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Cargin ‘Own’ this year’s Top Four

 

Erins Own Cargin 1-09 St John’s 0-08

 

In what was a hard fought and highly entertaining Top Four final it was the visitors and county finalists Cargin who won through with 4 points to spare. The men from Toomebridge can thank their Ulster and county representatives for the winning margin in Sundays final.

 

The boys from the Derry boarder opened the scoring not long after the start with a Tomas McCann free. St John’s came back into the game and in a ragged opening 10 minutes they had a few chances for scores but were unfortunate to leave the scoreboard operator redundant as Anto Press among others watched a few chances tail off wide. Enda McGrogan in corner forward was doing his best to trouble what looked like a steady full back line and it was he who got the second score of the game. Unfortunately for the Johnnies it was the umpire with the green flag who was in action as Cargin eventually opened up a 1-02 to no score lead after another Tomas McCann free.

 

This five point deficit seemed to kick the home side into action and in the next 10 minutes they responded by putting three points on the board through a Liam Boyle free and points from play from Simon McDonagh and Adrian Oliver who started this week at centre forward. James Curran responded with a fisted point as the county finalists once again tried to take control although the half finished with a missed free from both sides and one from play from the always dangerous McCann.  Kevin McGlinchey did respond for the Johnnies to leave the half time score in Cargin’s favour 1-04 to 0-04.

 

The second half was much of the same for the sizeable support on the hill and again it was wing forward James Curran in the green who put four in it with another clever fisted effort. Michael McCann eventually got himself on the score sheet after plenty of effort in the midfield sector although this was quickly cancelled out by his direct opponent Stephen Millar who got St John’s first point of the half after good work by his half forward line. The ever dangerous and highly impressive Tomas McCann got his fourth point of the game to make it 1-07 to 0-05 after a fine pass from his county teammate Justin Crozier in what was turning out to be a man of the match performance from the UUJ student.

 

St John’s once again seemed to find a higher gear when they were most under pressure and responded with scores from centre back Gareth Clarke and the evergreen Enda McKenna who had come on as a second half substitute. However the reliable Tomas McCann split the posts once again from a dead ball before Adrian Oliver pointed the home side’s last score of the game after some truly dogged work in the St John’s defence. The Cargin men were at this stage coming under some great pressure from St John’s and were glad when sub Mark Kelly popped up to make it four points and more importantly two scores difference in their favour. Despite some late chances from both sides referee Padraig Mullan called a halt to the proceedings as Conal McGlade kicked the last wide of the game.

 

In what was an entertaining and typically tense and tight affair between the two division one sides the score was a fair reflection of the difference in calibre. St John’s fought hard and showed plenty of potential that says they may have a sharp bite in them later in the year but will mainly be thankful to a full back line manned well by Aaron Douglas and Ciaran McCurdy for the low scores.

 

In man of the match Tomas McCann the Toombridge side had an ace in the pack who looked every bit the county player and showed that the early season Sigerson Cup had him in fine form. Along with his elder brother Michael and county colleague Justin Crozier they showed their true ability and upon St Galls’ return to domestic duty will no doubt be waiting to capitalise on the long season of the Milltown men.

 

St John’s:

Paddy Nugent, Kevin Cunningham, Aaron Douglas, Ciaran McCurdy, Kevin Kennedy, Gareth Clarke 0-01, David McGarrity, Stephen Millar 0-01, Kevin McGlinchey 0-01, Pearse Donnelly, Adrian Oliver 0-02, Anto Press, Fra McCrudden, Simon McDonagh 0-01, Liam Boyle 0-01.

Subs: Enda McKenna for Boyle; Paul Gribben for McCrudden; Conal McGlade for McGlinchey

 

Erins Own Cargin (scorers):

Tomas McCann 0-05; Enda McGrogan 1-00; James Curran 0-02; Michael McCann 0-01; Mark Kelly 0-01

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