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Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Antrim fans can be secret weapon in Tailteann Cup quest: Dermot McAleese
The Saffrons had shown promise that they might have made an impact in the competition before now but since its inception three years ago the trophy has gone to Westmeath, Meath and Down. Little wonder, then, that Antrim's hunger for silverware has intensified of late given that they have flattered to deceive. Right now, though, McAleese believes that it is time for the Saffrons to rise to the occasion against a London side that is equally keen to create a good impression. While a number of sides are still blooding comparatively new faces in their line-ups, Antrim can lean on a battery of seasoned campaigners with McAleese himself, Patrick McBride, Marc Jordan, Dominic McEnhill, Ruairi McCann, Eunan Walsh, Ryan Murray and Michael Byrne among players who are more than capable of giving a lead. McAleese was disappointed to see his side lose to Armagh in the Ulster Championship but believes they can rise to the challenge this time out. 'I think if we get a good swell of support we can make progress,' maintains McAleese. London, like their hosts, will hope to create an impact and are likely to look to Stephen Dornan, Tighe Barry, Cahir Healy, Daniel Clarke and Aidan McLaughlin in this connection. Fermanagh, too, will be in search of a boost when they face Wexford in the Tailteann Cup at Croke Park (1.45pm) prior to the Dublin v Armagh All-Ireland Group 4 shoot-out. Erne County boss Kieran Donnelly is hopeful that his side can transform some of their recent League form to the Tailteann Cup. Indeed, Fermanagh have shown a sharp appetite for action lately and Fionan O'Brien, Garvan Jones, Ultan Kelm, Declan McCusker and Conor Love can boost the team's chances of victory.
BBC News
12-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
McBride 'taking positives' despite Armagh defeat
Antrim captain Patrick McBride said there are "positives" from the Saffrons' 1-34 to 1-23 Ulster Championship defeat against All-Ireland champions who was named man of the match, kicked four-two pointers from play to help Antrim to a 0-14 to 0-13 half-time lead but the Orchard County responded with a strong second half showing to progress to the the defeat, McBride was proud of Antrim's efforts on and off the pitch, especially given the pressure on them after they threatened to boycott the game if it was not played at Corrigan Park."The match was meant to be here in the first place so that was the first battle we won," he told BBC Sport NI after the game."It is common sense it should have been here and I know the result didn't go our way, but the best thing about the match being here was we were driving up this morning, it is the first time in a long time I have seen Antrim tops about the Andytown Road, so it is things like that make this very effective. "We are not here just to take part and we are disappointed as we wanted to win the game, but there are positives too - and when I see kids in Antrim jerseys, it's a big plus." 'We showed we belong here' McBride believes Armagh's experience of playing regularly in such high-pressured games in Division One, the Ulster Championship and in the All-Ireland series ultimately helped them over the meanwhile, have not won an Ulster Championship game in over a decade and were recently relegated to Division Four after a disappointing league campaign."They have been in those big games and it's also exposure to a high level, kickouts under pressure, we've been playing against Division Three teams, but they've been playing against teams like Dublin," he explained."They won an All-Ireland last year so it is a team that got relegated to Division Four against the All-Ireland winners, there are positives, we showed we belong here, it is just we need to go up the divisions so we can start to win matches like this."McBride says the Saffrons will now aim to build on their positive first half and win the Tailteann Cup and then gain promotion back to Division Three next season."We were saying at half-time don't be surprised that we are winning this game, we know we are good enough, it's just about putting it together over 70 minutes," he added."We haven't won a game in the Ulster Championship for a long time, but to keep coming back and trying like this requires mental toughness. Until we start winning games regularly, we won't do it [progress in an Ulster Championship tie]. "We have a Tailteann Cup to win here, and we will try to win that, but our biggest thing is promotion next year."
BBC News
02-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
All you need to know about this year's Ulster Championship
The Ulster Senior Football Championship is upon us again and will no doubt bring plenty of thrills and Donegal kick off this year's provincial competition with a preliminary tie against Derry on Sunday, which you can watch live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport of the start of the championship, BBC Sport NI takes a look at all you need to know about the nine counties involved. Antrim Manager: Andy McEntee Captain: Patrick McBride Fixture: Antrim v Armagh, Saturday, 12 April, Corrigan Park, 12.30 BST Antrim almost didn't feature in this year's Ulster Championship after their quarter-final tie against All-Ireland champions Armagh was moved to Newry's Pairc Esler due to capacity concerns and health and safety issues with Corrigan Patrick McBride said the county's football panel had agreed that they would not play the game if it was not staged at their home ground in west Belfast, with the "Corrigan or nowhere" stance backed by the county board, putting the match in GAA eventually reversed their earlier decision, and the game is set to go ahead at Corrigan side will be huge underdogs against the Orchard County after a disappointing Allianz Football League campaign saw them relegated to Division Four with just two wins from their seven Saffrons are without a win in this competition since 2014 and were beaten by Down in the last-eight 12 months ago. Armagh Manager: Kieran McGeeney Captain: Aidan Forker Fixture: Antrim v Armagh, Saturday, 12 April, Corrigan Park, 12:30 BST Beaten finalists on penalties a year ago, defending All-Ireland champions Armagh will be aiming to go one better as they look to win their first Ulster title since Orchard County are firm favourites to overcome a struggling Antrim side in their opening fixture but it seems they will have to do so without forward Rian O' boss Kieran McGeeney told reporters in January that the Crossmaglen man was "taking a few months to himself" and did not give a date for his return to the inter-county well as the absence of O'Neill, Armagh have been without captain Aidan Forker, Jason Duffy, Connaire Mackin, Tiernan Kelly, Ben Crealey and Niall Grimley through stages of the league because of illness and injury, although there is hope all six will be fit to return for the Antrim missing so many key players, Armagh finished sixth in Division One, retaining their status in the top tier ahead of Tyrone on head-to-head record after three wins, three loses and a McMullen and Tomas McCormack have taken opportunities presented to them by the various injuries, alongside Belleek's Callum O'Neill, who performed well in his first start in Armagh's thumping victory against Derry. Cavan Manager: Raymond Galligan Captains: Padraig Faulkner and Ciaran Bradley Fixture: Tyrone v Cavan – Sunday, 13 April, Healy Park, 16:15 BST Cavan will be seeking revenge in their quarter-final meeting with Tyrone in Omagh on 13 April after the Red Hands won 1-23 to 3-16 after extra-time 12 months Galligan's side, who won the Ulster title in 2020, had a topsy-turvy Division Two shipping 5-43 in their first two defeats, they rattled off four consecutive wins but then missed out on promotion after losing narrowly at home to Cork in their final Breffni County have been missing Oisin Kiernan, Jason McLoughlin, Darragh Lovett, Conor Madden and Killian Clarke through injury during the league campaign although the return of Gearoid McKiernan's return has been a boost for the will also hope to call upon star forward Paddy Lynch for their Ulster opener at Healy Park next month as he continues to work his way back from an ACL injury sustained in April last year. Derry Manager: Paddy Tally Captain: Conor Glass Fixture: Donegal v Derry – Pairc Mac Cumhaill, Sunday, 6 April, 14:00 BST Derry had a miserable league campaign under new boss Paddy Tally, suffering relegation after finishing bottom of Division One and without a win from their seven will hope to change the downbeat mood around the county by pulling off a shock and beating in-form Donegal on winning back-to-back Ulster titles, Derry were stunned by Jim McGuinness' eventual winners in the quarter-finals last year - a few weeks after winning the Division One League chances of an upset win aren't being helped by an injury crisis with Brendan Rogers expected to join the already ruled out quartet of Gareth McKinless, Odhran Lynch, Conor McCluskey and Anton Tohill in missing the Ballybofey addition, Ciaran McFaul, Niall Loughlin and Lachlan Murray are also doubts for this weekend's preliminary-round tie. Donegal Manager: Jim McGuinness: Captain: Patrick McBrearty Fixture: Donegal v Derry – Pairc Mac Cumhaill, Sunday, 6 April, 14:00 BST Donegal will be confident of winning back-to-back Anglo-Celt Cups as they did in 2018 and McGuinness' side held their nerve to triumph 6-5 on penalties against Armagh in last year's final to win the Ulster title for the first time in five come into their preliminary meeting with a depleted Derry side as favourites after beating the Oak Leafers, then holders, at this stage of the competition last year and in the league at the start of Tir Conaill men finished fourth in Division One with four wins from seven games, including a 1-22 to 1-19 victory against Derry in Ballyshannon after coming from eight points down with 15 minutes left to Murphy has been carefully managed since his return to the panel after two seasons out it seems with the intention to have him firing on all cylinders for the fact, McGuinness has been careful with the majority of his squad, regularly rotating by using 36 players across their seven a result, his panel see primed to go all guns blazing against Derry in the first step on their quest to retain the title. Down Manager: Conor Laverty Captain: Pierce Laverty Fixture: Fermanagh v Down – Saturday, 19 April, Brewster Park, 16:00 GMT Down reached the semi-finals of the competition last year after beating Antrim before suffering an agonising one-point defeat against Armagh - which was a game they could and probably should have Laverty's side will aim to make the last four once again after being drawn to face Fermanagh in Enniskillen on 19 Mournemen were relegated from Division Two on head-to-head despite winning three of their seven league did, however, produce an impressive display to beat Monaghan in their final league game and also have All-Ireland action to look forward to later this year after winning the Tailteann Cup last winners of an Ulster title in 1994, Down will probably be marginal favourites going into the Enniskillen game before facing into a tough-looking semi-final against either Donegal, Derry or Monaghan - even though they defeated the Farney men 10 days ago. Fermanagh Manager: Kieran Donnelly Captain: Declan McCusker Fixture: Fermanagh v Down – Saturday, 19 April, Brewster Park, 16:00 GMT Fermanagh have never won this competition and as aforementioned, the strength of the other sides means that it is unlikely they will make history this were well-beaten 3-11 to 0-9 by Armagh at the quarter-final stage last year and will go in as underdogs against Down even though they have home advantage for the 19 April Ernesiders have only once made it beyond the last-eight since 2016. That was in 2018 when they reached the final but were well beaten by Donegal. Kieran Donnelly's side missed out on promotion from Division Three this season after finishing picked up three victories in seven games and were awarded another as a walkover after Leitrim were unable to fulfil the the Ernemen can call upon one of the most talented forwards in Ulster in Ultan Kelm, it's difficult to advance an argument for them producing an extended provincial run, with their remaining 2025 championship endeavours likely to be in the second-tier Tailteann Cup. Monaghan Manager: Gabriel Bannigan Captain: Micheal Bannigan Fixture: Monaghan v winner of Donegal/Derry – Sunday, 20 April, Clones/Celtic Park, 14:00 BST Monaghan have the longest wait out of the nine counties to get their Ulster Championship campaign under way after they were drawn against the winners of Sunday's preliminary tie between Donegal and Derry on 20 Donegal are the opposition, that game will be played at Clones with Celtic Park the venue if the Oak Leafers shock Jim McGuinness' side this has been 10 years since Monaghan won an Ulster title, but they did recently collect league silverware and seem to be making progress under new manager Gabriel earned promotion from Division Two by winning the league title, beating Roscommon 1-26 to 0-19 at Croke Park in the decider after picking up five wins from their seven league Conor McManus no longer part of the squad, goalkeeper Rory Beggan's scores have proved important for the Farney men this season - although the tweaking of the new rules may restrict his open-play movement into opposition keeper contributed 0-7 in the Division Two final, including three two-pointers from frees and a point from a 45 as he finished Monaghan's top scorer in the league with a tally of 0-38. Tyrone Manager: Malachy O'Rourke Captain: Peter Harte Fixture: Tyrone v Cavan – Sunday, 13 April, Healy Park, 16:15 BST Like Derry, Tyrone were relegated to Division Two, but were unbeaten in their last three games which will breed cautious optimism ahead of their Ulster opener against Cavan on 13 O'Rourke's side went down despite finishing on seven points like Armagh after three wins from their seven saved their best display for the final day as they produced a good performance to beat Dublin 2-20 to of the Anglo-Celt Cup in 2021 - the same year they went on to win the All-Ireland title - the Red Hands fell at the semi-final stage last year after a two-point loss to eventual winners are currently contending with a number of injury worries ahead of their home tie against Hampsey, who did not feature in the league campaign, and Mark Bradley are both fitness doubts, with Conor Meyler ruled out and Ben McDonnell also battling to overcome a knock ahead of the Cavan the return to action of brothers Darragh and Ruairi Canavan during the latter stages of the league campaign will aid Tyrone's cause.
BBC News
24-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Right thing' for Corrigan Park to host Armagh
Antrim footballer Patrick McBride has said his county's Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final with Armagh will now be played "where it's meant to be" with the game set to be held at Corrigan Park on 12 October's Ulster SFC draw, the Saffrons were picked to play at home against the All-Ireland champions but Ulster GAA said last month that Corrigan Park "does not meet the required health and safety standard to accommodate" the fixture given the expected number of visiting fans. This month the game was switched to Pairc Esler in Newry but, with the Antrim panel threatening a boycott, a resolution appears to have been found and is expected to be rubberstamped later this week."It's very significant," McBride told BBC Sport NI."All the players will be glad that we've got the match where it's meant to be, but not just players, the people of Antrim as well."It was the right thing to do." 'If we keep moving somewhere else, what's the point in having Casement Park?' With the Casement Park redevelopment still not resolved - something McBride called a "disgrace" - there was no suitable venue in Belfast other than Corrigan Park in the west of the city. Having suffered relegation to Division Four of the Allianz Leagues at the weekend, Andy McEntee's side will still be considered underdogs regardless of where the fixture is played, but McBride added that the issue was about more than just competitive advantage."As a team, we're realists. It's a team that just got relegated to Division Four playing the All-Ireland champions," he said."Yes, it gives you a better chance to win the match, but it's so much more at stake - principle, the right thing, we were drawn first, we've no Casement Park."If we keep moving somewhere else, what's the point in having Casement Park? It's a disgrace that we don't have it at the minute."McBride added that it was important for the next generation to be able to watch games of such significance within their own county."I grew up not knowing how good Antrim were or what but always wanting to play for Antrim because of going to big games."It sparked your interest. Things like this is needed in the city."
BBC News
27-01-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
McBride hails 'great win' as Antrim beat Clare in opener
Antrim forward Patrick McBride says hard work was the key to beating Clare 1-9 to 1-6 in the Allianz Football League Division Three opener at a wet and windy Corrigan Park on Hand netted as Antrim led 1-7 to 1-1 at the break after Fionn Nagle's goal for the reduced the gap but scores from McBride and Conor Stewart helped Antrim secure the win. "It's a great win - we've had a few tough pre-season matches but when you get a win like that it's all worth it," said McBride."Whoever worked the hardest was going to win that match, it was nothing to do with talent. "Whatever team did the things that didn't require talent was going to win and we did it."McBride benefited from the new rules when he scored a free after Clare were punished for only having two players in the opposing half when at least three are required."It's harsh but you have to adjust - [it's about} whoever adjusts quicker. If they make a mistake you have to punish it but you have to be constantly aware of it."Even bringing the keeper up - if your not tuned in it's an easy score for the other team."I'm enjoying it - I love the quick transition, I love the tap-and-go rule. Everything feels quicker."
