2013 a great year for Antrim clubs as Creggan make the breakthrough

2013 will be regarded as the breakthrough year for the hurlers of Kickham’s Creggan when their hurlers lifted their first Ulster title. The Staffordstown Road side had come close two years earlier when they lost in the Ulster final but they made no mistake this time when they overcame Craobh Rua of Armagh in an exciting final at the Athletic Grounds.

Ulster Junior Hurling Championship Club Final 2013

Creggan Put 2011 Final Defeat Behind Them to Take Title

Creggan 1-16 v Craobh Rua 1-14

ANTRIM champions Kickhams Creggan collected the provincial crown in more emphatic fashion than the scoreline might indicate at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh on Sunday.

The Antrim champions were beaten at the same stage of this competition two years ago and it was obvious from the throw in that they were in no mood to suffer the same fate on Sunday.

They always looked that yard sharper than their Armagh opponents and when Conor McCann opened with a point they never looked back. Eoghan Robb relied from a ‘65’ for the losers but the Armagh Champions were always playing catch up.

Robb was tp prove the Craobh Rua scorer in chief as he added three first half frees with their only score from play coming from Paul Cunningham. By that stage Creggan had moved three ahead with Oran McCann leading the way with a wonderful point from play and some well executed frees.

Ahead by 0-8 to 0-5 at the interval thanks mainly to the accuracy of McCann, their cause was certainly helped when Craobh Rua pair Ryan Lewis and Michael Garvey were shown red cards in the 46th and 47th minutes.

Conor McCann extended the Kickham’s lead with an excellent point on the restart as his side began to take control. Ryan Lewis for Craobh Rua and kevin Rice for the Antrim champions received their marching orders when things began to get a bit heated with 12 minutes remaining.

A couple of minutes later Michael Garvey was sent for an early bath and with him went any lingering hopes the Armagh side had of salvaging anything from this game as the Antrim side began to exploit the space.

Creggan finished with a flourish with substitute Matthew Nelson hitting a good point and Oran McCann following from a free as they moved 0-12 to 0-6 ahead by the 53d minute. To their credit Craobh Rua fought to the end and Kyle Kane kicked an injury time goal followed by a point from Fiachra Bradley but these scores only served to put a better look on the final result.

Creggan were always the better team and dictated play from early on and had it not been for the difficult conditions might have won more comfortably. In the end McCann’s seven-point haul proved central to their success.

A wonderful day then for Antrim clubs as Loughgiel took the Senior title while Clooney Gaels defeted Cuchullain’s in the Intermediate decider so the Creggan win completes an Antrim treble and gives Antrim fans something to look forward to when the respective All Ireland semi-finals come round early next year.

Scorers – Kickhams Creggan: O McCann 0-7 (5fs, 1 ’65’), C McCann 0-3, J Carey, M Nelson, C McGrenaghan 0-1 each.

Craobh Rua: E Robb 0-4 (4fs), K Kane 1-1, P Cunningham, F Bradley 0-1 each.

Kickhams Creggan – B Prenter; D McCann, A Maguire, D Totten; F McAuley, A McKeown, M Johnston; S Maguire, T McCann; J Carey, O McCann, K Rice; C McGrenaghan, J Dougan, C McCann. Sub: M Nelson for Dougan (48).

Craobh Rua – R Lundey; M Lewis M Fleming, H Hanna; S Casey, M Garvey, M Doran; F Bradley, R Lewis; P Cunningham, M Bradley, C Devlin; E Robb, P O’Connor, K Kane. Subs: F Burns for Devlin (19), A Nutley for Hanna (33), J O’Hare for O’Connor (43).

Ref – J McAndrew (Monaghan)

Kevin Rice, Creggan strikes the sliotar goalward.

Conor McCann fires over a Creggan point.

Action from Craobh Rua v Creggan.

The Creggan captain Stephen Colgan lifts the Ulster Junior Hurling Cup aloft.

74) Creggan Kickham’s celebrate after defeating Craobh Rua in the Ulster Junior Hurling Championship club final in Armagh.

Treble Ulster success for Antrim clubs

It proved a great day for Antrim clubs with Loughgiel taking the Senioir title and Cloney Gaels defeating Cuchullain’s of Armagh in the Intermediate final