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Kildare caused a massive upset on Saturday, 21 June, in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship knocking Ulster champions Armagh out of the competition at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh and facing a relegation battle. The orchard girls will take on Donegal while Mayo take on Leitrim. The winners of both games will remain senior for 2026 but the two defeated sides will meet, with the losers of that game playing intermediate next year.
The visitors were sharper from start to finish at the Athletic Grounds and withstood a late Armagh onslaught to complete a famous victory. Armagh were without captain Clodagh McCambridge and Aoife McCoy, but Kildare were full value for their win.
Three sensational saves from Anna Carr kept Armagh in touch during the first half, while the hosts only kicked 1-3 from play. Kildare on the other hand had nine different scorers and their defence was on top throughout.
Caroline O’Hanlon swapped scores early on with Ruth Sargent and Gillian Wheeler while Aoife Rattigan and Niamh Henderson also cancelled each other out. Kildare then went two in front thanks to efforts from Lara Curran and Alannah Prizeman.
Kildare were reduced to 14 players for the final ten minutes of the opening period, with Lisa Shaw picking up a yellow card. During that time, Niamh Reel and O’Hanlon posted frees while Ciara Wheeler pointed to see the sides level at the break at 0-6 apiece.
Kildare captain Laoise Lenehan extended the Lilywhites’ lead from the second half throw in as Roisin Byrne and Reel (free) raised white flags at either end of the field.
Both sides struggled to hit the target and passed up a series of scoring opportunities before Reel tapped over a free. Mia Ryan, kicking a score with her first touch after being introduced, and Henderson registered points at either end.
Kildare then put a real stamp on proceedings by delivering the first goal of the game. Byrne did all the hard work before slipping the ball across to Lenehan, who tapped home the easiest of finishes.
Rattigan made it a five point game but Armagh could have had a goal of their own. Niamh Coleman set up Kelly Mallon, but the former captain’s palmed effort was saved on the line by Mary Hulgraine.
Emily Druse and Prizeman pointed before Armagh skipper Lauren McConville, played through by Henderson, handed her side a massive lifeline by smashing the ball to the bottom corner.
Aimee Mackin, making her first appearance of the season, tapped over a free to leave one the margin but Kildare had the final say and Ryan’s second of the day confirmed their victory.
Final score Kildare 1-12 Armagh 1-10
Scorers – Kildare: L Lenehan 1-1, A Prizeman 0-2 (2f), A Rattigan 0-2, M Ryan 0-2, R Sargent 0-1, C Wheeler 0-1, G Wheeler 0-1, R Byrne 0-1, L Curran 0-1.
Armagh: C O’Hanlon 0-4 (4f), L McConville 1-0, N Reel 0-2 (2f), N Henderson 0-2, E Druse 0-1, A Mackin 0-1.
Kildare: M Hulgraine; R Sargent, L Lenehan, M Doherty; L Shaw, L Murtagh, M Aspel; L Reilly, C Moran; C Wheeler, A Rattigan, L Curran; G Wheeler, A Prizeman, R Byrne. Subs: M Ryan for L Murtagh (43 mins), E Dowling for A Rattigan (50 mins), A Mahon for G Wheeler (57 mins).
Armagh: A Carr; M Ferguson, C Towe, R Mulligan; E Druse, M McCann, G Ferguson; N Coleman, C O’Hanlon; L McConville, C McNally, B Mackin; K Mallon, N Henderson, N Reel. Subs: E Lavery for B Mackin (HT), E McConaghy for C McNally (40 mins), E McGeown for K Mallon (50 mins), A Mackin for N. Reel (55 mins).
Referee: Eddie Cuthbert (Down).
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Whitecross man Micheál McCloy has helped Ireland win a bronze medal at the 2025 Futsal SUDS European Championships in Ferrara, Italy. The Irish delegation arrived back in Dublin airport on Sunday with their trophy and medals.
Speaking about the games Micheál who's from the Louth Meath branch of Down Syndrome Ireland said: “I have had a fantastic time here in Italy playing for Ireland. I got to play in seven games, score two goals and made my first appearance as an International Goalkeeper at the end of the week”
Micheál and his teammates had a jam-packed week with Futsal games against USA, Portugal & Turkey, bookended with opening and closing ceremonies. Some of the games were in tough heat conditions but it did not temper the Irish team’s spirit.
Team Captain, Jamie Linden, from the Louth Meath branch of Down Syndrome Ireland also spoke about the experience; “I have been playing football ever since I could walk. To be the captain of the Irish team was something I could only dream about. I felt very proud to be Irish. I am a defender, and I got three goals from that position. I made many new international friends from other teams, and I hope to see them again soon. Come on Ireland!”
Playing two games a day and finishing up with a friendly against the USA, made for a fantastic sporting experience.
Scoring the first goal for Ireland was Sean Toolin from the Waterford branch of Down Syndrome Ireland. Daniel O'Reilly, from the Donegal branch, assisted with a long-range pass from Micheál McCloy, came in next with the second goal of the game.
Both goals went viral (over 4 million views) on the FAI TikTok this week, showcasing the amazing abilities of these talented players.
Wednesday morning saw the Irish team face Türkiye, the current European champions. The fast-paced games saw Hughie Sweeney, from the Donegal branch, scoring two goals in style.
In the last competitive fixture, Micheál was assigned a man marking job on number 9 for Türkiye and did a good job on him.
Becoming European medalists was a dream come true for the players. A spokesperson for the squad said: "One of the highlights for our players was the attendance of the fantastic, ever present, Irish supporters! On behalf of our players, parents and staff we would like to thank our families, friends, sponsors and the people of Ireland for helping us to reach this incredible milestone."
The Chairperson of the Louth Meath branch of Down Syndrome Ireland added “Congratulations to our Down Syndrome Futsal Team at the European Championships in Italy who’ve done the country proud. An amazing performance by the boys in green.”
The International Futsal Tournament was run at the same time for which Ireland was awarded third place too.
ASD Format Ferrara, together with FISDIR, were the local organisers of the SUDS European Championships for players with Down syndrome.
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The Motorsport Hub will be the social media coordinator for next month’s Down Rally.
In partnership with Rathfriland Motor Club the pair hope to help drive an enhanced connection to the event for motorsport fans locally.
The Motorsport Hub owner Andrew McCracken expressed his delight of the announcement, saying that it's a massive step forward in regards to the motorsport industry, to seeing this sort of co-partnership exist between a motorsport website and a motor club respectively.
“The Down Rally is one of the important rounds within both the Northern Ireland Rally Championship & Protyre Asphalt Championship. I believe it's important to bring in a new generation of fans to watch and enjoy the sport on a domestic scale. That is what I'm wanting to achieve in the Down Rally.”
Motor Club Chairman, Malcolm Johnson, shared his own enthusiasm for the partnership: “We’re always looking for ways to grow the Down Rally and to better connect with fans, participants, and the broader community. Partnering with The Motorsport Hub gives us an incredible opportunity to highlight the people behind the rally — from the drivers and marshals to the volunteers and spectators.
The Down Rally takes place on Saturday July 19 with eight challenging stages await the drivers within the heartland of rural County Down with the service point being held in The Boulevard, Banbridge.
For more information check out themotorsporthubni.com
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Alright, cards on the table. I was fully ready to roll my eyes at the new Gaelic football rules. I mean, come on, the GAA loves to tinker, and most of the time it feels like they’re just fiddling for the sake of it. You know that “don’t fix what ain’t broke”? That was me, arms folded, expecting the worst. But, I’ve got to eat a bit of humble pie here. It turns out, some of these changes actually work and I didn’t see that coming.
First off, the two-point rule. At first glance, it screamed “gimmick” to me. Like, are we playing GAA or NBA here? But you know what? It’s grown on me. Lobbing one over from outside the 45 isn’t exactly a walk in the park, and rewarding the guts to try it? That's fair enough. Teams can’t just park the bus and hope for the best anymore. Now there’s a bit more risk, a bit more flair. I’ll take it.
Now, the advanced mark. Or, more specifically, the tweak where players can play on after a clean catch near the 20. That’s the real game-changer. No more whistle-happy pauses every time someone does their job and catches the ball. It keeps things ticking and doesn’t kill the buzz, and let’s face it, anything that avoids turning the sport into Aussie Rules light is a good thing.
Honestly, fielding’s always been the bread and butter of Gaelic football. No need for a participation trophy every time someone catches a ball. This new twist gives a nod to skill but doesn’t bog the whole thing down. It's far better.
And then there’s the “solo & go” rule. Pure adrenaline, honestly. Watching players tear at defences instead of faffing around with sideways hand-passes? That’s what football should look like. It forces teams to get the finger out and attack, no more snooze-fests. It’s just more fun, simple as that.
The rule about limiting back-passes to the keeper? Genius. Remember the old days with Dublin, endless loops back to Cluxton while everyone else just stood around? Absolute snoozefest. Now, teams have to actually go forward, imagine that! Less of the “chess match” rubbish, more chaos, proper football, finally.
So, yeah, I thought we’d end up with some Frankenstein mess, bits of this, bits of that, nothing really working together. Instead, the game’s actually better. Faster, looser, more fun to watch. GAA usually can’t help but trip over itself with this stuff, but credit where it’s due: they nailed it this time. For now, anyway, I’m in.
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The amazing CFTKD squad from the Cathal Fegan School of Taekwondo are off to compete at the World Championships in Barcelona later this month, and they’re taking someone very special with them in their hearts and on their sleeves.
An insignia of a lion is printed on every jersey in memory of Chester Byrne, who died 10 May in the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children aged just 2, following a brave battle against leukemia.
'Chester’s Chance' the name of the social media campaign that was set up by his family to share his story and raise awareness of the illness, is proudly displayed on every team shirt, with a little lion right there on their jerseys, a symbol of strength, bravery, and the incredible boy behind it all.
Chester may no longer be with us, but his spirit continues to travel, inspire and uplift and his legacy will be carried onto the world stage by this talented and determined team.
Thank you to Cathal Fegan Schools of TaeKwon-Do for this beautiful tribute — and to every athlete representing, know that Chester is right there with you.
Chester had been diagnosed with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), also known as acute lymphocytic leukemia, a rapidly progressing blood and bone marrow cancer that affects the immune system and blood cells. His family continue to use the @Chesterschance social media campaign to share his story, raise awareness, and support The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity.
A GoFundMe page is still live at www.gofundme.com
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The Boulevard, Banbridge will provide the idea location for the Friday night Fan Zone (July 18) where the general public can have a close up look at the cars and drivers before the R Kings Down Rally kicks off for real on Saturday morning.
The Fan Zone will open at 7:00pm and run until 9:00pm, giving visitors two full hours to explore the display of rally cars, meet the drivers, grab photos, and soak in the atmosphere.
This free, family-friendly event promises a buzzing evening of rally excitement, with fans, teams, and locals all coming together to celebrate the sport we love.
Pictured at the official launch photo shoot were none other than local rally competitors Kenny McKinstry and daughter Emma McKinstry, who will both be part of the weekend’s highly anticipated line-up with Donna McElherron competing in the Mini respectively.
The Boulevard will be focusing on “Girl Power” in this years R Kings Down Rally as a campaign to getting women from all ages involved in motorsport.
Over 100 cars are expected to arrive at the service site with competitors across the nation competing from both the Brown and Brown Northern Ireland Rally Championship and UK Protyre Asphalt Championships respectively.
Rathfriland Motor Club want to personally thank The Boulevard for allowing them to use the site as their service point for this years event.
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Armagh have beat Donegal to keep them in the Senior division in 2026 for the TG4 Ladies Senior Football Championship thanks to a comprehensive win over Donegal in Stewartstown on Saturday, 5 July.
Joe Feeney’s Armagh, with the wind to their backs for the opening 30 minutes, soared clear with five points in the opening seven minutes, Niamh Reel picking off two points.
After a lull in the game and Jodie McFadden having a goal chance go wide for Donegal, Armagh continued their dominance as Lauren McConville and Caroline O’Hanlon hit a brace of points, with McFadden getting Donegal on the board just before the break.
O’Hanlon converted a free to make it 0-11 to 0-1 at the break, but Donegal started well in the second half, as McFadden kicked a point 30 seconds in and Cait Gillespie fisted over from close range.
Armagh did respond as Catherine Marley broke through to point, while Reel kicked another free for her fourth score of the game.
Katie Dowds hit a great point into the wind for James Daly’s side, but they then lost captain Róisín Rodgers to a black card as the game entered the final quarter.
Rodgers returned to play with just the one point scored in that time as O’Hanlon kicked another free to restore the ten-point lead.
And as McFadden and Reel traded late frees, it was Armagh who ensured their safety, while Donegal will face Leitrim in the relegation play-off final, with the loser being relegated to the TG4 Intermediate Championship next season.
Final score: Armagh 0-15 Donegal 0-5
Scorers - Armagh: N Reel 0-5 (4f), C O’Hanlon 0-4 (4f), L McConville 0-2, N Henderson, A McCoy, E Druse, C Marley 0-1 each.
Donegal: J McFadden 0-3 (2f), C Gillespie, K Dowds 0-1 each.
ARMAGH: A Carr; M Ferguson, C Towe, R Mulligan; E Druse, M McCann, G Ferguson; C Marley, C O’Hanlon; L McConville (capt.), A McCoy, E Lavery; K Mallon, N Henderson, N Reel. Subs: Caoimhe McNulty for Lavery (36), A Mackin for Mallon (53), L Marsden for Marley (57), L Kavanagh for McCann (59).
DONEGAL: C Friel; S McFadden, A Temple Asokuh, S McFeeley; B McLaughlin, E McGinley, C Gillespie; R Rodgers (capt.), R McColgan; S White, K Dowds, F McManamon; A McDermott, J McFadden, N Boyle. Subs: E Gallagher for McFadden, M Bennett for McDermott (both 43).
Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan)
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Newry Taekwondo members enjoyed much success in the recent Northern Irish Championships 2025.
For some it was their first competition, and others their second but everyone did a fantastic job at the Northern Irish Championships on 6 July. It takes a lot of courage to get into the ring and perform but the local club excelled.
Newry Students took home the following medals: Boys yellow and green belt patterns, Boys yellow and green belt patterns, Men's black belt patterns, Men's lightweight black belt sparring, Men's heavyweight black belt sparring, Men's heavyweight black belt sparring, Boys blue and red belt middleweight sparring, x2 Men's blue to black belt tag team sparring, Team black belt patterns and Black belt foot destruction
Taekwondo Classes run in Newry leisure centre on Wednesday's at 7pm and Saturday's at 10am all year long.
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It was a night filled with constructive information and entertainment as Rathfriland Motor Club conducted a Marshal Training Night which took place at Kinallen Primary School on Monday 30th June.
Marshalling is an essential part of any motorsport event, and Rathfriland MC’s initiative was aimed at preparing both new and experienced volunteers for their vital roles in the upcoming R Kings Down Rally.
From safety procedures to communication protocols, attendees left the event better informed, more confident, and more connected as a team.
The event covered a wide range of essential topics, including: Spectator Safety, Incident Response and Stage Setup and Signage.
The session was led by experienced marshals and Officials included a CPR lesson by the Down Rally Chief Medical Officer, Eamonn Ferguson.
This ended with a quick mock demonstration in one of the rally cars on display to check vital medical checks in case one of the competitors who would be seriously injured at the Rally.
This was ended with group photoshoot with all the rally cars which attended the evening which included Stuart Biggerstaff’s Ford Fiesta which will be involved in this year’s event and Jonny Cargos Ford Escort Mk2 who will be performing a Spectator Safety role on the event.
Rathfriland Motor Club want to personally thank Kinallen Primary School for allowing them to use the site to their Training Session.
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