Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship
Group 2
Creggan 0-13 St John’s 1-12
Sunday 9 August
Brendan McTaggart reports from Creggan
St John’s produced the upset of the weekend on Sunday evening when they defeated Creggan by two points. In a contest that was every bit as close as the scoreline suggests, it was the Johnnies second half performance and opening quarter after the restart that laid the foundations to the game. They built a four point lead and despite the Kickhams men finding some momentum as the second half progressed, the Corrigan Park men had enough about them to control the contest in the closing stages.
Conor Hand’s 21st minute goal proved to be decisive. It came at a time that St John’s were still trying to find their way into the game and having to stave off a lot of Creggan pressure and Hand’s major breathed impetus into their challenge, seemingly giving them a boost for the rest of the game.
Paddy McBride was the chief architect for the Johnnies and as the game progressed, his influence was more telling. Directing play, looking to get on the ball and taking on players, McBride was in his element. Simon McDonagh and Ryan McNulty excelled in midfield, McDonagh producing a goal line clearance to deny Conor Small a major one of the highlights of the game.
Creggan will review this game and wonder how they let the momentum go they built in the early stages. They dominated possession and were dealing with the St John’s attack comfortably with Ruairi McCann, Liam Quinn and Joe McAteer all catching the eye. They got little joy out of a well organised and tigerish St John’s defence however who produced a serious amount of turnovers, especially in the second half.
It was the home side who started the game on top. Joe McAteer and Conal Bohill swapped scores in the opening minutes but the Kickhams men hit three points unanswered before the 10th minute. Liam Quinn splitting the uprights either side of a Ruairi McCann point to give the home side an early three point lead.
Creggan had the first sight of goal and Dominic McAteer but St John’s keeper Pearce Donnelly produced an outstanding block at his feet to deny him. St John’s began to get some momentum from then and kept Creggan scoreless for almost 15 minutes. In that same time, Conor Hand raised both white and green flag. His goal coming after McBride and McNulty combined to send the ball long to hand and he did the rest, using his strength to hold off the Creggan challenges and produce a composed finish, giving St John’s the lead for the first time in the game.
Creggan responded with a trio of points through Dominic McAteer, Sean Duffin and Ruairi McCann. St John’s were creating space in front of their full forward line and were sending the ball long at every opportunity. They had another sight of goal when Hand turned provider and Conal Bohill looked to deflect the ball past Oisin Kerr but the Creggan keeper read the flight perfectly.
Ryan McNulty and Conall Quinn fired over the last two scores of the half to leave the sides tied on 0-7 to 1-4 at the short whistle.
It was an intriguing first half that despite being low scoring, it had every captivated. Both playing enterprising football and attacking at speed, more often than not becoming their downfall with attacks breaking down but it was a lively spectacle.
St John’s picked up where they left off after the restart with Paddy McBride and half time substitute Ronan Quinn firing over. It was largely all St John’s in the opening exchanges and they probably should have been further ahead but for some wayward shooting but by the chance McBride fired over a two point free, the Johnnies were four ahead and dictating the game.
They could have had another major but Ronan Quinn’s effort was saved well by Oisin Kerr, throwing the home side a lifeline. Creggan had to make do with a point from Ruairi McCann but it was down to the goal keeping of Pearce Donnelly who denied the Creggan man a goal moments earlier.
Ryan McNulty and Chris O’Neill raised white flags either side of Conor McCann and Eunan McAteer scores before the home side had a massive goal chance in the 51st minute. Liam Quinn’s effort for a point came back off the upright with the ball falling to substitute Conor Small. He sent his shot to the right hand corner but Simon McDonagh was on hand to clear the danger.
The closing stages saw Creggan looking for ways to pierce a well organised Johnnies defence but having to settle for white flags while failing on a number of occasions to register a two pointer.
It was the Whiterock Road men who saw out the time that remained with McBride and substitute Odhran Quinn firing over in response to scores from Shea (two) and Keelan McCann as St John’s took the points on offer.
TEAMS
Creggan Starting XV: Oisin Kerr; Liam McLernon, Ricky Johnston, Aiden Maguire; Sam Maguire, Eunan McAteer, Dominic McAteer; Keelan McCann, Jamie McCann; Sean Duffin, Finton Close, Ruairi McCann; Joe McAteer, Liam Quinn, Shea McCann
- Subs: Conor Small for S Maguire (36); Conor McCann for A Maguire (45); Anton Martin for S Duffin (54)
- Scorers: R McCann 0-3; L Quinn 0-2, S McCann 0-2 (1f); E McAteer 0-1, D McAteer 0-1, K McCann 0-1 (1f), S Duffin 0-1, J McAteer 0-1
St John’s Starting XV: Pearce Donnelly; Oisin Jackson, Enda McGurk, Conor McEvoy; Sean Wilson, Chris O’Neill, Conal McGlade; Simon McDonagh, Ryan McNulty; Conor Hand, Paddy McBride, James Wilson; Conal Bohill, Conall Quinn, Conor Adams
- Scorers: P McBride 0-4 (1tpf), C Hand 1-1; R McNulty 0-2; C O’Neill 0-1, C Bohill 0-1, C Quinn 0-1, Ronan Quinn 0-1, Odhran Quinn 0-1
Referee: Darren McKeown (St Galls)
To see more of Brendan’s photos from the game, follow the link below…
https://myalbum.com/album/oXQRE9ygGCM73s/?invite=36d775ae-1240-4a7b-8384-bdee4cda2345