The Ulster underage competitions kick off on Saturday next with 2 minor games scheduled in group two. Armagh and Monaghan will meet at Silverbridge while Down will host Antrim at Liatroim Fontenoys. Both games have a 2pm start.
Our Annual Convention was held today in Canavan’s. After Gerry Doherty welcomed everyone, detailed reports were delivered by Colm Murray (Secretary Report), Paul Swift (PRO Report), Caroline Brady (Cultural and Language Report), Ciaran Murtagh (Development Report), Paul Kelly (Finance Report), Ronan McCarthy (CODA Report), Karen Mc Goldrick (Fixtures Report) and Antionette McCusker (Registrar).
All reports were positive about the state of the game in Ulster. Our membership has grown to over 43,000, we have 5 full time employees and over 300 clubs. There was one change in Executive personnel. Maria Hinds is the new Registrar. National subcommittee representatives were selected and bye laws approved.
Gerry Doherty in his President’s address paid tribute to all the 12 All-Ireland winning teams, Antionette Mc Cusker who stood down as Ulster Registrar, all our sponsors, his fellow executive members and everyone who assisted throughout the year.
Dungannon native Eileen Jones – Hardy is the new President elect and will take up her post in January 2026. One of Eileen’s main jobs will be to oversee the new Strategic Plan which was also launched on Sunday.
The draws were made for all Ulster competitions. In the senior final Armagh will play Donegal on Sunday 18th May. Fermanagh will meet Tyrone in the preliminary round of the Intermediate championship on 27th April with the winners playing Down a week later in the first semi-final. Monaghan and Cavan will meet in the other decider. The junior Championship will see Antrim, Derry and London play in a round robin competition with the final fixed for the weekend of 17th/18th May.
Earlier today the draws were made for all Ulster competitions. In the senior final Armagh will play Donegal on the weekend of 17th/ 18th May.
Fermanagh will meet Tyrone in the preliminary round of the Intermediate championship on 27th April with the winners playing Down a week later in the first semi-final. Monaghan and Cavan will meet in the other decider.
The junior Championship will see Antrim, Derry and London play in a round robin competition with the final fixed for the weekend of 17th/18th May.
Silver Semi-Finals
Sunday 28th April
Antrim v Monaghan @2.00pm
Venue: Naomh Eanna GAC
Derry v Donegal @5.00pm
Venue: Faughanvale GAC
The Silver & Bronze Finals will be on Sunday 5th May.
The two beaten Semi-Finalists will contest the Bronze Final.
Silver Semi-Finals
Saturday 27th April
Armagh v Derry @12 noon
Venue: McKeever Park
Down v Antrim @2.00pm
Venue: Mayobridge GAC
The Silver & Bronze Finals will be on Saturday 4th May.
The two beaten Semi-Finalists will contest the Bronze Final.
A chara,
Ulster Ladies Council are aware of recent social media posts regarding the venues of this weekends Minor Championship Finals.
Ulster Ladies Council strives to get appropriate venues for all our games in the best interests of all involved in our sport and we will continue to try do this. We wish all our counties out this weekend every success.
Is mise le meas,
Ulster Ladies Council
Well done to Antrim and Tyrone who recorded wins today over Westmeath and Wicklow in the TG4 Intermediate championship.
Derry 4-9
Tipperary 2-6
By Aisling Clery
Derry, after victory in the Bronze final in 2022, were crowned U14 All-Ireland Gold champions at the expense of a talented Tipperary side at Clan na Gael, Dundalk.
Derry led by eight at the break, but two goals within sixty seconds from Tipperary closed the gap in the second-half and Derry had to dig deep to ensure victory.
Derry got off to a brilliant start with two Ava Hurl frees sandwiching a terrific point from Rionach McNally. Tipperary responded well and Lily Flannery reduced the deficit to two with a fine long distance free.
Hurl added a third free before a surging run straight through the Tipperary defence found McNally hitting the net for Derry’s first goal on sixteen minutes. Tipperary responded well, moving the ball at pace but they couldn’t find their scoring range.
Kerri Lee Mullan added a point for Derry and a resurgent Tipp side got back into contention with two frees inside a minute from the boot of Abbie Horgan. Derry however were to have the last say of the half as Brianna Donaghy found herself one-on-one with the keeper and she finished to the net with aplomb.
Elena Cody opened the scoring for Tipperary in the second-half but Derry upped the gears and Brianna Donaghy hit 2-2 unanswered, almost putting the game out of reach of Tipperary.
The second goal was very much a team effort with the ball won deep in the Derry defence by Emma McVey and swiftly transferred downfield to Donaghy’s waiting arms and she tapped home.
Tipperary though carried on and while their first attempt at goal was ruled out for a square ball, their diligence was rewarded as they found the net not once but twice!
Substitutes Chloe O’Neill and Aoibhinn Casey each netted to breathe life into the Tipp attack.
However, Derry were not to be denied and they ran down the clock, maintaining possession, with centre back Aoibh Shivers adding Derry’s final point to ensure victory.
Scorers: Derry: B Donaghy 3-3, R McNally 1-1, A Hurl 0-3f, KL Mullan 0-1, A Shivers 0-1.
Tipperary: C O’Neill 1-0, A Casey 1-0, A Horgan 0-2f, L Flannery 0-2 (1f), E Cody 0-2.
DERRY: A Rogers; E McVey, E McGarvey, K Birt; L Armstrong, A Shivers, AR Sargent; A Young (c), E Forbes; KL Mullan, S Quinn, R McNally; R Conlan, B Donaghy, A Hurl. Subs used: K Loughrey, M Bhavsar, A McNally, N McKenna, C Conway, C King, E Mallet, E Rafferty, E Grant, E Mullan, I Regan, R Scullin, S McErlean, C Quinn, D Murphy.
TIPPERARY: S Carr; S Hannafin, E Gleeson, C Butler; N Buckley, S Ferris, B Delaney; H Kiely, A O’Connor; A Gleeson, L Flannery, A Horgan; A Butler, N Dwan (c), C Fitzgerald. Subs used: L Moloney, C O’Neill, A Casey, E Cullinan, K Carey, M Callum, B Woodlock, R O’Brien, E Cody, R Hewitt, A Purcell, A Quirke, SR Meehan, S Moynihan, J Carey.
Ref: Philip Conway (Armagh)
Ulster champions Antrim have just won their first game on the All Ireland Intermediate stage.. and here’s how they did it..
This weekend sees the final round robin games in the TG4 Ulster championship.
First up is the meeting of Derry and Fermanagh which takes place on Friday evening at 8.15pm in Celtic Park.
On Sunday Armagh and Cavan will meet as a curtain raiser to the mens Ulster final in Clones with a 1.45pm throw in.
Antrim and Tyrone will also meet on Sunday. Davitt Park, Belfast will host this game which has a 1.00pm start.
Remember to get your tickets in advance @BuyTicketApp
