Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship
Erin’s Own Cargin 1-14 O’ Donovan Rossa 0-12
Reigning county champions Cargin booked their place in the semi-final of this season’s championship, as widely predicted, to set up another much anticipated meeting with St Gall’s, but the Toome men had to work hard to defy the hard grafting Rossa in Saturday’s quarter final in Creggan
Damien Cassidy’s men did lead from start to finish and despite spurning more than a few openings, especially an opening minute effort by young corner forward Jamie Gribbin, they were never really under pressure.
Despite failings in front of the posts, and some less than secure handling of the leather throughout the field, Cargin always had the upper hand as they moved 0-10 to 0-07 ahead by half time.
Tomas Mc Cann raised the majority of those scores whilst the sharpshooting Colm Fleming was the man on target for Rossa at the other end.
The Toome men came back out following the half time break and with a few choice words from management ringing in their ears resumed in a more positive frame of mind, and a couple of scores supplied by veteran half back Tony Scullion, they took control.
Rossa were forced onto the back foot and only the smart reflex actions of their stand in netminder Gerard Walsh kept a Jamie Gribbin flicked effort away from his goal line following a well worked approach.
Cargin were more in the groove but when they lost one of their midfielders midway through the half, and Tony Scullion saw black shortly after they seemed to lose their bearings and confidence.
Rossa seized the moment and with Stephen Beatty gaining a foothold in the middle of the park the Shaw’s Road men came back into contention.
The Toome men looked on the ropes for a short spell but when a superb Michael McCann fetch opened the door for replacement David Johnston to race away grab the only goal of the game they were back in charge as they sealed a semi-finals spot with at 1-14 to 0-12 win.
Cargin, who are seeking their fifth senior title in six seasons started their quarter final as firm favourites. The game was only seconds old when Jamie Gribbin was sent in on goal but with everyone waiting for the net to bulge young Gribbin fired the ball to the wrong side of the posts. A missed opportunity but the corner man was unfazed and minutes later he placed team mate Ciaran Bradley to score the opening point of the game.
Colm Fleming ensured the Rossa were on terms in the 4th minute when he fired over the bar with a sweetly stuck free off the ground. Tomas Mc Cann had Cargin a couple clear by the 6th minute with two well taken points from frees but Fleming had the Shaw’s Road men back on terms by the 12th minute with a couple of precision based finishes.
Cargin were dominating the central zone in the early stages and the quick delivery to full forward Pat Shivers was paying dividend.
The youthful Shivers was out in front of his man and he added an 11th minute point when Tony Scullion found him with a good ball. Michael Mc Cann chipped in with another point and brother Tomas added a further brace in reply to one by Rossa’s Eoghan Mc Menamin to put his team 0-05 to 0-04 ahead.
A Sean Pat Donnelly point got the Rossa men back on terms and although Tomas McCann eased Cargin back ahead, a quick left sided counter saw Dominic Mc Enhill grab a fine 25th minute point to restore parity.
Cargin did get back on top in the latter stages of the opening half as Jamie Gribbin and Michael Mc Cann linked for the centre forward to hoist a 27th minute point, and another from his sibling Tomas put them back in charge, and four clear. However Rossa had the last say of the half when Colm Fleming sent one over from an acute angle on the right to reduce the gap to 0-10 to 0-07 at the short whistle.
Cargin began the second period seemingly in the zone and after Tony Scullion opened the second half account with an excellent early point, a Paul Mc Cann’s break opened the door for his brother Michael to add another
The Toome men were seemingly on the way and they could have been further ahead had Rossa goalkeeper Gerard Walsh not turned a Jamie Gribbin flick away from the target. When Cargin were reduced to fourteen men Rossa seized the opportunity and points from Cargin’s Jamie Gribbin and Tomas Mc Cann were quickly answered by Colm Fleming and Darren Grego for Rossa at the other end.
When Tony Scullion who had been impressive throughout, was shown a black card soon afterwards Rossa upped the tempo with Stephen Beatty leading the charge and when Colm Fleming (2) and Dominic McEnhill pulled points back the gap was down to two. That was as close the Belfast men would get however and a superb high catch by stylish midfielder Michael Mc Cann saw him send replacement David Johnston clear to get the match winning goal.
The win sets up a repeat of last season’s semi-final epic between Cargin and St Gall’s which many pundits regard as the best game of club football seen in Antrim for many a decade. If this year’s meeting is even half as good as the classic showdown we saw in Creggan last season it will certainly be worth watching
Referee K Doherty (Rasharkin)
Cargin
John Mc Nabb, Donnach Mc Keever, Marty Kane, Gerard Mc Corley, Tony Scullion (0-01), Justin Crozier, James Laverty, Gerard Mc Cann, John Carron, Paul Mc Cann, Michael Mc Cann (0-03), Ciaran Bradley (0-01), Tomas Mc Cann (0-08), Pat Shivers (0-01), Jamie Gribbin (0-01)
Subs
Kevin Mc Shane for P Mc Cann
David Johnston (1-00) for T Scullion (black card)
Rossa
Gerard Walsh, Michael Mc Greevey, Ciaran Orchin, Niall Crossan, Sean Finch, Christopher Mc Guinness, Richard Gowdy, Michael Armstrong, Stephen Beatty, Sean Pat Donnelly (0-01),Eoghan Mc Menamin (0-010, Darren Grego (0-01), Dominic Mc Enhill (0-020, Colm Fleming (0-06), Thomas Morgan
Subs
Cormac Mc Gettigan for D Grego
