Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship
Group 4
Creggan 3-16 All Saints 2-12
Sunday 6 September
Brendan McTaggart reports from Tír na nÓg
Creggan saved their best display of the championship until the last group game as they sealed a quarter final spot by defeating All Saints on Sunday afternoon. Seven points separated the sides, in truth the final score doesn’t reflect the match at all.
The Kickhams men dominated a first half and had to withstand a second half storm from All Saints before a late flurry of scores put daylight between the sides. Conor Small finished top of the scoring charts with 1-5 beside his name for his efforts before coming off late in the game while a Shea McCann penalty and substitute Tiernan McAteer got the other majors for Creggan. Their full back line was highly impressive throughout with the kickouts of Oisin Kerr pinpoint for the majority of the contest but it was the calming influence of Conor McCann that saw them over the line.
McCann was introduced in the 55th minute but in that space of time, he turned over ball, scored a point and set up Tiernan McAteer’s goal. Showing there is no substitute for experience in the melting pot of championship football.
All Saints will undoubtedly rue their first half performance when looking back on this game. Despite scoring two goals, they only landed one goal from open play in those opening 30 minutes. Creggan were dominant in the middle third and turning over an All Saints attack that struggled to get any headway for long periods.
Despite trailing by six points at half time, they had that reduced to just two going into the final 10 minutes. Kavaan Keenan, Conor Stewart, Paddy McAleer and Connell Lemon all instrumental but they left themselves too much to do in the second half after a poor opening 30 minutes.
With a strong wind blowing across the Whitehill pitch, the elements suited neither side but it was All Saints who showed more fluency in the opening exchanges. Despite that, it was Kevin Small that opened the scoring before the Ballymena men scored the opening goal in the fifth minute. Referee Mark O’Neill awarded them a penalty for a foul on Brendan McDonnell, much to the dismay of the Creggan defence. McAleer stepped up and dispatched the spot kick with ease to put his side in front.
Creggan replied with another Small point, this time coming from the boot of Conor only for All Saints to score another major. Connell Lemon taking a quick free and finding Conor Stewart in space some 30 yards from goal. The All Saints star didn’t have to break stride and showed plenty of composure to find the back of the net.
It would be another 10 minutes before the Saints would have another attempt for a score as Creggan began to turn the screw in the middle third. They points from Conor Johnston, Joe McAteer (2) and Keelan McCann in the space of five minutes to tie the sides before Conor Small scored Creggan’s first goal of the game.
Jamie McCann and Conor Johnston combining in the build up before Johnston found Small in space in front of goals and he made no mistake.
Another Joe McAteer score put four between the sides before Conor Stewart sent over a two point free to briefly halt the Creggan onslaught. It was just that though as Creggan continued to dominate the remainder of the half.
Joe McAteer split the uprights for his fourth of the half before Ruairi McCann landed points either side of a Conor Small free to leave the half time score 1-11 to 2-2 in Creggan’s favour.
The Ballymena men needed a quick start to the second half and through McAleer, Shaun O’Callaghan and Kavaan Keenan they had the Creggan lead reduced to two points inside five minutes.
Conor Small opened Creggan’s account by landing his second point from play but All Saints had all the momentum with a brace of frees from McDonnell and McAleer leaving the minimum between the sides after 11 minutes of the second half.
Creggan were given a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Kevin Small inside the area. Much like the penalty in the first half, there didn’t look like there was much in it but Shea McCann stepped up and found the bottom corner to put four between the sides again.
Paídín Mitchell and Dominic McAteer swapped white flags, McAteer’s point coming after he went for goal but his effort was deflected over the bar by Ryan Stewart in the All Saints goal.
Creggan had another sight of the All Saints nets but substitute Fintan Close saw his effort come back off the uprights. The Saints responded by firing over a brace of scores from Conor Stewart and Kavan Keenan to leave two between the sides with nine minutes of the hour remaining.
It was as close as All Saints got to Creggan however as the Kickhams men seemed to weather the storm with the impact of players coming off the bench having a huge say in the outcome.
Conor Small and Conor McCann fired over scores before another McDonnell free for All Saints in the first minute of added time left three between the sides.
Given that a draw would have been enough for the Ballymena men to go through, it was still very much game on but a goal from Tiernan McAteer in the third minute of injury time sealed the win for Creggan. Conor Small took his tally to 1-5 with his third point from open play with the last action of the game as Creggan sealed a quarter final game with the Cargin in two weeks time.
TEAMS
Creggan Starting XV: Oisin Kerr; Liam McLernon, Ricky Johnston, Aidan Maguire; Eunan McAteer, Ethan Carey-Small, Dominic McAteer; Keelan McCann, Jamie McCann; Shea McCann, Kevin Small, Ruairi McCann; Joe McAteer, Conor Small, Conor Johnston
- Subs: Fintan Close for A Maguire (46), Paddy McAuley for D McAteer (46); Conor McCann for K McCann (55), Tiernan McAteer for C Johnston (55); Sam Maguire for S McCann (60)
- Scorers: C Small 1-5 (2f); J McAteer 0-4; S McCann 1-00 (pen); T McAteer 1-00; R McCann 0-2; D McAteer 0-1, K McCann 0-1, K Small 0-1, C Johnston 0-1, C McCann 0-1
All Saints: Ryan Stewart; Joe Rafferty, Cal O’Brien, Sean McDermott; Michael Reid, Shaun O’Callaghan, Kavaan Keenan; Paddy McAleer, Emmet Killough; Connell Lemon, Conor Stewart, Paidin Mitchell; Peter McReynolds, Brendan McDonnell, Ciaran Campbell
- Subs: Matthew Downey for M Reid (38); Sean McVeigh for P McReynolds (48); Oliver O’Rawe for C O’Brien (60)
- Scorers: C Stewart 1-3 (1tpf); P McAleer 1-2 (1-00pen, 1f); K Keenan 0-3 (1tpf); B McDonnell 0-2 (2f); S O’Callaghan 0-1, P Mitchell 0-1
Referee: Mark O’Neill (Armoy)
TO SEE MORE OF BRENDAN’S PHOTOS FROM THE GAME, CLICK ON THE LINK
https://myalbum.com/album/uKZfeNwmNo86rr/?invite=2ae7151f-2a4f-48d4-a06c-4ac6a8d5414a
