Team captains Conor McCann, Creggan and Gareth Magee, Aghagallon with match referee, Sean Laverty (Moneyglass)
O’Cahan Cup semi-final
Kickham’s Creggan 2-19 St. Mary’s Aghagallon 1-4
St. Patrick’s GAC Lisburn was the venue for Tuesday night’s O’Cahan Cup semi-final between St. Mary’s Aghagallon and Kickham’s Creggan and following a good league win over St. Enda’s on Friday night St. Mary’s were expected to provide a stiff test for the Creggan men.
The Kickham’s themselves had suffered their first league defeat of the season the night before when they fell to St. Gall’s by three points at Milltown after leading by eight points at half-time and right from the start of this game they were determined to put that defeat behind them.
It was Aghagallon who opened the scoring however when Eunan Walsh swung over an early point but almost immediately Liam Quinn responded with a good left footed equaliser to set the tone for the game ahead.
It was Creggan who took control early in the contest and it took keeper Gavin O’Neill in the Aghagallon goals to pull off an excellent stop to deny David McGuckin, one of a number of superb saves by the Aghagallon net-minder over the hour.
Kevin Small cut inside to give Creggan the lead with a good point before O’Neill was again on hand to deny McGuckin as the Staffordstown Road side began to turn the screw. Sam Maguire added another Creggan point before Liam Quinn placed Matthew Rodgers for the game’s opening goal.
It was all Creggan at this stage and again Gavin O’Neill stood tall to deny David McGuckin and then the unfortunate McGuckin saw his well struck shot rebound of an upright before Gareth Magee finally got St. Mary’s second point from a 30 meter free.
In dreadful conditions as the rain belted down it was Aghagallon who began to get their game together but Oisin Kerr in the Creggan nets got down to deny Michael McStravick following a promising attack.
At the other end that man Gavin O’Neill was turning in a man of the match performance, this time denying Liam Quinn but Fintan Burke followed with another Creggan point to edge his side six ahead and St. Mary’s were now struggling to put a meaningful attack together.
They did enjoy a wee bit of success coming up to the break with Gareth Magee pointing and despite all Creggan’s dominance there was only four between the sides as Sean Laverty blew his half time whistle with Kevin Madden’s side holding a 1-4 to 0-3 lead.
CREGGAN START BRIGHTLY
If Aghagallon were to get back in touch then they needed a good start to the second half but in the event it was the Kickham’s who came flying out of the starting blocks with points from Liam Quinn 0-2, Matthew Rodgers, Dermot McCann 0-2 and David McGuckin and suddenly a four point lead had been extended to nine.
Oisin McAteer and Tiarnan McAteer added two more before Gareth Magee finally opened the Lough Shore men’s second half account with a point in the 11th minute. It was to provide short respite for the Aghagallon men however as David McGuckin finally found a way past the impressive Gavin O’Neill for his side’s second goal to kill the game off as a contest.
Both sides wrung the changes at this stage and Johnny Harbison scrambled the ball to the Creggan net after Oisin Kerr had saved his initial effort but it only served to bring another response from the now rampant Creggan.
The Kickham’s finished with a flourish with Liam Quinn, Ruairi McCann 0-2, Tiarnan McAteer and David McGuckin all on target to leave their side comfortable winners and set up a mouth-watering O’Cahan Cup final against old foes and parish rivals, Erin’s Own Cargin.