An Riocht / Kingdom YC Notes

Senior Football An Riocht v Liatroim

After some confusion over the day and venue this tournament game eventually took place in Glasdrumman on Tuesday and An Riocht came from behind to win by eight points 2:12 to 1:7.

Backed by the wind Liatroim dominated the early possession and Johnny McBurney saved well from JP Owens. PP McCartan was exerting a major influence and Liatroim went four points to one in front. Kevin Flanagan scored our opening point and Conor Sloan blocked a clearance but the ball was hacked off the line. Liam McVeigh soloed through but his shot was well saved. Just as we were getting back into it Liatroim seized on a poor clearance to goal and went on to add a point from McCartan. With the game slipping away wing backs Fergal Doyle and Joe McVeigh advanced for points apiece to set up a storming finish to the half. Conor Sloan converted a penalty after a foul on Marc Taylor and then Marc finished off a second goal after Conor and Liam combined and we went in two points ahead at the break.

Six unanswered points in the third quarter made it double scores, the pick a Joe McVeigh effort. Liatroim managed a brace themselves as we gave the ball away cheaply in the middle third but Kevin soloed in for a rousing score and Conor Walsh’s second from top of the left ended the scoring for the night.

Team: J McBurney M Trainor A Flanagan G Small J McVeigh 0:2 D O’Reilly F Doyle 0:1 P Murney L McVeigh R Annett 0:3 K Flanagan 0:3 Conor Walsh 0:2 M Taylor 1:0 S Flanagan C Sloan 1:1. Subs G Finnegan S Clarke N McArdle D Sherry S McArdle.

Senior Football An Riocht v Kilcoo

In the Final of the Longstone Tournament An Riocht lost to Kilcoo 2:12 to 0:10. We started really well going five one up but during the same period we missed some match winning scores and at the top level you really need to take your opportunities when they present themselves. We were exposed too at the back by the slick moving Kilcoo attack whose quick transfer of the ball presented a greater test than this team had previously encountered, while in Liam McVeigh we had the most influential midfielder on the park.

Liam ran through the middle of the Kilcoo defence at will and a foul on him presented Richard Annett with a tap over free. Conor Sloan was unlucky moments later when he rescued a loose ball but the keeper, Stephen Kane, got down to save his hurried kick. Stephen Flanagan added our second and then there were goal mouth escapes at both ends. Conor Laverty sliced through to send a shot whizzing wide while a foul on Liam delivered a penalty which Kane saved at his right hand post. Kevin Flanagan sent over a side line kick before Kane again went full length to turn away Liam’s shot in our next attack.

A quarter hour in Noel Devlin opened for Kilcoo from a free but we replied with two like scores from Richard for five one. Noel Devlin and Kevin Morgan pointed for Kilcoo before Marc Taylor made it six three in the twenty fifth minute. Kilcoo leveled with a Noel Devlin goal after good play from Emmett Devlin and Kevin Morgan. Conor Walsh pointed an instant reply only for Noel Devlin to haul us back and before the break Gary McAvoy put Kilcoo ahead for the first time, 1:5 to 0:7.

We lost the game in the third quarter with Kilcoo scoring six successive points to go ahead by double scores. Corner forwards McAvoy and Devlin added a pair apiece while Marty McClean and Brian O’Hanlon also got forward to score. Noel McArdle came on to convert a long free but the next score fell to Kilcoo in the fiftieth minute with Laverty taking full advantage of a disputed line ball to hare away and find the net. Kevin Flanagan pointed a free while Donal Kane fisted a reply. Richard Annett took our tally of scored frees to seven and in the remaining ten minutes we had ample opportunity to bridge the gap but a combination of tenacious Kilcoo defending and our oh so slightly off target shooting meant it was not to be. All in all this was a worthwhile tournament during which eight debuts were made to the senior team and hopefully this will stand to the players in the future.

U12 Football An Riocht v Tullylish

An Riocht had Tullylish as guests on Sunday morning and won well ahead of a difficult Championship tie next week. Sean Colgan, Ronan McAlinden, Ryan White, Aidan Donnelly, Declan Doyle and Mathew Burden were best of the bigger boys while Colin McConville, John O’Rourke, Brian Rodgers and Conor Morgan were the pick of the subs who came on.

U16 Football Glasdrumman v An Riocht

In the Championship replay three goals from Darren Doyle and two from Paddy Gartland helped An Riocht to a semi-final meeting with Mayobridge. Michael Spiers had a stormer at half forward.

Senior Football An Riocht v Longstone

This league encounter attracted a huge crowd to Dunavil and at the finish An Riocht were four points to the good.

Neill Doran set the scene for us with two excellent opening points from play and with barely five minutes on the clock Liam McVeigh advanced to shoot a goal, the keeper distracted by the presence of full forward Stephen Flanagan. As play swung end to end Steven Doran pulled a point back and Kieran Doran cannoned another shot off the bar. Richard Annett made it six one from an acute angle but Longstone were getting on top and pointed through Adrian Trainor, Conor Smith and Barry Doran for six four. We were making little of what chances we had with a succession of wides and feeble shots and from one such under hit effort Mark Doran went the whole length of the field to point. Paddy Cole replied with possibly the best score of the game which was followed by a frantic climax to the half with goals at either end. First Longstone midfielders Ambrose Rodgers and John Magee combined for the latter to fire a screamer to the top corner, then from the kick out Cole crossed for Stephen Flanagan to fist past Aidan Poland and send An Riocht in 2:4 to 1:5 ahead.

Eamon Trimble raced away to point for the visitors on the restart but two Neill Doran frees put a goal in it going into the final quarter. Steven Doran and sub John Trainor from a free brought it down to the minimum before An Riocht motored away in the final minutes. Cole, Doran with two frees and sub Kieran McVeigh put five between them with Ambrose Rogers now playing a target man adding a consolation deep into added time.

Johnny McBurney, Aidan Flanagan, Deaglan O’Reilly and Joe McVeigh had stormers in the winners defence while Liam McVeigh and Paul Murney complemented each other at midfield. Up front Neill Doran, Paddy Cole and Stephen Flanagan carried the main threat. For the losers, Longstone, Mark Doran, Barry Kelly and JP Logan were best at the back, Ambrose Rogers had his moments in midfield, while in attack Steven Doran and Kieran Doran were the most dangerous.

Thirds Football Mitchels v An Riocht.

On Sunday evening An Riocht beat Mitchels at Gerry Brown Park with Eamon Binks and Brian Annett sharing six goals, three apiece. There is a doubt about the St. Michaels game this Sunday and we are also expecting news of the Championship quarter-final draw.

Seconds Football Clonduff v An Riocht.

This game was used to give the Minors a run out and was played on Monday night so will be covered in next weeks notes.

Minor Camogie Clonduff v An Riocht

The Minor Camogs lost in Hilltown. We had a fair share of possession but failed to reflect this on the scoreboard. The Centres were very good. Team M O’Hanlon, L Donnelly, L Rodgers, A Clarke, L Brennan, M Horner, EJ Magee, L Hughes, N Cunningham, A O’Reilly, S Colgan, S Sloan, C Trainor, R Sloan, K White, E Colgan.

Junior Camogie Ballycran v An Riocht

The Juniors lost in Ballycran. The Ards team were simply too good on this occasion. Team C Donnelly, V Baldwin, C Killen, J Sloan, M Trainor, C Cunningham, A Clarke, L Hughes, N Cunningham, EJ Magee, A O’Reilly, L Donnelly, L Brennan, M Horner, L Rodgers, R Sloan.

Summer Scheme

Daily updates from the Club. Contact Sheila on 41763681 for details. Highlights this week are Canoeing on Tuesday (26^th), Indoor Games on Wednesday (27^th), Snooker on Thursday (28^th), Picnic at Seaford Butterfly House on Friday (29^th), Arts & Crafts on Monday (1^st August), Fishing on Tuesday (2^nd), and Water Sports on Wednesday (3^rd).

Football Fixtures

Tuesday 26 July U16 Mitchels v An Riocht

Wednesday 27 July U18 Burren v An Riocht

Thursday 28 July U14 An Riocht v Drumgath

Friday 29 July Senior Castlewellan v An Riocht

Sunday 31 July U12 An Riocht v Shamrocks; Seconds Castlewellan v An Riocht; Thirds An Riocht v Saint Michaels.

Monday 1^st August Senior An Riocht v Clonduff

Tuesday 2^nd August U16 FC An Riocht v Mayobridge

Wednesday 3^rd August U18 Mayobridge v An Riocht

Thursday 4^th August U14 Tullylish v An Riocht

Camogie Fixtures

Camogie continues without a break and remaining Junior matches are Home v Ballycran, Away v Darragh Cross, Away v Liatroim, Home v Newry plus the Championship. Remaining U16 (minor) matches are Home v Atticall, Away v Portaferry, Home v Kilcoo, Away v Ballyholland, Home v Liatroim plus the Championship.

The U12 and U14 Camogs still have League play-offs to complete.

Hurling

Mourne Hurlers have organized a four mile ‘pier to pier’ puck this Saturday, 30 July, starting at Kilkeel beach and ending at Cranfield car park. Sponsor cards available. On Wednesday (27^th) at Dunavil they play Ballella. The Down Hurling Development Coaching Academy takes place on Mondays and Tuesdays in August at the various Mourne GAA grounds.