McCartan answered another Errigal emergency – McGinley

The previously unheralded wing-back hit Errigal’s winning score in the dramatic Ulster Final win over Kilcoo last month and it was McCartan’s last-gasp point which brought Saturday’s Newbridge contest to extra-time.

“It’s sort of break glass in case of emergency”, joked Errigal manager McGinley of McCartan’s latest intervention after his side’s 2-18 to 1-18 extra-time triumph over Munster champions Dr Crokes at Newbridge.

He did a good job of striking the ball, he said after the Ulster Final, “but I know he said it was more lucky.”

Uncharacteristically, before Crokes’ Micheal Burns had appeared to have won with two minutes left, Ruairi Canavan and Ben McDonnell had both missed good scoring chances earlier in injury-time.

The Errigal Ciaran boss thanked the team for failing one or more attacks before that.

It was fantastic to see that one go over from Peter Og. After we had had the chance to reclaim the game, it would have been a sickening one to lose.

Ruairi and Darragh Canavan combined for the opening 1-10, which included the brother’s stunning pass to set up the latter’s 40th-minute goal, before going on to score the brothers’ stunning pass.

The Canavan boys, like many other players, had cramp in extra-time, but they still contributed goals in the 20 more minutes, finishing with 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 and 1 7 for Ruairi.

The two leading men inside were fantastic in their normal roles, but the other two then rose.

Even Joe Oguz, who scored Errigal’s final score in the opening period of extra-time before hammering in a sensational goal with the outside of his right boot that appeared to finally break Crokes’ resistance, is more impressive.

“You need a squad to reach this level, and we have one there who has done a great job over the long, long season.” I think it’s 150, 160 sessions we were notching up when we last measured it”, continued the Errigal boss.

Because there are many tired legs, the panel is strong and we will need it. After a match like that, you’re expecting a few wee things so we’ll see what it’s like in the dressing-room”.

McGinley added that the effort his players put in was “dumbfounded” and that having to play well in county Kildare had paid off.

“We do take a lot of pride in our own club football, and we did so in the end,” the club’s manager said. “We did learn hard lessons over the course of many years and through a lot of defeats in the Tyrone championship.”

But the Errigal Ciaran boss added that his players must now quickly recover and re-focus for a decider that will be against a Cuala side spearheaded by Dublin star Con O’Callaghan, who defeated Sligo side Coolera/Strandhill 0-14 to 0-9 in Saturday’s second semi-final.

“I’m immensely proud but super aware of the challenge that’s ahead now over the next seven, eight days. Although I’m not particularly creative, it’s brilliant to be there and face that challenge.

” We know come All-Ireland Final day, there’s a winner and a loser. We must calm our minds and settle ourselves so that we can leave with smiles and a hearty ovation after our first All-Ireland Final.