Ulster Minor Championship QF - Kickhams Vs Scotstown
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Ulster Minor Championship Quarter-Final
29 November 2009
AET
Kickhams Creggan 0-13
Scotstown 2-11
Creggan travelled to Shaws Road in Belfast on Sunday with spirits high and a steely determination to make up for last years disappiointment at the hands of Monaghan kingpins Scotstown. The weather was bitterly cold but the game soon sparked in to life to warm up the large travelling Creggan support.
Kickhams controlled the early exchanges from the first throw in as they flew in to a two point lead through Niall Darragh and a free from Hugh McNulty. They had Sctostown penned in to their own half but some of the shooting was erratic and the ball in to the forwards was not of its usual accurate delivery. Indeed Scotstown's first score came from a criminal 'shot that dropped short' from a Creggan forward and five passes later the ball had been planted in to the Creggan net. This was followed up with another Monaghan score to put them firmly ahead and leaving Creggan wondering how this was allowed to happen!
The Kickhams lads regrouped however from this setback and went about the business of adding scores on the board. Hugh McNulty slotted over a free after a Scotstown defender was blew for over carrying through incessant tackling from the Creggan forward line giving him nowhere to go. Damian McLarnon got his first point of the game as he fired over another place ball with his customary aplomb to tie the game up.
With the game ebbing and flowing at this stage, Creggan had a wonderful chance to stamp their authority on proceedings when McLarnon was upended in the large rectangle on the point of shooting, resulting in a penalty award. Up stepped Ricky from full back who is a no nonsense penalty taker but unfortunately their keeper saved his effort and also turned away the follow up by Ricky also.
Not letting their heads drop, the Green & Gold machine rolled on and they fired over another 3 points, one from the boot of David McGuckin and Damian claiming the other two. This finished Creggan's first half scoring as Scotstown finished the half the stronger by adding two points leaving it a one point game at the short whistle.
Half Time: Kickhams Creggan 0-07, Scotstown 1-03
Playing against the wind in the second half it was always going to be a backs to the wall 30 minutes, but once again Creggan flew out of the traps and racked up another two points from Damian McLarnon to extend the Antrim men's lead. With most of the play squeezed between the two opposing half back lines, possession of the ball was fought for with the expected tenacity of an Ulster Championship match and scores were at a premium. Two points each were traded between the sides as that man McLarnon pointed for Creggan and Aidan McKeown made a break from midfield to drive between the posts.
With Creggan up by 3 points and with about 10 minutes to play, the game should have been controlled better and the play should have been slowed down as our possession game needed to come to the fore. This did not happen though, and with the introduction of the Scotstown number 14, who was released by Wolverhampton Wanderers for this game, he was the spark that ignited their comeback as the men in blue hit 3 points in succession to level the game after 60 minutes of intense, no holds barred Ulster Championship football.
Full Time: Kickhams Creggan 0-11, Scotstown 1-08
....And so two periods of 10 minutes extra time began...and this is where Scotstown exerted themselves better. They edged themselves in front for only the second time in the game when they posted two points to claim the ascendency. Creggan forced themselves a free kick out on the right which Hugh McNulty duly executed to bring the minimum between the teams, but then disaster struck as a kick out by Oran McCann in the Creggan goals was intercepted by the Scotstown wolf who inevitably smashed the ball to the net to leave a gargantuan task ahead to salvage this game. Little blame must be attributed to Oran though as he was a more than able replacement for Declan McCann, with some superb place kicking throughout his time between the posts. He will come back from this bigger and better without a doubt.
Just before the half time whistle, Scotstown extended their lead with another insurance point to take firm control of this match for really the first time.
With a mountain to climb, Creggan battled to the last second and left everything they had out on the field but all they could muster was a second half point from Hugh McNulty, as the referee's shrill blast confirmed their exit from the Ulster Championship.
What more can be said about this group of players that hasn't already been voiced? To put it in perspective, the last team to beat this side was Scotstown, in the same competition this time last year...a full twelve months have gone without this Creggan Minor team being defeated. No team in Antrim have managed to smash the winning mentality that exists within this bunch of young men, so diligently instilled in to them by Sean McAuley, Sean McCann & John Anthony Quinn, and they deserve every plaudit that comes their way.
In danger of sounding like Lawerence Smyth, all that can be said is thanks for 2009 lads and let's hope it's the start of something special....Ciceam Abu!
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