Sadie Rice and Anne McKeown at the Newry Bowlsing Club Open Day.
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A late rally from the Royal County saw them grab a one-point win over Armagh at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in the last round of the LIDL National League. In a dead rubber contest, the three-points on offer made no impact on the final placing in the table.
Defending champions Armagh qualified for the league final last weekend despite suffering their first defeat of the season to Waterford. For long periods of today’s encounter they held the lead, but Meath nipped ahead late on.
Both sides emptied their benches in the second half, with the home side making 13 changes while Meath introduced seven new players. Shane McCormack’s side finished the stronger of the two teams, with the incredible Emma Duggan proving the hero.
With both defences on top during the early exchanges, Duggan was the difference and her three points had Meath 3-1 ahead by the end of the first quarter, with Armagh’s sole response coming through Blaithin Mackin.
Armagh struck a purple patch, hitting 2-2 on the bounce with Kelly Mallon slotting over frees either side of the goals. Niamh Coleman ghosted behind the Meath defence to nail the first while Mallon flicked home an Eve Lavery shot that dropped short.
Ciara Smyth and Duggan (2) split the posts but Armagh bagged their third major. Some incredible quick hands from the home attack saw the ball worked to Aoife McCoy, who fired her side into a 3-3 to 0-6 half time lead.
Duggan closed the gap at the start of the second period with a brace before Mallon grew her personal tally to 1-3. Substitute Caoimhe McNally hit the net but 1-1 from Smyth, along with a point from Ella Moyles kept Meath in touch.
Lauren McConville, who shadowed Vikki Wall, landed a brilliant long range free before Duggan nailed a goal to tie the score. With the final play of the game, Duggan tapped over a free on the 70th minute to earn a final day win for Meath.
Scorers – Meath: E Duggan 1-9 (4f), C Smyth 1-2, E Moyles 0-1.
Armagh: K Mallon 1-3 (3f), A McCoy 1-0, N Coleman 1-0, C McNally 1-0, B Mackin 0-1, L McConville 0-1f.
Meath: M McGuirk; A Sheridan, S Wall, K Kealy; K Newe, MK Lynch, A Gaffney; N Gallogly, O Sheehy; M Thynne, M Farrelly, C Smyth; M Byrne, V Wall, E Duggan. Subs: K Berminham for M Byrne (36), C Lawlor for A Gaffney (40), E Moyles for O Sheehy (44), N Troy for K Kealy (47), O Callan for M Thynne (50), N McEntee for M Farrelly (55), O Smith for A Sheridan (56).
Armagh: B Mathers; M Ferguson, C McCambridge, L Kenny; G Ferguson, L McConville, R Mulligan; N Coleman, B Mackin; E Druse, A McCoy, E Lavery; K Mallon, C O’Hanlon, N Henderson. Subs: M McCann for L Kenny (temporary sub, 35), M Lennon for E Lavery (40), C McNally for E Druse (47), C Traynor for B Mathers (50), L Kavanagh for B Mackin (52), M McCann (52), C Garvey for G Ferguson (54) E McConaghy for N Henderson (54), E McGeown for K Mallon (56), S Quigley for M Ferguson (56), L Marsden for A McCoy (60), B Hendron for C McNally (67), M Lavery for N Coleman (69).
Referee: David Hurson
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Down signed off their Division 3 LGFA Lidl National League campaign at Pairc Esler with an emphatic win on Sunday over Carlow with a performance showing they will be a challenger for the upcoming Ulster Championship.
Although Carlow opened the scoring, Down were much the stronger side from the start. Eimear Fitzpatrick has been the major threat for Down this season. The Burren forward wasn't long in getting on the scoresheet alongside Niamh King and Eva Hicks to give Down a 0-3 to 0-1 lead.
Two quick Down goals left them well in control with Niamh King and Meabh Kelly both finding the net. Carlow replied with powerful centre forward Cliodhna Ni She clearing the bar. Fitzpatrick and Down were rampant in the first half. Quick hand passing through the middle opened up the Carlow defence time and again, and the goals kept coming, Fitzpatrick and Hicks (2) pilling the misery onto Carlow, who were really struggling to keep out the dynamic Down attack.
Niamh King got her second goal after collecting a fine pass over the Carlow defence. The Castlewellan forward is a class act who always seems to have so much time on the ball, going on to slot the ball nonchalantly into the bottom corner.
Down continued to impress, saving their best goal of the half as time was nearly up. Niamh Rice robbed the ball on her own 13 meter line. She raced up the field with three Carlow defenders giving chase. A lovely pass wide to King was collected and almost in one movement delivered into Fitzpatrick, who rounded the keeper for her second and Down's sixth goal of the half.
To their credit, Carlow pushed forward and looked certain for a goal of their own but some fantastic blocking by the Down defence, forced Carlow to settle for a point as the referee blew for halftime. Halftime score Down 6-7 v Carlow 0-4
Down continued to push forward in the second half. Quick hands and feet opened a half chance for Niamh King, who cleared the bar. Aine Smyth turn of pace allowed her an opportunity on goal, but her powerful drive just crept over the bar for a single.
Smyth, then turned provider as she released Vivian McCormack. McCormack found the back of the net with a lovely finish for a seventh Mourne ladies goal.
Multiple changes from both sides slowed the flow of the game a bit in the second half, but with the quality coming off the Down bench, management Colm Donnelly and Mark Poland will be delighted with the performance.
Rostrevor's Niamh Rice got Down's eighth and last goal of the game, as the talented forward wriggled through three Carlow defenders before blasting the ball past the keeper.
Carlow showed their class by never giving up and finished strongly with a goal and two points as the game was coming to an end.
Niamh Rice had the final say for Down as she finished another quick Down break with a point, to leave the final Score:
Down 8-14 v Carlow 1-7.
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Shinken Shobu Ryu Judo club, Warrenpoint has had great success in recent weeks in both Shai and Kata competitions. Shai being free fighting competition and Kata competition which is the demonstration of prearranged techniques, which illustrate the principles of both attack and defence in Judo.
The British Masters Open took place in London on 29 March, the largest Masters event in these Island’s. This year it hosted competitors from all over the world with 29 countries taking part with strong representation from Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Norway and the USA.
Paul McConville was in action in the U81kg category and his first contest was against a cagey American. Paul dominated the fight from the beginning, eventually catching his opponent with a shoulder throw scoring Wazari (7 points) he then secured the fight with a hold down to win the contest. His next contest was against a tough Spaniard. Once again Paul took the fight to his opponent, scoring ippon (10 points) with a solid throw to win the contest. Paul’s semi final was against an Englishman, which he won again by ippon throw putting him in the final against another American judoka. The fight went to ground very quickly, unable to secure a hold down, Paul made the transition to arm lock his opponent winning the contest by ippon and securing the Gold Medal.
Dermot McCaul was in action in the under 90 kg category. Unfortunately for Dermot he had the national Ukrainian champion as his opening contest. The Ukrainian proved too strong and indeed it was the Ukrainian who went on to win the category. Dermot went through repechage with a chance to fight for bronze. He started off well against an English judoka, going ahead with a seven point score however he was caught in the closing seconds just missing out on a chance at bronze but did give a very good account of himself in a category which featured both Irish, British national champions and a European Champion who got bronze in what was one of the toughest categories of the day.
Looking forward, Dermot and Paul will be in England again next month for the High Wycombe Masters.
The previous weekend saw Nigel O’Neill and Damien O’Hare at the British Judo Council annual national kata championships. They were competing in two of judo’s self-defense Katas. Kime No Kata is a form of self-defense against both knife and sword attacks. While Goshin Jutsu is a more modern kata which teaches the principles of defense against knife, stick and firearms. The two Judoka have been practicing these kata for many years and on that day, they won silver medals for both Katas. Many people believed it should have been gold. Overall it was a great couple of weeks for the club.
All four judoka along with another of the club’s black belts Eugene McErlain are due to compete at the British Judo Association National Kata championships in September.
Shinken Shobu Ryu is one of the very few clubs in Ireland that teaches Judo in its totality. The emphasis is not solely on competition but caters for people who just want to learn without the need for competition. Great emphasis is placed on kata knowledge, while always being mindful that judo is a martial art which includes 10+ forms of Kata.
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It wasn't Armagh's day at headquarters yesterday 12 April as they suffered a comprehensive 15 point defeat against the goal hungry Kerry. Danielle O’Leary struck a magnificent haul of 1-5 at Croke Park yesterday evening as Kerry secured a record 13th Lidl National Football League Division 1 crown.
Having lost out to Armagh in last year’s NFL top-tier decider at the same venue – a few short months before triumphing in the TG4 All-Ireland senior football championship – the Kingdom emphatically reclaimed a trophy they had most recently won back in 2023.
Picked out by Siofra O’Shea after she gathered an Armagh kick-out, last year’s All-Ireland winning skipper Niamh Carmody floated a looping effort over the head of Armagh netminder Anna Carr for a deadlock-breaking goal on seven minutes.
This major was complimented by a pointed free from O’Shea and after her initial strike on goal had rebounded off the post, livewire corner-forward O’Leary fired home a second Kerry goal in the 13th minute.
The impressive Carmody proceeded to split the uprights for a rampant Kingdom, before Armagh finally got up and running with three unanswered points from Lauren McConville and Eve Lavery (two).
Inside forwards Niamh Henderson and Niamh Reel (free) were also on hand to raise white flags in response to Jadyn Lucey and O’Leary at the opposite end, before a third goal courtesy of Lucey on 28 minutes propelled Kerry towards a 3-4 to 0-5 interval buffer.
O’Leary added to her tally on the resumption with another fine point, but the Kingdom faithful breathed a sigh of relief when Aoife McCoy and Niamh Henderson both went close to shaking the opposition net.
Yet Kerry continued to possess a potent attacking threat and after centre half-back Kayleigh Cronin broke free for an excellent point, a speculative strike from distance by Lucey dropped into the net for her second goal (and Kerry’s fourth) on 37 minutes.
This effectively eliminated any prospect of a dramatic fightback from Armagh, but Kerry still kept the scoreboard ticking over with four points without reply courtesy of Carmody, O’Shea, Niamh Ní Chonchúir and O’Leary.
To Armagh’s credit, they did persevere with their challenge during the closing quarter of the game with substitutes Caoimhe McNally and Kelly Mallon finding the target to supplement four additional points from Reel. Yet with O’Leary (two), O’Shea and Rachel Dwyer all firing over scores of their own, Kerry eased towards a deserved victory.
Final score: Kerry 4-14 - Armagh 0-11
Scorers – Kerry: D O’Leary 1-5, J Lucey 2-1, N Carmody 1-2, S O’Shea 0-3 (2f), K Cronin, N Ní Chonchúir, R Dwyer 0-1 each.
Armagh: N Reel 0-5 (4f), E Lavery 0-2, L McConville, N Henderson, C McNally, K Mallon 0-1 each.
KERRY: ME Bolger; R Rahilly, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O’Connell, K Cronin, A Dillane; M O’Connell, A Galvin; C Evans, N Ní Chonchúir, N Carmody; D O’Leary, S O’Shea, J Lucey. Subs: R Dwyer for Lucey, L Boyle for Carmody (both 45), C McCarthy for Dillane (51), F O’Donoghue for Rahilly (53), N Quinn for Ní Chonchúir (57).
ARMAGH: A Carr; M Ferguson, C McCambridge, L Kenny; L McConville, C Towe, R Mulligan; N Coleman, C O’Hanlon; E Druse, B Mackin, E Lavery; N Reel, A McCoy, N Henderson. Subs: G Ferguson for Kenny (11), K Mallon for Druse, C McNally for Lavery (both 40), E McGeown for Coleman (53), M McCann for Towe (57).
Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).
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Once Kerry got ahead with early goals from Niamh Carmody and O’Leary at Saturday's Lidl Ladies NFL Division 1 Final, the scoring chances just didn't go Armagh's way.
“I felt actually the first five or 10 minutes we were playing okay,” said Armagh joint manager Darnell Parkinson. “We probably missed a few chances just to sort of settle the nerves. Getting ourselves ticking over, get the scoreboard ticking over.
“Then obviously they get a goal and then you have to chase a team like Kerry. They’re so good at football, they’re so comfortable on the ball, that’s when they will hurt you.
“It’s disappointing enough to concede a goal off a situation where effectively we’re under control, on our own kick-out. Something that we had worked on too, but after that it was a case of almost any sort of half chance that we did have, it didn’t go our way. Any sort of half chance they had, it seemed the ball was in the back of the net or going over the bar.
Kerry manager Mark Bourke hailed his players as the reigning TG4 All-Ireland champions delivered silverware in his first season in charge as they dethroned Armagh to win their 13th Lidl National Football League Division 1 crown.
Bourke and his charges will now turn their attention to the defence of their TG4 All-Ireland crown after Danielle O’Leary struck a magnificent haul of 1-5 at Croke Park on Saturday evening to impressively claim the crown.
“They bought into everything straight away,” said Bourke. “The environment was outstanding to begin with and if the environment is right, all I have to worry about is the facilitating of the training sessions and the game plan.
“I felt that there really was very minimal work for me from my side of it. It was just to get the management team together. Margaret Slattery and Nora O’Connor (selectors) were outstanding.
“They know the girls, they’ve been with the girls for the last number of years. At different levels, at minor and juvenile level and club level. All I had to do was make sure I picked people who knew what they were doing and facilitated it. It was great.”
Niamh Carmody pointed after the early goals before Armagh finally got up and running with three unanswered points from Lauren McConville and Eve Lavery (two).
A speculative strike from distance by Jadyn Lucey dropped into the net for her second goal (and Kerry’s fourth) on 37 minutes which effectively eliminated any prospect of a dramatic fightback from Armagh.
To Armagh’s credit, they did persevere with their challenge during the closing quarter of the game with substitutes Caoimhe McNally and Kelly Mallon finding the target to supplement four additional points from Reel. Yet with O’Leary (two), O’Shea and Rachel Dwyer all firing over scores of their own, Kerry eased towards their deserved victory.
Final score Kerry 4-14 - Armagh 0-11
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Newry Bowling Club held their 2025 Open Day on Saturday 12 April at their Willis Park venue on the Warrenpoint Road in Newry. It was a perfect day for Bowls with Newry Bowling Club members joined on the green by visiting bowlers.
Tea and sweet treats on the menu highlighted the fact that the social aspect of the club is every bit as important as the competitiveness. For anyone interested in finding out more about the club just come along to one of their upcoming games.
The Club is gearing up for the 2025 season with competitive games starting on Saturday 26 April at Newry when they take on Musgrave. Then it's game on for matches both home and away on Tuesdays and Saturdays for the rest of the season.
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Join ArmaghDown Cycling Club for their 2025 Gullion Tour this Sunday 27 April. The exciting day of cycling will see two wonderful scenic routes with both beginning at 9.30am.
The shorter 60km route starts at Newry Bosco GAC beside Newry Leisure Centre taking in Omeath, The Bush, Lordship, Ravensdale, Jonesborough, Meigh and Camlough.
The more challenging 100km route has the same starting point and route to Jonesborough before heading to Dromintee, Forkhill, Mullaghbawn, Silverbridge, Kilcurry and then heading back to Newry via Forkhill, Meigh and Camlough.
There will be a live DJ and trade stands to enjoy at the starting point.
Don't miss out on a fantastic ride. After the cycle, return to Bosco for refreshments and you can collect your well-deserved finisher's medal.
You can Enter at eventmaster.ie Entry is £25 and all proceeds are in aid of Breastmates Newry a local Breast Cancer support group.
When you sign up you will be entered into a draw to win cycling gear.
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Newry City AFC have a new First Team Manager following the departure of manager Darren Mullen who oversaw the team for over 400 games. Separately the club's Chairman of 12 years Martin McLoughlin is stepping down.
New Manager
The club announced Stuart King as their new Manager yesterday, 30 April. A Club spokesperson said "Stuart comes with a wealth of experience both as a player and as a manager, we trust he will be an excellent fit at The Showgrounds."
Commenting on his appointment King said “I am delighted to be at The Showgrounds, it’s been going on in the background for a while now and I have had plenty of discussions with the club and had things that I wanted to think through before I accepted but now I am very pleased it’s over the line.
“I believe this is a brilliant project for me, it’s close to home and I have family from Newry, I think I can really make a difference here and help put smiles back on peoples faces. I am really looking forward to talking to the players and staff and start getting new players in.”
Speaking on the departure of Mullen a club spokesperson said "We thank Darren and his back room staff for coming back to the club during what has been a tough season. It was a privilege to have Darren as Manager for 400+ games."
Martin McLoughlin Steps Down
The club has also announced that the Chairman Martin McLoughlin is stepping down after 12 years.
Speaking on his decision McLoughlin said "While at many times this role may have been stressful, I will always look back at my time in the chair with great pride, the successes we enjoyed and the many great days we had especially over the last 12 years. Those great days far outweigh the not so good days.
"I’d like to thank the managers, coaches the staff and the countless players that have pulled on the Newry City shirt with pride, thank you for your dedication and unwavering support.
"A great debt of gratitude has to go to the many sponsors who have been very supportive over the years and I’d like to thank each and every one.
"Thanks to the unseen members of our club the volunteers without whom we couldn’t function. Lastly a big thank you to our dedicated band of supporters who follow us through thick and thin, please continue to do what you do best and show your support for our new Chairman and our great club. Our support is recognised as some of the best in the league and the envy of many clubs, you are a credit to NCAFC."
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Peter McParland, a true Newry sporting legend has passed away today, 4 May, at the age of 91. Born in Newry in April 1934 he presently lived in Bournemouth.
In the world of football Peter McParland did it all. He played in the League of Ireland for Dundalk at the age of 17 and on a trip to England an Aston Villa talent spotter noticed his potential and signed him up.
He is best known for his time at Aston Villa where he played from 1952 to 1962. With Villa he won the FA Cup against Manchester United in 1957 and the League Cup against Rotherham in 1961. Scoring twice in the 1957 FA Cup and once in the 1961 League he was the first ever player to score in and win both finals.
In 341 appearances McParland scored an amazing 121 Goals!
His international career saw him play for Northern Ireland from 1954 to 1962 representing the team 34 times. While playing for them scoring an incredible five goals in the 1958 FIFA World Cup campaign ensuring his team got to the quarter finals. The 1958 competition also saw an appearance from a young chap called Pelé who managed to score just one more goal than McParland in the Campaign!
His senior career also saw him make appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Plymouth Argyle, Worcester, Peterborough, Glentoran and even a spell in the USA with Atlanta Chiefs.
McParland was back in Newry in 2022 for the first Football Film Festival held at Newry City AFC.
In a social media post a spokesperson for Aston Villa recalled the legend "Aston Villa Football Club is profoundly saddened to learn that Peter McParland, the last surviving member of the club’s 1957 FA Cup-winning team, has passed away."
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