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Tonight (Friday) in Armagh’s senior club championship it’s the derby between Granemore and Ballymacnab, while St Peter’s will be aiming to put their league woes behind them when they face Pearse Og, both games are at 7.30pm.
In the Down senior championship, last year’s finalists Carryduff take on the 2020 Intermediate winners Saul in the start of the knockout round, but it is tomorrow and Sunday when the thick of the action gets underway.
In Down, Ciaran McKeever’s Mayobridge will be looking to take the positives from their defeat against Kilcoo into Saturday’s clash against Loughinisland. The sides met last year, with the Sky Blues needing extra-time to get over the line. They’ll need Cory Quinn, Caolan Gallagher and young Adam Crimmins firing on all cylinders and another big performance from Conleth O’Hare if they are to overcome the Blues. They play in Castlewellan on Saturday at 3pm.
This is followed by Benny Coulter’s Longstone going up against Downpatrick in Dundrum at 5pm. The Stone pulled off the shock of the opening round when they beat Warrenpoint despite not scoring in the second half. A Caolan Mooney inspired Downpatrick will be confident of progressing and this should be a tight contest.
And Saturday’s Down senior championship concludes when Rostrevor, who are managed by Pete McGrath, take on Danny Hughes’ Castlewellan The Reds have been boosted by the news of their new pitch getting planning approval and they’ll need to carry all that positivity into tomorrow night’s game in Ballymartin.
On Sunday, at 3pm, it’s the clash of the big hitters in Pairc Esler as title holders Kilcoo take on neighbours Clonduff. It’s not a game either side will want to lose even though they have the safety net of a back door. The Yellas can be very good when they click, managed by former Tyrone player Ciaran McBride, he’ll hope to get the best out of Aidan and Ross Carr, the O’Hagan brothers Barry and Darren and the McConville duo Arthur and Stephen. Kilcoo know what it takes to win silverware and with Jerome Johnston in goal-scoring form they’ll take some stopping.
At 5pm, Ballyholland play at their second home, St Patrick’s Park Newcastle, where they on Danny Hughes’ Castlewellan. Tiarnan Rushe and Billy Campbell grabbed the important goals for the Harps last weekend and manager Damien McCrink is aiming to get the club to their third quarter-finals in as many years.
On Sunday night, back in Pairc Esler it’s another knockout game where Warrenpoint will be aiming to bounce back when they face Bryansford. The Ford can be dangerous with Conor Maginn and Danny Savage in form, but Warrenpoint should be able to deliver a performance to see them through.
In Armagh on Saturday, Killeavy get proceedings underway again against Annaghmore in Ballymacnab at 3pm. The south Armagh side are strong favourites to win this one especially with Ciaron O’Hanlon and James Donnelly playing well. It’s followed by the double-header a few miles up the road in the Athletic Grounds when Crossmaglen take on championship specialists Madden. That game throws in at 5pm and Stephen Kernan’s Cross isn’t expected to get it all their own way, but with Rian and a fit again Oisin O’Neill leading the charge they should avoid an upset.
That’s followed in the Orchard headquarters with holders Maghery playing title challengers Harps at 7pm. This is one the neutrals are looking forward to and it should be tight, but Aidan Forker’s influence should get the north Armagh men over the line.
On Sunday there’s a double header in Crossmaglen but before that Clann Eireann and Grange go head-to-head at 1pm in Abbey Park, with the Lurgan side strong favourites.
But back in Crossmaglen it’s two south Armagh derbies, where league winners Dromintee play Silverbridge. The Droms may be favourites, but Silverbridge backed by players such as Pete Carragher, Jarly Og Burns and Sean Rock will ensure a tight battle. That games starts at 3.30pm and is followed at 5.30pm when St Pat’s Cullyhanna take on Peter McDonnell’s Mullaghbawn. This is a game that could go either way.
Back in Down’s Pairc Esler on Monday night, at 7.15pm, anything other than a Burren victory against Glenn will be a surprise and Jim McCorry’s men will be confident of booking their place in the quarter-finals. Although Glenn might have something to say about that.
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Hurling News
The U13 Patrick Rankins team on Friday night played Clonduff in The Tony Carr memorial cup on the main pitch in Pairc Esler under lights.
The match got off to a fantastic start with Senan opening the score line with a goal. Throughout the game both teams played hard with great skills and teamwork. Danny Doyle next to scoring. With Jamie in nets pushing the sliotar out, Conor, Niall, Danny McManus, Eoin Campbell and Jason proved a tough defence. Midfield stood Oliver and Danny who worked together moving the sliotar up forward to Eoin Gorman, Tiernan, Charlie, Malachi, Senan and Conal
Camogie News
On Saturday 18th September, our U7 and U9 teams travelled to Craobh Rua for another wonderful morning of camogie. Each week, our young girls improve. Our U7's are displaying the development of their striking skills while the U9's having been working on their lifting and striking. These drills on a Friday night were evident on the pitch on Saturday morning. Thank you to all who came out to support our girls and to Craobh Rua for hosting.
Our last training session for this season is on Friday evening from 6.15-7.15pm with matches continuing on Saturday mornings through October.
Our U7 and U9 teams travel to Ballela next Saturday for an 11am throw in. All support is welcome and appreciated.
LGFA News
Warrenpoint: 2:20
St Michaels: 0:7
Our senior ladies had their second game of the championship last night in mogannon against St Michaels Magheralin. The girls played right from the start with a brilliant lead at half time, the girls kept working hard with some brilliant scores and excellent defending. Hopefully the girls can do the same next week in their last game against Saul. Well done to all players, subs and management.
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The Poyntzpass community will come together to honour its most famous son, Rory Best, with a special gala event in the village this Saturday 25 September 25.
‘Poyntzpass Celebrates Rory Best’ runs from 1.45pm * to 5.30pm at the Redmond O’Hanlon’s GAA grounds on the Newry Road, and will pay tribute to the Acton native who was a four-time Six Nations Championship winner and a Triple Crown and Grand Slam-winning captain who played 124 times for Ireland and also skippered the side to unforgettable victories over New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
The afternoon includes a match between the amalgamated Poyntzpass primary schools’ class of 1993 in which Rory played versus a team brought together by his brother Simon.
There will also be a game of two halves (half rugby, half Gaelic Football) played between pupils of the two primary schools in the village and a rugby match between a Ben Best Select and an Armagh/Banbridge Select.
The sporting action will then give way to the ‘Ode to Rory’ after the arrival of the Lord Mayor of Armagh and MC Bill Ferris will introduce Brian Canavan to reflect on Rory’s remarkable career with Ulster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions before the former Ireland captain takes the microphone himself.
Poyntzpass Silver Band and children’s choirs will provide the music. Admission to the event is free, refreshments will be available at the club shop and a raffle will be held in support of the Daisy Lodge Cancer charity.
Additions 10pm 22/9
* Time changed to 1.45pm
NOTES
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Local people are advised to walk to the event as there will be no parking in the immediate vicinity of the O'Hanlon's GAA grounds.
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When the town of Newry staged the first race on June 1, 1983, there had only been four other triathlons held in Ireland … and amazingly none at all in England or Great Britain.
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First Ever Division One Title For The Point Men
At 8:25pm on Friday 3rd September on the green grass of Pairc Liam Ui Ir, Moygannon Ryan Boyle raised the Down ACFL Trophy, making history.
1888 to 2021, 133 years is a long time to wait but that wait was ended on Friday night after the Warrenpoint Senior Mens Footballers defeated Bryansford to win the Down All County Football League.
The Senior Mens Footballers have come tantalisingly close in recent years but after a focused league campaign they finally claimed their 1st Division 1 league.
Donagh McAleenan claimed the first score of the night within the first minute, putting down a marker for the rest of the night. Bryansford responded with a goal and a point placing the point men on the back foot.
Ross McGarry responded with a free from play and Niall McGovern got the Blues back in front with a super goal after a superb build up by the driven team.
Eoghan Byrne added to the score sheet with a spectacular point just in front of the 45 at a difficult angle and Ross thundered home another point moments later after a great dispossession by Ruairi McGivern.
The water break saw the lads 5 points in front - following the restart Eoghan Byrne and Paddy Murdock hit 2 scores from play, Bryansford picked up the last score of the half to send the teams in at the break 1-08 to 1-02.
Aaron Magee opened the scoring in the 2nd half with a shot from play, he again hit another after Bryansford rifled the ball into the Warrenpoint net. Scoring slowed down in the lead up to the 2nd water break but Ross kept the scoreboard ticking over 1-11 to 2-2.
Ryan Magee set up Ruairi McGivern for a score followed by a Sean O’Hare effort that sailed effortlessly over.
Bryansford still in the game and determined to end any Point celebrations came back with a point from play but Ross McGarry bagged a cracking goal and Sean O’Hare again picking up a point from play. Peter Sweeney mimicked his fellow defenders efforts in Murdock and O’Hare and picked up a score from a deep run.
Bryansford again eager to end the hopes of 133 years picked up 2 goals within 3 minutes but the victory was sealed when Eoin Carr, who was denied a goal minutes previous by the inside of the post, thundered in a goal.
When the final whistle blew tears of joy, smiles from ear to ear, cheers and applause from the many spectators at Moygannon were everywhere to be seen, in 133 years a league had never been won and everyone present were present for a moment in history.
Jack Devenny Down County Chairman praised the effort of the club over the last number of years and declared them worthy winners after a pandemic hit 18 months changed the lives of everyone.
This crop of Warrenpoint men, their management and the support network to the team throughout the club had brought some much needed and deserved joy to so many after a challenging 18 months.
At 8:25pm Ryan Boyle walked from the team huddle on the 45 line and proudly lifted the Division 1 Trophy and made history. Cumann Pheadair Naofa, 2021 Down All County Football League Division 1 Champions. Well done to all you have done your club, your families, your community and yourselves proud.
Football News
**U11s celebrate League win!**
The Under 11 team played a challenge match against Eire Og on Sunday 5th September to mark celebrating winning their division this season! The game itself was a competitive affair from beginning to end and the boys upped their performance in the second half to pull through with a few scores to spare.
After the match they were presented with the shield for winning the League by Down County Board representative, Gerard McVeigh, and the celebrations began. Senior captain, Ryan Boyle, was also present with the newly acquired Division 1 League trophy on what has been an historic weekend for the club!!
On behalf of the coaching team, we would like to say how proud we are of the boys both on and off the field. Their attitude has been first class throughout the year. Thanks again to the parents for their awesome support. Finally, thanks to Glasdrumman for travelling to play us today and their gesture to stay for the presentation was first class.
U13 Football: The U13 boys welcomed a very special guest in the form of the Division One trophy to their training session on Sunday morning following our Senior Men's historic Division One League title win on Friday – the future is bright, the future is blue!
Hurling News
U17 Hurling Shield Final (AET)
Cumann Pheadaír Naofa 7-14
Ballycran 6-16
In a thrilling contest the young lads from south Down, rated as underdogs, put in a spirited display of hurling to beat Ballycran this afternoon in Kilclief.
Having got off to a slow start, they trailed by 6pts, with Ballycran’s Rory Corcoran striking for two early goals before the 1st water break (0-3 to 2-3). The second quarter saw the blues midfield start to dominate proceedings, a Mark Campbell goal kept the blues chasing the 'Crans, but they still couldn't close the gap as the teams went in at half time 1-6 to 3-6 in favour of the Ards lads.
The third quarter saw the blues kick on as the gap between the sides started to diminish. As the 2nd water break beckoned, Mark Campbell got a 2nd goal, followed up by an Oran Murney goal shortly after to level matters, only for Ballycran to reply with one of their own. A grand stand final 15mins saw the blues up by 2pts only to be pegged back once more as Ballycran struck again to see the full time score 5-12 each.
Extra time is when the blues dominant midfield bossed the game, another Oran Murney goal ensured the blues pushed for a nerve tingling result outscoring their opponents 2-2 to 1-4 in the final 20mins.
Captain Matthew Duffy gladly accepted the shield from county official Conor Watson, much to the delight of the ecstatic parents & supporters.
Ladies Football News
Senior Ladies League Final
Hard luck to our Senior Ladies who put on a fantastic performance in Saturday’s League Final against Saul played in Castlewellan. A hard fought game ended in a nail-biting finish with just 2 points separating the two sides at full time
Cumann Pheadair Naofa 2-10 Saul 2-12
U18’s V Rostrevor:
In their penultimate match of this year’s league campaign, Warrenpoint’s U18 ladies hosted neighbours Rostrevor, at Moygannon on Monday evening. Having only been defeated by table topers Saul, this year, Rostrevor were going to prove to be tough opposition. The visitors had the better of the first half & went into half-time with a slender advantage. However, as this U18 team has done previously this season, they raised their game in the second half & grew stronger as the match progressed. Slowly but surely, the Blues turned the match around to get ahead on the score-sheet. Rostrevor were typically determined & kept threatening with some excellent attacking play, meaning the home side had to work hard defensively, something typified by a goal-line save in the dying moments of the match. Ultimately the ladies from Warrenpoint took the spoils, in what was a hard fought & thoroughly entertaining match. Both sets of players deserve plaudits for the terrific show of ladies’ Gaelic football that they provided for the spectators. Well done ladies!
Camogie News
Our young camógs had a great morning on Saturday 4th hosted by Attical GAC
They turned out in huge numbers at U5, U7, U9 and U11 level. The large crowd of supporters were treated to a brilliant showcase of improving skills. The hard work being done at training on Friday evenings resulted in a fantastic display of blocking, striking and a plethora of scores! For some of our U5 players, it was their first time wearing the blue jersey and it was great to see the enjoyment this brought to everyone.
Thank you very much to the coaches who give of their time to ensure our girls can enjoy the game and to all the parents and grandparents who cheered them on.
Thank you also to Attical GAC who hosted us this morning. The ice lollies were a welcome treat to finish off the morning. We look forward to hosting you in the near future.
Training continues on Friday evenings in St Marks, 6.15-7.15pm. Next Sunday, 12th September, we travel to An Ríocht for a 10.30am throw in.
Other news
Congratulations to our club referee Breandán de Rís and his team of Shane Lavery, Lár Devlin, Daniel Bird, Christopher Morgan and Martin Slevin who took charge of today’s 2021 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Final in Croke park at 415pm. We are all extremely proud of Brendan and his team.
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For the second year running Craobh Rua Camlocha senior hurlers have secured the Armagh Junior Hurling League title.
The league this year involved teams from Tyrone and Monaghan as well as Armagh Craobh Rua won their title by the narrowest of margins, from runners up Cuchulainn Hurling club based in Armagh City.
Team captain Micéal Doran who received the League Championship Shield this week praised the commitment of the team panel and management.
“Our league title is a credit to our panel of players who have shown great commitment and effort from the start of the season. We have a strong panel of talented hurlers and this was essential to ensure our consistency throughout the campaign. We will not rest on our laurels and will now focus on the up coming Armagh Hurling Championship”.
Manager Paul Cunningham and his back room team of Damien Britton and Daryl Gallogly were delighted with the efforts of their players who lost only one game throughout the league.
Paul praised his players for their achievement.
“This was a hard fought league with very little between all the teams in it. We had to grind out win after win and the entire panel of players deserve great credit. Each and everyone of them played their part when called into action. I also want to thank Damien our assistant manager and team liaison officer Daryl and our senior team sponsors, the Quays Centre Newry”
Chairperson of Craobh Rua Laurence Bradley echoed the praise from Paul.
“This senior panel have shown great loyalty and commitment to our club and the game of hurling. They have worked and trained hard to ensure that the success they richly deserve continues for them as a team and us as a Club”.
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Warrenpoint Town begin their Dankse Bank Premiership campaign against Ballymena tomorrow, Saturday 28 August and manager Barry Gray is approaching his 200th game in charge of the Seasiders.
The south Down side finished joint ninth and tenth last season and while the target is to finish higher up the table, the Town boss wants his side to be taking points off the teams around them.
“Obviously, we have our internal targets, which we have said to ourselves as a group,” said Gray.
“How we get to that end-line doesn’t really matter.
“If you look at some of our challenges from last year and you look at where we didn’t compete and pick up enough points against some of the middle third teams last season, which we need to improve on. We can probably do better against the bottom third teams and to be fair last year we picked up quite a few points from the top third teams.
“You always have room for improvement, but I suppose if we are looking at the teams that are around us in the table last year, maybe two or three spots up, they are the crucial teams this year that we maybe try and see if we can pick up more points against them.
“That is maybe a mini target inside our bigger target, it won’t be easy, but we are confident that we are in a better position now than what we were at any stage last year.”
Gray has been managing at senior level for over 15 years. This is his second stint in charge of the Town, having left to join the hotseat at Cliftonville for a year and half, before coming back to Milltown in October 2019.
This year he feels he has assembled the team he wants rather than inherited and later this year he’ll be in charge of Warrenpoint for the 200th time. He had been known to blow to the proverbial gasket on the side-line, but Gray says he has learned to deal with the stress of management over the years.
“Over the years you might have been victim of trying to control more than what you actually can control and that’s me as a manager,” he said.
“You maybe worry about things that aren’t in your control and that frustrates you and stresses you and it shouldn’t. Albeit it is still stressful at times, but everything is great with experience, isn’t it?
“You learn what is important and what is not important and if it is not important then you learn to leave it alone best you can. I am not saying I am cool headed all the time, but you try your best to only be focused on what you can control, it is easier said than done.”
And Gray is enjoying his second coming at Milltown.
“You have your challenges all the time, there is no doubt about that but if you surround yourself with a good group of people who want to move forward and keep working in that direction and that is all you can ask for,” said Gray.
“That and a big tub of honesty and straightforwardness, you just got to keep your surroundings as good as you can, and I feel at the minute we have done that.”
Around 500-600 fans are expected to be permitted to attend Milltown on Saturday.
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Sean McAleenan sadly passed away in June. Sean will mostly be remembered as a valued committee member of the Meadow and Armagh Road Community Association, a role he held for many, many years.
But my greatest memory of Sean will be as a neighbour in Linenhall Square, more popularly known as the Barracks. Like many others, including former Newry and Mourne Chairperson Charlie Casey, Down double All-Ireland winner Tony Hadden, high class singer Patricia Grattan and of course myself, Sean would doubtlessly have been proud to call himself a Barrackovian.
People who lived in the Barracks were poor. Really poor. And in fact I actually had a disagreement with Charlie on Facebook, as to which of our families, the Caseys or the Bagnalls, was the poorest.
Anyway, I digress.
A lifelong recollection of the Barracks was a series of football matches played on the sparsely grassy, stony Square pitch. These matches were called The Martins versus The McAleenans.
Sean McAleenan had a twin brother Brian while next door, in the middle block of Linenhall Square, lived another set of twins, Robbie and James Martin.
And every so often the Martins would gather up a team to play the McAleenans.
But before that match could take place a trophy had to be procured.
This trophy was a wee imitation silver cup ‘borrowed’ from The Florentine, a chip shop in the middle of Hill Street in the town.
This cup was ‘acquired’ when everyone would stump up pennies or halfpennies for a sixpenny ice-cream. Five or six of the biggest donors would then crowd into Fallone’s and order the ice. Everyone would get a lick or two from it (complete with red flavouring that it was served in) and then amid great suspense one of the gang would shove the trophy up his coat and casually stroll to the door. Once outside an international sprinter wouldn’t have caught the ‘cup holder’ with the rest of the bunch following suit - after also sauntering to the door of the café.
Immediately the trophy arrived on the Square the teams were selected. Sean and Brian would have their older brother Gerry, plus the likes of Raymond McStay, Sean Carroll, Joey and Paddy Devlin, and the late Eddie Campbell (as keeper) while Robbie and James would certainly have their big brother Paddy plus maybe Eddie Madigan, myself, Eric Casey, John Casey or even, on a good day, stopper supreme, the late Oliver Casey.
Often too a few of the wee ones might get the chance to play and learn their craft. Foremost among these was Joey Larkin who was later to sign for Chelsea, Marty McCabe (RIP), who went on to turn out for Down, plus a youthful Charlie Casey.
At the time the Barracks had a real live star living there, a man who won two All-Ireland medals at Croke Park but I can’t remember Tony Hadden ever playing in those Martins v McAleenans games.
Incidentally the Bagnall family lived in 67 Linenhall Square and next door lived the Loys, who were quite a nationalist family. They were nicknamed the Crow Loys.
We once chalked soccer goalposts on the gable wall outside their house but a few hours later we went out to discover they had elongated the uprights to thus form gaelic goalposts. Thereafter we called that wee pitch and goalposts Crow Park!
But back to the Martins v the McAleenans. Before the action got underway a row would normally start over which team would get the best footballer in our age group: the deadly left-footed Jimmy Burns who has sadly departed this life.
Meanwhile sometimes for these big games a match ball would magically appear. This rarity was a leather ‘tube and cover’ liberally layered with tallow, a grease-like substance used for lubricating train wheels, which was ‘procured’ (just like the cup) after a Gestapo type raid on the wagons at the Railway siding at the bottom of the Brickie Loanen (where the Whitegates Community Centre is now situated.)
Another couple of wee points about the tube and cover. Often a ball bearing was inserted into the tube to help keep the ball round. If a ball bearing wasn’t used the cheap tube and cover became more oval than spherical.
And it was considered an art form to be able to lace a ball properly. If done well a neatly placed leather throng or a yellow lace, kept the neck in place.
Though more often than not, this lacing was a quick-get-it-done-as long-as-we-can-get-the-match-going type of job with the neck sticking out and when a player headed the ball he usually collapsed with the blood running out of him after coming in contact with the projection.
The celebrations which followed the winning of the cup too were memorable with the captain or the winning goal-scorer chaired off the Square. And if the McAleenans won Sean and Brian would also be chaired off the pitch. While Robbie and James were treated likewise if their team won.
Sometimes though the game would end prematurely, as if things weren’t going well, either one of the Martins or one of the McAleenans would ‘lift’ the ball.
And as the owner made his way home the taunts would follow. ‘Stick the ball up your arse.’ Or ‘put your ball in a glass case and throw sugar at it.’
Still those games played in the Square were great craic.
And of course there was no fancy Manchester United, Liverpool or Celtic jerseys and shorts then, as the strip for those games were auld trousers with the knees and arses out of them and the ‘holiest’ jersey a youngster could find.
And as for £100 plus boots? The footwear then were shoes, often without a sole in them, and had, often as not, grimy toes sticking out the front.
Still we were way ahead of our time in one aspect.
We had adverts.
Well one anyway.
On the wall bordering the football pitch someone had painted the name Sons of Rest (Linenhall Square’s ‘famous’ pop group) in two foot letters!
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