McKeever Hotels Intermediate Hurling Championship
– Group 1, Round 1
Kickhams Creggan 0-24
Naomh Bríd Cloiche an Mhuilinn (Cloughmills) 0-16
Kickhams Creggan made it one win from one in Group 1 of the McKeever Hotels Intermediate Hurling Championship with a hard-earned seven-point victory over Naomh Bríd Cloiche an Mhuilinn on a glorious summer afternoon in Creggan.
Played under blue skies with barely a breath of wind to influence proceedings, conditions were ideal for hurling and both sides served up an entertaining contest played at genuine championship intensity.
The final scoreline may suggest a comfortable afternoon for the home side, but that does little justice to the contribution of the visitors. Cloughmills enjoyed plenty of possession throughout the opening period and matched Creggan in terms of work rate and endeavour. However, the crucial difference between the teams was their efficiency in front of the posts.
Both sides showcased their ability to strike excellent points from distance, with some superb long-range efforts keeping the sizeable attendance entertained. While Cloughmills created their fair share of opportunities, they were unable to convert enough of them, whereas Creggan were far more economical with the chances that came their way.
Conor McCann top scored for the Kickham’s with 0-8 and Ruairi McCann 0-5, Thomas McCann, Kealan McCann, Sean McAuley and Sean Duffin contributed handsomely for the Staffordstown Road side.
That clinical edge allowed the Kickhams men to gradually build momentum during the opening half. Despite the evenly contested nature of the game, they went in at the interval with an impressive 0-14 to 0-07 advantage, a lead that perhaps didn’t fully reflect how competitive the exchanges had been.
Cloughmills emerged for the second half with renewed purpose and immediately put the Creggan defence under pressure. Their bright start suggested a comeback could be on the cards as they won good possession and carried the fight to the home side. Unfortunately for the visitors, their finishing continued to let them down at crucial moments, with a number of promising attacks ending without reward.
Michael Devlin led the Cloughmills scoring charge with a total of 0-8 from both play and frees and Ryan McFarlane, Reece Watt, Geoffery Laverty, Ryan Watson and Eoin Dobbin all raised white flags for St. Brigid’s.
Creggan, meanwhile, showed the composure expected of a side with championship ambitions. They remained patient, defended resolutely and continued to take the scores that presented themselves, ensuring they kept Cloughmills at arm’s length whenever the visitors threatened to gain a foothold.
While Creggan deserved their victory through their greater accuracy and game management, Cloughmills can take encouragement from many aspects of their display. Their ability to compete in possession and create scoring opportunities will give them confidence heading into the remaining group fixtures, though improving their shooting efficiency will be high on the list of priorities.
For Creggan, this was another polished championship performance. Their sharp shooting, disciplined defending and ability to make the most of scoring opportunities proved decisive on the day and leaves them in a strong position as the group stage continues.
Kickham’s: Cormac Rice, Jake McAteer, Aidan McKeown, Paedar McGuckian, Sean O’Boyle 0-1, Kealan McCann 0-2, Sean McAuley 0-1, Ronan McCann 0-1, Lee Johnston 0-1, Sean Duffin 0-2, Ruairi McCann 0-5, Dan Doran 0-1, Conor McCann 0-8, Kevin Rice 0-2,
Subs: Sam maguire, Aidan McIlveen, Michael Maher, Shea Devlin, Ryan McGrath
St. Brigid’s: Christopher mcKernan, Johnny Duffin, Sean mcKendry, Rian Dobbin, Kevin O’Boyle, Ruairi Laverty, Reece Watt 0-1, Ryan McFarl;ane 0-2, Geoffery Og Laverty 0-2, Stephen Smyth 0-1, Michael Devlin 0-8, Seamus Duffin, Ryan Watson, Eoin Dobbin 0-2, James O’Boyle 0-1.
Subs: Cathaoir McFerran, Jack McDowell, Conor Laverty, Conor McKendry, Aaron McGuckian, Michael Reid, Darra Watterson, Corey Blair
Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)
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