Senior Football League – Division One
Dunloy 1-12 Cargin 1-12
Wednesday 29 April
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
In their first meeting since the county final last October, Dunloy and Cargin couldn’t be separated. Just how this contest ended a draw by the end of the fifth minute of injury time will be one of the great mysteries of 2026.
Dunloy showed tremendous powers of recovery and resilience to claw their way back into the game with Cargin dominating the second half. A brace of two point frees from Karl Fitzpatrick and a Paudie McGilligan point looked to give them a share of the points and when the Cuchullains were awarded another free within Fitzpatrick’s range, they were favourites to take the points on offer.
The Dunloy marksman’s effort dropped short and Cargin broke. Dunloy scrambled and the Toome men cut through only to see Eunan Quinn’s first timed effort come back off the crossbar.
A breath taking end to a contest that Cargin looked to be in control of for long periods of the second half. They kept Dunloy scoreless for 28 minutes and turned the screw in midfield to increase pressure in the Cuchullains defence. But, the home side showed their qualities right to the death and earned a hard fought draw.
With a slight wind blowing towards the chapel at Pearse Park, the visitors had the elements in their favour yet it was Dunloy who made the brighter start. They had four points registered in the opening eight minutes with Eoghan McGrath in fine form. He would land three of those scores, Nigel Elliott with the other and while Callum Gribbin opened the scoring for the Toome men, it was the Cuchullains who were dictating terms in the opening quarter.
The opening goal of the game came in the 10th minute and while it owed to a touch of fortune, the finish was class. The bounce of a dropping ball evading the Dunloy defence and James Laverty stole in behind, finishing to the back of the net despite the best efforts of Dunloy ‘keeper Chrissy McMahon.
A two pointer from Gribbin and the first of three Jack O’Neill points stretched the Cargin lead to three points by the 14th minute but they wouldn’t register another score for the remainder of the half. McGrath scored his fourth and fifth points of the half either side of a Tom McFerran point to bring parity to the scoreboard.
Dunloy’s major came in first half injury time with McGrath heavily involved. Collecting a high ball, McGrath was swarmed by the Cargin defence but managed to find Nigel Elliott who finished superbly.
That run of 1-3 unanswered gave the Cuchullains the perfect platform for the second half. But, if anything, the half time interval came at the wrong time for the home side. After a slow start to the second half with both sides missing chances, Cargin reorganised and pressed the Dunloy restarts with more intensity and aggression, any attacks from the home side were fleeting as Cargin upped their game. The Cuchullains cause wasn’t helped with the loss of midfielder Ciaran McQuillan to injury, the Dunloy man had been instrumental up to that point in the game.
The Toome side would keep Dunloy scoreless for 28 minutes and took a four point advantage into the last ten minutes. Points from Laverty, Cillian Scullion (two), O’Neill and Gribbin – including his second two pointer of the game put Cargin in control.
Indeed it could have been even better for Cargin but Dunloy ‘keeper McMahon managed to deflect David Johnston’s effort onto the post when it looked like he would bag his sides second goal of the game.
That four point advantage remained as Dunloy staged a remarkable comeback, thanks largely to the free taking of substitute Karl Fitzpatrick. He would split the uprights on two occasions to raise the orange flag either side of O’Neill’s third of the match to leave the minimum between the sides in the second minute of injury time.
Dunloy pressed the Cargin restart and managed to create another scoring opportunity that midfielder Padraig McGilligan made no mistake from. The drama didn’t end there as Dunloy and Fitzpatrick had one more chance. The angle was horrible and it would have been a special kick to execute from the distance he was facing. His effort dropped short and Cargin broke. Dunloy scrambled and the visitors looked like they were going to secure the win but Quinn’s first timed effort came back off the crossbar and referee Ritchie Leahy calling time soon after.
An entertaining game that both sides will argue they should have won. They’ll have to settle for a share of the points. Cargin will welcome St John’s to their home patch next Wednesday while the Cuchullains will make the journey to All Saints on the same evening. Incredibly, the county champions are in the middle of a schedule that sees them competing in 15 games in 8 weeks across hurling and football. With plenty of dual players to look after and guide, it’s a schedule that doesn’t encourage players to maintain dual status. The Cuchullains continue to test themselves and push the boundaries, but at some point if scheduling like this remains, something will give.
TEAMS
DUNLOY: Chrissy McMahon; Sean Og Blaney, Aaron Crawford, Cathair McCloskey; Conor Kinsella, Ryan McGarry, James Scally; Ciaran McQuillan, Padraig McGilligan; Jack Martin, Tom McFerran, Aodhan McGarry; Eoghan McGrath, Nigel Elliott, Emmett McKendry
Scorers: E McGrath 0-5 (3fs); Karl Fitzpatrick 0-4 (2tpf); N Elliott 1-1; T McFerran 0-1; P McGilligan 0-1
CARGIN: Padraig McLaughlin; Conan Johnston, Cahir Donnelly, Fiontan Hardy; Ronan Devlin, James Laverty, Jack O’Neill; Kevin McShane, Charley McCann; Ciaran Bradley, Eunan Quinn, Paul McCann; Cillian Scullion, Callum Gribbin, David Johnston
Scorers: C Gribbin 0-6 (2tp); J Laverty 1-1; J O’Neill 0-3; C Scullion 0-2
Referee: Ritchie Leahy (Moneyglass)
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