Craigbane 'hammer the hammer' with dominant midfield display

Craigbane 3-16 ... Limavady 1-7

Bliain McDaid and Conor McLaughlin powered Craigbane to victory on Saturday in Limavady.

Their goals were crucial but the impact was about so much more. They were everywhere and everyone else followed their lead.

It’s a victory that gives Gavin Conwell’s side the best possible start to the campaign after surging into control from early in the first half.

For Limavady, beaten semi-finalists last year, they now face a vital trip to Lissan as they bid to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.

The home side were without key players Ruairi Hassan and Richard King but had the benefit of having played their league football in Division One.

On the day, they were no match for a Craigbane side who were full of running and hoovered up most of the breaking balls in the middle third.

Lee Moore and Jude McLaughlin, Ulster winners back in 2011, have often been the fulcrum but it was Craigbane’s runs from deep that troubled Limavady all across the hour.

The home side were six points behind at half time before pulling themselves back into contention. It didn’t last long with McDaid’s two strikes to the net the hammer blows Limavady didn’t recover from.

The narrative during the week was around the Limavady size advantage at midfield but Craigbane totally hammered the hammer.

Jacob McElhinney tracked Harry McLaughlin. Paul Sharkey mixed his kick-outs from the medium efforts and long to Conor McLaughlin. It gave them variation. On one occasion, he used Caolan Conway right out on the sideline.

Every ball kicked into the middle was contested but it was a white jersey they emerged from rucks more often than not.

It was Cormac Quigley who opened the scoring after Limavady nailed down the first attack and he effortlessly dissected the posts. It was their last score for 20 minutes as Craigbane turned up the heat.

A powerful run from Naoise Ó Mianáin was the catalyst for a Fergal Mortimer score before Oisin McCloskey did the space work for Conor McLaughlin’s first score as Craigbane nosed in front.

The waves of white jerseys typified the attacking drive Craigbane brought to it. From early on, they played with purpose. When then they were cruising, there was a want to hunt down every possession like the result depended on it.

After Tadhg Coyle floated over a two-pointer, Conor McLaughlin added a second score and Craigbane were in pole position. They were busy on the ball, crisp in how they used it and incessant on their counter-attack.

Cormac Quigley made the score 0-5 to 0-3 with a two-point free but a Jude Mclaughlin score had Craigbane back on the front foot.

Bliain McDaid linked with Lee Moore before taking the return to score and Craigbane were 0-7 to 0-3 ahead. It got even better when Conor McLaughlin’s two-pointer increased the gap further.

By half-time, Craigbane were 0-10 to 0-4 ahead and cruising. Limavady needed a reaction and got it after the break.

James McAleese passed to Eunan McLaughlin who fired over with Quigley kicking a score despite the best efforts of a Craigbane block.

Limavady survived a half goal chance with Jude McLaughlin lurking as an Oisin O’Donnell drop shot across goal was cleared.

The tempo of the game changed in the 37th minute with McDaid’s first goal. He began the move with a measured run before turning up the speed and taking a return pass before slotting low to the net for a 1-10 to 0-6 lead.

Limavady’s response was instant. A well worked kick-out with possession moved towards Oisin Hassan who slotted low to the net, in almost identical fashion as McDaid did seconds earlier.

A second McDaid goal, this time into the top corner, had Craigbane 2-11 to 1-6 ahead with a quarter of the game to go. It was a cracking finish that put the game out of reach.

Limavady would only add one more score with Craigbane flexing their footballing muscle once again. Oisin McCloskey curled over a two-point free with Jude McLaughlin also on target.

Paul Sharkey and his defence were tough to crack at the other end. Sharkey fielded a dangerous dropping ball before they surged upfield again. It ended up in a goal for Conor McLaughlin, a low finish to the bottom right-hand corner.

Limavady had used their bench to try freshening up their approach but there was no way back. Caolan Conway cleared a goal chance off the line before Lee Moore joined the scoring list with a point in the last minute.

Scorers

Craigbane: Conor McLaughlin 1-5, Bliain McDaid 2-1, Jude McLaughlin (45), Oisin McCloskey (tp) 0-3 each, Tadhg Coyle 0-2 (tp), Fergal Mortimer and Lee Moore 0-1 each

Limavady: Cormac Quigley 0-5 (1tpf, 1f), Oisin Hassan 1-0, Harry McLaughlin (f) and Eunan McLaughlin 0-1 each

Craigbane: Paul Sharkey; Marcus Ó Mianáin, Naoise Ó Mianáin, Oisin O’Donnell; Bliain McDaid, James McLaughlin, Caolan Conway; Jacob McElhinney, Oisin McCloskey; Conor McLaughlin, Tadhg Coyle, Fergal Mortimer; Pierce McCloskey, Lee Moore, Jude McLaughlin

Subs used: Cahair O’Kane, Brian Rainey, Christopher Lowry

Limavady: Caoimhín McGonigle; Johnny McStravick, Ben Deery, Fintan McIvor; Finlay Doherty, Sheagh McLaughlin, Daire Devine; Tom Deery, Harry McLaughlin; Oisin Hassan, Kieran McGlinchey, James McAleese; Caolan Tierney, Cormac Quigley, Eunan McLaughlinSubs: David Brolly, Oisin Fleming, Jack Deery, Manus Quigley,

Referee: Ronan Rocks (Bellaghy)