ACFL Division 1 Reserve
Erin’s Own Cargin 6-18 St Brigid’s 3-10
As the division one reserve league moves closer to completion Cargin closed the gap to move within a point of the pace setters Casement’s, Portglenone when they claimed the points at the expense of the visiting St Brigid’s in Toome on Friday evening.
The home side started on the positive with an early John McNabb major in the opening minutes but St Brigid’s were quick to reply at the other end as Oran Boyle nipped in to find the net.
The home side were soon to gain the upper hand however as John McNabb won and converted a penalty at the end of the opening quarter and when he completed a slick approach to earn a hat trick in the 20th minute the Erin’s own men had moved into a 3-04 to 1-02 advantage.
St Brigid’s were under the cosh in the opening period as the home side applied the pressure with Michael Magill leading the attack and Ciaran Close and David Johnston added a brace of points apiece as the Toome men went at 3-05 to 1-03 as the end of the opening period approached.
St Brigid’s gained a foothold in the latter stages of the opening half as Ethan Carelton moved in to finish an astute Oran Boyle cross to the net with a late Ciaran Close point at the other end ensuring the home side enjoyed a 3-06 to 1-03 interval advantage.
Cargin extended their lead in the opening minutes of the second half as Ciaran Close, John Mc Nabb, and Ciaran Close again raised white flags in turn and although the visitors replied with an excellent Ryan Murtagh goal, David McElhone, Michael Magill, and John Mc Nabb combined in style to open the door for Ciaran Close to add prompt reply and the home side were 4-09 to 3-03 ahead.
St Brigid’s replied with Ethan Carelton adding a 36th minute point but the home side were quick to respond with Ciaran Close raising back to back whites before Odhran McGuckin and John McNabb combined to send the former in to add a 41st minute goal.
Ciaran Close started the last quarter with another point before Donal Mc Keever followed suit and although the visitors were to add the next three scores as Ethan Carelton, Ryan Murtagh, and Shane Boyle split the posts, David Johnston and John McNabb hit back for the Toome side and the die looked cast at the 50th minute mark with Cargin at 5-13 to 3-07.
St Brigid’s kept battling and were rewarded as Oran Boyle and Shane Boyle added points but the home side replied again through Odhran McGuckin and Shay Bovill before a 59th minute goal from replacement Jack McAllister proved to be the coup de grace.
The St Brigid’s net minder Stephen Morrissey got down well to parry McAllister’s initial effort but the ball broke favorably for the substitute to return posts haste to the back of the net.
Another Cargin addition, Matthew McGuckin added a further point and although the visitors were to have the last say on the scoreboard as Oran O’Boyle and center back Finn McKiernan raised late back to back white flags, these were very much consolation scores as Cargin breasted the winning line full value for their 6-18 to 3-11 winning margin.
Casement’s lead the way at the top of the division with Cargin a point in arrears but with a game in hand while Creggan sit third, a further two points behind
Cargin: Michael J McGuckin, Sean Og Quinn, Gerard McCorley, Conor McFall, Dermot McGuckin, Ronan Gribbin, Shay Bovill (0-01), Odhran McGuckin (0-01), David McElhone, Enda McGrogan, Michael Magill (0-01), David Johnston (0-03), Ciaran Close (2-07), John McNabb (3-04), Donal McKeever (0-01)
Subs:
Jack McAllister (1-00) for E Mc Grogan
Turlough Mc Keever for C Close
Tomas Laverty for M Mc Guckin
Matthew Mc Guckin (0-01) for O Mc Guckin
Odhran Mc Guckin for D Mc Keever
St Brigid’s: Stephen Morrissey, Peter Heaney, Ryan Daly, Brian Mc Kernan, David Mc Gowdy, Finn Mc Kernan (0-01), Diarmuid Mc Laughlin, Eddie Mc Keever, Henry Mc Guigan, Peter Lundy , John Toner, Shane Boyle (0-03), Oran Boyle (1-02), Ryan Murtagh (1-02), Ethan Carelton (1-04)
Referee Jarlath O’ Donnell (Con Magees)