Football

County champions Cargin finally shake off St John's with blistering finish

County team-mates Mick McCann and Patrick McBride during yesterday's ACFL game in Cargin Picture: Mal McCann.
County team-mates Mick McCann and Patrick McBride during yesterday's ACFL game in Cargin Picture: Mal McCann. County team-mates Mick McCann and Patrick McBride during yesterday's ACFL game in Cargin Picture: Mal McCann.

Antrim ACFL Division One: Erin’s Own Cargin 2-14 St John’s, Belfast 1-9

CHERRY pickers were born for days like these. And the tops of vans too. At the road end, a few people got a gantry view of the action while a couple of vans outside the walls of the ground proved another ideal vantage point.

And who could blame people trying to scale the resplendent Erin’s Own field to see a bit of football after such a long break without actually infringing the behind-closed-doors decree that only applies in the six counties.

The footballers of Cargin and St John’s probably breathed a huge sigh of relief to get onto a field and play a competitive game, especially with parts of neighbouring Derry racked by Covid19 fears after a number of clubs halted activities.

For three-quarters of yesterday’s Division One opener, it was nip and tuck before Cargin pulled away with a bit to spare to get their condensed campaign off to a winning start.

Conall Bovill’s 48th minute red card for a heavy hit on Cargin attacker Jamie Gribbin probably hastened the visitors’ demise with the home side rattling off 1-5 without reply in the final 10 minutes.

For the Johnnies, it was a game of moments – but they simply didn’t have enough of them to go back to west Belfast with the points.

The impressive Pat Shivers found the net in the 17th minute to put the home side 1-4 to 0-3 ahead before Domhnall Nugent found the roof of the Cargin net to tie the game 1-9 apiece on 43 minutes.

But once Bovill was dismissed it merely reaffirmed Cargin’s strong grip on proceedings, with the ageless Ciaran Close sweeping home to the Johnnies net with four minutes remaining.

Domhall Nugent got on the scoresheet for St John's but it wasn't enough to win Picture: Mal McCann.
Domhall Nugent got on the scoresheet for St John's but it wasn't enough to win Picture: Mal McCann. Domhall Nugent got on the scoresheet for St John's but it wasn't enough to win Picture: Mal McCann.

Judging by the competitive nature of this absorbing encounter it was clear the vast majority of the players on view had spent their lockdown months wisely.

Centre-back Ciaran Johnston had obviously been keeping busy, as has his St John's club-mate Conal McGlade who bagged a couple of fine points in the opening half.

Patrick McBride’s pace at centre-forward was a concern for Cargin in the opening exchanges, full-back Conor Carson made some telling interceptions as the game wore on, and Conor Johnston emerged from the visitors’ bench to waltz past three or four challenges to set up the impressive Nugent for a brilliant major.

For Cargin, Pat Shivers’ star continues to soar. He threw a brilliant dummy to nab his first score of the day just after the first water break and seconds later bagged a fine goal.

And judging by his movement and sharpness at full-forward, Tomas McCann resisted the temptation of the sofa during lockdown and the Johnnies found it equally difficult to contain his brother and midfield playmaker Michael McCann who set up umpteen Cargin attacks.

Ciaran Bradley, David Johnston and Michael Clarke also caught the eye for the county champions, all of whom got on the scoresheet.

Even though it was their first competitive match in so long, Cargin boss Damian Cassidy didn’t spare any of his players. He barracked them for making errors – or sometimes for not making a run.

You could have heard the Derryman barking instructions from The Elk Bar car-park such was his desire to get off to a winning start yesterday.

“From the time I’ve been here, Cargin have been slow starters,” Cassidy explained afterwards.

“We don’t have the time. Wee mistakes they would have made in the early stages of the League wouldn’t be a big problem but we can’t afford those now.

“You’re trying to get on top of it as fast as you can. That’s probably the first game we had where there was a bit of nipping at each other but the boys responded well to it.”

After Shivers’ goal, St John’s responded well by rattling off the next five points before Ciaran Bradley stopped the rot with his second of four points from play at wing-forward.

The water breaks in each half will take a bit of getting used to – but Cassidy understands the reasoning behind them.

“They don’t want players to be sharing bottles. From a St John’s point of view, it might have broken their momentum and it allowed us to pinpoint what was going wrong. From a coaching perspective, it’s brilliant because you can work out where you have to improve.”

Cargin’s experienced duo Kevin O’Boyle and Tomas McCann were withdrawn during yesterday’s clash after feeling niggles.

“It’s just gung-ho every Sunday now and there’s a midweek game in there too because of the time-frame, so we just have to be ready.”

Erin’s Own Cargin: S Bovill; G McCorley, J Crozier, J Laverty, D Johnston (0-1), K O’Boyle, R Gribbin (0-1); M McCann (0-1), K McShane; C Bradley (0-4), P Shivers (1-2), J Carron (0-1); J Gribbin, T McCann (0-2 frees), M Clarke (0-2) Subs: C Close (1-0) for K O’Boyle (17), R McKernan for T McCann (48), E McGrogan for Clarke (56)

St John’s: C McCloy; A Douglas, C Carson, J Bohill (0-1); R McCafferty, C Johnston, L Laverty; D Nugent (1-0), C Bohill; P Donnelly, P McBride (0-3 frees), C McEvoy (0-1); C McGlade (0-3, 0-2 marks), A McGowan (0-1), R McNulty Subs: D McKeogh for McGowan (35) C Johnston for Donnelly (35),

Please note: Substitution list incomplete due to subs not being listed

Referee: K Doherty