Fixtures & Results 2013 - ACHL Div 3

Kickhams Creggan travelled to St.Mary’s Rasharkin in Round 8 of the All County Hurling League Division Three on Wednesday past. At the start of this tie both these sides were well matched, as each had won two and lost four, Rasharkin had a slender advantage on the league table following their draw with Naomh Colum Cille but victory this evening would give the winning side superior placing in the third division. Following the reshuffle in the county hurling leagues at the start of this year both these sides found themselves, as they were, playing in the third tier. Both teams shared the spoils at the Staffordstown arena in the league last year with the Loughshore men finishing substantial winners at Dreen later in July.

St Mary’s Ahoghill clubman Harry Graham was on the whistle for this all South West clash. 

St Mary’s settled into the fixture first as the sun beat down on the well groomed pitch on the Townhill Road.  Two points in the opening two minutes from Enda McFerran and Daniel Hasson saw the homeside get into the groove right from the off. Creggan’s midfielder Sam Maguire intercepted a cross field pass on the third minute and following quick ball into the forward line to Conor McCann the visitors opened their account when McCann split the posts from forty five yards.  Rasharkin’s midfielder Thomas McMullan extended Rasharkin’s advantage following good supply from Kevin Agnew after five minutes before Kickhams then picked up momentum to come from behind to lead by two after eleven minutes, two pointed frees from Odhran McCann, who worked tirelessly throughout the fixture and two from the stick of Frank McAuley.  However, back came the Dreen men midway through the first half, Enda McFerran cleverly laid a ball into the path of Daniel Hasson who slipped his marker and returned the sliotar over the bar to reduce the arrears to the minimum. 

Rasharkin’s Aidan Darragh and Creggan’s Odhran McCann traded points both from the set piece as Harry Graham awarded both teams for untimely challenges.  Kickhams wing half forward Kevin Rice, whose support play was notable, got his name onto the score sheet after twenty minutes.  He received an excellent pass from Benny Maguire who had intercepted a Rasharkin attack. This score provoked an instant reaction from the homeside who went on to score three unanswered points to come from behind and lead by one. The first came from the stick of Enda McFerran, the second was a goal shot by Adrian Scullion expertly tipped over the bar by Creggan net minder Brendan Prenter and the third a sublime score from Conor McKeever, who was having a good day at the office. McKeever fielded possession deep in his own half, soled forward and drilled the ball between the stick from over eighty yards much to the delight of the home crowd.  The pendulum then swung in the way of the Loughshore side who went on to score three themselves unanswered before the half.  The first from Thomas McCann and the latter two pointed frees both scored by Odhran McCann who stepped up to the mark as Conor McCann was proving to be too hard to handle in the Creggan attack. Half time score St Mary’s Rasharkin 0-8 - Kickhams Creggan 0-10.

Both management teams reshuffled things at the start of the second half in an attempt to gain advantage - Rasharkin’s Declan McKay, who started full forward, found himself in centre field as a similar move was made by the Creggan manager Thomas McCann, as Sam Maguire took up operations at the edge of the square.  The visitors increased their two point advantage by a further two following early scores by Frank McAuley and James Dougan before Rasharkin’s skill-laiden wing half forward Enda McFerran bagged a goal that would have graced Croke Park after five minutes. St Mary’s corner back Paul McMullan cut out a Creggan attack and led the challenge, he delivered a perfect ball to McFerran who weaved through the Creggan rearguard and dispatched a rasper beyond Brendan Prenter to reduce arrears to a single point.  However, disaster was on the way for the homeside by way of three green flags from Creggan in as many minutes.  The first a well dispatched penalty by top marksman Conor McCann, who was proving to be a menace up front. The second a minute later by Kevin Rice from range and the third from Conleith McGranaghan saw the homeside on the ropes.  Credit must go to the young Rasharkin’s net minder Conor McFerran, who had a busy opening to the second half.  He couldn’t do much about the three goals and did get a touch to McGranaghan shot only to push it into the roof of the net. 

The homeside fought back with three points and a goal but the damage was evident, two points from Aidan Darragh and one from second half substitute Damien McGaughey before a goal by Enda McFerran reducing arrears to four points.  This revival was quickly thwarted in the following five minutes with two pointed frees from Odhran McCann, a well taken point from range by Sam Maguire and a second goal from Conor McCann, his sides’ fourth.  Rasharkin deserve much credit for their part in this epic battle and scored an exceptional goal through Aidan Darragh from an acute angle after a neat through ball by Brendan McMullan who lead proceedings for Rasharkin.  The game belonged to the Creggan outfit who played outstanding passages of hurling throughout the hour, they worked hard for each other and their movement off the ball reflected a well drilled team, in the end were deserving winners. 

The sizeable crowd at Dreen got value for money as both teams deserve recognition for a high scoring epic battle.  Full time score St Mary’s Rasharkin 3-16 – Kickhams Creggan 4-17.

St.Mary’s Rasharkin: Conor McFerran, Daniel McKay, Joey Quinn, Paul McMullan, Conor McKeever, Bimbo McMullan, Kieran Kelly, Conor Donaghy and Thomas McMullan, Aidan Darragh, Kevin Agnew, Enda McFerran, Adrian Scullion, Declan McKay and Daniel Hasson.

Subs: Damien McGaughey and Donagh Quigg

Kickhams Creggan: Brendan Prenter, Seamus Og Dougan, Aidan Maguire, Dominic Totten, Benny Maguire, Aidan McKeown, Tony Kelly, Thomas McCann and Sam Maguire, Kevin Rice, Odhran McCann, Conleth McGranaghan, Frank McAuley, James Dougan and Conor McCann.

Subs: Declan McCann and Conal McLernon

Referee: Harry Graham (St.Mary’s Ahoghill)