AIB Ulster Senior Club Championship Quarter-Final
Creggan 0-17-2-14 Clann Eireann
Kevin Herron reports from Corrigan Park
Creggan exited the Ulster Club Championship at the first juncture after Clann Eireann fought back from a six-point deficit at the break to force extra-time and then complete the job in the additional period and claim a spot in the last four.
The Antrim Champions impressed in the first half hour and led 0-08-0-02 before their Lurgan opponents got to grips with things and levelled prior to the midway point in the second half – thanks to a Ruairi McDonald goal.
Creggan regained their advantage and looked to have redeemed themselves, but they made a few bad decisions at a vital time with the finishing line in site and Tiernan Kelly landed a terrific free from range and force extra-time on the Whiterock Road.
It was then that Clann Eireann stepped things up with a few scores from Armagh forward Conor Turbitt, despite Creggan restoring parity a few times the killer blow came in the form a Daniel Magee goal that the Staffordstown Road side failed to recover from and in the end they fell to a 2-14-0-17 defeat at the end of an entertaining Championship clash.
Gerard McNulty named the same starting 15-players that began their Antrim final win over Aghagallon in mid-November.
On a crisp winters afternoon in west-Belfast it was Clann Eireann who drew first blood after Barry McCambridge fisted the ball into the path of Aodhan McConville to swing over the opener.
Kevin Small hit back from a narrow angle after good work from Odhran McLarnon and McLarnon himself would nudge his side ahead after a patient passing move.
Scores were at a premium in the opening quarter and just before the first water interval Aidan Maguire claimed an advanced mark and stroked it over to move his side 0-03-0-01 ahead.
The Antrim Champions were in confident mood and stretched their led through nice scores from Tiernan McAteer and Jamie McCann.
At the other end they were equally as hungry and dogged with Eunan McAteer stepping in to prevent Daniel Magee from picking out a team-mate in the small square.
The experienced Paddy Coey dinked one over the bar and Martin Johnston side-footed the next score to give their side a commanding 0-07-0-01 lead.
Just before the break Clann Eireann responded when Conor Turbitt’s free dropped into Daniel Magee to conjure up his sides second score of the half.
Creggan hit back through Kevin Small to put six between the sides again, although Oisin Kerr needed to remain focused and cut-out a floated pass from Barry McCambridge with almost the last action of the half as the Antrim outfit were 0-08-0-02 ahead.
Kevin Small picked up where he left off before the break with an impressive score extending the lead and brining his personal tally to three for the afternoon.
Armagh forward Conor Turbitt kicked his first point of the afternoon from a free and then followed that up with a delightful, angled effort almost immediately.
Half-time substitute Ruairi McDonald landed his sides third point in succession as the Lurgan men were gaining momentum.
On the 40th minute a goal chance fell to them after they streamed forward and worked the ball into the path of Ryan Henderson who bore down on goal and saw his effort repelled by Oisin Kerr and eventually scrambled to safety.
Tiernan Kelly landed a point after good build-up play between substitute Jack Conlon and Daniel Magee to leave it a three-point game.
60-seconds later Clann Eireann restored parity, Jack Conlon picked out the run of his fellow substitute McDonald who shot across the face of Oisin Kerr and into the bottom corner to level at 0-09-1-06 at the second half water break.
The small break may have assisted Creggan as they regained the lead through a first Ruairi McCann free of the contest and another from namesake Jamie followed.
Daniel Magee reduced arrears to a single point with his second point of the half but Ruairi McCann kicked his second point from a free to move his side 0-12-1-07 ahead in injury-time.
Four minutes into additional time substitute Oran McCafferty picked up a loose ball and fired it across the face of goal where Ruairi McDonald was waiting- he tried to palm home his second of the half and what would surely have been the winner, but his attempt rose over the bar rather than under.
His side would be afforded the chance to level as play continued and they earned themselves a free from range and with almost the final action of the game Tiernan Kelly landed a pressure kick to level at 0-12-1-09 and ensure that extra-time would be required to settle things.
Extra-time:
Conor Turbitt kicked his side ahead for the second time with a converted free inside the first two minutes of added time.
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Clann Eireann almost found their second goal shortly after when Jack Conlon intercepted possession, but Oisin Kerr made himself big and denied him.
Jake McAteer steered over a leveller under pressure the sides would trade further scores in the aftermath.
Adam Kelly played a short pass to Turbitt who squeezed a shot over at the near post, only for Ruairi McCann to guide over an angled shot and restore parity again.
The crucial moment of extra-time came towards the end of the first period when Daniel Magee drove at the Creggan defence and rifled low into the corner past Kerr to give his side a 2-11-0-14 lead.
A tremendous Kevin Small point was Creggan’s response but at the midway point in extra-time they trailed by two.
Dominic McAteer steered over a magnificent point to make it a one-point game early in the second period- however Conor McConville swung one over at the other end and then Ruairi McDonald slipped in Jack Conlon- who opted to fist over when a goal chance was on.
Oisin Kerr kept his side alive when he denied Oran McCafferty but with time ticking down, they needed a goal to salvage a shoot-out at the very least.
Ruairi McCann narrowed the deficit with his fourth point of the afternoon and third from frees.
But Clann Eireann moved three ahead again through a Magee point and then saw the game out to claim a 2-14-0-17 win and advance to the last four of the AIB Ulster Championship.
Creggan Kickhams: O Kerr, E Carey-Small, R Johnston, E McAteer, A Maguire (0-01 advanced mark), M Johnston (0-01), J McCann (0-02, 0-01f), K Small (0-04), C McCann, T McAteer (0-01), P Coey (0-01), S Duffin, M Rodgers, R McCann (0-04, 0-03f), O McLarnon (0-01). Subs: C McCann for S Duffin (45), K Rice for P Coey (45), F Burke for C McCann (49), S Maguire for A Maguire (50), J McAteer (0-01) for M Rodgers (59). Subs in Extra-time: K McCann for E Carey-Small (67), T McCann for J McCann (67), K Burke for M Johnston (76).
Clann Eireann: E Mulholland, C O’Carroll, B McCambridge, D Leathem, S McCarthy, S Heffron, A Kelly, C Bell, T Kelly (0-02, 0-01f), D Magee (1-03), R Henderson, C McConville (0-01), D McCarthy, C Turbitt (0-04, 0-02f), A McConville (0-01). Subs: R McDonald (1-02) for A McConville (HT), J Conlon for D McCarthy (40), O McCafferty for C Bell (56). Subs in Extra-time: O Downey for S McCarthy (75), J McLaughlin for D Magee (80+2).
Referee: Paul Faloon (An Dun)
