Gaelic Games

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With a seventh-straight Down football title, Paul Devlin said "it's nice to see that people want Kilcoo to fall" as they scored a 1-17 to 1-11 win over Carryduff on Sunday.

The Magpies saved their best performance for last with Devlin's goal from a first half penalty giving them a bit of breathing space and they saw it out in the second period despite a Carryduff rally.

Kilcoo survived a much closer call in the semi-final against Clonduff when a potential two-point winner sailed wide, but they have been here before and their know-how on the big day once again shone through.

Although accepting some neutrals would enjoy a changing of the guard, Devlin insists outside opinons matter little and "when people don't like you, there's always a good reason behind it".

"This one is sweet with how the game played out and the build-up where we were doubted in this year's championship," he told BBC Sport NI.

"It just shows the character of this team. Big teams play well in big games and we have that experience to put in those big performances.

"We know the group of players we have. It's just noise outside, but it's the hard yards that people don't see. It's nice to see that people want Kilcoo to fall in Down, but I always say good players play well in finals and that was a total team performance today."

Devlin thumped his 22nd-minute penalty down the middle and although a risky decision, it was one he felt was correct.

"It was a big moment in the game and it needed to go in, so I didn't want to put it in the corner and the keeper has a chance if diving," he added.

"I just thought I wanted to hit it hard and it he saves it or taps it into the net, at least there is power behind it."

Devlin's thoughts were echoed by manager Carey who felt their path to the final stood to them.

"We didn't care what anybody said," he said.

"We were looking at the opposition, really good teams. Clonduff, we had to beat twice and that's not easy, we had Loughinisland - two good teams - and that stood us in good stead.

"Them games, they find out things about you and they find weaknesses in your game, but as long as you keep winning you get to fix them and today we got our win from that."

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Newbridge have retained the Derry Senior Club Football Championship title with a narrow 1-17 to 1-15 win over Magherafelt at Celtic Park.

Callum McGrogan fisted the ball into the net in the fourth minute but Shane Heaveron's two-point free drew Magherafelt level.

There was little between the two sides but Rossa hit the front in the ninth minute when Heaveron slotted into the back of the net.

There was never more than two points between the sides for the remainder of the half and Heaveron's seventh point of the game left the score at 1-6 to 1-5 at the break in the favour of the holders.

However, Newbridge soon pulled five points clear thanks to two scores from Oisin Doherty and Conor McAteer's two-pointer, but Magherafelt began to eat into that margin.

Doherty and Heaveron exchanged two-pointers, but Magherafelt fought back and made it a one-point game with two minutes to play when Cormac Murphy landed a point.

But the holders would have the final say when Eamon Young restored the two-point margin in additional time, and there were wild celebrations when the full-time whistle blew at Celtic Park.

Winning captain McAteer said it was a "surreal" feeling to win the title in consecutive years.

"With Magherafelt being our rivals it is so, so sweet," said McAteer.

"You never get tired of this feeling. Being underdogs suit us and we tend to play better when our backs are against the wall.

"We've worked so hard and prepared for every possible outcome."

It is a 12th Derry title and back-to-back triumphs for Newbridge, whose victory over Glen in 2024 was their first in 35 years.

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Slaughtneil's appeal over the result of their Derry SFC semi-final defeat to Newbridge has been unsuccessful.

It is understood that the Derry club will not be pursuing the matter any further and Sunday's final between Magherafelt and Newbridge will go ahead as planned.

The appeal surrounded an incident in the latter stages of Sunday's semi-final when forward Shane McGuigan landed a score in injury-time to put his side one point ahead.

One point was awarded for the kick with debate subsequently raging around whether or not the shot was taken from outside of the 40 metre arc, which would have allowed two points to be awarded.

From the next play, Newbridge won a free, which was brought forward by the match referee, with Conor Doherty slotting over from two point range to give the champions a one-point lead.

Padraig McGrogan added a late score, as Newbridge ultimately ran out 0-21 to 1-16 winners.

The winners of Sunday's final will host Antrim champions Dunloy in the preliminary round of the Ulster Club Championship on the weekend of 1-2 November.

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Naomh Conaill's Finbarr Roarty said winning his first Donegal senior football title "feels like a dream" as the Glenties side overcame Gaoth Dobhair 2-18 to 1-19 in Sunday's final after extra-time.

The 19-year-old kicked three points from wing-back to again highlight his star potential in a year where he became an established starter on Jim McGuinness' Donegal team.

However, it wasn't looking good for his team when trailing by seven at the break and by two in added time when Shea Malone stepped up to kick an outrageous two-pointer to send the game into extra-time.

They carried that momentum through into the extra 20 minutes to seal their fifth county title in seven years, but it is a first for Roarty who was quick to downplay his own influence.

"One man doesn't win a game - it's 15 people," he told BBC Sport NI.

"Shea Malone had to take on that two-pointer - no an easy shot to take - but he backed himself and got us to extra-time.

"It's been a great year. I nearly have to pinch myself as it feels like a dream."

It wasn't the first time Naomh Conaill were forced to claw their way back in this year's championship as they found themselves in tight spots in previous rounds.

However, their ability to fight back when the chips are down epitomised their title win and it was again vital on Sunday.

"It's an amazing feeling with your club and your family, it means the world to you," Roarty added.

"Naomh Conaill's motto is 'never die' and there's never a goal we're going to give up.

"We'll always try to fight our way back and today, there probably was a wee bit of luck in it as Gaoth Dobhair were seven points up, but we just fought and came out with the result."

Odhran Crumley
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Madden are back in the Armagh SFC final for the first time in 27 years after beating holders Clann Eireann 0-14 to 0-11 at the Athletic Grounds.

Aron McKenna, Niall Grimley and Conor Grimley were among the first-half scorers as Madden led 0-10 to 0-4 at half-time against the reigning champions.

The holders, who were missing the influential Barry McCambridge due to injury, mounted a second half comeback to cut the gap down to two points, thanks to Armagh star Conor Turbitt hitting a pair of two point efforts going into the final 15 minutes of the match.

But from that point they went scoreless in the final ten minutes with Madden goalkeeper Jamie Sheridan making a miraculous stop to deny a Turbitt a goal in the closing stages of the game.

Conor Grimley tapped over his seventh point of the night with the final kick to seal a huge victory for the men in red to leave Madden a step closer to their first ever senior title in the Orchard County and first appearance in the final since 1998.

They will face the winners of Saturday's second semi-final between Crossmaglen and Cullyhanna in the showpiece decider on Sunday 26 August.

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Jim McGuinness will manage Donegal's senior footballers in 2026 for a third season after being ratified by the county board on Monday.

The 52-year-old is in his second spell as Tir Chonaill boss and led them to Ulster titles in the last two years as well as the All-Ireland final in July where they were beaten by Kerry.

Former Donegal All-Star and Football of the Year Karl Lacey has rejoined the county to manage their minor footballers.

The 2012 All-Ireland winner was part of the backroom staff under Declan Bonner and served as the county's head of academy before managing Down club side Kilcoo for two seasons, leading them to the Ulster club title in 2024.

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Armagh All-Ireland winning forward Stefan Campbell has retired from inter-county football.

The versatile Clann na Gael clubman joined the Orchard County's panel in 2011 and made his championship debut in 2013.

After stepping away from the panel for a year, Campbell returned in 2019 and was most effectively used by Kieran McGeeney as an impact substitute.

He played a crucial role in the 2024 All-Ireland final after coming off the bench, setting up Aaron McKay's goal as Armagh beat Galway 1-11 to 0-13.

Campbell's last appearance for his county came in Armagh's All-Ireland round robin defeat against Galway.

He came off the bench and registered a point as McGeeney's side lost 2-22 to 0-27 in a thriller at Breffni Park.

Following the conclusion of the 2025 inter-county season, Campbell signed up for a fourth spell with Mid-Ulster Football League side Lurgan Celtic.

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The Football Review Committee's proposals were all passed by huge majorities at the GAA's Special Congress on Saturday.

The changes, which were trialled in both intercounty and club competitions this year, will now be included in the GAA's official guide from 1 January 2026.

Some of the 62 reforms did require additional amendments.

Previously, if a successful two-point attempt from beyond the arc was touched by the opposition inside the arc, it would be reduced to a one-point score.

While still the case if the ball is touched by a member of the scorer's own team, a deflection from the opposition no longer impacts whether one or two points are awarded.

The most contentious issue related to the hooter which was passed by a majority of 67%.

During the trial, once a hooter sounded to signal the end of a half or game, play continued until the ball went dead.

In their final report, the FRC has recommended the rule would revert back to the original proposal where the hooter marks the end of a half or game unless the ball is in flight or a free, 45 or sideline is about to be taken.

The opening motion of the day was the only one not brought forward off the back of an FRC recommendation and related to playing gear.

It amended the existing rule where kit had to be manufactured by an Irish manufacturer to one that is officially licensed by the GAA and ensures the organisation is in line with EU law.