U21 ‘A’ Football Championship
Preliminary Round
Creggan 5-13 Dunloy 0-8
Wednesday 4 November
Brendan McTaggart reports from Creggan
A commanding first half performance from the Kickhams men laid the foundations for their win over Dunloy on Wednesday evening as they sealed their place in the quarter final comfortably.
Three first half goals gave Creggan an imposing lead at the interval with all three goals coming in the second quarter. Conor Johnston, Shea McCann and Fintan Close all raising green flags.
Johnston and McCann would find the back of the Dunloy net after the restart with McCann finishing the hour with a further eight points beside his name in a man of the match performance.
The Cuchullains were overpowered and out played in that first half but did fare much better after the restart. Oisin McCamphill would top score for Dunloy with six points from open play – two efforts coming from outside the 40 meter arc.
The home side had were efficient and clinical for the most part with a strong ending to the game adding gloss to the scoreline.
The home side were on top in the opening quarter but only held a 0-2 to 0-1 lead before the opening goal came in the 14th minute. Shea McCann with the break before passing to Conor Johnston and he made no mistake.
That goal spurred the Kickhams men into life and they added a further five points to stretch their lead.
Shea McCann got his first and Creggan’s second major in the 24th minute, intercepting a kick out from Damian Kinsella and rifling to the back of the net while Fintan Close followed suit barely three minutes later.
With the half time score 3-8 to 0-1, it was about damage limitation for the Cuchullains in the second half and for the majority of the half, they played much better.
Donncha Lavery fired the Cuchullains second point of the tie before Padraig Martin and Charlie Cunning both had a chance to get a goal for the visitors. The Creggan defence scrambled superbly however and with a brace of frees from Shea McCann following, they were back into their grove.
Their fourth goal came in fortuitous circumstances with Conor Johnston’s effort for a point dropping into the back of the Dunloy net.
The visitors did have a period of concerted pressure on the Creggan defence with Jay McAlonan adding his name to the list of scorers before McCamphill scored the first two pointer of the game. McCamphill would follow up with a free soon after as the tie entered the final 10 minutes of the hour.
Shea McCann scored his fifth point from open play and took his tally to 1-7 before McCamphill struck another two pointer with the Cuchullains continuing to look for ways back into the game.
The home side finished superbly though with Shea McCann score another goal and point along with a point from substitute Seán Daly as the home side ran out comfortable winners.
Creggan will now look to a meeting with St Galls om Sunday at the Staffordstown Road venue.
TEAMS
Creggan Starting XV: Joel McClelland; Cillian McEldowney, Peadar McGuckian, Oisin Dunlop; Anton Martin, Fintan Close, Ronan Colgan; Tristan McCann, Fintan Kelly; Domhnall McKay, Torin Hodkinson, Ronan McGuckian; Conor Johnston, Eunan Johnston, Shea McCann
Subs: Fintan Keane for E Johnston (38); Tadgh McAteer for D McKay (44); Ryan McGrath for R McGuckian (48); Seán Daly for C Johnston (48)
Scorers: S McCann 2-8 (2f); C Johnston 2-1; F Close 1-00; T Hodkinson 0-1, D McKay 0-1, T McCann 0-1, S Daly 0-1
Dunloy Starting XV: Damian Kinsella; Jack McKeever, Sean Og Blaney, Joel Dixon; Charlie Cunning, Padraig Martin, Ryan McClements; Reece Cunning, Joseph Magee; Oisin McCamphill, Donnach Laverty, Jay McAlonan; Caolan McFerran, Francis McMullan, Emmett McKendry
Subs: Aaron Doherty for J McKeever (HT); Anthony Og Cochrane for C McFerran (HT); Conor Mort for J Magee (34); Paudraig McColgan for J Dixon (57); Odhran Boyle for E McKendry (59)
Scorers: Oisin McCamphill 0-6 (2tp); D Laverty 0-1, J McAlonan 0-1
Referee: Ritchie Leahy (Moneyglass)
TO SEE MORE OF BRENDAN’S PHOTOS FROM THE GAME, CLICK ON THE LINK…..
https://myalbum.com/album/iCqzoHgU34HVSK/?invite=3c001e4e-9d32-4730-aa56-6c39d5e5d14b
