Antrim Senior Football Championship semi-final: Erin's Own, Cargin 2-13 Creggan Kickham's 1-7
THIS Antrim Senior Football Championship semi final clash between Parish rivals Cargin and Creggan at Ahoghill had to be delayed for some 15 minutes due to crowd congestion. And for those from the Toome area, the wait was all worthwhile as the Erin's Own men turned on another powerful display to send their neighbours home empty handed for the third time this season.
Indeed, had Creggan not converted a 20th minute penalty, they could well have been in a dreadful place at the interval but still had a glimmer of hope as they trailed by just six points, 1-1 to 1-7.
Cargin, it must be said, dominated for most of the half and were five to the good at the end of the first quarter. Michael McCann, Justin Crozier and Ciaran Close had them three up after five minutes and when Kickham's Conor Small and Mark Dougan missed chances, the Toome side went further in front.
Close picked up his second in the 12th minute and Tomas McCann pointed a free as the opposition huffed and puffed but failed to produce scores.
Their opener came from midfielder Aiden McKeown on the 20-minute mark, after Dougan had missed another chance, with a lifeline tossed their way two minutes later. Conor Small was impeded by Donagh McKeever with David McGuckin tasked to take the spot kick.
His first attempt was fisted away by Colm O’Reilly but the rebound fell his way and he made no mistake the second time around.
Undeterred, Cargin came back shooting from the hip. Michael McCann was on target a minute later, Oisin Kerr was called on to deny Paul McCann before Tomas McCann knocked over their seventh point.
Their domination was rewarded with a late goal. Crozier set up corner forward Michael Magill who rounded his marker and blasted to the net for a well deserved six-point advantage.
Despite a spirited start from Kickham's when Small and Dougan converted early frees, their cause became a hopeless one when corner back Donagh McKeever got Cargin's second goal after six minutes of the second half.
Before he made his run forward, Ciaran Close and Paul McCann had wiped out Creggan's early points. In an obvious attempt to make up for his earlier penalty 'sin', McKeever started a four-man move which tore Creggan asunder. Carron picked up McKeever's pass, moved it on to Close who brought young Ryan McKernan into the move. His pin-point delivery gave McKeever his chance and he slotted the ball home from the left hand side for a class goal.
Another burst from Creggan saw Dougan, Oran McCann, and two from young Small give them some satisfaction but they never came close to upsetting a strong well drilled Erin's Own outfit.
They finished in a flurry with a four-point bombardment in which Magill, Close, Tomas McCann and substitute Oran McAuley all had a say.
Fifteen scores against eight, eight scorers against five, and two goals against a penalty effort just about sums up Cargin's superiority as they return to contest yet another county final.
Scorers:
Cargin: C.Close (0-4), T.McCann (0-3), M.McCann (0-2),M.Magill (1-1), D.McKeever (1-0) and points each from J.Crozier, P.McCann and O.McAuley.
Creggan: C.Small (0-3), M.Dougan (0-2), D.McGuckin (1-0), A McKeown and O.McCann (0-1) each.
