Erin’s Own Cargin's Paul McCann. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Antrim SFC semi-finals
Cargin 1-7 St Brigid's 0-7
Portglenone 1-17 Lámh Dhearg 0-9
By David Mohan
A goal from Paul McCann in the 55th minute proved decisive as Cargin maintained their bid for three Antrim football titles in-a-row as they overcame St Brigid's at Dunsilly on Sunday.
In a game that was more absorbing than thrilling, the Erin's Own men grew stronger as the game progressed to overturn a four-point deficit early in the second period to deny the Belfast side in the last for for the second year in succession.
It certainly wasn't a classic and indeed, it took 27 minutes for the game's first score as Enda Downey kicked a free for St Brigid's and added another soon after with Tomás McCann finally getting Cargin on the board with the first half in added time.
Screw from Calum and Enda Downey ensured a 0-4 to 0-1 lead at the break for St Brigid's and they were first on the board in the second half through Patrick Finnegan.
However, Cargin began to take a grip with Jamie Gribbin, Pat Shivers (free), Tomás McCann (free) and Conhuir Johnston levelling and after Enda Downey edged the city side back ahead, McCann levelled before Benen Kelly gave the champions the lead for the first time with 49 played.
A huge moment came with five minutes of normal time remaining as St Brigid's chased an equaliser into the teeth of a strong wind, but the ball was transferred quickly down the field with Kelly playing a superb pass into Paul McCann, who finished.
An Enda Downey free left a goal between them in added time, but the Cargin defence held firm to ensure they return to the final in a fortnight.
There they will meet Portglenone who put five years of semi-final heartbreak behind them as they recorded an emphatic win over Lámh Dhearg in Toome on Saturday.
Casement's grabbed a stranglehold on this game early on as Fergal O'Kane pounced on a loose pass to intercept and lay on a goal for Stephen Kelly just nine minutes in to establish a 1-2 to 0-1 lead and it was an advantage they never looked like relinquishing.
Ronan Kelly and Oisin Doherty contributed 10 points between them with Enda Lynn in fine form for the Bannsiders who finished the opening half well to land five of the last six points as they held a 1-8 to 0-5 advantage.
Paddy Cunningham kicked frees for Lámh Dhearg with Owen McKeown kicking two in a fine personal display, but they were decidedly second best throughout.
Ben Rice carried their challenge in the second period with a couple of points, but Portglenone were not about to see their dreams go up in smoke as they built upon their advantage in the second half with Ronan Kelly and Lynn on target early.
The city side lost Conor Murray to a red card having initially been shown black as their challenge unravelled.
They would finish with 13 as Rice was shown black in added time, but Portglenone were long out of sight with Kelly, Doherty, Lynn and substitute Sean Byrne on target, while Niall McKeever stood tall in defence to see their side into the final for the first time since 2009.
