Naomh Brid had to settle for a point from their visit to Creggan on Monday evening as they were eventually reeled in by their resilient hosts. A solitary point — and a disputed one at that— from the final 25 minutes play was stark evidence of how the tide had turned against the Malone side after their whirlwind start.
Creggan may have opened the scoring with a converted free almost from the throw-in, but the first quarter belonged to the away side for whom Loughrey shone brightest, showing no signs of fatigue after Saturday night’s NFL Div 3 decider. Cunningham levelled up on two minutes to herald an excellent spell for the Malone boys. Loughrey operating on the 40 was at the centre of a series of incisive attacks that reaped rich dividends. He won a free converted by Cunningham and on nine minutes finished expertly to the net in a sweeping move involving Sherry, Sweeney and O’Hagan. His marauding runs contined to wreak havoc in the Creggan defence as he notched two smartly fisted points with McGrady and O’Hagan the suppliers.
There seemed little grounds for optimism for the home suport at the mid way point of the half but Creggan were gifted an unlikely goal from a rare attack on 17 minutes when McSorley’s attempt to save a point was spilled in the sunlight resulting in an easy tap-in. Lifted by this fillip the lough shore men’s form improved as they battled back with a point from a short pass from a 45. Loughrey, who was assuming more than his fair share of responsibility in attack, restored the goal advantage on 27 minutes linking up with O’Neill and Cunningham, but Creggan were gifted a 13 metre free on the whistle to leave just two points between the sides.
Half time: Creggan 1-3 Naomh Brid 1-5
Naomh Brid started the second period brightly as Loughrey, O’Neill and Cunningham combined to set up the overlapping O’Hagan for a fine score. O’Hagan then turned provider as Taylor, a half time sub, fired over the bar. Loughrey then bought another free, after a fine catch and pass by Sweeney, which Cunningham converted on 37 minutes. With a healthy five point lead restored in a fairly low scoring game, the omens seemed good. But that was not accounting for the fact that Naomh Brid’s scoring was all but done for the day with 25 minutes remaining. Dermot McCann began to clean up in midfield, all but ending any supply to the dangerman Loughrey as Creggan made the running. The pressure told as they latched onto a half block from O’Hagan’s clearance for a point and then on 48 minutes Ronney’s cross-field pass out of defence was intercepted and promtly dispatched to the net reducing the margin to a single point. Despite some wayward shooting, the equalizer on 53 minutes was almost inevitable as the chances mounted. There was considerably less traffic at the other end although Ronney and O’Neil did make amends after passing up scoring opportunities by combining to set up Cunningham for a lofty score on 59 minutes which split the umpires in opinion. That score would have been more controversial had it turned out to be the winner, but a loose McGuckian pass provided Creggan with their final attack and point, so earning a draw, which was probably the least they deserved from the match.
Full time: Creggan 2-6 Naomh Brid 1-9
Team: W McSorley, B Reilly, A Christie, B Synott, M Rooney, D O’Hagan (0-1), B McMahon (J McKeever), R Smyth, M Donnelly (C Taylor (0-1)), F Sherry (J McGuckian), J Loughrey (1-3), M Sweeney, R O’Neill, N Cunningham (0-4), C McGrady (C McCann)
