Kickhams GAC Creggan 1-12 St Mary's Aghagallon 0-07
The long wait is over for Kickham's, Creggan as they claimed their first Antrim Senior Football Championship title since 1954 with a dominant victory over St Mary's, Aghagallon at Corrigan Park on Sunday afternoon.
Having lost two of the past three deciders, the question was whether Creggan could cope with the tag of favourites against Aghagallon who were contesting the first senior decider in the club's history.
They did so, dominating the game and even though a late Sam Maguire goal put a gloss on the scoreboard, it in no was flattered the victors.
This game took a little while to settle with both teams trying to adapt to the wet conditions as as steady drizzle fell, but it was Creggan who just seemed to have a bit more purpose and were first on the board when Matthew Rodgers brilliantly took a mark and his shot was even better from out on the right.
Rodgers then added another from play, while Ruairi McCann kicked a free and then Kevin Small fired over a great score from range.
Aghagallon just couldn't get anything going in attack as they were being turned over much too easily and it took a 45 from goalkeeper Luke Mulholland to get them off the mark on 14 minutes, but a Jamie McCann free at the other end put four between them once more at the water break.
.@KickhamsCreggan ARE ANTRIM SFC CHAMPIONS🏆 pic.twitter.com/7aRWulNemM
— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) November 14, 2021
A Gareth Magee free brought Aghagallon to within three again, but this would be their last score of the half as Rodgers kicked his third of the day and Ruairi McCann added another from a free to leave it 0-7 to 0-2 at the break.
Creggan continued to hold the upper hand in the second period with Martin Johnston finding himself in acres of space to score four minutes in with Kevin Small and Ruairi McCann adding another two, while Aghagallon added just two pointed frees from Magee in the third quarter as their struggles in attack continued.
Small played Tiernan McAteer in for a point to push the gap out to seven before Aghagallon finally got their first and ultimately only score from play through Adam Loughran on 51 minuets.
The St Mary's men really needed goals and began to go a little more direct.
This approach began to see opportunities arrive with Magee played in but his off-balance shot came off the outside of the post and wide, while Ruairi McCann rose well to fetch, but his poked effort was blocked.
Aghagallon did get to within four through two Magee frees, but really needed one of those goal chances to go in, yet were seemingly boosted when Creggan's Martin Johnston was black-carded late on.
However, almost immediately from a Creggan kick-out, Aghagallon goalkeeper Luke Mulholland got caught out at midfield.
With nobody minding the house, the ball was pumped long with Maguire lashing it into the open net two minutes into stoppage time to put this game to bed as Creggan put recent heartbreak behind them to claim the Padraig McNamee Cup for the first time in 67 years.
Creggan: Oisin Kerr; Ethan Carey-Small, Ricky Johnston, Eunan McAteer; Aidan Maguire, Martin Johnston (0-01), Jamie McCann (0-02, both frees); Kevin Small (0-02), Conor McCann; Tiernan McAteer (0-01), Paddy Coey, Sean Duffin; Matthew Rodgers (0-3, 1 mark), Ruairi McCann (0-03, all frees), Odhran McLarnon.
Subs: Conor McCann for Sean Duffin (45), Kevin Rice for Matthew Rodgers (48), Fintan Burke for Odhran McLarnon (55), Sam Maguire (1-00) for Tiernan McAteer (60+1), Tommy McCann for Paddy Coey (60+4)
Aghagallon: Luke Mulholland (0-01 45); Pat Brannigan, Daniel Donnelly, Aidan Mulholland; Daryl McAlernon, Ryan O'Neill, Jamie Lamont; David McAlernon, Jack Lenehan; Eunan Walsh, Adam Loughran (0-01), Marc McAfee; Gareth Magee (0-05, all frees), Ruairi McCann, Conleth McAlinden.
Subs: Oisin Lenehan for Conleth McAlinden (26), Paul Mulholland for Aidan Mulholland (44), Pauric Maginnis for Mark McAfee (49)
Referee: Colm McDonald (St Gall's)
