Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship Final

Lámh Dhearg 0-13-1-10 Cargin

From Kevin Herron at Corrigan Park

Tomas McCann landed an injury-time pressure kick to keep Cargin alive in the Championship and set-up a replay with Lámh Dhearg, as the sides played out a 0-13-1-10 draw at Corrigan Park in the County decider on Sunday afternoon.

For a large part of the contest it appeared as though the holders were in trouble, especially as the confident Lámhs raced into a 0-07-0-03 lead at the interval – with Paddy Cunningham claiming four of his sides points in the first half hour.

But just past the midway point in the second-half, a goal from Mick McCann narrowed the deficit to the bare minimum and gave Damian Cassidy’s men renewed hope.

Lámh Dhearg rallied well and looked to regained their momentum – but successive converted free’s from go-to man McCann ensured that the sides were drawn level at the end of a pulsating sixty minutes and must reassemble on the Whiterock Road next Saturday afternoon to sort matters, once and for all.

 Cargin went into this afternoons decider as slight favourites in the meeting of the last two winners of football championship.

Along the way to last year’s success; Cargin dethroned the Lámhs on the Whiterock Road and hoped for a similar outcome against the Hannahstown men who were about to contest their sixth Championship outing of the season – having finally saw off the challenge of Portglenone on Monday evening in Quinn Park.

It was Cargin who drew first blood inside the first two minutes on a bright but breezy afternoon in the west of the city.

Tomas McCann landed his first free of the afternoon, though Paddy Cunningham replied from the exact scenario – though from a greater distance out.

Midfielder Declan Dunne nudged his side in front, converting a 45’ and an excellent point from attacking wing-half back Ben Rice; had his side 0-03-0-01 ahead approaching the midway point of the opening half.

The Lámhs were enjoying a purple patch and extended their lead through a second Paddy Cunningham free, with Conor Murray then taking advantage of John McNabb losing possession on a wander from his goal and aiming the ball over the black spot.

With ten minutes of the half remaining a third Cunningham free of the half had given his side a 0-06-0-01 lead.

Cargin hit back through a fantastic Tomas McCann point from play and despite Cunningham (free) restoring his sides four-point lead; Michael Magill landed a terrific score before the interval to ensure that his side would trail (0-07-0-03) at the break, but had the advantage of a breeze in the final half hour of proceedings.

It took almost seven minutes for the opening score of the second period through Paddy Cunningham, the reliable corner-forward converting his fifth free of the afternoon.

Tomas McCann replied with his second placed ball – though Lámh Dhearg extended their lead once more. Declan Dunne rose highest to claim possession in midfield and popped the ball to Ben Rice who drove forward at pace and steered the ball between the large posts to make it 0-09-0-04.

Cargin almost hit the game’s first goal on the 45^th minute; Justin Crozier popped the ball through to Ciaran Bradley whose floated ball to the back post was palmed to temporary safety by John Finucane. The Toome side quickly moved the ball through the hands and Gerard McCann landed a terrific point.

Two minutes later they tried again and this time there was success at the end of the move. A sea of green drove forward with Paul McCann leading it, McCann had the presence of mind to pick out namesake Mick whose powerful shot gave John Finucane no chance and made it 0-09-1-05 with little under a quarter of an hour remaining.

Lámh Dhearg weren’t about to panic though and after Declan Lynch turned over a John McNabb kick-out; Ben Rice raced onto the ball and confidently popped the ball over to edge his side two in front.

That lead would further be extended by a fine angled point from Eoin McKeown, though Paul McCann’s first point of the afternoon cut the deficit.

Marc Jordan had a half sighting of goal but instead opted for a point to stretch his sides lead back to three (0-12-1-06) however a second successive Paul McCann point kept Cargin on the Lámhs coat tails.

Goal scorer Mick McCann angled the ball over to leave things on a knife-edge once more and at the other end John McNabb stuck out a foot to divert Eoin McKeown’s low drive to safety.

Referee Sean Laverty brought the play back for an early infringement and Paddy Cunningham landed his sides’ final score of the afternoon to make it 0-13-1-08.

Just before the end of regulation time Tomas McCann intercepted a misplaced pass and let fly with a shot that could have finished in the net, but went just inches over the bar for a point.

His side trailed going into three additional minutes but in the last sixty seconds referee Laverty awarded the Toome men a scoreable free and McCann’s eyes lit-up.

The scenario was quiet simple – miss and the Padraig McNamee Cup would surely be heading up the Hannashtown Hill, score and the sides would have to do it all again.

There was little doubt in the crowd’s mind what the outcome would be as McCann confidently stroked the ball between the posts to restore parity at 0-13-1-10.

John Finucane’s kick-out was the last action of the final as Sean Laverty brought proceedings to a close to ensure that the sides must do it all again next Saturday in a winners take all clash to see who will represent Antrim in the Ulster series in two-weeks time.

Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, C Nolan, P Mervyn, M McGarry, D Lynch, M Herron, B Rice (0-03), D Dunne (0-01 45’), K Quinn, E McKeown (0-01), C Murray (0-01), M Jordan (0-01), P Cunningham (0-06f), T McCrudden, R Murray. Subs: C McIlvenny for C Nolan (45). Black cards: R Straney for T McCrudden (45); M Finnegan for R Murray (62); M Herron – not replaced (63).

Cargin: J McNabb, D McKeever, M Kane, K O’Boyle, T Scullion, J Crozier, J Laverty, D Johnston, J Carron, P McCann (0-02), M McCann (1-01), C Bradley, T McCann (0-05, 0-03f), M Magill (0-01), J Gribbin. Subs: G McCann for J Carron (25); E McGrogan for T Scullion (26); K McShane for D Johnston (42); K Close for E McGrogan (54); G McCorley for M Kane (59).

Referee: Sean Laverty (Moneyglass)

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