All Ireland Inter-Firms Hurling ChampionshipThe Creagh team and management who created a bit of history with their win over Offaly and Leinster champions Romaquip in the Inter-Firms All Ireland semi-final.

Creagh Concrete (Antrim) 1-15 Romaquip (Offaly) 2-9

Creagh Concrete booked their place in the the final of the All Ireland Inter-Firms Junior Hurling Championship with a 1-15 to 2-9 win over Leinster champions Romaquip of Offaly. In a game played at the Offaly Centre of Excellence the Antrim side came out on top by a three point margin to book their place in the All Ireland final against either the Galway or Munster champions in a few weeks’ time.

Under the leadership of team manager Geoffrey Laverty the Antrim side started nervously and shot three early wides before their opponents opened with three unanswered points, but Creagh began to settle and Kevin McKeague opened their account with a long range point from play. Romaquip pulled three clear again but Creagh kept in touch as hard working corner forward Anton McGrath pulled a point back from close range. The Leinster champions appeared to have taken a firm grip on the game when they added a point from a free and then a goal from play to go six clear but Chris Kearns kept the Ulster men in touch with a well taken point from distance and as the pace of the game intensified both teams hit a series of good scores with Nicky McKeague, Anton McGrath and Paddy Martin all replying to scores from Romaquip. The Leinster side were holding their opponents at bay as they maintained the five point cushion, but just before the break good work by Paul ‘Shorty Shiels set up his Dunloy colleague Nicky McKeague for a top class point which cut the gap to 1-08 to 0-7 at the short whistle.

Creagh moved up a gear in the second half and with the full back line of James Mc Keague, Ruairi Laverty and Oggy Laverty totally snuffing out Romaquip’s full forward line they began to claw their way back. With team captain Bernard Graham taking control at centre back and Shiels and Conor Laverty getting on top at midfield three unanswered points from the hard working Nicky Mc Keague closed the gap to a single point. With the momentum now on Creagh’s side the Antrim men drew level with a pointed free by McKeague and though the  Leinster men edged in front again soon afterwards and fine strike from Cloughmills’ Mickey Devlin restore parity.

McKeague’s accuracy from frees got them in front for the first time in the game and with their tails up they forged further ahead when great work by Conor Laverty, who had moved to the inside forward line, saw him put the veteran Paddy Martin clear in front of goal and the big full-forward made no mistake as he hit an unstoppable shot to the roof of net.

Half-back Chris Kearns scored his second point of the game to leave 5 in it but Romaquip hit back with a goal of their own to cut the gap to just two. The excitement was now at fever pitch as Romaquip looked for the goal that would put them through but the stylish Mickey Devlin settled the visitors’ nerves when he sent a trademark sideline cut between the posts to seal a well deserved three point win.

Overall a great team performance by Creagh and one that team manager Geoffrey Laverty was very proud of. Speaking afterwards Laverty said, “We totally dominated the second half, showed great fighting spirit and will to win, and we fully deserved that win. I have been trying to get Ulster team’s involved in this great competition for a number of years and it is great to have played in it for the first time. Hopefully this will encourage other companies in Ulster to get involved and that we will have our own championship in Ulster next year.”

Creagh scorers – Nicky McKeague 0-7 (3 frees); Paddy Martin 1-1; Mickey Devlin 0-2 (1 sideline cut); Anton McGrath 0-2; Chris Kearns 0-2.Creagh manager Geoffrey Laverty

Creagh Concrete

1 – James O’Mullan (Rasharkin)

2 – Oggy Laverty (Cloughmills)

3 – James McKeague (Dunloy)

4 – Ruairi Laverty (Cloughmills)

5 – Kevin McKeague (Dunloy)

6 – Bernard Graham (Ahoghill)

7 – Chris Kearns (Dunloy)

8 – Conor Laverty (Cloughmills)

9 – Paul Shiels (Dunloy)

10 – Nicky McKeague (Dunloy)

11 – Gabriel McTaggart (Dunloy)

12 – Mickey Devlin (Cloughmills)

13 – Anton McGrath (Dunloy)

14 – Paddy Martin (Dunloy)

15 – Sean Og McErlaine

Subs – Peter McKeague, Kevin McKillop, Steven Magill, Marty Breen

Scorers – Nicky McKeague 0.07 (3 frees) Paddy Martin 1.01 Mickey Devlin 0.02 Anton Mc Grath 0.02 Chris Kearns 0.02 Kevin Mc Keague 0.01

Romaquip

1. Gerard Corrigan (Kinnitty)
2. Gerard Moore (Edgsworthtown – Longford)
3. Richie Brereton (Crinkle)
4. Padhraigh Bergin (Seir Kieran)
5. Christopher Leonard (Kinnitty)
6. Aidan Treacy (St Rynaghs)
7. William Molloy (Kinnitty)
8. Danny Maloney (St Rynaghs)
9. Bryan Donnelly (Kinnitty)
10. Jason Armstrong (Kinnitty)
11. William Connors (Seir Kieran)
12. Martin Gallagher (Birr)
13. Brian Kelly (Coolderry)
14. Pedair Murray (Seir Kieran)
15. Kevin Dunne (Seir Kieran)

Subs: Rian Kelly (St Rynagh’s), Aaron Flaherty (Kinnitty) Paddy Byrne (Kinnitty) Ian Guinan (Belmont)