Antrim Football Division 1
St Brigids 0-8 Creggan 1-13
Paul McIntyre reports from Musgrave Park
Creggan proved too strong for St Brigids on Wednesday evening as they strolled to an eight-point win at a sun-kissed Musgrave Park.
Aidan McKeown’s goal in the 9th minute gave the former county champions a strong foothold in the game, and helped by the accuracy of Paddy Coey and Tiarnan McLarnon, the Kickham’s never looked like losing this one.
St Brigids had their lengthy spells of possession, but a visitors rearguard marshalled superbly by Ricky Johnston and Aidan Maguire, meant that the glare of the setting sun was the only thing to seriously trouble Creggan netminder Oisin Kerr.
Aidan Maguire’s early effort for Creggan was cancelled by a sweet strike from Enda Downey before Coey kicked the first of his five-points from a free to restore the visitors lead in the 8th minute
Efforts from Kealan McCann and Coey extended Creggan’s lead to six by the 15th minute as a very economical Kickham’s threatened to run away with the contest.
After winning a mark from a kick-out, Ronan Boyle went long in the hope of catching the visitors defence off guard. And he almost did, but much to the relief of the visitors, Boyle’s effort bounced over the bar.
Paul Bradley’s free in the 21st minute cut the arrears to four and on the stroke of half-time it should’ve been down to three. Fearghal Meenagh decided against kicking his mark over the bar. Instead, he picked out Jack Dowling whose shot at goal was brilliantly blocked by McVey, and at half-time Creggan led 1-4 to 0-3.
There was no denying Dowling in the first minute of the second half as the midfielder powered his way through the Creggan defence for the first score of the half but Creggan responded with two sublime efforts from the right from Tiarnan McLarnon.
Points from Enda Downey and Boyle briefly brought St Brigids back to within three-points, but that was as good as it was to get for the Biddies.
Points from Kealan and Dermot McCann arrived either side of a Coey free, before corner back Odhran Hampsey popped up to open-up a seven-point lead with as many minutes left on the clock.
A Creggan counter attack was cynically brought to a halt by Finn McKernan and the home corner back was duly shown a black card and with just over five minutes remaining, the game was as good as up and Creggan safely negotiated the closing stages to record the win that conformed a top-half finish after the first phase of fixtures.
St Brigids: Declan Heery, Finn McKernan, Conor King, Colm Webb, Reuben Carleton, John Toner (0-1), Peter King, Fearghal Meenagh, Jack Dowling (0-3), Ronan Boyle (0-2 1M), Oran Downey, John Morgan, Enda Downey (0-1), James Smith, Paul Bradley (0-1f).
Replacements: Shay Campbell for Webb (37), Oran Boyle for O Downey (45), Rory McErlean for E Downey (50),
Creggan: Oisin Kerr, Conor McVey, Ricky Johnston, Odhran Hampsey (0-1) Sam Maguire, Aidan Maguire (0-1), Jake McAteer, Dermot McCann (0-1), Kealan McCann (0-2), Tiarnan McLarnon (0-3), Conor Small, Liam Quinn, Paddy Coey (0-5 3f), Aidan McKeown (1-0), Odhran McLarnon.
Replacements: Liam McCann for McVey (34), Conor McCann for McKeown (47), Peader McGuckin for Hampsey (57), Mark Dougan for Small (58).
Referee: Mr Darren McKeown (St Galls).
