Andersonstown SC IHC Group 2
St. Paul’s0-13 Kickham’s Creggan 5-21
Joe Rice reports from Shaw’s Road
Creggan travelled to Shaw’s Road on Sunday knowing that a victory would probably guarantee them a place in the semi-final of the Andersonstown SC IHC semi-final but aware that a win for Sarsfield’s over Cushendun at the Bear Pit could leave three sides on six points each and that score difference could come into play.
In the event they need not have worried as the Emmet’s win made that scenario irrelevant but the Staffordstown Road side were determined that they would put up a big score, just in case and so they did.
Shaws Road was the venue for Sunday’s clash with St. Pauls & Kickhams Creggan. The home side were chasing their second win of the competition while the visitors were in search of their third win.
Referee, Brendan Toland, got proceedings underway and for the first 5 minutes both sides battled frantically with neither managing to score but the home side supporters raised their collective voice when Proinsias O’Suiligh popped over a 20 metre free.
Creggan levelled matters a minute later with Kevin Rice cutting a side line over the bar and brothers, Liam McCann and Oran McCann, put the visitors 2 in front with 9 minutes gone. Declan McGreevy pointed from play and a second free from Proinsias O’Suiligh had the sides level with 11 minutes gone.
As we approached the first water break there was only 2 points between the sides, Keelan McCann getting the fourth score for Creggan but it was the turn of the visitors’ supporters to show their appreciation as Creggan turned the screw with Morgan Nelson getting his first point of the match.
Oran McCann added 2 further scores in the 24th & 25th minute and Dermot Mulholland added to the visitor’s tally at the 27th minute mark. Oran McCann popped over 2 additional frees to his tally in the 30th minute just as Conor McCann, after a positional swap, bagged the Staffordstown’s men’s first goal. As half time approached, Rice added to his tally with a point from play with Proinsias O’Suiligh replying with a point for the home side as the half time whistle sounded just on the whistle.
HALF TIME SCORE: ST.PAULS 0-04 v CREGGAN 1-12
As thesecond half got under way, it looked like Creggan had done enough to win the contest but in the back of their minds they knew that the score difference could make or break their chances of reaching the semi-final.
With nothing to lose, the home side exerted early pressure on the Creggan goal with several goal mouth opportunities coming to nothing while Creggan’s net minder, Emmet long made a number of interceptions and cleared his lines.
Creggan resumed the second half as they ended the first half scoring at will with Liam McCann adding to his tally with 3 further points and a goal. County Star, Conor McCann, added a further 3 points while Kevin Rice was on target with 0-2 of his own.
With 41 minutes gone Creggan were 17 points in front when Fionntain Gamble responded for the home side. Declan McGreevy popped over a 65 while Marcus Munce got his first score to reduce the deficit to 14 points going into the second water break..
As the fourth quarter under way Creggan turned the screw and Morgan Nelson bagged 2 majors minutes apart while Aron O’Ciara & Deaglan Chapman replied with a couple of consolation scores.
With the contest decided, both teams emptied their benches and Dermot Mulholland pointed for the visitors while Oran McCann increased his tally with 2 more points. Stiofan O’Ruanaidh and Proinsias O’Suiligh replied for the home side with points in the 53rd and 55th minute but these were merely consolation scores at this stage of the game.
Sam Maguire got Creggan’s last point of the game in injury time and Morgan Nelson scored a second goal to bring his personal tally to 2-02. St. Paul’s kept going to the final whistle and were rewarded for their efforts with the final 2 points of the game from Marcus Munce and Caoimhan O’Muiri.
ST. PAULS: 1 Joe Gillen, No.2 Sean Bradley, No.3 Fionntan Gamble (0.01), No.4 Aron O’Ciara (0.01), No.5 Ciaran O’Cearuill, No.6 Stiofan O’Ruanaidh (0.01), No.7 Conall O’Fionnagain, No.8 Marcus Munce (0.02), No.9 Deaglan Chapman (0.01), No.10 Anthony Gallagher, No.11 Proinsias O’Suiligh (0.04), No.12 Gerard Maguire, No.13 Declan McGreevy (0.02), No.14 Seamus O’Fearail, No.15 Michael Walsh, No.16 Caoimhin O’Muiri, No.17 Aodhan Grego, No.18 Conall Magee.
KICKHAMS CREGGAN: No.1 Emmet Long, No.2 Jake McAteer, No.3 Declan McCann, No.4 Danaan O’Hara, No.5 Sam Maguire (0.01), No.6 Aidan Maguire, No.7 Aidan McKeown, No.8 Tiernan McLarnon, No.9 Rory McCann, No.10 Conor McCann (1.02), No.11 Morgan Nelson (2.02), No.12 Oran McCann (0.09), No.13 Liam McCann (0.04), No.14 Keelan McCann (0.01), No.15 Kevin Rice (0.03), No.16 Oliver Duffin, No.17 Michael Maguire, No.18 Joe Smyth, No.19 Thomas McCann, No.20 Enda Maguire, No.21 Sean Donnelly, No.22 Sean McAuley, No.23 Dermot Mulholland (0.02), No.24 Lee Johnton, No.25 Matthew Nelson, No.26 Owen Grant.
REFEREE: Brendan Toland (Lamderg).
