Antrim Senior Football Championship (semi-final)
Erin’s Own Cargin 3-13 Kickham’s Creggan 0-22 aet
(Cargin win 4-2 on penalties)
Erin’s Own Cargin and Kickham’s Creggan served up a real championship cracker of a semi-final in front of a large attendance at Dunsilly on Sunday.
60 plus minutes and two periods of extra time failed to separate the neighbouring parishes and deadly rivals and it took penalties to decide the issue and send Cargin through to their fourth final in row.
Games between this pairing is usually a fixture to pay close attention to and indeed this meeting under a blazing sun in early autumn was to proceed in a supercharged high octane manner.
Creggan claimed the Division One league title at the expense of All Saint’s on the same location a few weeks ago before progressing to the semi-final of the championship, coming through the group stage undefeated.
A quarter-final victory over Rossa saw them progress to a semi-final meeting with reigning champions Cargin and that meeting brought added pressure to the occasion.
Erin’s Own were unbeaten in their journey to Sunday’s semi-final and recorded a one sided quarter-final victory over St. Mary’s Aghagallon where they scored an impressive 4-20 and went into Sunday’s game as firm favourites.
Despite the underdogs tag it was Kickham’s Creggan who opened at breakneck speed at Dunsilly and raced into an early 0-6 to 0-00 lead with Conor Small firing between the posts in the 2nd minute to settle his side’s nerves.
Matthew Rogers and mid fielder Patrick Mc Auley added two more to give Kickham’s a 0-03 to 0-00 advantage with the game clock at 6 minutes and Cargin visibly struggling to get it together.
Cargin were struggling to lay their hands on the ball and it was a situation that was to prevail in the early stages as Creggan continued to attack at pace and with purpose.
They were ruling the roost and their dominance of the breaking ball was paying dividends and Jamie McCann, Matthew Rogers, and the lively Conor Small moved them 0-06 to 0-00 ahead.
Indeed it could have been even better for Creggan but Small’s penalty attempt rose over the bar but at that stage the challengers would have been more than happy with their six point lead.
Having been silenced for a time the Cargin support were soon in good voice as Paul McCann approached from the left hand side to deliver to the back of the Creggan net with the Creggan defence nowhere to been seen.
Sean Og O’ Neill was quick to follow with a point but the relief felt within the ranks of the Erin’s Own crowd was soon to be silenced again as Creggan returned to the offensive and three unanswered points from the impressive Conor Small had them back in control and five points ahead.
The champions looked in trouble but not for long as John McNabb left his goal line to come forward and despatch a ‘two pointer between the posts.
Matthew Rodgers was quick to add a point to the Creggan advantage but the Erin’s Own men returned fire prior to their domination of the latter stages of the opening period.
Tom Shivers added a point to the Cargin tally and when John McNabb, James Laverty and Shivers again raised further white flags it was parity on the board at the short whistle and Creggan’s early dominance had been wiped away.
The second half commenced with Cargin moving full back Kevin McShane into the central zone to combat the Creggan dominance in that department.
Creggan were first to strike as the second half got under way with a couple of early points but Cargin were quick to reply as Michael McCann opened the door for Conhuir Johnston to score a stunning goal.
Creggan responded with a point at the other end through Dominic Mc Ateer but Cargin were beginning to exert control and struck another decisive blow with Tom Shivers finishing to the net for their third goal and the balance of play looked to have swung in their favour.
Ruairi Mc Cann for Creggan, in the 51st minute and Paul McCann for Cargin exchanged further points but as the end approached points from Conhuir Johnston and a Tomas McCann converted free looked the final nail in the Creggan coffin.
Time still remained however and although a late Callum Gribbin point seemed to ensure victory with Creggan four points in arrears back to back points from Conor Small and Jamie McCann before a hotly disputed 67th minute two pointer by the former sent the game into extra time.
The first ten minute period was a low scoring affair with Creggan gaining minimum advantage with a 66th minute point but a Sean O’ Neill fisted effort and another from replacement Eunan Quinn moved the Champions ahead of a fiercely contested opening period.
Kickham’s looked in trouble but came back strongly as the second period of extra time got under way with Ruairi McCann edging them ahead with time almost up.
There would be one final twist in this already compelling drama however when Cargin were awarded a free around mid-field and referee Kevin Parke moved the ball forward for dissent, and Tomas McCann tapped over to tie the contest and send the game into a penalty shootout.
A cruel end to decide the outcome but in the event it was Cargin who were to emerge as winners with a two goal advantage to keep their hopes of 4 in a row very much alive.
They will meet Cuchullian’s Dunloy in two weeks-time in a repeat of the 2023 final with Dunloy hoping to gain revenge for that defeat and it promises to be another compelling contest with the Toome side starting as favourites.
Cargin: John Mc Nabb (0-03) 1 2pt 1 f) Ronan Gribbin, Kevin Mc Shane, Conan Johnston, Benen Kelly, James Laverty (0-01) Sean Og O’Neill (0-2), John Carron, Gerard Mc Cann, David Johnston. Michael Mc Cann, Paul McCann (1-1) Conhuir Johnston (1-1), Thomas McCann 0-3 1f) Tom Shivers (1-1),
Subs
Jack O’Neill
Callum Gribbin (0-01),
Eunan Quinn (0-02)
P Shivers
K O’Boyle
Creggan: Oisin Kerr, L Mc Larnon, R Johnston, E Mc Ateer, D Mc Ateer (0-01), E Carey Small, J Mc Cann (0-01), P Mc Auley, S Duffin, (0-2), F Close 0-1, C Small (0-7), R Mc Cann (0-03 1*tp) J Mc Ateer, M Rogers (0-03 1 tp)) K Small (0-1)
Subs
L Quinn (0-03)
K Small
S Mc Cann
C Johnston (0-01)
M Johnston
D Mc Ateer3
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