to two others will create new challenges for competitors and enhance the experience for spectators. "With that in mind, I believe that next month’s event will offer the best stages to be run locally this year.” he said.
Supplementary regulations and a rally guide for fans are available on the official Ulster Rally website (www.ulsterrally.com).
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Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Pete Byrne, has announced the Chairperson’s Be Active Cup Junior and Senior Football Tournaments.
The senior tournament will bring together 10 teams from various leagues across the district to compete for the Chairperson’s Be Active Cup. As part of the event, the Irish Football Association (IFA) Grass Roots Programme will select two teams from across the district to play for the Junior Be Active Trophy on 1 August at 6pm, followed by the Senior final at 7:30pm at Newry Showgrounds.
The tournament was created to provide a platform for football teams of all ages and abilities from across the district to play competitive sport. It will bring over 110 footballers together, giving them the chance to compete with teams from other leagues.
Councillor Pete Byrne said, “I am delighted to launch this football tournament. It is more than just a series of matches; it is a celebration of community and fitness. Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council encourages everyone to come out and support their local teams, enjoy the games, and participate in this great community event. I am proud to support an event that promotes physical activity, teamwork, and local talent. Encouraging our residents to stay active and healthy is a key priority for us, and this tournament embodies that commitment.”
The venues for the games will be Jennings Park in Newry, Kilmore Playing Fields in Crossgar, and Newry Showgrounds, where the final will be hosted by Newry City Football Club.
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