Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship, Group 3
Creggan Kickhams 2-16-2-11 Lámh Dhearg
Kevin Herron reports from Staffordstown Road
A late Joe McAteer strike wrapped up a hard fought 2-16-2-11 victory for Creggan over Lámh Dhearg which saw them advance to the quarter final of the Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship.
The sides were level after an evenly matched opening half and were still tied going down the home straight, though with the Lámhs trailing by two points and desperately pushing for a share of the spoils, Kickhams countered and McAteer slotted home the insurance goal.
Lámh Dhearg approached the game knowing that defeat would see them drop out of contention for the knock-out stages after St Galls victory over All Saints on Saturday evening.
Keelan McCann landed a 2pointer score to get the hosts up and running with Conor Small converting a free a few minutes later.
It was from the same scenario that Lámh Dhearg opened their account for the afternoon when a number infringement allowed Mark Finnegan to stroke over from close range.
Points were traded between Jamie McCann and Adam Murray and a Sean Duffin point gave the hosts a 0-5-0-2 lead after 12 minutes.
The game was tied for the first time with ten minutes to the break after a foot-block was spotted and Mark O’Neill signalled for a penalty. Mark Finnegan stepped up and made no mistake, sweeping the ball low past Oisin Kerr.
Successive scores from Duffin and Conor Small had Kickhams ahead again, with Mark Finnegan kicking his second free of the half in response.
The Hannahstown side forged ahead for the first time in the 28th minute when Kerr parried Declan Smyth’s shot and Adam Murray blasted the loose ball to the net to give his side a 2-3-0-7 lead.
They were unable to maintain it to the break however as Matthew Rodgers clipped over back-to-back points to ensure that there was parity at the interval.
Rodgers made it three scores on the spin with a point within three minutes of the restart, but Adam Murray replied at the other end.
Creggan were back in the driving seat when they netted their first goal of proceedings. Matthew Rodgers shot looked to have tailed wide, though Shea McCann was adjudged to have kept the ball in play at the byline and his low angled shot beat John Finucane to make it 1-10-2-4.
A converted Conor Small free extended the hosts advantage before Ryan Murray conjured his first of the afternoon at the other end.
Further points were traded between Owen McKeown and Liam Quinn, though Calum Fegan-Lappin shot over to narrow the margins .
The bare minimum separated the sides when Mark Finnegan kicked his third free of the afternoon and a two-pointed Finnegan score from play had his side in front again (1-11-2-9).
A second Liam Quinn point levelled things up and the sides traded further points through Rodgers and McKeown as the game ticked towards its conclusion.
Rodgers popped over his fifth of the afternoon and with the game in added time, Jamie McCann doubled the hosts advantage from a close range free.
In a frantic finish, the Lámhs were reduced to 14-men was Ben Rice was red carded for an off the ball incident and Creggan finished things off when they countered at pace and substitute Joe McAteer fired low to the net to wrap up a hard fought 2-16-2-11 win and ensure his side a quarter-final spot with a game to spare.
The Staffordstown Road outfit will take on St Galls with the winner topping the group, whilst Lámh Dhearg will fight it out with All Saints to avoid the relegation play-offs at the groups conclusion in two weeks.
CREGGAN KICKHAMS: O Kerr, L McLernon, E McAteer, F Close, D McAteer, E Carey-Small, J McCann (0-2f), K McCann (1×0-2pf), K Small, S Duffin (0-2), C Small (0-3, 0-2f), R McCann, S McCann (1-0), M Rodgers (0-5), L Quinn (0-2).
SUBS: J McAteer (1-0) for S Duffin (45), C McCann for S McCann (50), S Maguire for D McAteer (50), T McAteer for L Quinn (58).
LÁMH DHEARG: J Finucane, Ross Murray, P Mervyn, D Lynch, D Smyth, B Rice, O McKeown (0-2), M Jordan, P Fitzsimons, T McCrudden, R Murray (0-1), E Matassa, M Finnegan (1-5, 1×0-2pt, 0-3f, 1-0p), A Murray (1-2), C Fegan-Lappin (0-1).
SUBS: R Diamond for E Matassa (42), J Quinn for T McCrudden (48).
REFEREE: Mark O’Neill (ARMOY)
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