All County Minor Football Championship - Kickhams Vs Rasharkin
All County Minor Football Championship
29July 2008
Kickhams Creggan 1-13
Rasharkin 1-06
This re-fixtured quarter final of the minor football championship was played last night in Creggan in front of a large crowd which was served up a feast of good football. It was evident that Kickhams meant business right from the start when every ball was fought for and held like their lives depended on it, typified by an early Ricky Johnston catch and burst out of defence scattering Rasharkin men everywhere to clear the ball up field. Quality!
On the score board, Creggan blitzed the visitors from the first whistle as they recorded 1-07 before Rasharkin registered their first point near the end of the first half. The home side had the advantage of a substantial breeze and they made it count with Odhran McLarnon getting the ball rolling with the opening point of the match. Cathal Small followed this up by converting free a before Odhran got on the end of a long ball in to the square to smash to the net.
Creggan were desperately unlucky not to bag another goal shortly after when Conor McCann sent a fisted effort against the crossbar; he was alert enough to gather the rebound but once again he cracked his shot off the crossbar…Big Hugh McNulty got the second rebound though and stuck it over the bar to keep the momentum going.
Odhran sent three more points between the posts, with Seamie Allen also putting one over as Creggan were totally dominating the game at this stage. Rasharkin had a purple patch near the end of the half when they finally got on the score sheet by kicking over four frees to keep them in the match. They also had a goal disallowed which in fairness seemed harsh as Declan had his clearance blocked in to the net, but the referee seen something which he deemed to be illegal and disallowed the effort.
Odhran had the final say of the half by slotting over another point to leave the score at the interval Kickhams 1-08, Rasharkin 0-04.
The second half scoring was not as frequent as the first but different attributes of strength, discipline and determination were to the fore from the young Creggan lads as Rasharkin tried by all means necessary to get back in to this game. Not a bother though as this side is more than capable of mixing it…no danger!
Creggan got the opening two points of the second period, one from the boot of Cathal Small who converted a free and the other from Odhran who also scored a free. In fact all Creggan’s second half scores came from place balls as the Rasharkin defence couldn’t handle the movement and skill and they repeatedly fouled the Creggan forwards. This was easy pickings for Odhran who was on great kicking form and pinged every one of his opportunities over the bar.
Rasharkin mustered up a goal and two points in the second half with Creggan recording five points in total to run out seven point winners.
A number of unsavoury incidents occurred in the second half which were unfortunate to put it mildly. Young Martin Johnston was on the receiving end of an extremely high and dangerous elbow to the head which resulted in him being unable to finish the match with blood coming from his face. We hope Martin is ok and back to his best soon. Big brother Rickey seemed to take particular offence to the challenge which was not surprising!
Another U16, Conor McCann received his marching orders late on after it appeared that he got punched in the head, so it is unclear where his misdemeanour occurred to warrant a sending off….maybe it might become clear later on though.
Anyway, to finish on a positive note, the Minors played to their full potential last night, displaying all the characteristics needed to win championship matches, and when they do that they are more than a match for any team in this county. Who knows where they could end up…..
View Gallery