Antrim Senior Football Championship
St. Mary’s Aghagallon 0-5 Kicham’s Creggan 1-8
A goal from Matthew Rodgers in the 24th minute of the second half ended this Group 4 SFC opener as a contest as a well organised Kickham’s Creggan proved too good for a disappointing St. Mary’s Aghagallon in Aghagallon on Sunday evening. Rodgers took advantage as the home side made a mess of an intended short kick-out and in the scramble that followed the big number 15 finished to Luke Mulholland’s net.
There was little to separate the teams during a cagey opening half where the visitors employed a slow methodical build up as they dominated possession for long periods with St. Mary’s looking dangerous on the break. Aghagallon trailed by the minimum at the end of a low scoring first half but might well have been ahead but a Padraig Gowdy shot crashed back of an upright when a goal looked eminent.It was St. Mary’s who were first off the mark when Jack Lenehan pointed them ahead after 30 seconds but Jamie McCann replied with an equaliser for the Kickham’s with six minutes on the clock.
Keeper, Luke Mulholland briefly restored the home side’s lead with a well struck long range free in the 8th minute but Creggan replied with three on the bounce through Sean Duffin, Matthew Rodgers and Jamie McCann to lead 0-4 to 0-2 by the 21st minuteThe home side had been under pressure for a time but broke effectively at speed and Padraig Gowdy looked certain to score but his well struck shot cannoned of an upright and was cleared to safety. Johnny Hannon closed the gap to the minimum when he converted a long range free in the closing minutes as the driving wind and incessant rain that fell throughout continued.
HT Aghagallon 0-3 Creggan 0-4
When Gareth ‘Dinkey’ Magee pointed a free at the start of the second half to level the contest the home crowd must have felt that they were well in with a chance but in truth it never looked like materialising. Instead it was visitors Creggan who took control with Ruairi McCann pointing a difficult free and then adding another from a well struck ‘45’ to sandwich a Kealan McCann point from play. County man Ruairi McCann brought his personal contribution for the evening to three with another after 20 minutes and when Matthew Rogders punished a misguided kick-out, four minutes later it was all over. Tiernan McAteer was the man who created it as he intercepted Luke Mulholland’s misguided kick and he found Rogers with an astute pass and the big striker made no mistake from close range. Jack Lenehan, who put in a good shift for the home side at mid-field, replied with a point for Aghagallon a minute later but it would be the game’s final score and the visitors will be delighted with this opening day win in what has been labelled the group of death
Aghagallon: 1 Luke Mulholland, 2 Kieran Hamill, 3 Aidan Mulholland, 4 Daryl McAlornan, 5 Ciaran Maginnis, 6 Jamie Lamont, 7 Eunan Walsh, 8 Jack Lenehan, 9 Padraig Gowdy, 10 Pauric Maginnis, 11 Enda McCartan, 12 Johnny Hannon, 13 Gareth Magee, 14 David McAlornan, 15 Jack Hannon
Subs: Adam Loughran
Creggan: 1. Oisin Kerr, 2. Conor Mc Cann, 3. Ricky Johnston , 4. Aiden Maguire, 5. Ethan Carey-Small, 6. Ruairi Mc Cann, 7. Jamie Mc Cann, 8. Kealan Mc Cann, 9. Patrick Mc Auley, 10. Sean Duffin, 11. Conor Mc Cann, 12. Tiarnan Mc Larnon, 13. Dominic Mc Ateer, 14. Tiernan Mc Ateer, 15. Mathew Rodgers,
Subs: Joe Mc Ateer for 9, Sam Maguire for 12, Jake Mc Ateer for 2
Referee: Colm McDonald
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