Reserve Football Championship final
Casements 2-12 Creggan 1-6
By Liam Tunney
Eight Niall Kelly frees saw Casement’s Portglenone put Thursday’s late night exploits behind them as they defeated Kickham’s Creggan in the Antrim Reserve Football Championship Final at a sun-kissed Rasharkin.
An early goal settled Portglenone and although the Kickham’s side had the better of the midfield exchanges in the first half, a profligate 7 wides allowed Casement’s to regain control towards the end of the first period.
Creggan fired home an early second-half goal from Stephen McAuley, but an immediate Oisín Doherty response chastened any thought of a comeback and Kelly’s accuracy ensured they clinched the title.
The early exchanges were fraught with errors as both sides wrestled for control and it took 7 minutes for Ryan O’Reilly’s umpires to be called into action. Mark Graham’s neat ball found Peter Duffin in acres of space and the corner-forward wriggled his way across the goalmouth to fire past Murtagh McKeague.
Mark Dougan replied instantly for Creggan with a close-range free before his side had a penalty claim refused, Frank McAuley tumbling in the Portglenone six-yard box. With nothing given, Mark Graham compounded their frustration by slotting over from 35 yards to restore the three-point gap.
Creggan were creating chances but a combination of poor shooting and tenacious defence was denying them scores. Brian McManus showed his excellent shot-stopping prowess in the 13th minute with a superb double save from Frank McAuley before Dougan pulled the resultant 45 wide of the Dreen posts.
A further three Creggan wides followed before Mark Dougan registered his second of the afternoon from 25 yards but despite winning four consecutive Portglenone kick outs, Kickham’s were unable to close the gap further.
Casement’s half-back Aidan Kearney then broke down the left wing, shrugging off a challenge and sending the ball sailing between the uprights with the outside of his left boot, before Aidan McAteer swung over from the right for Kickham’s.
Portglenone found their feet in the remainder of the half, a brace of Niall Kelly frees and a neat Mark Graham effort form the left flank leaving five between them at the break.
Kickham’s needed a reaction in the second half and they got it almost immediately, Stephen McAuley collecting the breaking ball from a Mark Dougan free and hammering past McManus to the delight of their bench.
That delight, however, was short-lived as Portglenone roared back with a 1-01 haul, Niall Kelly popping over a free before Peter Duffin’s perfectly weighted ball found the run of captain Oisín Doherty and he found the bottom corner to open a six-point gap.
Another Dougan free hit back for Creggan before Dominic McAteer stung the palms of McManus once more, but Portglenone regained their composure and Kelly punished another foul in the 44th minute.
A further brace of Kelly frees followed as Kickham’s began to tire and a 49th minute Peter Duffin effort left his side eight in front, but Oran McCann signalled that Creggan were not lying down by rattling Brian McManus’ crossbar minutes later and Dougan converting the free that followed.
Casement’s edged further in front with two more Kelly frees before substitute Matthew Rodgers hit back for Creggan, but it was the Portglenone shooter who had the final say, converting in the 58th minute for the last score of the game.
If Portglenone were fatigued from their mid-week epic, their Reserve side didn’t show it and this was a confident display from the Senior Semi-Finalists in the Dreen sunshine as they take home what the club will hope will not be their last trophy of the season.
Casement’s: Brian McManus, Adrian McKeever, Adrian Anderson, Declan Dobbin, Connor McGee, Paddy Carey, Aidan Kearney (0-01), Stephen Kelly, Brendan Donnelly, Oisín Doherty (1-00), Mark Graham (0-02), Paddy Graffin, Peter Duffin (1-01), Niall Kelly (0-08f), Corey McLaughlin.
Subs: Tony Convery for Adrian Anderson 41’, Owen Doherty for Peter Duffin 53’, Declan McErlain for Adrian McKeever 58’, Christy Convery for Declan Dobbin 61’.
Kickham’s: Murtagh McKeague, Michael Dougan, Dermot McCann, Conor McAuley, Jake McAteer, Jamie McCann, Ethan Carey, Aidan McKeown, Oran McCann, Liam McCann, Mark Dougan (0-01, 0-03f), Declan McCann, Stephen McAuley (1-00), Frank McAuley, Dominic McAteer.
Subs: Matthew Rodgers (0-01) for Declan McCann HT, Killian Burke for Liam McCann 44’, Peter McCollum for Stephen McAuley 56’.
Referee: Ryan O’Reilly – Con Magee’s Glenravel
