All County Football League Division On
Erin’s Own Cargin 1-08 Kickham’s Creggan 1-12
A late Matthew Rogers goal as darkness descended over the Shore Road sealed the victory for Creggan over their near neighbours and keen rivals Cargin in a keenly contested Division One league game on Wednesday evening.
The reigning county champions came to Toome in a confident mode and much more composed on the ball than the home side and opened their account with a 2nd minute Martin Johnston point and although a foul on Mark Kelly inside the square ensured Tomas Mc Cann took retribution when he blasted the leather to the net to take a narrow 1-03 to 0-05 lead in the latter stages of the first period, that advantage proved short lived.
The visitors looked a lot sharper in attack than their hosts and the man on the ball was always anticipating a colleague coming off the shoulder whilst the home side lacked impetus in attack which was oft time laboured, and prone to mistake in wayward deliveries.
Martin Johnston had opened the account for the Kickham’s with a second minute point with corner back Ethan Carey Small advancing to add another one a few minutes later.
The visitors looked full value for their 0-05 to 0-03 advantage as the short blast drew near but a foot block on Mark Kelly, after he was sent in on the target by Pat Shivers, was punished when Tomas Mc Cann blasted the resultant spot kick to the net to ensure a narrow advantage to the home side.
Creggan were quick to return to the offensive with a trio of points as Jamie Mc Cann, Tiarnan Mc Ateer and Eunan Mc Ateer raised late white fags apiece and at the break they had moved to a 0-08 to 1-03 fully deserved interval advantage.
Cargin started the second half with an early score as Tomas Mc Cann steered a 30 metre free between the posts following a foul on the hard working, high fielding Mark Kelly.
Creggan were quick to reply at the other end through a smart Matthey Rogers point and though that score was soon cancelled out, a 40th minute Ruairi Mc Cann point at the other end saw the visitors restore their two point cushion.
Creggan were strtong in defence and precise in their delivery, in contrast to their hosts who, more often than not, were slow in their approach and it took a splendid save from their net-minder John Mc Nabb to deny Matthew Rogers from close range after the impressive Keelan Mc Cann had put him in on goal.
A 43rd minute point from Pat Shivers brought Cargin back on the heels of the visitors and cut the gap to the minimum, but the Kickham’s were soon to hit the accelerator again and three points in quick succession through Martin Johnston, Keelan Mc Cann, and Paddy Cooey gave their side a four point advantage after the 53 minutes.
The home side looked down but as the second period progressed they hauled themselves back into contention with points from John Mc Nabb, Pat Shivers and Jamie Grbbin to reduce the deficit to the minimum with a few minutes remaining,
A draw and a share of the spoils looked a likely possibility as the game edged into time added but in the event a Cargin free drifted the wrong side of the post, and when Keelan Mc Cann fetched the resultant kick out and delivered towards the Cargin posts Matthew Rogers was on hand to send to the net and ensure victory for the jubilant Kickham’s at 1-13 to 1-09.
Referee S Laverty (St Ergnat’s)
Teams
Cargin
John Mc Nabb, Sean og Quinn, Kevin O’ Boyle, Donnach Mc Keever, Ronan Devlin, Ronan Gribbin, Gerard Mc Corley, Gerard Mc Cann, Michael Mc Cann, Ciaran Bradley, Jamie Gribbin (0-01), John Carron, Mark Kelly (0-01), Pat Shivers (0-04), Tomas Mc Cann (1-02)
Subs
David Johnston for D Mc Keever
Ryan Mc Kiernan for G Mc Corley
Michael Clarke for M Kelly
Creggan
Oisin Kerr, Ethan Carey Small (0-01), Ricky Johnston, Eunan Mc Ateer (0-01), Aidan Maguire, Jamie Mc Cann (0-01), Killian Burke, Kevin Small, Keelan Mc Cann (0-02), Sam Maguire, Ruairi Mc Cann (0-02), Tiaran Mc Ateer (0-01), Matthew Rogers (1-01), Paddy Cooey (0-01), Martin Johnston (0-02)
Subs
Dermot Mc Cann for K Small