Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship Quarter-final
Creggan 1-8 St John’s 0-8
Paul McIntyre reports from Páric Eánna.
Oisin Kerr’s save from Conor Johnston’s goal bound shot in the 59th minute helped Creggan Kickhams set up a semi-final meeting with holders and neighbours Cargin next weekend.
Kerr got down to his right to keep out Johnston’s powerful drive as the Johnnies threw their lot at the Creggan goal as time ticked away, and from the rebound, the Kickhams manged to clear the ball to safety and hold on to fight another day.
Goal chances were at a premium throughout the contest and the game was ultimately decided by Jamie McCann’s effort in the 42nd minute.
Kevin Rice’s powerful run attracted the attention of several defenders and his pass picked out McCann who shot to the net to give his side a four-point lead.
Padraig McNulty’s outfit just about deserved to go through but the West Belfast side made them work for the win and the result hung in the balance until Colm McDonald’s final whistle.
After the first quarter it looked like the Creggan were going to run away with the tie.
Leading 0-4 to 0-1 and dominating the St John’s kick out, the pre-game favourites seemed to be home and hosed.
However, the Johnnies fought their way back into the contest and they finished the half strong, but three wides in the closing stages of the first half were to prove costly.
It only took 20 seconds for Creggan to take the lead.
From the throw in Kevin Small went quick and direct into Ruairi McCann. The ball was then played back to captain Conor McCann to claim the opening score from the right.
Patrick McBride kicked the first of six frees on seven minutes but Creggan continued to enjoy a spell of sustained pressure and possession.
The St John’s decision to go long with their kick outs was back firing. Conor McCann and Kevin Small were dominating the middle sector, and on 11 minutes Small kicked his side back into the lead.
Matthew Rodgers and Jamie McCann from a free helped to extend the lead and at the first half waterbreak, St John’s were lucky to be only three in arrears.
The waterbreak seem to disrupt Creggan’s momentum and another free from McBride on 24 minutes cut the gap to two points.
St John’s then began to enjoy a spell of pressure but as the game ticked towards half-time, the Corrigan Park side kicked three wides to leave the half-time score, Creggan 0-4, St John’s 0-2.
After being unable to get any ball in the first-half, Matt Fitzpatrick showed his class in the opening exchanges of the second half.
After kicking a point in the first minute, the former Antrim ace then drew a foul two minutes later after being body checked after running directly at the Creggan defence.
Again, McBride kicked the free over the bar and the game was tied at 0-4, but in a blink of an eye, the Johnnies hard work to get on level terms was undone as Creggan rediscovered their attacking instinct to kick three points in as many minutes.
Firstly, Conor McCann kicked his second of the game before Jamie McCann found time and space to also claim his second point of the contest.
Eunan McAteer’s effort a minute later restored Creggan’s three-point lead but Padraig Nugent clawed one back as the Johnnies refused to go down without a fight.
McBride kicked another free over the bar after Ross Hannigan was fouled to leave one between them before Jamie McCann struck for Creggan’s goal on 42 minutes.
Seconds later Jamie McCann popped up again to kick a great point on the run in the 43rd minute for a five-point lead, but remarkably, this turned out to be the Kickhams final score.
Two more McBride frees by the 48th minute meant that only a goal separated the sides but try as they did, the West Belfast side just couldn’t find a way through the Creggan defence.
Minutes before Kerr’s save from Johnston, Michael Bradley’s high ball into the goalmouth was met by Conor Hand’s fist, but the second half replacement couldn’t direct his effort on target.
While Sunday’s performance may not see them reverse last years loss, Creggan can take heart that they restricted the Johnnies to just two scores from play over the sixty plus minutes of championship football.
Teams & scorers:
Creggan: Oisin Kerr, Ethan Carey Small, Richard Johnston, Eunan McAteer (0-1), Aidan Maguire, Martin Johnston, Jamie McCann (1-3 1f), Kevin Small (0-1), Conor McCann, Tiarnan McAteer, Paddy Coey, Conor McCann (0-2), Matthew Rodgers (0-1), Ruairi McCann, Odhran McLarnon.
Substitutes: Kevin Rice for Coey (38), Sean Duffin for Rodgers (44), Tommy McCann for Conor McCann (57), Sam Maguire (60+1).
St Johns: Pearse Donnelly, Conor McEvoy, Ciaran Garland, Michial Dudley, Ross Hannigan, Andrew McGowan, Michael Bradley, Simon McDonagh, Domhnall Nugent, Padraig Nugent (0-1), Conor Johnston, Patrick McBride (0-6f), Conal Bohill, Matt Fitzpatrick (0-1), Ronan McCafferty.
Substitutes: Ryan McNulty for McDonagh (29), Peter McCallin for Bohill (HT), Conor Hand for McGowan (49).
Referee: Mr Colm McDonald (St Galls)
