Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship Final.
Corrigan Park – Sunday 9th Oct (3.00 pm)
Erin’s Own Cargin v St Mary’s Aghagallon
All roads from Aghagallon and Toome lead to Corrigan Park on Sunday as supporters from Cargin and Aghagallon make their way to the Antrim SFC final.
This will be the first meeting of these two in the premier event of Antrim football and is hugely looked forward to in both camps.
Those who claim expertise in proclaiming the anticipated end of such sporting events have decided that Cargin are almost shoo-in winners, but as one former individual engaged in team management pointed out, championships are there to be earned and no team ever stands on ceremony to allow access to the podium.
Such advice is likely to be given to both the protagonists involved in this one and despite the predictions of those pundits who claim ‘no contest here’ the future destination of the MacNamee trophy will be decided on the pitch.
Aghagallon, under a new management structure headed by Tyrone man Audi Kelly took a long time to get it together this season and indeed they languished near the bottom of the league for a long time.
They got it together in the latter part of the season probably aided by the return of a few who had spent the Summer in the USA and those returning from long term injury and back to back wins in the championship ensured a quarter final spot against Casement’s as reward.
Despite having enjoyed a win over the Portglenone last year, St Mary’s started the semi-final as outsiders, and trailed the opposition for most of the game. A spectacular conclusion and a late, late Adam Loughran goal ensured another final appearance as they ran out 3-10 to 0-18 winners after extra time.
Cargin, also under the new management of Ronan Devlin had a better league campaign than Aghagallon despite taking opportunity to give game time to a strong youth base finishing as runners-up.
The Toome men only earned a single win in their championship group but were quickly into stride at the knock out stages, opening with an eye catching victory over a fancied Lamh Dhearg in the quarter final before coming late with a Tomas McCann last gasp point to end the reign of near neighbours Creggan in a semi-final which required the addition of twenty minutes of extra time.
Cargin have gained experience aplenty on the championship trail and they will be seeking to return the MacNamee trophy to the eastern shores of Lough Neagh on Sunday evening, led onwards by such household names as the Mc Cann brothers, Michael, Tomas and Paul, Kevin O’ Boyle, James Laverty, Justin Crozier, Kevin Mc Shane, and Gerard Mc Cann, and including recent additions Jamie and Ronan Gribbin Ciaran Bradley and big Pat Shivers.
Former minor stars, Cahir Donnelly, Tom Shivers, Eunan Quinn, Paudie Mc Laughlin and Benen Kelly also remain in firm contention for a starting berth.
Aghagallon with the experience of playing in last season’s senior decider will have gained from the experience and they will look to Eunan Walsh, Ruairi McCann, and Pat Brannigan, Gareth Magee, Niall McShane, Daryl, and David, McAlernon, the towering Oisin Lenaghan, and their semi-final hero Adam Loughran, to lead their challenge.
St. Mary’s won their first ever county minor title last term with victory over St Paul’s in the decider and have introduced the likes of Caibhinn Baine, Jonny Hannon, Enda McCartan, Padraig Gowdy and Ciaran Maginnis to the senior squad to enhance their strength in depth.
Cargin will start as firm favourites and the Toome man led by Michael McCann look set tl collect their 11th senior title, but it will have to be earned on the Corrigan sod where they have seemed firmly at home on many previous visits.
