McKeever’s Hotels Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship – Round 4
Carey Faughs 1-15 Creggan Kickhams 2-15 in Ballyvoy
A splendidly taken early goal from Morgan Nelson ultimately proved crucial as Creggan Kickhams edged Carey Faughs in a dramatic final-round Intermediate Hurling Championship encounter at Ballyvoy, a result which sent the visitors through to the semi-finals and Carey into the quarter-finals.
There was confusion immediately after the final whistle, with some of the Creggan players believing their winning margin had not been enough to secure the automatic semi-final place and that Carey had retained top spot. However, after the standings were checked on the county website, Creggan were confirmed as the side going directly into the last four. Remarkably, one more Carey point would have changed the outcome.
IT HAS SINCE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT IF ST GALL’S BEAT CLOUGHMILLS TODAY THAT WILL LEAVE THEM ON SIX POINTS, THE SAME AS CAREY AND CREGGAN. IN THAT CASE THE SCORE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE THE THREE TEAMS IS WHAT DECIDES THE FINAL PLACINGS AND CAREY WOULD FINISH TOP IN FRONT OF THE OTHER TWO. IF CLOUGHMILLS WERE TO BEAT ST GALL’S THEY WOULD BE LEVEL WITH THEM AND GO THROUGH IN THIRD PLACE SO THE DYNAMIC MAY CHANGE AGAIN
The game was marred by a worrying injury to Carey’s Conal McGlynn early in the second half. Play was held up for around eight minutes while McGlynn received treatment before being stretchered from the field with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
Carey had made the better start when Paddy Butler opened the scoring from a free inside the first minute, but Creggan’s response was immediate and decisive. Morgan Nelson levelled before producing the game’s outstanding moment in the second minute.
Thomas McCann supplied the clever pass and Nelson did the rest, firing a superb finish to the Carey net to give Creggan an early advantage.
Carey replied through Conal McGlynn, but Creggan threatened another goal when Nelson rattled the crossbar from close range. The clearance eventually found its way to Ruairi McCann, who sent the ball back over the bar to leave Creggan 1-2 to 0-2 ahead after six minutes.
Carey refused to allow their opponents to get away. Shay Hunter pointed on seven minutes and Paddy Butler added another four minutes later before Dan Doran responded for Creggan following a free from Conor McCann.
Butler converted another Carey free on 16 minutes and another score from the home side two minutes later kept them firmly in contention.
Creggan pushed two clear with a free on 21 minutes before Nelson added another from play and then converted a free to stretch their advantage.
Carey again finished the spell strongly. Hunter landed a fine point after the puck-out and Caolan McCaughan struck from distance as the Faughs battled their way back into contention before the interval.
Creggan began the second half with Jake McAteer sending over from play, but Butler replied with another Carey free. Conor McCann then demonstrated his striking ability with an excellent long-range free before Nelson converted another after the original award had been moved forward for dissent.
McCann was having an outstanding game at centre-back for Creggan. His power, strength and reading of the play were central to the visitors’ performance, with Carey finding it increasingly difficult to break through a physically imposing Creggan defence.
Butler kept Carey in touch with a fine point from the right wing, only for Creggan to move immediately downfield and reply through Kevin Rice.
The contest was then halted following McGlynn’s unfortunate injury. When play eventually resumed, Butler converted another free for Carey, but Creggan again had the answer as Nelson replied from a placed ball.
Substitute Sean McAuley added another Creggan point to stretch their advantage to five before Butler landed successive frees to bring Carey back to within three.
Nelson again steadied Creggan with another free and Kevin Rice followed it by winning possession from the puck-out and firing over to restore the five-point cushion.
Carey were not finished. James “Rocket” Black pulled one back with a long-range free, but Conor McCann answered with another superb strike from distance on 27 minutes.
With the game slipping away, Carey were handed a lifeline on 29 minutes when Black stepped up to a 20-metre free and drove the sliotar to the Creggan net, reducing the deficit to just two points.
Any hopes of a dramatic Carey comeback appeared to have been extinguished almost immediately. Creggan swept downfield and Kevin Rice found the Carey net from play to restore their five-point advantage.
Still Carey refused to concede. Hunter fired over from play on 32 minutes before Butler converted another free a minute later to cut the deficit to a goal.
That, however, was as close as the home side could get.
Creggan’s defence stood firm through the closing stages, with Conor McCann outstanding at the heart of it, and the visitors held on for a victory that ultimately carried considerably more significance than some of their players initially realised.
Once the championship calculations had been confirmed, Creggan had secured their place directly in the Intermediate Championship semi-finals. Carey, despite falling agonisingly short of the result they required, move into the quarter-finals, where they will be joined by the winners of the St Gall’s and Cloughmills encounter.
For Carey, there will inevitably also be concern for McGlynn following the unfortunate injury which brought such a lengthy stoppage to an otherwise fiercely competitive championship contest.
Carey Faughs: 1 Criostóir Butler, 2 Donal McKinley, 3 Sean McBride, 4 Eoin an Chnoic, 5 Michael McVeigh, 6 Peadar McVeigh, 7 Shea Hunter, 8 Conall Mac Fhloinn, 9 Pádraig de Buitléir, 10 Conlith Mac Fhionnlaoich, 11 Caolán Mac Eachin, 12 Seán Mc, 13 Pádraig Ó Gileáin, 14 Séamus Ó Duibh, 15 Fiachra McVeigh, 16 Seamus Seosamh Ó Broin, 17 Ryan Mac Uaid, 18 Colm Ó Catháin, 19 Breandán Mac Uaid, 20 Eoin McKinley, 21 Eoin Mac Fhearaigh, 22 Ádhamh Hughes, 23 Oisín Ó hÉilí, 25 Cathair Brogan, 26 Cuán McBride, 27 Conall Mac Fhearaigh, 28 Séamus Mac Néill, 29 Aindriú Mag Fhearaigh, 30 Zach Mac Eacháin.
Creggan Kickhams: 1 Cormac Rice, 2 Odhran Hampsey, 3 Aidan McKeown, 4 Paedar McGuckian, 5 Senan O’Boyle, 6 Conor McCann, 7 Kealan McCann, 8 Jake McAteer, 9 Sam Maguire, 10 Lee Johnston, 11 Ruairi McCann, 12 Dan Doran, 13 Morgan Nelson, 14 Thomas McCann, 15 Kevin Rice, 16 Oran McCann, 17 Sean McAuley, 18 Ronan McGuckian, 19 Aidan McIlwee, Conor McLarnon, 20 Michael Maguire, 21 Shea Devlin, 22 Ryan McGrath, 23 Paul Colgan, 24 Sean Duffin.
Referee: Paul McSparran (Cushendun).
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