With two minutes and 27 seconds elapsed in the second period of extra time, Galway whistler Christy Browne called a halt to the chaos. Ballysaggart and Creggan trudged towards the Cusack Stand and applauded their supporters for their vocal encouragement, ‘Crazy World’ by Aslan provided the backing track. An appropriate conclusion to a forty score cracker that contained two unlikely comebacks amid an unpredictable mix of sunshine and showers.
Saggart were dead and buried and about to contemplate a second half meltdown. Even manager Adrian Meagher revealed afterwards that he feared the worst. “I’m not going to tell ye a lie, I turned around and said that it wasn’t our day. We did everything. We moved them around and tried anything we could. When I saw the net rattling below, I changed my mind fairly fast! I was hoping then that the whistle would go ‘this will do us now’. Give us the draw any day after that few seconds.”
Although they let a ten point lead slide, they learned something substantial in extra time. They became accustomed to hitting the front and staying there but this time they gritted their teeth in a losing situation. Shane Bennett’s energy recharged them. He took a chance for his first goal by running into the space and screaming for possession and gambled again at the end with an overhead double that connected with Kieran’s delivery and rippled the roof of the Canal goal.
Their 3-6 to 0-6 half time position slightly flattered them given the running threat that Creggan carried through Kevin Rice and Conor McCann. The Ulster champions generated 13 scoring chances compared to Saggart’s 11. Stephen Bennett spooked the Creggan rearguard in that first thirty. There was a touch of Paul Flynn about the surprise factor involved in stitching the first three pointer. He dribbled low under the defenders who couldn’t react in time. When moved out to wing forward, he took down Matty Meagher’s puck out with crafty stickwork and dashed off with the sliotar to slot the point. He collected 1-4 for himself and added three assists. Creggan decided to employ Antrim footballer Martin Johnson as a man marker from the second half onwards and he gradually began to get under his skin.
The goals arrived at opportune moments. Ronan Walsh picked out Shane Bennett in pinpoint fashion to relieve the pressure that Creggan put them under. Saggart finished the half with more conviction but there was a dollop of good fortune about their third.
Stephen Bennett knocked over a free to lengthen out to ten. They sat back in the driving seat. Shane Bennett fell back into the number five slot after half time. He carried the ball from deep and again showed his trademark spurt of speed. He never slowed down. As the minutes ticked by however the rest of the half forward line joined him in carrying out defensive work. They were hitting ball but it was coming back like a boomerang. The last ditch stuff in front of goal was heroic as Caileain O’Gorman, Daniel Devine and O’Brien took turns to salvage crisis after crisis.
Creggan sensed a weakness. Conor Small gobbled up the rebound from Kevin Rice and they were back in business. Oran McCann offered a robust presence and steadied up on the frees after an early case of the yips. When Conor McCann’s penalty skidded under Stephen Bennett, the momentum was flowing in one direction. Saggart gave up territory and although they inched towards the winning post, Creggan
The goals arrived at opportune moments. Ronan Walsh picked out Shane Bennett in pinpoint fashion to relieve the pressure that Creggan put them under. Saggart finished the half with more conviction but there was a dollop of good fortune about their third.
Stephen Bennett knocked over a free to lengthen out to ten. They sat back in the driving seat. Shane Bennett fell back into the number five slot after half time. He carried the ball from deep and again showed his trademark spurt of speed. He never slowed down. As the minutes ticked by however the rest of the half forward line joined him in carrying out defensive work. They were hitting ball but it was coming back like a boomerang. The last ditch stuff in front of goal was heroic as Caileain O’Gorman, Daniel Devine and O’Brien took turns to salvage crisis after crisis.
Creggan sensed a weakness. Conor Small gobbled up the rebound from Kevin Rice and they were back in business. Oran McCann offered a robust presence and steadied up on the frees after an early case of the yips. When Conor McCann’s penalty skidded under Stephen Bennett, the momentum was flowing in one direction. Saggart gave up territory and although they inched towards the winning post, Creggan
A costly concession around the centre of the park was punished by a cool Conor McCann. They conclusively won the second half by 2-7 to 0-4. Only Ronan Walsh scored from play amongst that four.
Extra time beckoned and Saggart were running out of petrol. “They were a little down alright,” Meagher mentioned afterwards. They craved a score and Shane Bennett’s second that slipped through the goalkeeper’s grasp kept them even though Creggan did snatch the next two points. The second period produced a patient Ken Cashell point and a non-stop ten minutes from Kieran Bennett. A brace of seemed to settle it before Shane Bennett served up an encore.
Kieran Fennessy’s loss to a groin injury after 34 minutes destabilised the defence. "We had Kieran our full back going off and it kind of upset us there a small bit" said Eugene O'Brien who stepped back to fill in. The joint captain flung his body into the line of fire with blocks and slight touches to protect Matty Meagher’s His presence was sorely missed from the centre however. It came as no coincidence that Oran McCann became more prominent away from the clutches of the experienced defender. By the end of normal time, they were on life support. Creggan’s physical strength and fitness came to their fore. Two of their substitutes made a scoring impact. Ballysaggart will realise that they lost their shape up front and aided their opponents’ rehab. Meagher stated honestly that they can also increase the output from their main men. “We know that there was a few of our guys that didn’t really go today and they could have four or five fellas where there is a lot more in them.”
Extra time beckoned and Saggart were running out of petrol. “They were a little down alright,” Meagher mentioned afterwards. They craved a score and Shane Bennett’s second that slipped through the goalkeeper’s grasp kept them even though Creggan did snatch the next two points. The second period produced a patient Ken Cashell point and a non-stop ten minutes from Kieran Bennett. A brace of seemed to settle it before Shane Bennett served up an encore.
Kieran Fennessy’s loss to a groin injury after 34 minutes destabilised the defence. "We had Kieran our full back going off and it kind of upset us there a small bit" said Eugene O'Brien who stepped back to fill in. The joint captain flung his body into the line of fire with blocks and slight touches to protect Matty Meagher’s His presence was sorely missed from the centre however. It came as no coincidence that Oran McCann became more prominent away from the clutches of the experienced defender. By the end of normal time, they were on life support. Creggan’s physical strength and fitness came to their fore. Two of their substitutes made a scoring impact. Ballysaggart will realise that they lost their shape up front and aided their opponents’ rehab. Meagher stated honestly that they can also increase the output from their main men. “We know that there was a few of our guys that didn’t really go today and they could have four or five fellas where there is a lot more in them.”
The mad cap spectacle on an afternoon of topsy turvy conditions will remain locked in for some time. Ballysaggart rose to the occasion on and off the field. They filled four buses for the capital with one of them suffering a puncture along the way. A full two hours before throw in, the Croke Park hotel was bustling with blue and navy colours. The trademark knitted hats, which are moving like hot cakes in the village, were modelled by young and old. The goodwill throughout the county was expressed by the variety of clubs in attendance to lend their support.
After a heart stopping eighty, supporters, management and players fully appreciate how hard it is to unlock the gates to All Ireland heaven. “I think that it’s going to be another cliff hanger the next day," Meagher predicts. "There doesn’t seem to be much between them. Hopefully we will turn up the next day and come out on top. It’s going to take a mighty, mighty effort to win this one.”
Game fifteen takes them to Mullingar where they will reach a definitive verdict. "How can I protect you in this crazy world? It's alright."
After a heart stopping eighty, supporters, management and players fully appreciate how hard it is to unlock the gates to All Ireland heaven. “I think that it’s going to be another cliff hanger the next day," Meagher predicts. "There doesn’t seem to be much between them. Hopefully we will turn up the next day and come out on top. It’s going to take a mighty, mighty effort to win this one.”
Game fifteen takes them to Mullingar where they will reach a definitive verdict. "How can I protect you in this crazy world? It's alright."
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