Gaelic Games

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Dunloy claimed their first Ulster Club camogie title in 23 years with a 1-10 to 0-11 victory over Clonduff at Stewartstown on Saturday.

Eobha McAllister's second half goal proved crucial for the Cuchullains champions as Clonduff suffered heartbreak in the final for the second-straight year.

It was a hard-fought affair with scores at a premium for most of the opening half.

Katie Molloy and Aine Magill found the target for the Antrim side with Clonduff reponding through Sara Louise Graffin and Paula O'Hagan to level after 23 minutes.

Dunloy moved in front once again with two scores, but the Down champions enjoyed a good run to the half to lead 0-5 to 0-4 as Claire McGilligan had the final say of the opening period.

Two McAllister frees edged Dunloy back in front after the restart and her 43rd-minute goal would prove a decisive blow, finishing from a tight angle after Caitlin Crawford's initial effort was smothered.

While the gap was out to five at one stage, Clonduff continued to battle with three O'Hagan frees giving them hope, but Dunloy held firm to set up an All-Ireland semi-final against either Kilkenny's Dicksboro or St Martin's of Wexford who meet in the Leinster final on 29 November.

Ballinderry claimed the Ulster Junior A title with a 0-12 to 1-5 win over Crosserlough.

John McGovern
BBC Sport NI Contributor at Clones

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Scotstown manager David McCague praised his players' bravery after the defending champions survived a remarkable Magherafelt comeback to progress to the Ulster Club SFC semi-finals.

The Monaghan side secured a dramatic 2-21 to 2-20 victory in Clones, having needed a late Nicky Sherlock equaliser to force extra time before holding off another Magherafelt fightback.

"Bravery. The players have been brave," McCague told BBC Sport NI when asked what got his side over the line.

"I referenced Damien McArdle's win on the final kick-out after Magherafelt went a point up at the end of normal time. Nicky Sherlock's bravery to go on the score.

"The very last kick-out of the game, Max Maguire presented for a kick-out and that's bravery. I think in the modern game the bravest team wins the game and I think probably that's the piece that got us over the line."

McCague also questioned the controversial late free awarded against goalkeeper Rory Beggan for his challenge on Shane Heavron, which allowed Magherafelt to take the lead in stoppage time.

"From my view of it, he got his hands to the ball and went out for a 45, or maybe he didn't.

"Now, his momentum did carry into Shane Heavron, I accept that. But this is a collision sport, this is a physical sport, and Rory had no intention of playing the man.

"From my view of it, I felt it was a very harsh call."

Despite disagreeing with the decision, McCague praised referee Noel Mooney's overall performance.

"Seasons swing in these moments. But look, Noel Mooney is a top-class referee and I really enjoyed how he refereed the game today."

With a semi-final against St Eunan's approaching, McCague believes his side's experience will prove invaluable.

"Our dressing room is full of fellas who have learned lessons over a long number of years and they have a great capacity to communicate the right message to each other at the right time."

"We'll be hoping that we're stronger as a result of the real test and challenge we got today."

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Edendork forward Darren McCurry said that his side were "very lucky to get over the line" in their 1-15 to 2-11 victory over St Brigid's in the quarter-finals of the Ulster Club SFC.

The Tyrone champions lead by five at the break at O'Neill Park, but had to stave off a late St Brigid's fightback to claim a one-point win.

McCurry, who contributed 0-5 including a decisive score on 56 minutes, was relieved his side held on to set up a tantalising semi-final against Crossmaglen.

"We wouldn't be happy with the second half. We were very lucky to get over the line with the amount of chances they missed but listen we're in the semi-finals which is a positive," he told BBC Sport NI's Mark Sidebottom.

"It's massive for the community and the club to be in a semi-final of an Ulster championship against Crossmaglen, it's something of dreams but we've a lot of work to do.

"We've to really study that game and that second half. Bodies are sore there, four weeks in a row, it's tough and that second half told a tale of that but we ground out a result out and thankfully we're in a semi-final."

The 33-year-old said that Edendork "expected what we got" from St Brigid's and credited a full squad effort for helping them progress after a tough run of four games in the space of four weeks.

"I thought lots of boys stood up. Our panel has been really tested over the last few weeks but we're in a semi-final, which is where we want to be," he added.

The win ensured that Edendork continue their historic run this season.

After claiming their first-ever Tyrone title, they have now made it to the last four in their first experience of the Ulster Championship and McCurry wants his side to keep riding the crest of the wave.

"An Ulster Championship opportunity for this club might never come around again so we get the feet back on the ground and back to work.

"We're going to be massive underdogs and we have a lot of work to do. We've been underdogs for lots of the championship so we'll get back to training on Tuesday and get back to it."

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Edendork's historic run has continued with a dramatic 1-15 to 2-11 victory over St Brigid's in the quarter-finals of the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship.

Both sides found the net in the first-half in Dungannon but it was the Tyrone champions who held a 1-10 to 1-5 lead at O'Neill Park.

Niall Morgan's two-pointer helped to give Edendork an early advantage but a goal from Joseph Finnegan got the Antrim side right back into the game in the 19th minute.

Darren McCurry was Edendork's top scorer with five points and it was his score in the 56th minute that would ultimately prove to be decisive.

St Brigid's were awarded a penalty with three minutes remaining, which Paul Bradley converted to put two points between the sides and set up a grandstand finish.

Joseph Logan then knocked over a point in the dying seconds, but Edendork had enough in hand to get over the line by a single point.

Edendork, who beat Clonduff of Down in the preliminary round just eight days after their first-ever Tyrone success, will face Armagh champions Crossmaglen Rangers in the last four.

The defeat for St Brigid's means it is now 14 years since an Antrim side won a game in the Ulster Championship in normal time, with Cargin's win on penalties against Glenties in 2022 is the only win for a team from the county on this stage.

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Donaghmoyne won their 15th Ulster title thanks to a 1-8 to 1-3 victory over reigning champions Moneyglass at Killyclogher.

The Monaghan champions, who were back at this stage for the first time since 2022, trailed early on but they took the lead through Rosemary Courtney's goal in the 33rd minute and held the advantage through to the finish.

Cathriona Murnaghan added 0-5 for the Farney side who lost Amy Garland to a knee injury early in the contest.

The game was still scoreless after a quarter of an hour with Leah Stewart finally breaking the deadlock with a goal for Moneyglass after being teed up by Cliona Griffin.

Donaghmoyne, however, would take a 1-4 to 1-1 lead into the break with Courtney's goal coming after she broke through the middle and drove the ball high into the centre of the net over the goalkeeper's head.

In the second half, Sharon Courtney was sent to the sin bin and Maeve Smyth shown a red card but Moneyglass could not make the most of their numerical advantage.

Ruby McErlain scored a point and Orlaith Prenter added a free for the Antrim side but the boot of Murnaghan kept them at arm's length.

A late penalty offered a lifeline, but Prenter shot wide as Donaghmoyne saw out the victory.

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Crossmaglen midfielder Oisin O'Neill said their dramatic Ulster Club SFC quarter-final victory over Gowna was "a complete game of two halves".

The Armagh champions fought back from trailing by 11 points at one stage to win the game at the death, with O'Neill playing a free short to brother Rian, who split the posts for a two-pointer to send his club into the final four with a 1-22 to 2-18 comeback win.

Oisin, the older of the O'Neill brothers, was delighted by the resilience of his side to, as they did so often in the Armagh championship, clinch victory from the jaws of defeat.

"It was a complete game of two halves from our perspective. We were really disappointed in how we played in the first half and how we didn't do any of the things we talked about in the three weeks since the county final," he said.

"When we got it together in the second half, you saw the football we can play. We'll be happy with a lot of aspects of the second half, and we missed a lot in the second half too, and the next day we need to take those scores because we could be punished.

"When we get on a roll we are hard to beat. In the middle, we compete hard from kickouts, someone said we won 10 in a row of their kickouts and it gives you a great platform to try and push on and get scores, but we still have a lot to work on."

Oisin also explained that his decision to take the late free short rather than go for the two-point score was because it was a "tough" free and he felt there were others, like his younger brother, in better positions who could score at least a point to take the game to extra time.

"I saw Rian and a couple of other boys and thought they might be able to get a one [point score] to take it to extra time as it was quite a tough free," he added.

"I saw him and he was going for two anyway and thank God it went over."

Niall Keenan
BBC Sport NI contributor

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Rian O'Neill's last-gasp score secured a 1-22 to 2-18 comeback win for Crossmaglen in their Ulster Club SFC quarter-final against Gowna at Kingspan Breffni.

Three two-pointers and a goal from Conor Madden had Gowna in command 1-13 to 1-5 at the break.

Ryan Donohue grabbed a second goal upon the restart, but Cross produced a seismic comeback.

Rian and Oisin O'Neill scored two-pointers to bridge the gap and an orange flag from Oisin brought them level on 56 minutes.

The lead changed hands thereafter with Ryan Donohue nudging Gowna back in front with a score from outside the arc of his own.

However, Cross and the O'Neill brothers would have the last say as Oisin played a two-point free short to Rian and he raised the roof and split the posts to send his club into the final four.

Cross fight back to secure place in last four

Oisin O'Neill opened the scoring for Cross inside the first 60 seconds, but they would have to wait 13 minutes before registering their second.

In that time, Gowna made hay. Cian Madden and Conor Brady got the Cavan champions going before Conor Casey shot back-to-back scores, while Fiachra Brady raised an orange flag to stretch their lead to five.

Rian O'Neill responded for Crossmaglen, but a free from Cian Madden and another two-pointer from Daire Madden had Gowna in full control.

A 20th-minute punch to the net from Conor Madden put the Breffni men nine points clear.

Casey landed Gowna's third two-pointer of the first half, but Cross did get themselves back to within eight by the break.

Rian O'Neill popped the ball inside to McConville, who slipped his marker and fired to the net.

The south Armagh outfit trailed 1-13 to 1-5 at the break, and when Donohue netted in the first minute of the second half, the deficit opened up to 11.

However, the 11-time Ulster champions rallied and hit seven unanswered points, with Rian and Oisin O'Neill both nailing two-point efforts.

By the 57th minute, the Armagh champions were ahead when lively substitute Seamus Teelan put them in front for the first time since the opening stages.

Still, there was time for Donohue to raise an orange flag and put Gowna's noses back in front but Rian O'Neill's kick in the dying embers snatched the victory for Cross.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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St Eunan's Letterkenny booked their place in the Ulster Club SFC semi-final with a comfortable 1-14 to 0-10 win over Erne Gaels Belleek at Brewster Park.

Donegal champions St Eunan's, who are managed by former Fermanagh boss Kieran Donnelly, held a four-point advantage at the break after an efficient first half.

A goal and a couple more points from Conor McDonnell Jr early in the second half took the game away from Erne Gales as St Eunan's eased to victory, despite James Kelly receiving a black card.

St Eunan's got off the mark after two minutes through Conor O'Donnell Jr and they extended their lead with a two-pointer, before Ultan Kealm scored two quick frees to register Erne Gaels's first scores.

The Fermanagh ace was then denied a goal by a good save from Shaun Patton, before Ryan Lyons drew them level with a point from play.

St Eunan's re-established their healthy advantage before half-time with a flurry of scores, including two efforts from Ciaron Moore and one a piece from Eoin McGeehan and Conor O'Donnell.

Kieran Tobin continued their scoring streak after the break before Conor O'Donnell Jr then duly delivered the goal they had been threatening as he fired into the bottom corner and then delivered two more scores to stretch their lead.

The influential Ultan Kelm then tried to spark an Erne Gaels fightback as he curled over a two-pointer and another point soon after to cut the gap to seven.

Their cause was further strengthened when St Eunan's James Kelly received a black card for a challenge on Oisin Kelm, but Conor O'Donnell Jr converted from a free to steady the ship for the 14 men.

The two sides then traded scores in the closing stages as St Eunan's saw out a seven-point win.

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The Steering Group on Integration (SGI)'s chairperson John Horan says "there remains a strong and shared commitment" from all three associations to continue progressing towards one unified organisation.

Having held its first meeting under new chair Horan earlier this week, the SGI issued a statement on Friday reiterating a commitment to bring the Gaelic Athletic Association, Ladies Gaelic Football Association and Camogie Association under one umbrella.

Former GAA president Horan was ratified as SGI chair last month, replacing former Irish president Dr Mary McAleese, who stepped down in September after it emerged the proposed April 2027 deadline for integration would not be met.

The SGI confirmed that Horan will lead a project team comprising the Ard-Stiúrthóirí of the three associations to "operationalise the progress report and create a clear vision with milestones for implementation".

They will bring a programme of work to the three association in the early months of 2027.

"There remains a strong and shared commitment across all three associations to continue progressing towards one association," said Horan.

"Significant work has already been completed and there is a clear recognition of the opportunities that greater integration presents for our members, clubs and communities.

"My priority as chairperson is to ensure that momentum is maintained, that stakeholders are engaged in a meaningful way, and that there is clarity around the next steps as we continue this important journey together."

John McGovern
BBC Sport NI contributor at McQuillan Park

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Dunloy joint-manager Shane Elliott expressed his 'pride' and 'relief' after his side defeated Cushendall 1-19 to 1-13 to claim their first Antrim Senior Hurling Championship title since 2022.

Ciaran Elliott's first-half goal helped Dunloy establish a lead they would not relinquish at Ballycastle, despite a late goal from Cushendall's Neil McManus.

The victory also avenged Dunloy's defeat by their familiar rivals in the 2024 decider.

"Relieved. To think 2022, four years is a long time for our club; there's massive expectations," Elliott told BBC Sport NI.

"We sort of start every year thinking we're going to win championships, but it doesn't really work like that.

"[There's a] massive sense of relief, but a real sense of pride in terms of how the boys dug it out. It wasn't pretty at times, but we dug it out and got over the line eventually."

Elliott praised his side's response after a frantic opening, with Dunloy taking control during a dominant spell midway through the first half.

"The first ten minutes was helter-skelter stuff, as a championship [final] is," he said.

"Then we dominated for a good ten minutes, we got a bit of a push on and went six or seven up.

"We were very content at half-time. We felt our work rate was excellent, our use of the ball, all the things we were looking for."

Despite McManus finding the net late on, Elliott insisted he remained confident his side would see out the victory.

"I never actually felt we looked like losing the match, if I'm being honest," he added.

"We always kept that five, six points ahead. If they got a point, we went back up the field and got a point.

"You're never comfortable until the whistle goes, but in the last ten minutes, we showed a great deal of composure on the ball."

Dunloy now turn their attention to an Ulster semi-final against Down champions Portaferry on 15 November.

"The boys will enjoy themselves tonight. We haven't even thought about Portaferry, to be brutally honest," Elliott said.

"But we'll be ready to go in two weeks."

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Defending champions Moneyglass and Donaghmoyne will meet in the final of the Ulster Ladies Club Football Championship.

Antrim's Moneyglass scored an emphatic 6-20 to 1-5 win over Derry champions, Steelstown Brian Og with Maria O'Neill in fine form.

Monaghan's Donaghmoyne are back in the final for the first time since 2022 as they were 4-8 to 1-8 winners over Cavan's Knockbride with Cora Courtney netting twice, while Aoife Burns and Rosemary Courtney were also in fine form.

All-Ireland champions Kilkerrin-Clonberne are through to the Connacht final thanks to a 3-13 to 0-7 win over Leitrim's Glencar Manorhamilton

The Galway side, bidding for a sixth All-Ireland title in a row, were nine clear at the break thanks to goals from Niamh Divilly and Louise Ward, while Ailish Morrissey hit the net in the second period as they advanced into a ninth-stright Connacht final.

Mayo's Knockmore will provide the opposition as they were 1-8 to 0-10 winners over Boyle from Roscommon.

Reigning Leinster champions Kilmacud Crokes are through to their provincial final for a fifth-straight time as they raced to a 4-18 to 0-5 semi-final win over Louth's Naomh Padraig.

The Dublin club will face Longford Slashers who were 5-12 to 0-11 winners over Wicklow's Tinahely in the other semi-final.

In the Ulster intermediate championship, Donegal's Naomh Columba and Monaghan's Truagh Gaels are through to the final, while in the junior grade, Tyrone's Sperrin Og will meet Ederney of Fermanagh in the final.

John McGovern
BBC Sport NI contributor in Newry

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Edendork manager Brian McGuckin praised his side's endurance after they overcame a demanding eight-day turnaround to defeat Clonduff 0-17 to 0-12 in the preliminary round of the Ulster Club Senior Football Championship.

The Tyrone champions secured their first provincial victory just eight days after defeating Errigal Ciaran in a county final replay to claim their maiden senior championship title.

McGuckin acknowledged the demanding schedule had taken its toll but was delighted with his players' efforts following a short turnaround.

McGuckin said he was "delighted", adding: "But we have a big game next week, and we're representing not only our own club, but we're also representing the whole of Tyrone.

"So, we wanted to go out tonight and put on a performance. Our key all week was to recover and to be as prepared as we possibly could.

"I have to admit, we were running on fumes there, I would imagine, with the last five or 10 minutes, but we're delighted with the victory."

Edendork led by four points at half-time before extending their advantage to seven in the second period, although Clonduff rallied late on.

McGuckin felt his side improved after the interval despite identifying areas of concern in their opening-half display.

"I was content enough with our first-half performance, but obviously we could identify quite a few areas that needed to improve on," he said.

"We breached a couple of times; we were getting turned over on the tackle.

"Things like that we just simply weren't happy about. We addressed it at half-time, and I think we've seen a better performance in the second half."

Edendork now face Antrim champions St Brigid's in the quarter-final on 8 November, with McGuckin concerned about injuries following another physically demanding encounter.

"It's taken its toll on us. We probably had a couple of injuries out of that game," he added.

"It's tough to go on. Next week will be our fourth game in a row, but you can't beat momentum either."

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Kilkenny's seven-time All-Ireland winner TJ Reid has announced his retirement from inter-county hurling.

Reid joined Kilkenny's senior panel in 2007 and went on to win 14 Leinster senior titles, five National Hurling League medals and seven All-Star awards.

The 38-year-old was named hurler of the year in 2015 and also became the all-time leading scorer in senior hurling championship history with 43 goals and 672 points.

"TJ Reid has given extraordinary service to Kilkenny hurling over almost twenty years. His achievements speak for themselves, but it is the manner in which he represented Kilkenny, his commitment to the jersey, and the standards he set throughout his career that will leave a lasting impression," Kilkenny GAA Chairman PJ Kenny said in a statement.

"He has been a wonderful ambassador for Kilkenny GAA and a firm favourite with our supporters, who have enjoyed so many memorable moments thanks to his exceptional talent.

"On behalf of Kilkenny GAA, I want to sincerely thank TJ for everything he has given to our county."

The Shamrocks Ballyhale clubman also won six All-Ireland Senior Club titles and 13 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship medals.

"After 20 seasons in black and amber, I have decided to bring my Kilkenny senior hurling career to an end," Reid posted on social media.

"Walking away from something that has been such a huge part of my life is not easy, but I leave with immense pride and no regrets.

"When I first wore the Kilkenny jersey in 2007, I never imagined I would still be representing my county two decades later. It has been the greatest privilege of my life."