Under-21 Football Championship (grading round)
Erin’s Own Cargin 0-07 Kickham’s Creggan 12-10
A strong and talented Kickham’s Creggan swept aside the challenge of an inexperienced Erin’s Own in this U21 football championship game in Toome on Sunday morning.
The Cargin pitch was in excellent condition and in bright sunshine it was Creggan who led from start to finish and never looked in serious trouble at any stage of a one-sided contest.
Creggan recovered from defeat at the hands of the visiting St Brigid’s in their opening game in the grading section when they proved far too strong for their near neighbours Cargin in their second outing at Toome.
The Kickham’s combination were beaten by five on day one but started this one very much on the positive finding the way to the home sides net a couple of times in the opening five minutes and had galloped away to earn a 4-07 to 0-03 lead at the end of a mainly one sided opening half.
Cargin hinted at better in the early stages of the second half, adding back to back points in the opening few minutes but they lost the services of both Pat Shivers and Ciaran Bradley following a flare up.
Jamie Gribbin did add a point to the Toome side’s tally after the dust had settled but his 35th minute score was to prove Cargin’s last mark made in the game with the visitors continuing to dominate before running out as easy winners.
A parish derby usually ensures a close one but despite losing out to St Brigid’s in round one Creggan arrived at the home of their near neighbours Cargin in the guise of favourites.
The Kickham’s attacked right from the first whistle and scored a couple of early goals through Diarmuid Mulholland and Dominic Mc Ateer with the impressive full forward also hoisting a couple of whites and Ciaran Rice coming forward to add another.
Cargin struggled to gain a foothold but did manage to get off the mark at the start of the second quarter when Jack Mc Allister hoisted a fine white flag but a Tiernan McAteer major and a point from Dominic McAteer had the visitors twelve point clear at 3-04 to 0-01.
Cargin were struggling with Shay Bovill and Ronan Gribbin striving to gain a foothold in the central zone and although the former did add back to back points from placed efforts in the latter stages of the half, a late goal by towering corner forward Ronan Burke ensured a 4-07 to 0-03 interval advantage for the dominant visitors.
The home side started the second half facing an uphill battle but back to back points despatched in style by Shay Bovill ensured a flickering flame of hope for the home side.
In the event such hope was soon dashed when both Pat Shivers and Ciaran Bradley were given their marching orders and despite a fine Jamie Gribbin point that was to prove the penultimate mark to be made by the home side in the contest.
Creggan with the numerical advantage regained the initiative and a further brace of goals by the Mc Ateers, Tiernan and Dominic acted as the coup de grace and ensured a 6-07 to 0-06 advantage.
The home side did make a further mark as Jamie Gribbin grabbed a point in the 51st minute but by this stage the result was well beyond doubt.
Gribbin was giving his all in the Cargin cause as was the hard grafting Sean Mc Auley, Orrin Johnston and Mark Keegan but the visitors were calling the shots and utilising the numerical advantage to the optimum.
Matthew Rogers and Dominic Mc Ateer both raised green flags to add to an ever increasing advantage and corner back Aaron Hughes and Matthew Rogers followed suit to complete a more than comfortable 12-10 to 0-07 win for the Kickham’s men.
Cargin: MJ Mc Guckin, Orrin Johnston, Mark Keegan, Michael Laverty, Adam Thornton, Jamie Gribbin (0-02), Sean Mc Larnon, Darren Bovill, Ronan Gribbin, Jack Mc Allister, Ciaran Bradley, Sean Mc Auley, Ryan Toal, Pat Shivers, Conleth Mc Larnon
Creggan: Tom Johnston, John Mc Auley, Ethan Carey- Small, Aaron Hughes (1-00), Ciaran Rice (0-02), Dermot Carey, Mark Mulholland, Jamie Mc Cann, Killian Burke, Matthew Rogers (2-01), Tiernan Mc Ateer (2-00), Eunan Mc Ateer (1-02), Ronan Burke (1-00), Dominic Mc Ateer(3-05), Diarmuid Mulholland (1-00)
Subs
Referee C McDermott (Tir na Nog)
