Reserve Football Cup Final
Kickham’s Creggan 2-13 Erin’s Own Cargin 0-15
Kickham’s Creggan and Erin’s Own, Cargin served up an excellent Reserve Football final in Cloney on Thursday night with the Toome side edging the opening half exchanges before Creggan came back strongly in the second to claim the title.
The game started in excellent conditions on a dry evening that was conducive to good football but the rain that fell in the second half made those conditions more difficult and perhaps suited the bigger, stronger, Kickham’s side in the end.
It was Cargin who did all the early running with John McNabb in splendid scoring form as he kicked them ahead with a point from a 3d minute free with Oran McCann replying with a point from play for their parish rivals.
McNabb added a second following a ‘Mark’ for the Toome side and excellent points from Conan Johnston and Padraic McLaughlin following another ‘Mark’ had Cargin 0-4 to 0-1 ahead by the 11th minute.
Back came the Kickham’s and Matthew Rodgers fired over their second point in the 14th minute and further points from Joe McAteer and Mark Dougan had the sides all square by the 18th minute and Creggan looked like they were getting on top.
The Toome side had other ideas however as Tom Shivers punished a foul on raiding full-back, Gerard McCorley and the youngster added a fine point from play to edge Cargin two ahead with 8 minutes remaining to the break.
The game was halted for a time following an injury to Mark Dougan with Tiarnan McLarnon replacing him in the Creggan attack and when play resumed Aidan McKeown pointed following a ‘Mark’ to close the gap to the minimum once more.
The pace and movement of the Cargin attack continued to cause problems however as Padraic Mclaughlin and John McNabb moved Erin’s Own three in front by the 27th minute but Creggan hit back with the game’s opening goal and Liam McCann finished to the net following excellent work by Matthew Rodgers.
Cargin replied with two pointed frees from the sweet striking John McNabb as the game moved into first half injury time and that was how it stood at the break with the Toome side holding a two point lead and all still to play for in the second half.
Eunan Quinn extended the Cargin lead to three on the restart with Matthew Rodgers making quick reply for the Kickham’s from a free before Tom Shivers restored Cargin’s three point advantage from a similar award with only four minutes of the new half gone.
Matthew Rodgers was beginning to have a greater influence on the game for the Staffordstown Road side and he got on the end of an excellent pass from substitute Tiarnan McLarnon to fire home his side’s second goal and tie the contest once more.
It was end to end stuff with both sides obviously keen to get their hands on the first piece of silverware of the season as Tom Shivers for Cargin and Jake McAteer for Creggan exchanged further points but Creggan were starting to win a lot of ball around midfield as the rain started to fall.
Substitute Lee Johnston then edged the Kickham’s into a lead they would not lose again as he split the posts in the 12th minute and Matthew Rodgers saw his shot go wide of an upright before making amends with points in the 20th and 21st minutes.
Cargin tried to respond but the accuracy that had depicted them during the opening half suddenly had deserted them as they fired a number of wides before Joe McAteer showed just how it should be done as he fired over an excellent score to move Creggan four ahead with 8 minutes remaining.
Aidan McKeown and Oran McCann were now dominating at mid-field for Creggan as goalkeeper, Leon Bonnes came forward to send a 50 meter free between the uprights and Lee Johnston added his second from play to move his side six in front as we moved into the final minutes.
The Kickham’s received a blow when Oran McCann walked after receiving a second yellow and Cargin threw everything at their opponents in the closing minutes but the goal they needed simply wouldn’t come and they had to settle for a couple of late pointed frees from John McNabb and Tom Shivers but it was too little-too late.
After the game county representative Danny McLarnon presented the Reserve Cup to Creggan captain Dermot McCann who with Leon Bonnes, Thomas McCann and Sam Maguire were best in a strong Creggan defence.
Oran McCann and Aidan McKeown gave Creggan a decided edge at mid-field while Matthew Rodgers was the outstanding player in attack and had excellent support from Joe McAteer and Diarmuid Mulholland.
Cargin started this one on top and heading into the second half looked to have matters in control but faded in the second half. Mark Keegan, Conan Johnston, Michael Clarke, John McNabb and Tom Shivers were their best performers on the night.
Creggan: 1 Leon Bonnes, 2 Jake McAteer, 3 Dermot McCann, 4 Sean McAuley, 18 Dylan Hinfey, 6 Thomas Mccann, 7 Sam Maguire, 8 Aidan McKeown, 9 Oran McCann, 10 Diarmuid Mulholland, 11 David McGuckin, 12 Joe McAteer, 13 Matthew Rodgers, 14 Mark Dougan,
Cargin: 1 Shea Laverty, 2 Mark Keegan, 3 Gerard McCorley, 4 Eoin Coyle, 5 Benen Kelly, 6 Conan Johnston, 7 Michael Clarke, 8 Eunan Quinn, 9 Odhran Molloy, 10 PJ Quinn, 11 Enda McGroggan, 12 David Johnston, 13 Padraic McLaughlin, 14 John McNabb, 15 Tom Shivers
Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)
