Gaelic Games

Antrim SFC Final: Cargin power home in extra-time to take an 11th senior title

McCann brothers to the fore in tough conditions in Belfast

Cargin’s captain James Laverty and the team celebrate their win in the Antrim SFC Final over St Mary’s, Aghagallon at Corrigan Park in Belfast. Photograph: Declan Roughan/Inpho
Cargin’s captain James Laverty and the team celebrate their win in the Antrim SFC Final over St Mary’s, Aghagallon at Corrigan Park in Belfast. Photograph: Declan Roughan/Inpho
Sun Oct 09 2022 - 18:34

Cargin 1-18 Aghagallon 3-9

On the wet dirty days of championship finals, experience counts for everything and it was no different at Corrigan Park on Sunday afternoon as Cargin hit the front in the second period of extra-time against an exhausted St Mary’s, Aghagallon side to win their 11th Antrim senior title.

Aghagallon had never won a senior title and were in the decider last year. They went eight points up at the start of the second half after Ruairí McCann hit his second goal.

However, a strong comeback from Cargin, led by the McCann brothers Mick and Tomás ensured they could take the game to extra-time as the rain fell heavy. A strong breeze also ensured that most of the scoring was done at one end, and this fell in Cargin’s favour with conditions matching momentum.

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Aghagallon went in at the break a point up, but four unanswered points from Cargin ensured that the cup would be coming back down to the shores of Lough Neagh yet again.

CARGIN: J McNabb (0-2, two 45s); K O’Boyle, J Crozier, C Donnelly; J Carron, J Laverty (0-1), S O’Neill (0-1); R Gribbin, G McCann; C Bradley, J Gribbin (0-1), P McCann (0-1); P Shivers (0-5, one free), M McCann (1-0), T McCann (0-5, five frees)

Subs: B Kelly (0-2), for O’Neill (16 mins), S O’Neill for R Gribbin (37), M Kelly for M McCann (61), B Laverty for C Donnelly (e-t, 8), K McShane for Kelly (e-t, 13), D Johnston for B Kelly (e-t, 16).

AGHAGALLON: D O’Hagan; D Donnelly, J Lamont, P Mulholland; C Magennis, P Branagan, Daryl McAlernon; O Lenehan (0-1); J Lenehan; E Walsh, A Loughran (1-0), M McAfee; G Magee (0-6, four frees), R McCann (2-1, one mark), J Hannon

Subs: Davy McAlernon for Daryl McAlernon, P Gowdy for Hannon (both h-t) E McCartan for P Gowdy (41 mins), P Magennis (0-1) for McAfee (51), S Devlin for Mulholland (e-t, 17), N McShane for P Branagan (e-t, 20).

Referee: Conall Roberts (St John’s).