Newbridge 1-14 Dunloy 0-11
This game was closer than the final scoreline suggests and it took determination mixed with outrageous skill for the Derry champions to advance in this Ulster senior club match at Owenbeg on Saturday.
Conleth McGrogan and Oisin Doherty produced the moments of high octane by each landing late two-pointers to cushion the margin to six against a Dunloy side who were in the game in front of a large crowd of over 2,5000 until the last few minutes.
Factor in, too, Callum McGrogan’s second-half goal with those four points and you see that it was in fact three special moments which decided the outcome on the day.
So a salute to the Dunloy lads who were playing in their first ever provincial senior football series, although there were plenty on board who had not just played but won Ulster hurling honors with the famed Antrim club.
They certainly gave it a good go and with a brace of two-pointers on the cusp of the interval went in two points to the good 0-8 to 0-6.
That was with the advantage of the elements and you could see how Newbridge were managing their efforts in the first moiety where holding possession rather than going all out for scores was a big part of their designed game-plan.
Keelan Molloy pushed the Antrim lead out to three 0-9 to 0-6 on the resumption which Mark McGrogan negatived with a point of his own. However when Ryan McGarry then landed Dunloy's 10th score, there was a sense of a real upset being on the cards.
Questions were asked of Newbridge and McGrogan’s goal went a long way towards answering what mettle the Derry boys had for the occasion.
It boiled down to an arm-wrestle for control and when Sean Elliot levelled once more for the underdog, anything seemed possible. Dunloy lived dangerously when a pass out of defense was intercepted and should have led to a goal but was spilled at the last second.
There was no need for Derry fans to worry as almost immediately, McGrogan was landed his monster two-pointer, something that was bettered in the execution by Oisin Doherty of his which finally put a dagger into the heart of the Saffron challenge.
Newbridge now go forward to a quarter-final clash with Armagh kingpins, Madden.
Newbridge: N Rocks; S McAteer, S McGrogan, M McGrogan (0-1); C McGrogan (1-0), C McGrogan, P McGrogan; C Doherty (0-2), C McGrogan (0-2, 1tp); E Young, M Doherty (0-1), C McAteer; P McMullan, S Young (0-2), O Doherty (0-6, 1tp, 0-4f) Subs: J Diamond for Young (59).
Dunloy: C McMahon; R Cunning, A Crawford, C Kinsella; A McCarry, R McGarry (0-1), T McFerran; E McFerran, D Smith (0-2, 1tp); E O'Neill (0-1), S Elloitt (0-1), C Cunning; L McFerran, K Molloy (0-6, 1tp, 0-2f), N Elliot Subs: K McQuillan for L McFerran (59), J Scall for N Elliott (59).
Ref: K Eannetta.
Ballygunner 0-18; Na Piarsaigh 0-15
As early provincial rounds go, this trip by Waterford champions Ballygunner to Limerick was about as tough an assignment as possible. It called for guts and determination and no little skill to beat a Na Piarsaight outfit at the Gaelic Grounds, yet that is precisely what the Deise men were able to do in a pulsating and closely fought game on Sunday afternoon.
It wasn’t top-class hurling or eye-catching stuff, more of an honest-to-goodness slog which asked the age-old question - which of you wants it more?
And so it came to pass that for the seventh year in succession, the men in red and black were able to eliminate the Limerick champions and when you factor in that they have achieved that by winning four of the last four ties in Limerick, that says something about the inner fortitude of the Waterford men.
Almost 3,000 fans got no goals to cheer home and only once - when the home side finally got their noses in front eight minutes from time - we got the loudest cheer of the day.
That only served to give the Gunners more reason to dig deep which they did by maintaining a defensive phalanx which spat out opposition efforts to penetrate. The success of this formula can be gauged by their counter attacking prowess which saw them score five of the last six points to emerge victorious by three points.
Ballygunner: S O’Keeffe; I Kenny, T Foley, A O’Neill; H Ruddle (0-03), Philip Mahony, R Power; C Sheahan, P Leavey; P Hogan (0-01), M Mahony (0-02), D Hutchinson (0-05, 3f, 1 65); M Hartley (0-02), P Fitzgerald (0-04, 1 65), K Mahony Subs: C Power for Sheahan (49'), C Tobin (0-01) for Hartley (53').
Na Piarsaigh: S Dowling; J Boylan, V Harrington, R Lynch (0-03, 3f); E McEvoy, M Casey, M Foley; JJ Carey, T Grimes (0-01); W Henn, P Casey (0-03), D Dempsey; K Downes (0-06, 4f, 1 65), C Boylan (0-01), A Breen (0-01) Subs: K Dempsey for Henn (41'), J Finn for Foley (43'), D Lynch for Breen (46'), E Brosnan for Grimes (54'), W Kearns for Carey (59').
Ref: N Malone.
Galway is one of the harder county championships to retain so hats off to Loughrea for making it back-to-back Galway senior hurling championship titles following a one-point win over a gallant St Thomas’ at Pearse Stadium on Saturday.
Retaining the Tom Callinan Cup for the first time in their history and winning it for the fourth time overall, the holders now have a chance to see how they progress in the All Ireland club series.
They were made fight all the way in this encounter, for after turning over five points to the good on 0-11 to 0-6, with Conor Cooney hitting four of the losers’ total and 1-10 in total, they had to fight might and main to keep their heads in front when it mattered most - at the end of the game.
Only two ahead as the game drifted towards the red zone, a smashing strike by Darren Shaughnessy seemed to give them enough room to ease home but a free by Cooney in injury time which raised a green flag had the crowd on tenterhooks before the holders held on to claim victory at the final whistle.
Loughrea: G Loughnane; P Hoban, J Coen, K Hanrahan; B Keary, S Morgan (0-2f), J Mooney; I Hanrahan (0-1), C Killeen; C Killeen, T Killeen (0-3, 0-2f), J Ryan; A Burns (0-5), D Shaughnessy (1-2), V Morgan (0-2) Subs: M McManus for Burns (18-20), McManus for Ryan (57), S Sweeney for I Hanrahan (62), A Kelly for Killeen (64), NKeary for Burns (65).
St Thomas’: G Kelly; C Mahony, F Burke, J Headd; E Duggan, S Cooney, C Headd, D Burke, D McGlynn; D Burke (0-1), C Cooney (1-10, 1-9f), E Burke; E Brady, D Farrell (0-2), V Manso (0-1) Subs: C Burke for Duggan (46), J Regan for McGlynn (46), D Finnerty for Brady (57).
Ref: L Gordon (Killimor).
Monaghan’s Hughes, 67
It was with widespread sadness that the death was announced this week of former three-time All-Star, Eugene “Nudie” Hughes at the age of 67.
Eugene was considered to be Monaghan's greatest ever footballer and he fought a helluva battle against cancer for the last seven years.
The Castleblayney Faughs legend showed remarkable resolve in the way he faced the illness and thanked the huge support he got from his own family and friends and the wider GAA clan for helping him deal with the disease.
In 2024, Hughes was honored by the Gaelic Players Association with a Lifetime Achievement award.
He was Monaghan's first All-Star winner in 1979 and picked up two further personal accolades in 1985 and 1989. Hughes was one of only a small number of players to have been recognized in defense and attack; his first coming as a corner-back with the others coming as a corner-forward.
Those three All-Star winning years coincided with Monaghan winning the Ulster title.
In 1985, Hughes was also part of the team that won the National Football League.
He won a Railway Cup medal in 1984 with Ulster and won two Ulster football titles with Castleblayney.
Monaghan GAA paid tribute to Nudie on Monday. “It is with deep and profound sadness that Monaghan GAA has learned of the passing of one of our greatest ever players, Eugene 'Nudie' Hughes – a true legend of Monaghan football and a three-time All-Star recipient.
“Nudie’s contribution to our county, both on and off the field, was immense. His skill, passion and leadership inspired generations, and his name will forever be synonymous with Monaghan’s proud footballing tradition.
“Nudie fought his illness with immense courage and dignity, just as he played the game – with heart and determination.”
GAA SCORELINES
Saturday November 1
Roscommon SFC final replay
St Brigid's 1-16 Padraig Pearses 1-12
Leitrim SHC final
Cluainin Iomaint 2-10 Carrick HC 1-10
Galway SHC final
Loughrea 1-15 St Thomas' 1-14
Limerick SFC semi-finals
Mungret St Pauls 0-17 Adare 1-13
Newcastle West 2-16 Fr Casey's 0-14 (AET)
Tipperary SFC semi-final
Clonmel Commercials 1-9 Upperchurch-Drombane 0-8
Leinster club SFC Round 1
Portarlington (Laois) 1-12 Old Leighlin (Carlow) 0-6
Ulster club SFC preliminary round
Sean O'Learys Newbridge (Derry) 1-14 Dunloy Cuchulainns (Antrim) 0-11
Sunday 2 November
Waterford SFC final
Rathgormack 1-12 The Nire 1-10
Wexford SFC final
Castletown Liam Mellows 0-14 Shelmaliers 1-7
Leinster club SFC Round 1
Summerhill (Meath) 2-22 Killoe Young Emmets (Longford) 1-16
Athy (Kildare) 3-16 Baltinglass (Wicklow) 0-10
Munster club SHC quarter-final
Ballygunner (Waterford) 0-18 Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 0-15
