O’Neill’s All County Football League Division 1
O’Donovan Rossa 1-12 Erin’s Own, Cargin 0-21
Defending league champions Cargin remain unbeaten after their latest trip to Belfast on Wednesday evening proved fruitful as a strong finish ensured they returned with another brace of points earned in a six point win over O’ Donovan Rossa. The Shaw’s road side had matched their visitors for most of the opening period but in the 15 minutes after the half-time break the Toome men upped the ante and went on to out-score their hosts by nine points to one. In the event that fifteen minute positivity proved the difference and this was the winning of the game despite the best efforts of the West Belfast men Damien Cassidy’s men had gone without recall and were not for catching.
Tomás McCann was unerring from placed balls, and his accuracy throughout saw him claim a grand total of eleven raised whites over the hour, while the pace laden wing-back Michael Clarke one of the Toome men’s ‘new kid on the block’ caught the eye throughout contributed four excellent scores from play.
The hosts continued to battle until the end and had a couple of late goal chances that may have set up an interesting finish, but as it was, Cargin had built an unassailable lead and ran out worthy winners on the night.
It was a bright but chilly, spring evening as Rossa played hosts to the Cargin men and after the division one round three affair commenced the tone was set early with McCann tapping over two early frees before the Rossa men employed the scoreboard attendant, which arrived after three minutes when Antrim man Stephen Beatty guided the ball over with his right boot.
Having got off the mark the home side took heart and when a pair of Colm Fleming frees followed to give Rossa lead but such was not to endure for long as Cargin were back on terms in the ninth minute when Clarke was sent scampering away on the left to despatch between the posts McCann kicked his third free of the evening to move Erin’s Own back ahead, but Beatty levelled matters in the 15th minute after a patient build-up.
Cargin, playing into the breeze, started strongly and four McCann frees in-a-row followed by a good score from older brother Michael opened a five-point gap on 21 minutes. The Erin’s own men appeared to be in control but back came Rossa and the accurate Colm Fleming responded with a free of his own before the visitors were forced into change as Tony Scullion limped to the side-line to be replaced by David Johnston. Rossa having looked second best up to such juncture were quickly in stride again and they were right back in the game shortly when a pin point pass from Sean Pat Donnelly released Darren Grego who did meet resistance on his way to the posts but shrugging aside the challenge he proceeded to plant the leather into the bottom left corner of the net on 25th minute. Cargin were soon back on the offensive again however and the Toome men replied with points apiece from Ciaran Bradley and Justin Crozier but the hosts soon regained their stride and they finished the half stronger as Sean Pat Donnelly and Colm Fleming pointed to cut the Cargin lead to just one at the break, 0-11 to 1-7.
Rossa began the second half in pursuit of early scores, but without reward and they proceeded to miss a couple of chances early on in the concluding thirty minutes. Cargin had no such trouble in locating the target, as Tomás McCann pointed another free and Enda Mc Grogan added another Dominic Mc Enhill replied at the other end after collecting a brilliant, long pass from Cricky McGuinness, but Cargin were to completely take over and kicked seven points in as many minutes. Michael Clarke began the scoring burst with two excellent points in quick succession before the seemingly never erring Tomas Mc Cann kicked yet another free. Paul McCann got his name on the scoreboard with another point as his siblings Tomás with another free and then Michael McCann raised white before Clarke hit his fourth off the evening to leave it 0-20 to 1-8 entering the final quarter and the South West men were in complete control.
Colm Fleming stopped the rot with a free at the other end, but this was cancelled out in kind by McCann at the other end to complete his and Cargin’s tally on 50 minutes. Darren Grego had a chance for a second goal straight after, but his pile-driver brought a great stop from Michael John Mc Guckin although the young Rossa midfielder did kick a point soon after being set-up by Beatty. Cargin lost Clarke to a black card following a late lunge on Grego on 57 minutes and from the resulting free, a long ball in found Beatty and his first-time effort whistled past the far post. A goal here would have been consolation, and Rossa did tag on a couple of late scores from Eoghan McMenamin and Fleming, but the game had long been decided as Cargin claimed the two points.
ROSSA: C Walsh; C McGowan, S Shannon, C Orchin; N Crossan, C Mc Guinness, S Finch; S Beatty (0-2), D Grego (1-1); D Murphy, SP Donnelly (0-1), J Cooley; C Fleming (0-6, 4 frees), D Mc Enhill (0-1), A Devlin. Subs: E O’Neill for A Devlin (HT), E Mc Menamin (0-1) for J Cooley (43 mins), R Gowdy for C Mc Guinness (46 mins), T Mc Grath for D Murphy (47 mins), C Mc Gettigan for N Crossan (50 mins).
CARGIN: M Mc Guckin; K O’Boyle, J Laverty, K Mc Shane; T Scullion, J Crozier (0-1), M Clarke (0-4); J Carron, G McCann; T McCann (0-11, all frees), M McCann (0-2), B Laverty; C Bradley (0-1), P McCann (0-1), E Mc Grogan (0-1). Subs: D Johnston for T Scullion (23 mins), M Magill for E Mc Grogan (43 mins), D Mc Elhone for P McCann (54 mins). Black card: M Clarke (57, replaced by J Maybin).
REFEREE: Danny O’Neill (Gort na Móna)
Pics by John McIlwaine