Creggan are hoping to get back to Croke Park

It's another busy Saturday in Creggan with two quarter finals in the Paddy McLarnon U21 Championship.  We caught up with treasurer Eoin Donnelly to talk about the club's progress.

RASHARKIN APPOINT McNICHOLL

Former Glenullin and Derry player Dermot McNicholl has been appointed as the manager of Antrim club Rasharkin. 

Last season the St Mary's club were relegated from Division 2 but in the proposed league reshuffle they will play in a new look Division 2 this season.

After an highly successful playing career the St Patrick's Maghera teacher has had managerial experience with Glenullin, Ardboe and Slaughtneil were he also helped their minor team win the Ulster Club title in St Paul's.

RASHARKIN LOOKING FOR A MANAGER

With some clubs having their stall already for the campaign ahead and a number of teams have began their pre-season regime.  There are still some clubs yet to appoint their managers.

Antrim club Rasharkin are still on the lookout for someone to look after their senior football team.  Former Ballinderry boss Fabian Muldoon was linked to the post but he has since ruled himself out.

Dungiven are in the process of appointing a senior football manager with any interested parties asked to contact Kieran McKeever (Chairman) and Mary K Burke (Secretary) before this Friday.   Kevin Madden was the outgoing manager after a three year term.

Elsewhere in Derry leading clubs Ballinascreen and Kilrea have yet to appoint replacements after both their managers departed their posts..  Derry manager Damian Barton was the outgoing supremo at Pearse Park with Ballinascreen duo Ciaran Meenagh and Martin Boyle moving to take over Tyrone side Dromore.

FITZY AIMS TO ERADICATE MISTAKES

The left foot of Bam Neeson had Antrim two points to the good early on in Sunday's game against Derry.  In your first game a positive early start is certainly on your wish list and manager Frank Fitzsimmons certainty was content with it.  He was however disappointed at how the wheels fell off the wagon.

Derry began to take over and Liam McGoldrick's early goal knocked the wind from their sails as Fitzsimmons explains. "We need to come out and have a bit more pace in our game at the start of matches. For the first five or six minutes against Derry we looked like we were going well and then they got that sucker punch of a goal and our heads went a bit."

The Antrim manager pinpointed a key area for improvement.  "It is early in the season but we still made a few very simple mistakes and they are mistakes we have been working to eradicate over the past few weeks. We just need to correct them and that is it."

His panel was decimated with players being on McKenna Cup duty with their colleges but the Lamh Dhearg clubman refused to look for excuses.  "It is the first game in the McKenna Cup and we have players away and we know with those players away we are weakened but it is also a great chance for other players to stand up and claim a place on the panel."

The Saffrons have a quick turnaround as they are out against Queens on Wednesday night and it's a case of getting back on the horse again.  "I suppose it is easy to drop heads but that is where you are looking for the mental strength to come into play. Look, there are a few of those lads who were having their first run out and Derry is a hard place to come at the best of times but hopefully we can correct some of the mistakes for Wednesday night."

Getting out of division four of the NFL will surely be the key target in the Antrim camp and Fitzy feels his side are improving.  "Well, no, a McKenna Cup defeat would not worry you in itself but it is the way you lose. I suppose it is good to have players back and it is going in the right direction. It wasn't the right result against Derry but it's heading in the right direction."

Antrim Minors start planning for 2016

Antrim Minor Hurling manager Ciaran Kearney has announced the details of the trial process as he bis to get the structures in place ahead of the 2016 season.  Again Kearney will be assisted by Eoghan Rua man Joe Passmore.

They will be running trials over the last two Sunday's in January (24th and 31st) and are looking for clubs to nominate both minor and U17 players.

Clubs should nominate players by contacting Ciaran Kearney- ciarankearney9@hotmail.com or by calling 07882971658. 

Please provide:

• Name
• Age grade
• Contact number
• Position

Antrim Colleges to Head South

The Antrim Colleges Hurling squad are pleased to announce a sponsorship deal with local firm Premier Electrics ahead of their new venture into the Leinster school championship this weekend when they take on North Dublin Colleges on Saturday.

Cross & Passion Ballycastle and St Patrick's Maghera have been highly successful in the All-Ireland O'Keefe Cup on the back of their Mageean Cup success.  This season it will be St Louis Ballymena who will represent Ulster.

http://www.premierelectrics.com

ANTRIM HOPE TO PACK A PUNCH IN 2016

Brian Magee
(PIC - http://www.mageehealthandfitness.co.uk)

Antrim football manager Frank Fitzsimmons has admitted in the press recently that he has to learn from last season.  Their promotion bid from Division 4 of the NFL was off the rails very early in last year's campaign. 

This season he has freshened up his management team and has enlisted the services of former World Boxing Champion Brian Magee to take care of strength and conditioning.

They will start off their McKenna Cup campaign against Derry on Sunday in Owenbeg (2pm)

Here are some photos of the players in action at his gym. (Antrim GAA YouTube Channel)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3sT4nPBM7s

Portglenone To Kick Start 2016

Portglenone Casements and Geraldines are aiming to start their new season off with a bang and get into a healthier and better lifestyle.

For 10 weeks on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays there will be sessions with qualified instructors.

The Building Better Lives scheme is in partnership with Bannside Pharmacy and Sport NI.

All details are listed on the poster below.

INTERCOUNTY SEASON AROUND THE CORNER

Derry Hurling manager Tom McLean
PIC Sportsfile

The footballers and hurlers of Derry will get their 2016 season under way this weekend with games in the Conor McGurk and McKenna Cups.

While the rest of us were availing of the seasonal festivities Derry have been working away in the background following their Strength & Conditioning programmes to put the building blocks in place for the season ahead.

Derry hurling champions Slaughtneil will this time have a representation on the county squad with Sean Cassidy, Mark McGuigan, Oisin and Cormac O'Doherty among those who have linked up with Tom McLean's new regime.  After last year's defeat in the Christy Ring Cup Final, there will be a desire to go one step further.

In football Damian Barton has already had one runout against Tyrone in the O'Fiaich Cup and the word from the camp was that fitness was the early season focus.  Antrim are in a similar mould and videos of their players being out through their paces at Brian Magee's gym have been posted on social media by Antrim's new PR drive.

Conor McGurk Cup (Senior Hurling)

Saturday 1.30pm Donegal Vs Derry at The Dub, Belfast

McKenna Cup (Senior Football)

Sunday 2pm - Derry v Antrim at Owenbeg

GLEN FACE CLONDUFF

Michael Warnock accepts the Paddy McLarnon Cup in 2015
PIC - Creggan Twitter

Reigning Ulster U21 champions Glen open the defence of the Paddy McLarnon Cup against Down champions Clonduff.  

The championship is hosted by Antrim club Creggan and the draw was made on Sunday night in Creggan's clubrooms.

In Donegal the final has not been played yet.  Kilcar are down to play St Eunan's but this game will be on hold until after the Letterkenny lads play their Ulster Minor final against Crossmaglen.

Here is a link to Jerome Quinn's video of the draw.  CLICK HERE...

DRAW IN FULL

• St John's (Antrim) v Ramor Utd (Cavan)
• Cullyhanna (Armagh) v Donaghmore (Tyrone)
• Glen (Derry) v Clonduff (Down)
• Kilcar/St Eunan's v Magheracloone (Monaghan)

Doherty looks to the future in Portglenone

Dermot McAleese receives the U21 cup from Collie Donnelly
(Pic - Antrim Website)

New Antrim chairman Collie Donnelly presented his first piece of silverware to Portglenone winning captain Dermot McAleese after his side's 3-10 to 1-9 win over Rossa in the U21 B Championship final.

McAleese was man of the match and central to everything Portglenone were involved in and will have a huge part to play in Antrim's bid to get out of NFL division four.

In the midfield diamond McAleese was well supported by Peter Duffin and the Delargy brothers - Ronan and Conall.

Speaking to the club's website winning manager Owen Doherty was full of praise for his team. 

 "Our big boys around the middle stood up today, but that’s what we expect from those guys. But it was the never say die attitude of younger, unsung, emerging players like goalkeeper Ryan O'Neill, Conor McGhee, Caolan Tierney, Stephen Kelly, Michael Hagan and John Lewis, as well as others. Our club has plenty to look forward to if we can nurture this talent. They have done us proud again.”

Portglenone: Ryan O'Neill, Conor Mc Ghee, John Lewis, Declan Lennon, Ryan McGirr, Ronan Delargy, Stephen Kelly, Dermot Mc Aleese 0-1, Conall Delargy 1-2, Caolan Tierney, Peter Duffin 0-1,Michael Kelly 0-1, Michael Hagan 1-2, Brian Mc Manus 1-3, Anthony Webb. 

Subs Kelvin Loughlin & Jimmy Convery.

Rossa: Colm Walsh, Niall Devlin, Conor Mc Gowan, James Cooley, Niall Crossan 0-1, Richard Gowdy 0-1, Aidan Orchid, Gerard Walsh, Conall Mc Veigh, Padraig Mc Greevy, Sean Pat Donnelly 0-1, Declan Murphy 0-1, Chris Boyle, Gavin Mc Grath 1-2, Darren Grego 0-2.

Antrim GAA receive a Christmas Bonus

Antrim GAA received a timely boost to the tune of £800,000 towards their development project at Dunsilly.  Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín has announced the funding and it will contribute towards construction of changing facilities, car parking and fencing at the venue on the outskirts of Antrim Town.

Antrim GAA is contributing a further £105,000 towards the project, which is due for completion by August 2016.  This is much needed injection into the Antrim GAA scene as currently county teams don't have a training base. 

As well as a venue for county terms to train, and a base for Development squads it will be home to the local St Comghall's GAC.  With it's central local and proximity to the M2 motorway it will be a useful resource for school teams as often they have to travel to Cookstown and Garvaghy for games with the unavailability of a more suitable neutral venue.

Portglenone Charity Fun Run

The Geraldine's camogie club in Portglenone are organising a Fun Run on St Stephen's Day in aid of Action Cancer.

It takes place in Portglenone Forest at 10am and is suitable for everyone and refreshments will be provided.

Passmore Back With Saffrons

The man behind Eoghan Rua's All-Ireland camogie successes Joe Passmore is back on board as coach with Antrim's minor hurling team for 2016.  He will working again alongside manager Ciaran Kearney from Cushendall.

Pictured are the young hurlers of Passmore's club Eoghan Rua at one of their recent underage sessions.  

Their senior hurlers are currently preparing for the All-Ireland Junior semi-final in the new year.  There is now a well established GAA fraternity down by 'The Port' and Passmore has his finger on the pulse there.

As for Antrim Minors, they will host Derry in round one of the Ulster Minor league in Ballycastle next season but in recent years Antrim has sent their minor team into the Leinster league with their U17s using the Ulster league as development.  "It's what we did last year, but need to check. There's that new competition this year so I'm not sure what the story is with it."