Ulster Football Club Championship, quarter-final (AET)
Kickham's, Creggan (Antrim) 0-17 Clann Éireann (Armagh) 2-14
CLANN Éireann recovered from a slow start to eventually emerge from Sunday's epic Ulster Club Football Championship at quarter-final at Corrigan Park with Daniel Magee's goal in extra-time proving crucial to defeat Antra champions, Kickham's, Creggan.
This was a game that looked to be going the way of the Antrim outfit for long periods of normal time as they led by seven early in the second half, but the Armagh champions responded brilliantly to get on terms heading into the final quarter and when it seemed that Creggan had weathered the storm to lead by two in stoppage time, Clann Éireann held their nerve to find the scores to force extra-time where they just seemed to have that bit extra in the tank to prevail.
While Clann Éireann were the first to get off the mark through Aodhan McConville two minutes in, it would be 27 long minutes before they troubled the scoreboard again.
In that time, Creggan had landed seven scores with the impressive Kevin Small levelling and then went ahead through Odhran McLarnon after a patient build-up that began with one of countless turnovers from the Antrim side.
An Aidan Maguire point after claiming a mark had them two up at the water break and they pushed on in the second quarter, forcing countless turnovers that set up scores for Tiernan McAteer (two), Paddy Coey and another beauty from Martin Johnston on the right wing.
Adam Kelly is crowded out by Creggan challenges
Daniel Magee finally ended the Clann Éireann barren spell a minute before the break, but it was the Antrim champions who had the final say of the half as Oisin Kerr's sublime restart found Kevin Small at midfield and he advanced into a scoing position to finish and leave his side 0-8 to 0-2 ahead at the break.
When Kevin Small extended the gap to seven early in the second period, it seemed Creggan were well on their way, but suddenly Clann Éireann clicked into life with their high press paying off as Conor Turbitt kicked a free and then slung over from play on the left.
Ruairi McDonald and Tiernan Kelly pointed after Creggan's Oisin Kerr made a point-blank save from Ryan Henderson, but the goal for Clann Éireann was coming and duly arrived just before the water break as Ruairi McDonald was put in on the left and produced a fine low finish to level the game at 0-9 to 1-6.
The break helped the Antrim side reorganise and they found their feet again with pointed frees from Ruairi McCann and Jamie McCann.
Daniel Magee pulled one back for Clann Éireann in the final minute of normal time, but Ruairi McCann appeared to have sealed it for Creggan from a 45.
There was still time for a dramatic finish and Martin Johnston's attempted pass out from the back was intercepted by Oran McCafferty who played an inviting ball into McDonald who just had to palm home, but he somehow put it over.
That seemed to be that, but there was one more play with Clann Éireann winning a free and from 50 metres out, Tiernan Kelly held his nerve to score and send the game into extra-time.
Ruairi McDonald looks on as his late palmed effort drops over, rather than under the bar
The sides continued to slug it out in the first period, swapping two scores apiece before the key moment arrived eight minutes in whenJack Conlon showed fantastic vision to play a defence-splitting pass into the path of Magee who skipped clear and drilled low past Kerr.
Points from Small and Dominic McAteer either side of the change of ends brought the gap back to one, but Clann Éireann just seemed to have the extra bit of energy and Conor McConville and Conlon pointed to leave that goal between them.
A Ruairi McCann free left two in it again, but Magee responded immediately to leave Creggan chasing an equalising goal that came down to McCann lobbing a 45 towards goal in stoppage time, but the ball went wide off a Creggan fist as Clann Éireann held onto book a semi-final against Derrygonnelly.
CREGGAN: O Kerr; E Carey-Small, R Johnston, E McAteer; A Maguire (0-1), M Johnston (0-1), J McCann (0-1f); K Small (0-4), Conor McCann; T McAteer (0-2), P Coey (0-1), R McCann (0-04, 2f, 1 45); M Rodgers, S Duffin, O McLarnon (0-1).
Subs: C McCann (captain) for S Duffin (45), K Rice for P Coey (45), F Burke (0-1) for Conor McCann (49), S Maguire for A Maguire (50), D McAteer (0-1) for M Rodgers (59)
ET subs: K McCann for E Carey-Small (7), T McCann for J McCann (7), K Burke for M Johnston (16)
CLANN ÉIREANN: E Mulholland; C McCarroll, B McCambridge, D Leatham; S McCarthy, S Heffron, A Kelly; C Bell, T Kelly; D Magee, R Henderson, C McConville; D McCarthy, C Turbitt, A McConville.
Subs: R McDonald for A McConville (HT), J Conlon for D McCarthy (40), O McCafferty for C Bell (56)
ET subs: O Downey for S McCarthy (15), J McLaughlin for D Magee (20+2).
REFREEE: Paul Falloon (Down)
