Seamus Sloan (third from left) on behalf of Greencastle Technology Ltd presents new jerseys for An Riocht Senior
Footballers to James Cunningham club chairman (third from right). Also included are An Riochts four Down Senior
Footballers (left to right) Brendan McVeigh, Martin Clarke, John Clarke, James Colgan.

 

 

 

05/07/2010 Div One An Riocht 1-11 Castlewellan 2-9

Castlewellan broke their duck at the expense of An Riocht at Dunavil on Friday night. The home side dominated the opening ten minutes and should have been more than two nil ahead before in the twelfth minute Caolan Brogan took full advantage of a defensive slip to prod home a Castlewellan goal from all of three yards. The home side almost produced an instant reply when Martin Clarkes shot came out off the base of the post and John Clarke returned the rebound over the bar to level the match.

Castlewellan too hit a post when Colm Crilly’s shot came down off the top of the upright and Brogan was again lurking, this time coming away with a fisted point. Castlewellan’s Damian McGrady was full of energy and with Rory Brogan were doing most to press Castlewellan’s case at this time.

On the quarter hour the visitors got their second goal when Liam McKibben was pushed in the box and Kevin Duffin dispatched the penalty and in their next attack McKibben raced through again but this time his shot was cleared off the line by Conor McVeigh.

However An Riocht settled and kicked four unanswered points to go in level, 0-7 to 2-1, at the break. Chris Killen, Martin Clarke and John Clarke (2) were on target but too often the home side laboured to get the ball into John Clarke who had the beating of the visitors full back line.

An Riocht failed to continue from where they had left off with Castlewellan shooting five points in the ten minutes following the restart through Fintan McGreevy (2), Liam McKibben, Colm Crilly and Rory Brogan.

Chris Killen and James Cunningham replied with points apiece and An Riocht came close to an equalizing goal when Martin Clarke soloed through but shot narrowly wide from fourteen yards.

McKibben added his second score before Killen and McGreevy exchanged frees with the visitors holding a four point lead going into the final ten minutes.

Castlewellan had a man lined but came up with the next score, another McGreevy free, before An Riocht finished strongly. Kieran McVeigh came off the bench to point and John Clarke hammered in a goal from twelve yards, Kevin Duffin cleared another off his line and Castlewellan held on for a famous victory.

Teams: An Riocht B McVeigh; C McVeigh, A Cunningham, D O’Reilly, P Allen, J Colgan, J McVeigh; P Murney M Clarke 0-1; J Cunningham 0-1, C Killen 0-3, P Cole 0-1; N McArdle, J Clarke 1-4, L Harper. Sub K McVeigh 0-1. Castlewellan M Cunningham; N Toner, P McGreevy, F McLaughlin; P Boyle, K Duffin 1-0, B Tracvers; F McGreevy 0-4, M Stratton; L McKibben 0-2, D McGrady, R Brogan 0-1; D Gilmore, C Brogan 1-0, C Crilly 0-2.

Senior Football 04/07/2010
An Riocht Senior Footballers lost to Castlewellan at Dunavil on Friday.

Senior Football 27/06/2010
An Riocht Senior Footballers beat Kilcoo in a bruising encounter at Newcastle on Friday night by 0-12 to 1-8.
The first half hour was dour with each side managing a solitary point from play to add to a brace of converted free kicks. Martin Clarke opened the scoring with a pointed free which Paul Devlin replied to in similar style. Devlin repeated the dose on fifteen minutes and Conor Laverty kicked the fist point from play in the twentieth minute after a Barry Kane effort had come back off the upright. Kilcoo were comfortable playing on the break and An Riocht’s hoofing the ball on top of John Clarke was doing little other than getting the game full forward battered under the dropping ball. Then in a two minute spell An Riocht looked to have rescued the half when James Cunningham (play) and Martin Clarke (free) leveled the match at 0-3 apiece.
However Kilcoo had a big finish to the half and in added time plundered 1-1 to take a commanding four point lead. Conor Laverty who was held well during the half finally broke free but his thunderous shot was parried away by Brendan McVeigh only for Barry Kane following in to drive the rebound over the line and Kane was not finished there for he added a free from the left wing to put Kilcoo 1-4 to 0-3 up at the break.
Half time probably came at the right time for An Riocht for it allowed them regroup. The switch of Martin Clarke to centre field was most productive for it gave him a defined role and a position in which he was not being double or treble marked.
An Riocht pointed three times from play inside three minutes of the restart. James Cunningham doubled his tally, Martin Clarke added his first point from play and John Clarke scored the first of his four second half points.
Kilcoo responded with an Anthony Devlin tap over after Brendan McVeigh had saved well from Conor Laverty. Their two point advantage disappeared by the fortieth minute with points from John and Martin Clarke leveling the match but again Kilcoo hit back with Barry Kane and Paul Devlin from play and a Darragh O’Hanlon fifty restoring a three point lead by the fiftieth minute.
However the last ten minutes belonged to An Riocht. Niall Morgan cleared off the line from John Clarke, Stephen Kane saved bravely at John Clarkes feet and in the next attack when Conor McVeigh hit the net with a twenty yard daisy cutter play was called back for a free. Martin Clarke converted that one and An Riocht took their points thereafter with John Clarke (2) squaring the scores and a fifty from Martin putting An Riocht in front for the first time since the opening score of the match.
In added time Kilcoo had one last chance to take something from the match but Anthony Devlins shot for a goal came back off the post and was smuggled to safety.
An Riocht: B McVeigh; M Trainor, L McVeigh, P Allen; J McVeigh, P Sherry, D O’Reilly; J Colgan, P Murney; J Cunningham 0-2, M Clarke 0-6, R Annett; D White, J Clarke 0-4, N McArdle. Subs K McVeigh, P Cole, C Doyle, M Spiers, C McVeigh.
Kilcoo: S Kane; A Branagan, N Morgan, D McLaughlin; N Branagan, N McAvoy, G McAvoy; P McGreevy, P Greenan; P Devlin 0-3, S O’Hanlon, B Kane 1-2; J Johnstone, C Laverty 0-1, A Devlin 0-1. Subs D O’Hanlon 0-1, B O’Hanlon, R Morgan, M McClean, S Devlin.

Senior Football 20/06/2010
It was every bit as comfortable for the Bridge in this senior football match as nineteen scores to six suggests (0-19 to 2-4). They led nine nil after twenty five minutes when Jim Clarke soloed forward to fist An Riocht’s only first half score and responded with three more to lead 0-12 to 0-1 at the break. The third quarter produced a little excitement to break the monotony as first An Riocht defender Paul Allen forced a goal from close range then substitute Paddy Cole beat Sheelin Strain to a cross to fist home another. Throw in a couple of Chris Killen frees and there were only four points between the teams, 0-13 to 2-3 by the forty fifth minute. Normal service was restored with the home side shooting six in a row before Cole added a late consolation for the visitors. An Riocht G Finnegan; M Trainor, A Cunningham, D O’Reilly; P Allen 1-0, L McVeigh, J Clarke 0-1; J McVeigh, P Murney; J Cunnngham, C Killen 0-2, P Sherry; P Gartland, D Doyle, L Harper. Sub P Cole 1-1.

Senior Football 13/06/2010
An Riocht Senior footballers lost in Rostrevor in another ‘starred’ game, thanks to Reds for switching the match to avoid a clash with our fundraising Golf Day. An Riocht led at the break four points to three but it looked a fragile lead given the stiffening breeze which would favour Reds in the second half. Chris Killen edged the battle of the free takers over Rostrevor’s John Fegan scoring three times from placed balls including a fifty to Fegans brace, and added to by John Clarkes fisted opening score An Riocht were four two up after fifteen minutes. Kieran McVeigh had a goal bound toe poke cleared by Johnny Parr but it was Reds who came closest to a major score when first Gavin Finnegan denied Brian Cole then the same player flicked a Lloyd Parr cross narrowly wide. At the end of the half Eamon McConville pointed Rostrevor’s first from play to leave the minimum separating the teams.
Eamon McConville carried on where he had left off with a fine point from play as Reds scored the first four points of the second half and Gavin Finnegan denied McConville a goal. John Fegan (2f) and Johnny Parr (50) were Reds others scorers. Midway through the half Chris Killen from play and placed ball brought the deficit to the minimum just as it looked as if the result was getting beyond An Riocht and they shocked the home side when Paddy Gartland got on the end of a Chris Killen cross to force home a goal.
The lead lasted barely five minutes with Reds winning a penalty which Johnny Parr came from his nets to convert. Reds almost goaled again but Michael Trainor cleared off the line from Shaun Parr and An Riocht took full advantage of the let off with Chris Killen leveling the match in the fifty fifth minute.
The next score would prove decisive and it fell to Rostrevor and it was a goal, Brian Cole punching in after a bout of volleyball in the visitors square. Lloyd Parr added the insurance score, An Riocht failing to complete a counter attack and on the turn over caught out numbered at the back.
Johnny Parr was the winners’ hero with 1-1 to his credit and another six balls plucked from the air as An Riocht struggled to find their range. Martin Cole and Ryan Carvill were best in defence while Eamon McConville was the most productive centre fielder of the four, up front John Fegan orchestrated the play with good assistance from Paul Gannon and Shaun Parr. For the losers Gavin Finnegan made three telling saves with Deaglan O’Reilly and Aidan Cunningham the pick of the defenders and Chris Killen ploughing a lone furrow further afield. Scorers: Rostrevor J Fegan 0-4, J Parr 1-1, B Cole 1-0, E McConville 0-2, L Parr 0-1. An Riocht C Killen 0-6, P Gartland 1-0, J Clarke 0-1.

Senior Football 06/06/2010
An Riocht Senior footballers were slow to settle and Liatroim looked the better team during the opening twenty minutes. Aidan O’Prey and Packie McCartan were on target from frees and PP added another from play with An Riocht barely keeping in touch via a John Clarke point.
Eventually An Riocht got to grips around the middle with James Colgan pulling the strings they scored four in a row, Chris Killen and Martin Clarke (3) the scorers. They looked to be taking a two point advantage into the second half but in added time Rory McLoughlin pulled one back for the visitors to leave the minimum between the teams, 0-5 to 0-4.
An Riocht double scored Liatroim in the second half, seven of their eight points coming from play while Liatroim replied with four frees from PP McCartan (3) and Aidan O’Prey. The visitors also recorded a ridiculous amount of wides, not all down to the home defence.
John Clarke placed Martin for the first score, Martin dispossessed a defender for the second and fired over the third from great distance. John held off two men to force his way in for another and Aidan Cunningham placed Martin for his seventh point. John finished off a good team move with his third, Darren Doyle came off the bench to point and Chris Killen doubled his tally in injury time.
A convincing win by the finish, An Riocht had other good performances from Aidan Cunningham and Jim Clarke. Team: An Riocht B McVeigh; C McVeigh, A Cunningham, D O’Reilly; M Trainor, L McVeigh, Jim Clarke; J Colgan, P Murney; P Gartland, M Clarke, J Cunningham; P Cole, John Clarke, C Killen.

Feis Senior Football 06/06/2010
At the Feis Sevens An Riocht footballers beat Longstone 5-7 to 1-6, Rostrevor 3-4 to 0-9 and Castlewellan 2-10 to 0-13 to reach the final against Clonduff where we lost 2-13 to 0-10.

Team P Allen, C Cole, J Cunningham, R Cunningham, C Doyle, D Doyle, N McArdle, M Spiers, M Trainor, D White.

31/05/2010 Senior Football v Bryansford
The Senior footballers lost to Bryansford.

23/05/2010 Senior Football v Clonduff
A somewhat depleted An Riocht lost this high scoring game to visiting Clonduff by 0-14 to 3-11. Goals win games and Clonduff grabbed two in the first half and a third minutes into the second half to put this game beyond An Riocht. Yellows led from the first score, an Arthur McConville free, and though Aidan Cunningham was only denied a goal by a great Shane McGreevy block this was to be a forerunner of An Riochts night as they failed to convert three further goalden opportunities. Clonduff showed no such reticence in front of the posts. On thirteen minutes Bernard Branagan took a Paul McPolin pass and raced through the heart of the home defence before shooting spectacularly to the net. That score put his side 1-2 to 0-1 clear and six minutes later Jason Brown punched a Conor O’Hagan cross to the net to open a nine point gap. In between times at the other end Kieran McVeigh had a fisted effort plucked from the air by Neil Trainor and when the half time whistle sounded Clonduff led 2-7 to 0-3 and their running from midfield was causing lots of problems for the home side.
An Riocht rang the changes for the restart but Clonduff were awarded a penalty just moments into the half and Jason Brown goaled from the spot. Thirteen points in arrears An Riocht threw caution to the wind and attacked in waves. Darren Doyle provided a hitherto absent focal point to their attack while Chris Killen was much more involved on the forty. By the three quarter mark it was double scores, 0-9 to 3-9, but Yellows only needed infrequent responses and they were always able to keep a winning margin between the teams. For An Riocht Gavin Finnegan could do little about the goals conceded with Aidan Cunningham tightening the defence after a loose first half, Paul Murney made a few good catches around the middle while only Darren Doyle and Chris Killen displayed the necessary cutting edge upfront. Teams: An Riocht G Finnegan; M Trainor, D O’Reilly, P Allen 0-1; P Sherry, L McVeigh, J Clarke; P Murney, J McVeigh; P Gartland, A Cunningham 0-1, C Cole; N McArdle 0-2, C Killen 0-9, K McVeigh. Subs D Doyle 0-1, S Clarke, D White, L Harper, J Cunningham.

16/05/2010 Senior Football Burren v An Riocht
In Burren on Friday the senior footballers picked up a valuable league point when a last minute Martin Clarke penalty goal leveled the match. Burren fielded a big strong side, good in the air and tough in the tackle. The game was easily the hardest test yet for An Riocht and while outplayed for long periods our team showed some great spirit to never give up especially when six points behind midway through the second half and thoroughly deserved the draw.

09/05/2010 Senior Football An Riocht v Longstone
An Riocht made it three wins out of five in the Senior Football League with a comfortable 2-10 to 0-10 success over Longstone. Right from Paddy Gartland’s opening point, An Riocht carried the match to the visitors. Martin Clarke added a cheeky goal direct from a twenty metre free and despite not being direct enough, the home attack was so much better than the visitors who racked up a lot of wides from frees and from play. Kieran Doran did open their account in the tenth minute but John and Martin Clarke, Chris Killen and Kieran McVeigh all replied with points apiece. Barry Doran doubled the ‘Stone tally with a score just before the break to leave it An Riocht 1-5 Longstone 0-2.

The second half never really got going, there were just too many stoppages for any sort of play to develop. Longstone scored seven of their eight points from frees before Ryan Kelly got on the score board from play seven minutes into injury time. An Riochts advantage was never threatened, despite playing fifteen minutes a man short, they led 2-9 to 0-6 by the fifty fifth minute, Martin Clarke converting a penalty after John had been pulled down in the square.

Team: B McVeigh; M Trainor, A Cunningham, D O’Reilly; J McVeigh, L McVeigh 0-1, Jim Clarke; P Murney, J Colgan; P Gartland 0-1, M Clarke 2-4, N McArdle; K McVeigh 0-1, John Clarke 0-1, C Killen 0-2.

02/05/2010 Senior Football Castlewellan v An Riocht
Castlewellan enjoyed a flying start to this senior league game with pacy corner men Colm Flanagan and Cathal Crilly benefiting from some great ball from Kevin Duffin to shoot Castlewellan two up. Duffin added a third and though An Riocht threatened on occasion, had Greg McCartan not missed two frees the home side could have been out of sight.
Twelve minutes in Chris Killen scored the first of three points, two from play and a free, to eventually bring An Riocht level by the fifteenth minute. They were all square again at four apiece but An Riocht were now getting into their stride and with the home defence stretched this way and that An Riocht moved eight five clear.

The home side rallied in time added on, to point twice and leave the minimum between the teams, 0-8 to 0-7.

Points from Martin Clarke, Chris Killen and substitute Paddy Cole suggested An Riocht would walk away with the second half and when John Clarke was upended in the square, Martin Clarke converted a forty second minute penalty to put eight between the teams.
Castlewellan opened their second half account with two Fintan McGreevy frees soon after before a sixtieth minute goal from Greg McCartan direct from a free kick put a better complexion on the score board. An Riocht replied with points from Paul Murney and Martin Clarke to comfortably see out the match. An Riocht M Clarke 1-6, C Killen 0-4, S Clarke 0-2, J Clarke 0-1, P Cole 0-1, P Murney 0-1.

25/04/2010 Senior Football An Riocht v Kilcoo
An Riocht lost to Kilcoo 1-13 to 4-10 after an exciting match at Dunavil. Ahead for much of the first forty minutes, An Riocht fell significantly behind to two goals in as many minutes about three quarter ways through, a storming finish failed to make up the deficit. Team: G Finnegan; P Allen, Michael Clarke, D O’Reilly; M Trainor, L McVeigh, A Cunningham; J McVeigh 1-1, P Murney; S Clarke, P Cole, P Gartland 0-1; N McArdle 0-4, C Killen 0-6, M Spiers. Subs L Harper 0-1, M Harper, R Cunningham.

25/04/2010 * A large crowd from the club attended the NFL Final. Thanks to all who supervised.

19/04/2010 Senior Football An Riocht v Mayobridge
In Division One An Riocht lost to Mayobridge by 3-16 to 2-11. A virtuoso performance from Noel Sexton who finished with nine points, five from play, summed up the difference between these teams. Mayobridge had only two wides in the sixty minutes and conjured two goals out of nothing. An Riocht had chances to impose themselves on this game, particularly during the important opening quarter but failed to take them and paid the price when the Bridge scored 2-4 in a seven minute spell between the eighteenth and twenty fifth minutes to take a strangle hold on the result.
After Cathal Magee had opened the scoring for the visitors, the home side enjoyed its best spell of the match, and went four points to two ahead but crucially was wayward with other gilt edged chances for both goals and points, Sheelan Strain making memorable saves to deny them on two occasions.
Seizing on An Riochts failure, Mayobridge drew level with two Noel Sexton points before Barry Garvey finished off a great four man move with their first goal, minutes later Adrian Barry picked his spot to give Brendan McVeigh no chance at the angle of bar and post. Points from Martin Clarke and Chris Killen in reply left it 0-7 to 2-6 at the interval.
The visitors were always comfortably clear during the second half, four points as close as An Riocht got to them. The gap was nine points, everything Noel Sexton hit going between the posts, when Ryan Brady rode several feeble tackles and crashed in the third Bridge goal in the fifty third minute. Substitutes Noel McArdle (penalty) and John Clarke scored late An Riocht goals.
Teams: An Riocht B McVeigh; C McVeigh, L McVeigh, D O’Reilly; C Doyle, J Colgan, A Cunningham; J McVeigh 0-1, P Murney; S Clarke, M Clarke 0-4, J Cunningham 0-1; P Cole 0-1, L Harper 0-1, C Killen 0-1. Subs J Clarke 1-1, N McArdle 1-1.  Mayobridge S Strain; G Walsh, S O’Hare, S Grant; K Quinn, B Grant, K McClorey; E Woods, C Garvey; A Barry 1-2, C Magee 0-3, R Sexton 0-1; N Sexton 0-9, B Garvey 1-1, R Brady 1-0. Referee B Rice

05/04/2010* In Senior football An Riocht began their First Division campaign with a win in Liatroim. It wasn’t pretty but a valuable two points were secured in difficult conditions away from home.

Treacherous underfoot conditions and a driving wind did little to improve the quality of football on display with both teams struggling to entertain a small but partisan attendance at Fontenoy Park on Saturday.

Liatroim played with the breeze on their backs in the first half and led three nil at the end of the first quarter PP McCartan with all their scores, two from frees. An Riocht failed to make much impression in the final third of the field, a twenty second minute Martin Clarke point their only score of the half.  They did however open up the home defence on two occasions but Hugh Smyth in the Fontenoy nets proved their equal with two fine saves.
Liam Doyle was sharing the midfield honours with Paul Murney while Aidan O’Prey was proving a real handful on the edge of the visitors square.

A three one lead looked insufficient as the teams lined up for the second half but Liatroim soon stretched that to five one with additional scores from PP McCartan (f) and Liam Doyle. Though Martin Clarke doubled his tally with An Riochts second score in the thirty fifth minute, it was all Liatroim and Aidan Rice and PP McCartan (f) put them seven points to two ahead approaching the final quarter hour of the match.

Following yet another foul on John Clarke, Martin Clarke converted the free and An Riocht began to pile the pressure on the home defence. When a Martin Clarke shot came out off the bar, the inrushing John Clarke fisted to the net. John added a free to equalize, then put his side in front with a mighty point from distance. Who better to reply than Liam Doyle, and converted frees at each end from John Clarke and PP McCartan suggested a draw would be the outcome of the game.

However a piece of quality from Martin Clarke won the match, with a curved pass with the outside of the boot which left three defenders wrong footed and delivered the ball into John Clarke who took the sensible option and fisted over the bar. Liatroim had two frees in added time to salvage something but the tricky wind drifted both efforts from Liam Doyle and PP McCartan wide and left the final score Liatroim 0-9 An Riocht 1-7.

05/04/2010* Thanks to Seamus Sloan of Greencastle Technology Ltd who has taken on sponsorship of the senior football team for 2010/11.

28/03/2010* In Senior football An Riocht beat Warrenpoint by two points. Team G Finnegan; C Doyle, L McVeigh, P Allen; D O’Reilly, Jim Clarke, J McVeigh; P Murney, A Flanagan; R Annett 0-1, P Cole 1-3, P Gartland; N McArdle 1-2, D Doyle, L Harper 0-1.

21/03/2010* In Senior Camogie Longstone beat An Riocht.

21/03/2010* In Senior football An Riocht beat Kileavey away on Sunday morning 0-13 to 0-7.

14/03/2010*In Senior football An Riocht beat Loughinisland at Dunavil on Sunday 2-15 to 1-12. Team and scorers B McVeigh; P Allen, Jim Clarke, C McVeigh; C Doyle 0-1, J Colgan 0-1, D O’Reilly; S Clarke, A Flanagan; P Cole 0-3, Martin Clarke 0-5, P Gartland 0-1; N McArdle, John Clarke 1-4, D Doyle 1-0.

09/03/2010 * The Senior footballers won in Saval by 1-17 to 1-7. Team B McVeigh; M Trainor, L McVeigh, C Doyle; J McVeigh, Jim Clarke, D O’Reilly; J Cunningham 0-1, A Flanagan; P Cole 0-4, Martin Clarke 0-5, P Gartland 1-1;  N McArdle 0-2, John Clarke 0-3, C Killen 0-1.

22/02/2010 * In a senior football tournament at St Johns, An Riocht lost to the hosts.

14/02/2010 An Riocht Players help Down to over come Meath

An Riochts Martin Clarke in Action for Down v Meath in Round 2 NFL

An Riochts Brendan McVeigh - Down Senior Football Goal Keeper -
Down v Meath in Round 2 NFL

An Riochts James Colgan in Action for Down v Meath in Round 2 NFL

An Riochts Martin Clarke in Action for Down v Meath in Round 2 NFL

An Riochts John Clarke in Action for Down v Meath in Round 2 NFL

An Riochts Martin Clarke on the Ball during Round 2 of the NFL Down v Meath

An Riochts James Colgan in Action for Down v Meath in Round 2 NFL

An Riochts Martin Clarke in Action for Down v Meath in Round 2 NFL

03/02/20101* Brendan, Edmond, Sean and Steven attended the Ulster GAA coaching conference in Cookstown on Saturday.

03/02/20101* The adult footballers fitness test in the hall went well. Outdoor training starts this week.

11/01/2010* The adult footballers fitness test will take place on Wednesday 27th January in the sports hall.