All County U21 Football Championship - Kickhams Vs Lamh Dearg
All County U21 Football Championship - Preliminary Round
9 May 2008
Kickhams Creggan 0-20
Lamh Dearg 1-13
Creggan defeated Lamh Dearg after extra time in the preliminary round of the U21 Championship at home. It was a thoroughly exciting match the whole way through and the home side were more determined to see it over line and claim victory than the men from Hannahstown.
In what was an overcast but very muggy evening, Lamh Dearg got the first score on the board in the first minute with a point. Creggan got in to their stride though with five unanswered points in a row between the 5th and 13th minutes. Lee Martin claiming the equaliser, Odhran Mclarnon claimed a brace, Tommy McCann knocked over a free and Odhran also pointed a free to leave it 05 to 0-1.
The rest of the half was a tale of free taking. Lamh Dearg hit back with two pointed frees to reduce the arrears, but Odhran answered this with a pointed free of his own for Creggan in the 22nd minute to keep their noses in front. In the 25th minute the visitors recorded another point from a free but the last score of the half was from the boot of that man Odhran McLarnon again who duly responded in kind with another place ball. So at half time it was Kickhams 0-07 Lamh Dearg 0-04.
In to the second half and it was the men from Hannahstown who come out the more determined when they raised the white flag twice in a row to leave just the minimum scores between the sides. Sam Maguire settled the home nerves with a great score in the 38th minute and this was quickly followed by a Dermot McCann point in the 40th minute to put the Green & Gold men three up.
Disaster though was soon to follow when Lamh Dearg found the net to pull themselves level and right back in this game. Indeed they got the next score as well to lead the match and their tails were certainly up at this stage. Lee Martin squared things up a minute later when he popped over a point, but Lamh Dearg split the posts themselves to retake take the lead.
This was cancelled out by a Seamie Allen score and combined with a place ball score from Lee Martin, Creggan inched ahead with 4 minutes left on the clock. There was still time for more action though. Lamh’s punished some ill-discipline in the home defence by winning and converting a free to tie it all up once again. Kickhams thought they won it when Lee Martin fired over another point but right at the death the Red Hands converted another free to bring the game in to extra time.
Extra time turned out to be the Lee Martin show as he was on fire tonight. He set the tone with another point to add to his personal haul, but Odhran McLarnon, who was not to be outdone, blazed one over the crossbar himself to put Creggan 2 points up. Lamh dearg responded to this by pointing in the 5th minute but that lad Lee finished the first period of ET with another minor score.
The home side extended their advantage in the second period to five when they sent over 3 unanswered points; a Tommy McCann free sandwiched between guess who’s points? Yep Lee Martin.
The Lamh’s tried to come back and stem the flow a little by registering a point of their own but Lee was having none of that when he split the timbers one final time.
That ended Kickhams scoring for the evening, and all that was left was for referee Padraig Mullan to sound the whistle and send the Creggan lads through to the next round.
This was a great victory from this team and it was the never say die attitude coupled with some neat football that was the most pleasing aspect of the nights work. Well done men and good luck in the next round.
Kickhams Team – Peter Graham, Michael Dougan (Aidan Maguire), Sean McLarnon, Declan Smyth, Paul Russell (Fergal McGrenahan), Caolan McCann (Hugh McNulty), Paul Nelson, Dermot McCann (0-01), Seamus Allen (0-01), Paddy McAuley, Sam Maguire (0-01), Thomas McCann (0-02), Lee Martin (0-09), Odhran McLarnon (0-06), Cathal Small.View Gallery