SAFFRONS SHOCK
On This Day: Sunday May 28 2000: Saffrons shock Down favourites at Casement
Having helped Antrim win an All-Ireland ‘B’ title that winter, Shenny McQuillan made his Ulster Championship debut on May 28, 2000, three days after his 31st birthday.
The Cargin man lit up Casement Park that day with a majestic display of free-taking, landing six placed balls and one from play as the Saffrons rocked favourites Down.
It was an all-round Antrim team display, with McQuillan untouchable and goalkeeper Sean McGreevy simply unbeatable.
Antrim were led by astute manager Brian White and his team captain Anto Finnegan.
At that time, 26-year-old St Paul’s clubman Finnegan had given eight years of service to the county.
It was 18 years since Antrim had won a Championship match.
Scenes of wild Saffron celebration rolled around Casement Park at the final whistle, Antrim victorious on a 0-13 to 1-7 scoreline.
Antrim: S McGreevy; E McLernon, M Mulholland, A Finnegan; G Adams, A Morris, J Kelly; J Quinn (0-1), S McQuillan (0-7 (6f)); C Colman (0-1), R Hamill, P McCann (0-1); K Brady, J McManus, K Doyle (0-3)
Subs: P Logan for Hamill (58), E McKee for McManus (65), T Convery for Colman (71).
Down: M McVeigh; F Caulfield, C Byrne, P Shields; M McMurray, P Higgins, S Poland; G McCartan (1-1 (pen, '45), A Molloy; S Mulholland (0-1), M Walsh, L Doyle (0-1); M Linden (0-1), C McCabe (0-1), S Ward (0-1).
Subs: J McCartan (0-1) for Ward (h-t), B Coulter for Shields (h-t), P Matthews for Caulfield (40), M Magill for Higgins (56).
Referee:- S McCormack (Meath).
The Irish News - Friday May 28 2010: Glory days for St Eunan's Letterkenny
ST EUNAN’S, Letterkenny claimed the BT Corn Colmcille title for the first time since 2004 with a 5-6 to 3-7 defeat of St Paul’s, Bessbrook at Derrylaughan.
However, the star of the show was on the losing side, corner-forward Micheal McNamee shooting 3-5–including 2-1 in the opening seven minutes.
Those early hits had St Eunan’s on the ropes, but they upped their game and were comfortable winners, despite having to play the last 16 minutes with 14 men after wing-back Ciaran McPhearson picked up a second yellow card.
Ryan Toner and Ryan Rainey hit back after that early setback with goals in the 12th and 18th minutes, but it was Christopher Flanagan’s first goal two minutes before half-time that really turned the game, putting the Donegal school ahead for the first time.
They added a fourth goal three minutes into the second half when Naomh Colmcille player Jason Quinn saw his 45 sail all the way to the net.
Although Micheal McNamee hit back with his third goal immediately, Flanagan grabbed his second soon after and added two points for a 5-5 to 3-4 lead before McPhearson saw red.
St Paul’s pressed hard in the last quarter but could only add three further points as St Eunan’s took the silverware.
ESB Ulster Minor Championship quarter-final: Donegal v Down
St Colman’s boys hold key
CATHAL Murray’s influence, as coach to the student football class of Violet Hill, has already made a mark on this summer’s Ulster MFC.
St Colman’s victories in the MacRory Cup and the All-Ireland final against St Brendan’s of Killarney for the Hogan Cup were, in part, shaped by Armagh and Down minors.
Goalkeeper Matthew McNeice showed his college form with a couple of brilliant saves as Armagh opened the defence of their Ulster and All-Ireland titles with a win over Derry.
Conor Gough, one of the Orchard’s midfield anchors, and goalscorer Colm Stevenson were two others to impress at Celtic Park in that preliminary round game.
Several more of Murray’s squad backbone the Down team challenging Donegal in Ballybofey on Sunday for a place in the Ulster semi-finals.
Donegal ladies football boss Naughton scoops top accolade
DONEGAL manager Michael Naughton has been named 'Manager of the League' at the Bord Gais Energy National Ladies Football Team of the League awards.
Naughton guided the Ulster side to the Division Two title earlier this month as they ensured a quick return to the top flight after just one season away.
The teams contained 22 Ulster players across the four divisions. Each player was presented with a specially commissioned kit to mark their achievement.
Naughton saw three of his players picked in Diane Toner, Karen Guthrie and Niamh Hegarty. Armagh had five players named on the Division Two team – Caoimhe Morgan, Meabh Moriarty, Caroline O’Hanlon, Sinead McCleary and Mags McAlinden.
In Division One, Cork led the way with four representatives, but Tyrone’s Neamh Woods and Joline Donnelly and Monaghan’s Sharon Courtney were also rewarded for their exploits.
The Division Three team contained five Cavan stars – Ailish Cornyn, Clare Murtagh, Aisling Doonan, Bronagh Sheridan and captain Pamela Crowe – while Fermanagh saw Nuala Curran and Caroline Little pick up jerseys.
Antrim’s Clare Timoney and Caroline Kelly were the only Ulster players in the Division Four team.
QUICK QUIZ
1. At which club did Kyle Walker start his career?
2. Which player, from that club, scored the first goal in Premier League history?
3. Who scored in Bayern Munich's 1-0 win on Tuesday against Borussia Dortmund?
4. Which Bundesliga club did Kevin Keegan play for?
5. Who did Kerry defeat to win the 2014 All-Ireland GAA Senior Football Championship final?
6. Where did Anthony Joshua suffer the only defeat of his professional boxing career?
7. Name the oldest Premiership Rugby club.
8. American basketball's MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is from which country?
9. Who lost to Kilkenny in the 2014 All-Ireland GAA Senior Hurling Championship final replay?
10. Which world boxing champion is known as 'The Pac Man'?
(See quiz answers at bottom)
BIRTHDAYS
Jeff Dujon (cricket) - former West Indies wicketkeeper, born 1956.
Hans-Jorg Butt (soccer) - former Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich goalkeeper, born 1974.
Misbah-ul-Haq (cricket) - former Pakistan Test captain, born 1974.
Berrick Barnes (rugby union) - centre who played for Australia and finished his career in Japan, born 1986.
Michael Oher (American football) - former Carolina Panthers offensive tackle who was the inspiration for the film The Blind Side, for which Sandra Bullock won a Best Actress Oscar, born 1986.
Kyle Walker (soccer) - Manchester City and England defender, born 1990.
Alexandre Lacazette (soccer) - Arsenal and France striker, born 1991.
Jonnie Peacock (athletics) - Great Britain's double Paralympic gold medallist sprinter, born 1993.
John Stones (soccer) - Manchester City and England defender, born 1994.
Phil Foden (soccer) - Manchester City midfielder, born 2000.
ON THIS DAY
1907: The first TT race on the Isle of Man took place. One race was held over 10 laps of the St John's Circuit. The single cylinder was won by Charlie Collier on a Matchless travelling at an average speed of 38.2 miles per hour.
1980: Nottingham Forest won their second consecutive European Cup, beating Hamburg 1-0 in the final in Madrid.
1982: Diego Maradona moved from Boca Juniors to Barcelona in football's first £5million transfer.
1990: Maiden, skippered by Tracy Edwards with the first all-female crew, finished second in the Whitbread Round the World Race.
2001: Bolton beat Preston 3-0 in the play-off final to win promotion to the Premier League.
2002: Second-tier side Wimbledon were given the green light to relocate to Milton Keynes despite vehement opposition from many of their supporters.
2003: AC Milan won the Champions League, beating Juventus 3-2 on penalties in the final after a goalless draw at Old Trafford.
2007: Derby won promotion to the Premier League after beating West Brom 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley. They were relegated the following season with a record low points total.
2010: Real Madrid and Inter Milan confirmed they had agreed a deal for coach Jose Mourinho to join the Spanish club.
2011: Barcelona won the Champions League by beating Manchester United 3-1 in the final at Wembley.
2016: Real Madrid won the Champions League final 5-3 on penalties after drawing 1-1 with rivals Atletico Madrid in Milan.
2017: Blackpool won promotion to League One after beating Exeter 2-1 in the Sky Bet League Two play-off final at Wembley.
2018: Coventry clinched promotion back to Sky Bet League One by beating Exeter 3-1 in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.
QUICK QUIZ answers: 1. Sheffield United; 2. Brian Deane; 3. Joshua Kimmich; 4. Hamburg; 5. Donegal, by 2-9 to 0–12; 6. Madison Square Garden, New York; 7. Sale Sharks; 8. Greece; 9. Tipperary, by 2-17 to 2-14; 10. Manny Pacquiao.
