All County Football League Division One A (Phase 2)
CJ McGourty (14) scores his third goal in a magical seven minute spell
Erin’s Own Cargin 1-12 St Gall’s 3-07
by Geordie McGuckin
A huge personal tally by the impressive CJ Mc Gourty ensured St Gall’s gained a vital win over league champions Cargin in Sunday’s top of the table clash before a big assembly at a sun kissed Toome.
The hugely talented Milltown Blue underlined his undoubted talents in the opening quarter of the game with a trio of white flags raised, but despite this the home side looked on their way to the league points as an Enda Mc Grogan goal aided the league champions to a 1-06 to 0-03 advantage.
McGroggan nipped in for the Cargi goal after a Tony Scullion interception and a Gerard Mc Cann delivery paved the way, to add to add to Tomas Mc Cann’s pointed free .
Mc Cann was to limp out of the game shortly thereafter with a leg problem but the free kick duties were filled more than well by Ciaran Close (4), and Michael Mc Cann and though the visitors were restricted to few opportunities Mc Gourty made good use of the chances which come his way.
The Toome men had dominated the opening fifteen minutes and certainly were not flattered by their 1-06 to 0-03 lead, and indeed could have been further ahead but they were to be caught on the hop in the final minutes of the half as CJ Mc Gourty hit one of his ‘purple patches’.
The Cargin defenders just couldn’t get a hand on the full forward and after he landed a 24th minute point he was set to run amok for the remainder of the half as he landed 3 goals and 2 points in a magical seven minute spell.
The Milltown men, with the breeze at their backs went for the direct route, not one they have been renowned for over the years, but with the elusive McGourty on the edge of the ‘square’ the ploy certainly paid rich dividends.
A Terry O’ Neill first time effort in the 27th minute was claimed by Mc Gourty who slipped it to the Cargin net and when Sean Burke adopted the same approach a couple of minutes later the prolific poacher came from behind to collect again and slide it past Cargin’s custodian John McNabb for goal number two.
The men from the Lower Falls were flying high after appearing all at sea in the opening phase and taking every opportunity presented as the home side looked on in awe Mc Gourty retained full focus for his third goal, plus a brace of late frees which sailed directly between the posts to give his team a 3-05 to 1-06 interval advantage.
Cargin started the second half with the northerly breeze at their backs but John Brennan’s men still looked somewhat in a state of shock and indeed with CJ Mc Gourty adding to the St Gall’s advantage in the 32nd minute and Mark Cummings adding another a few minutes later the home side looked in some trouble.
Michael Mc Cann had added a 35th minute point for the reigning champions but despite the excellence of the fleet footed Tony Scullion in strong deliveries and the honest endeavours of McCann and Kieran Close they just could not find the posts.
Close did find the target again in the 44th minute after Tony Scullion’s ardour and precise delivery opened the way to the posts for Michael Mc Cann, and when the centre forward was flattened en route to the posts soon afterwards a penalty was the prompt decision, and the doorway back looked ajar for the men in green.
Suddenly Cargin appeared to be firmly back in the game as McCann stepped up to hit the penalty, but St Gall’s custodian Chris Kerr was equal to it as he made a superb save, first to first stop the shot, and then react again to turn the ball around the post. Cargin netminder John Mc Nabb, whose kick-outs in the second half were superb, proved he had accuracy as well as distance as came forward to send the ball high between the St Gall’s post and gain some consolation.
The home side had awakened from the slumber and were to dominate the remainder of the game, but in the event a rush of blood to the head and a close free kick given away in the last seconds was to prove costly.
It was backs to the wall for the Milltown men in the last phase and now down to 14, after the dismissal of Sean Burke, they looked to be swimming against the tide.
Mc Gourty after his earlier exploits was now in a bystanders role as the home side looked to reel in their guests and after Kieran Close added a couple of neat points a precision based offensive seemed to have opened the way for an impressive comeback.
Michael Mc Cann, John Carron, Kieran Close and Mark Kelly were all involved in the move and when the latter squared the ball to the unmarked Michael Magill the replacement, just returned from a lengthy injury lay-off, saw his fisted effort just fly past the post.
There was still time for the home side who retained the upper hand, none more so than the excellent veteran Tony Scullion, and when he was hauled to ground within sight of the posts in the 60th minute John Mc Nabb’s delivery sailed through the target to cut his team’s deficit to a single point.
In the five minutes of added injury time it always looked like the home side would gain at least a share of the points, and when Kieran Close was hauled to ground in full flight just 20 metres from the posts in the 63rd minute an easy point appeared a formality. However indiscipline off the ball, and a moment of madness by a Cargin defender was to cause the decision to be negated and the resultant ‘hop ball’ was won by the visitors wo retained possession for the remaining seconds to see out a 3-07 to 1-12 win and keep the league title very much alive.
Cargin
John Mc Nabb, Donnach Mc Keever, Marty Kane, Tony Scullion, David Johnston, Justin Crozier, James Laverty, Gerard Mc Cann, John Carron, Kieran Close (0-07), Michael Mc Cann (0-02), Kevin Mc Shane, Enda Mc Grogan (1-00), Paul Mc Cann, Tomas Mc Cann (0-01)
Subs
Ciaran Bradley for T Mc Cann (inj)
Ronan Devlin for D Johnston
Michael Magill for C Bradley
Michael Clarke for K Mc Shane
St Gall’s
Chris Kerr, Tomas O’ Ciaran, Andrew Mc Clean, Jackson Mc Greevey, Ryan Irvine, Mark Kelly, Sean Burke, Niall O’ Neill, Anto Healey, Mark Cummings (0-0-1), Eoghan Mc Cabe, Terry O’ Neill, CJ Mc Gourty (3-06), Brendan Bradley.
Referee Paul Mc Keever (Casement’s)