All County Football League Division 1
Creggan 1-8 St Gall’s 1-10
Report by John McIlwaine
It took them all of 15 minutes to register their first score but when they got going St Gall’s came out on top of a tough battle against luckless Creggan in Wednesday evening’s Division 1 game in Staffordstown. The home side were slow to start also and it was nine minutes before they troubled the scoreboard operator but when they hit four quick points without reply things looked promising. St Gall’s came back and closed the gap to 0-4 to 0-5 at the break but when they started the second half promisingly the smart money would have been on the Milltown men. They moved six points clear with just seven minutes of normal time to play, but the home side hit back to close within one point, until CJ McGourty sealed it for the visitors with a late points.
After a series of missed chances by both sides Creggan’s Kevin Small got the scoring going in the ninth minute and less than a minute later corner forward Paddy Coey increased the lead to two. A strong run through the middle by Kevin Small placed his brother Conor for Creggan’s third point on thirteen minutes and they went four clear when Paddy Coey pointed a minute later.
St Gall’s eventually going when CJ McGourty swivelled and fired one over in the 15th minute, and though Conor Small hit back with one for Creggan a minute later the Belfast men were getting on top and points from Keiran McGourty, Eoghan McCabe and CJ McGourty brought them to within one by half time.
Two early second half points from Eoghan McCabe and Michael Pollock put St Gall’s in front but Creggan were unlucky not to regain the lead when a great move through the middle saw Conor Small put Fintan Burke in on goal, only to see his well struck shot touched onto the crossbar by St Gall’s goalkeeper Chris Kerr and rebound to the safety. St Gall’s took advantage as they came back with two CJ McGourty points from frees. Jamie McCann pulled a point back for Creggan to keep them well in contention but when Aodan Murray was pulled down close to the Creggan goal CJ McGourty tucked the resultant penalty away.
Seven minutes from the end of normal time St Gall’s appeared to have sealed a comfortable win when Michael Pollock put them six clear but Creggan found another gear and after Tiernan McAteer cut the gap back to five with a well taken point, up stepped Conor Small to fire in a penalty and cut the gap to just two.
Creggan had the chance of an equaliser deep in injury time but were off target and when the ball was cleared up the field CJ McGourty swung over the insurance point.
CREGGAN: Oisin Kerr, Peter Graham, Richard Johnston, Aidan Maguire, Sam Maguire, Jamie McCann, Martin Johnston, Kevin Small, Martin Johnston, Aidan McKeown, Ruairi McCann, Fintan Burke, Tiarnan McAteer, Conor Small, Paddy Coey.
ST GALL’S: Chris Kerr, Colin Brady, Shane O’Hagan, Marcus Donnelly, John McCaffrey, Sean Kelly, Aodhan Gallagher, Niall O’Neill, Conor Stinton, Kieran McGourty, Eoghan McCabe, CJ McGourty, Michael Pollock, Terry O’Neill.
REFEREE: Vincent Boyle (Dunloy)
