Andersonstown SC IHC Group 1
CREGGAN 2.09 v SARSFIELDS 5.21
Report: Joe Rice
Photographs: Brian McKee
Sarsfield’s moved into second place in the Andersonstown SC Group 1 following this comprehensive victory over Kickham’s Creggan at their Staffordstown Road ground on Friday night. In what looked like a hard one to call prior to the game turned into a route for the side from the Bear Pit. Creggan were in front for the first 3 minutes then it was downhill for the home side all the way. Sarsfield came back strongly to lead by 8 points at half time and finished the match 19 points to the good.
Conditions were not great for a game of hurling as the light faded and referee, Paddy Tumelty, was keen to get the game underway. Morgan Nelson had the home side one point up within the first minute and his team mate, Keelan McCann, added a second point 3 minutes later and things were looking good for the home side
Paddies’ reply was immediate with Mark Rea raising a green flag from close range to rapturous applause from the visitors’ supporters but Creggan’s sharp shooter McCann rteplied from a free to leave it all square with 6 minutes gone.
Niall McKenna got his first of the evening for the visitors putting them one up and the big full-forward was to have a massive influence on proceedings and from this point Sarsfields never looked back.
McKenna added 2 more points by the 11th minute while Enda McCartan got his name on the score board. The visitors were starting to take control and Gary Lennon further increased their lead with 2 points without reply.
As the contest became more and more physical, Referee, Paddy Tumelty, had his work cut out and dismissed a Sarsfields player in the 15th minutes as Tiernan McLarnon pointed for the home side to reduce the deficit to one score.
McCann then converted a free – Creggan’s last score of the half with 23 minutes gone as they struggled to get back into the game but although they had several goal opportunities they just couldn’t find the net.
Sarsfield’s were now in the driving seat and added 3 further pointed frees from Niall McKenna and 2 points each from Daniel and Caolan McKernan to give the visitors a comfortable 8 point lead at half time.
HALF TIME SCORE: CREGGAN 1.05 v SARSFIELDS 1.13
With their heads down Creggan headed for the changing room as the management considered their options. When they re-emerged they didn’t look comfortable or confident given the energy, hunger and speed of the visitors.
With an 8 point lead Sarsfield’s could throw caution to the wind and attacked at will which they did. As Creggan pushed forward looking for goals they were turned over or impeded as the visitors could afford to leak the odd point.
Oran McCann converted the first free of the second half, although with hindsight, the best option might have been to put the ball in low because points were not going to decide this encounter.
The visitors’ goalkeeper, Anoise O Faolain, long puck-outs, were making the distance playing havoc with Creggan’s backline and Niall McKenna and Mark Rea added to their goal tally 3 minutes apart.
With Creggan on the ropes and the visitors relaxed they continued to score at will – 2 further converted frees from Niall McKenna and the first point for Kevin McKernan. At this stage the game should have been over, and most likely was, but Creggan threw everything they had at the visitors looking for goals but when they were reduced to 13 men the wheel had most definitely come off their wagon.
Creggan brothers, Rory & Keelan McCann, attempted to break through a resolute visitor’s defence but it was near impossible as they were hitting a brick wall and being turned over or dispossessed.
Mccann converted two further frees 2 at 45 minute mark but the Paddies’ response was immediate – Gary Lennon raising the green flag and Mark Rea completing an impressive hat-trick.
As it reached the last quarter, Niall McKenna turned on the style, adding 4 further points to his tally, nearly all from distance, and some at almost impossible angles and Kevin McKernan dropped his second point after the sliotar disappeared high into the clouds.
Creggan’s Oran McCann scored the last of his 4 frees of the second half while Brendan Jackson’s point increased the visitors’ tally. As the match entered into injury time, the penny seemed to have dropped with Creggan as one of their very few passes to the full forward line resulted in the last score of the game – a goal for Kevin Rice – too little too late.
Creggan: 1 Brendan Prenter, 2 Aidan Maguire, 3 Thomas McCann, 4 Jake McAteer, 5 Aidan McKeown, 6 Liam McCann, 7 Tiernan McLarnon (0.01), 8 Keelan McCann (0.01), 9 Rory McCann,10 Morgan Nelson (1.01), 11 Oran McCann (0.07- frees), 12. Cormacc Rice, 13 Dermot Mulholland, 14 Kevin Rice (1.00), 15 Declan McCann, 17 Donal Carey, 18 Dermot Carey, 19 Niall McAuley, 20 Michael Maguire, 22 Aaron Hughes, 23 Michael Carey Snall, 24 Owen Grant 25 Darren O’Hara, 26 Callum McCann, 27 Brendan Maguire, 28 James Joseph Smyth.
