McCormick Cup Semi Final - Kickhams Vs Rasharkin
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
McCormick Cup semi Final
16 April 2008
Kickhams Creggan 2-15
Rasharkin 1-11
After defeating Moneyglass in the previous round by the narrowest of margins, Creggan were presented with an even tougher test in the semi final against Division 4 side Rasharkin. Rasharkin would have fancied themselves to make the final spot but they hadn't considered that this Creggan side can actually play fluent, attractive football and also stand up for themselves and dig deep when up against it.
On a bitter cold and windy Ahoghill pitch, Rasharkin benefited with the breeze at their backs in the first half and registered the first point of the game in the first minute. This woke the Creggan lads up who unleashed a 10 minute blitz of goals and points to stun Rasharkin. Thomas McCann and Michael Maguire got the points with Lee Martin and Sam Maguire providing the goals. Rasharkin responded briefly by clawing back two points but this was negated and added to by Lee Martin, Thomas McCann and Danny Maguire from midfield who all raised white flags.
This seemed to provide a wake up call to the Division 4 side who up until now weren't making the full use of their wind advantage and also who hadn't taken this Creggan team seriously. That said they rattled over 5 points without reply to make a serious dent into Creggan's lead. Just before the half time whistle blew though, Lee Martin slotted over a minor score to make it Kickhams 2-6 Rasharkin 0-8.
The second half started with Creggan gaining the wind advantage but this didn't stop Rasharkin racing out of the blocks to kick over an immediate point. In a repeat of the first half though Thomas McCann and Michael Maguire responed for Creggan with points apiece. The scoring became tit-for-tat with Danny Maguuire claiming his second score of the evening and younger brother Michael also registering. Back came Rasharkin though and they put the ball to the net and in doing so reduce the game to 2 points.
This was the turning point of the game as it would show what this Creggan side were made of. All too often in the past they would have wilted and been brushed aside in the last 10 minutes to end up losing the game...but not this bunch of lads. With hard graft, bitter determinataion and against robust challenges allied with baffling referee decisions the team re-grouped and fired over 5 unanswered points and had a penalty saved, to see out the game and advance to the final. The point scorers were 2 each from Thomas McCann and Terence McKeown, with a Lee Martin effort sandwiched in between.
A fantastic result for this reserve team who will not care who they meet in the final such is their early season confidence. Best for Creggan were Sam Maguire in attack, Olly Duffin at midfield and Sean McLarnon and Aidan Maguire in defence.
Kickhams Team - Peter Graham, Paul Russell, Sean McLarnon, Michael Dougan, Aidan Maguire, Ronan McAuley, Enda Maguire, Olly Duffin (Capt.(stand-in)) Danny Maguire (0-2), Sam Maguire (1-0), Seamus Allen, Micheal Maguire (0-3), Lee Martin (1-3), Terence McKeown (0-2), Thomas McCann (0-5).
Subs used: Benny Maguire.
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