ACFL Division 1
Cargin 1-09 Tir na nOg 1-7
Cargin bounced back from their opening-day defeat to local rivals Creggan with a hard-fought two-point victory over Tir na nOg in Toome, finishing with a final score of 1-09 to 1-07.
Playing into a swirling breeze in the first half, Cargin welcomed back Tomas McCann and Tom Shivers to the fold. It was Shivers who opened the scoring in the third minute with a well-taken point, set up by a Conan Johnston clearance and a Benny Devlin delivery. Tir na nOg responded quickly when Declan Mallon was fouled on a forward run, allowing Ciaran O’Neill to tap over the resulting free for a 2 pointer and get the visitors on the board.
Cargin began to assert control midway through the half. Callum Gribbin slotted over a point in the 13th minute, and Shivers added another from a free after Devlin was brought down, giving the home side a 0-05 to 0-02 lead by the 22-minute mark. Both defences held firm for the remainder of the half, though Cargin suffered a blow when Jack Harney was forced off with a leg injury, replaced by David Johnston.
Hugh O’Donnell, Cargin comes under pressure from Ciaran McGrellis, Tir na nOg
With the wind at their backs for the second period, Cargin extended their lead in the 33rd minute through midfielder Eunan Quinn. Tir na nOg stayed in touch, with Dara Fegan capitalizing on a defensive mix-up to point and narrow the gap to the minimum. The game’s turning point came in the 45th minute when Cargin substitute David Johnston, linking up well with Callum Gribbin and fired a low shot into the bottom corner of the net to give the Toome men a comfortable 1-05 to 0-04 advantage.
Cargin looked to be cruising as Cillian Scullion and Ronan Devlin added quick points, however Tir na nOg refused to fold, and the accurate Dara Fegan kept the scoreboard ticking over with a series offrees to keep the Randalstown men within striking distance.
The closing stages provided serious drama. In the 58th minute, Tir na nOg’s Eunan Murray was denied a goal by a brilliant save from Cargin keeper Daniel McCann. However, a Cargin defender hauled down an attacker in the square during the scramble, resulting in a black card and a penalty. Fegan made no mistake from the spot, suddenly reducing Cargin’s lead to a single point. Sensing an upset, Tir na nOg pushed for an equalizer, but Cargin held their nerve. Ciaran Bradley, who had an excellent game throughout, stepped up in injury time to slot a crucial point, securing the victory for the home side.
Cargin goal scorer, David Johnston and Tir na nOg goal scorer, Dara Fegan
Cargin: Daniel McCann, Sean Og Quinn, Kevin O’Boyle, Conan Johnston, Hugh O’Donnell, Cahir O’Boyle, Ronan Devlin (0-01), Eunan Quinn (0-01), Charlie McCann, Jack Harney, Ciaran Bradley (0-01), David Johnston (1-01), Thomas McCann (0-01), Callum Gribbin (0-01), and Tom Shivers (0-02). Substitutes used included Gerard McCann (0-01), Cillian Scullion (0-01), and F Hardy.
Tir na nOg: S P McAtamney, D Mallon, B McLarnon, Manus Smith, Ciaran O’Neill (0-02), Ciaran McGellis, Aidan Toland, Ryan O’Neill, Oliver McAtamney, R Curtis, Josh Higgins, Sean McKeown, Dara Fegan (1-05), and Eunan Murray.
Referee: R Matthews of O’Donovan Rossa.
TO VIEWE MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW