AIB Ulster Club Senior Football Championship

Erin's Own, Cargin 2-13 Naomh Conall, Glenties 2-13 (AET Cargin win 4-1 on penalties)

By David Mohan at Corrigan Park

IT took a penalty shootout after an epic 80-plus minutes of football at Corrigan Park, but Antrim champions Cargin held their nerve to score the club's first-ever win in Ulster at the expense of Donegal's Naomh Conall on Sunday.

Twice the Antrim champions had Kevin McShane to thank, firstly when getting a touch to the net with the last act of normal time to rescue a draw and again at the end of extra-time with an audacious score to force the spot-kicks.

The Glenties men will be wondering just how they lost out having seemed to have the game won on a couple of occasions, but Cargin just refused to lose, furled by past disappointments on the provincial stage.

The first half of this game gave little indication of the drama to come as Naomh Conall - aided by the wind - led 0-6 to 0-3 at the break with their best on the day, Jeaic Mac Ceallbhuí, prominent, while Cargin seemed to get a little bit of luck as a Michael McCann shot that appeared to have tailed wide given as a score - perhaps it was going to be their day.

But then Cargin seemed to gather a head of steam, rattling off three points on the spin through Jamie Gribbin, Pat Shivers and Tomás McCann and after an exchange of points, they seemed to be in a healthy position with Naomh Conaill's Keelan McGill black-carded on 49 minutes.

But thence what seems a big moment as the Glenties men broke for the kick-out with Odhran Doherty racing clear and he had support, picking out John O'Malley to find the net.

That goal separated the sides deep in stoppage time as McGuinness then also saw black, but with the last play of the game from a 45, Michel McCann went short to brother Tomás who dropped in an inviting ball with Kevin McShane getting the loch to the net to force extra-time with the sides locked on 1-9.

Naomh Conall made the better start in the added period with Dermott Molloy kicking a point before Eunan Doherty broke along the left and squared for Kieran Gallagher to palm to the net.

Cargin responded with Kieran Close squaring to Sean O'Neill whose palmed effort was tipped over for a point, but in similar fashion, Kevin O'Boyle played Michael McCann in on the right and this time Close was on the end of the pass to finish and leave it 2-10 apiece at the change of ends.

They continued to slug it out, going point for point and Naomh Conall thought they had won it with Mac Ceallbhuí fisting over as the clock struck 20, but there was one more play and again it was McShane the Cargin hero, kicking a point from the tightest of angles for force penalties.

It was the Antrim men who held their nerve in the shootout with Michael McCann, Tomás McCann and Pat Shivers on target, whilst Charles McGuinness was the only Naomh Conaill man to find then net as John McNabb thwarted Ciaran Thompson and Dermott Molloy, leaving Cahir Donnelly to net and send Cargin in to the semi-final.

Scorers for Cargin: Kevin McShane 1-1, Kieran Close 1-1, Pat Shivers 0-3, Tomás McCann 0-2, Michael McCann 0-1, Cahir Donnelly 0-1, Jamie Gribbin 0-1, John McNabb 0-1 (free), Sean O'Neill 0-1, Eunan Quinn 0-1

Scorers for Naomh Conall: Jeaic Mac Ceallbhuí 0-5,Kieran Gallagher 1-1, John O'Malley 1-0, Charles McGuinness 0-2 (frees), Ciaran Thompson 0-2 (frees), Leo McLoone 0-1, Kevin McGettigan 0-1, Dermott Molloy 0-1

CARGIN: John McNabb; Kevin O'Boyle, Justin Crozier, Cahir Donnelly; Kevin McShane, James Laverty, Sean O'Neill; John Carron Gerard McCann; Ciaran Bradley, Jamie Gribbin, Paul McCann; Michael McCann, Pat Shivers, Tomás McCann.

Subs: Mark Kelly for P McCann (12), Kieran Close for C Bradley (51), Benen Kelly for G McCann (55), Eunan Quinn for M Kelly (60+2), Ronan Gribbin for J Crozier (ET 10), Ronan Devli for S O'Neill (ET 16)

NAOMH CONAILL: Stephen McGrath; Kevin McGettigan, AJ Gallagher, Jason Campbell; Ethan O'Donnell, Marty Boyle, Eoin Wade; Ciaran Thompson, Jeaic Mac Ceallbhuí; Keelan McGill, Odhran Doherty, Eunan Doherty; John O'Malley, Charles McGuinness, Leo McLoone.

Subs: Ultan Doherty for M Boyle (45), Dermott Molloy for J O'Malley (55), Kieran Gallagher for O Doherty (60), Odhran Doherty for L McLoone (ET 1), Daniel Gildea for O Doherty (ET 10), Leo McLoone for E Waide (ET 16)

REFEREE: Kevin Fallon (Armagh)