Positives for Claudy and Swatragh in Derry Senior Championship draw

Claudy 1-11, Swatragh 1-11

Jude McAtamney's injury time point ensured it was honours even at O'Neill Park, Claudy on Saturday following a game both sides can take plenty from as they prepare for the knockout stages of the Senior Championship.

Both Claudy and Swatragh can legitimately feel they let a point slip, the home side more so given they led as the clock ticked into its final minute, but overall neither will be too disappointed with a draw.

For Claudy, there was a return for Marty Donaghy and the former Derry man showed why he remains so important to the Mitchel's and a talisman for the young players around him. Before half-time Claudy were superb, only poor finishing and the odd wrong decision in front of the posts denying them a greater interval lead than the 1-05 to 0-06 advantage they turned around with. Indeed, had they taken one or two more of their goal chances they may have established a lead Swatragh would have struggled to fight back from.

And yet for all that, Swatragh will look at nine first half wides, most from areas they would have expected to hit the target from, as evidence they should have done better. That, coupled with a better second half display, could have carried them to victory, especially after Sean Kearney's 40th minute penalty drew them level at 1-08 a-piece.

Claudy deserve credit for their response to that spot-kick, awarded after substitute Oisin McWilliams was upended in what was his first involvement in the game, seconds after replacing Brian Diamond.

Aaron Kerrigan hit Claudy's final three scores, one of which was a lovely effort from distance, and his inside double act with Donaghy will cause most teams problems provided Claudy can get enough ball into them. McAtamney's equaliser was a lovely score itself but even after drawing level the Davitt's could have won it themselves only for Niall Coyle's effort to drift inches past the post. It was that type of game.

Claudy's game-plan was based around drawing Swatragh in and hitting on the counter and, following a decent start from the visitors, it began to pay dividends as the quicker, more mobile Mitchel's half forwards exploited spaces vacated by Swatragh. The likes of Oran Armstrong, Aaron Donaghy, Paddy Hargan and Shea Kerrigan were willing runners while the tactic also left plenty of room in front of both Marty Donaghy and Aaron Kerrigan for quick ball in.

Swatragh sealed that route up impressively after the break and dictated much of the second half as Eoin McGahon dropped in to sweep superbly for Claudy when he was needed. And he was. However, with a final group game against Dungiven to come, Claudy manager Emmet McKeever will have seen enough to go into that game against his old club in reasonably confident mood.

Swatragh showed plenty of resilience themselves. Physically strong around the middle third, the introduction of Oisin McWillians gave them an added dimension in attack and if they get the likes of Lorcan McWilliams and Francis Kearney firing, they'll be a handful for anyone.

The opening exchanges were about Swatragh pressure and Claudy counter, Armstrong the link man for the Mitchel's in the opposition half as points from Paul and Sean McAtamney and Armstrong and Conor Gormley left it 0-2 a-piece early on.

A lovely Armstrong point was followed by a second effort from the forward which had to be scrambled off the Swatragh line by Sean McNicholl after it threatened to find the top corner. The Swatragh No. 1 did well with that effort but was forced to concede the '45' and seconds later the ball was in the Davitt's net.

Armstrong's '45' was hit too flat but with others hesitating, Marty Donaghy was alert to collect the ball close the the end line, step inside the tackle and on to his left foot, before finishing high into the net for 1-3 to 0-2 in the 12th minute.

Another Gormley point increased the lead and Claudy should have had a second goal as Armstrong sent Shea Kerrigan away. His shot looked destined for the bottom corner but instead found the inside of the posts and was scrambled away to safety.

A fisted point from Jude McAtamney stemmed the Claudy flow as the visitors regained their composure to finish the half the stronger with further efforts from McAtamney, Francis Kearney and Conor McAtamney, Armstrong's free the solitary addition to Claudy's tally, as the teams turned around at 1-05 to 0-06.

Franics Kearney opened the second half with a free for Swatragh but again Claudy could have found the net as Marty Donaghy's clever fisted pass found Paddy Hargan bursting clear on the right but he dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Francis Kearney levelled from play but Hargan showed his earlier miss was not playing on his mind by side-footing over the bar after Kerrigan had seen another chance come back off the upright.

Another Hargan point restored stretched Claudy's advantage to three at 1-08 to 0-8 as we approached the final quarter but Sean Kearney's emphatic penalty wiped out that lead and handed Swatragh the initiative, especially after Francis Kearney edged them in front for the first time since the eighth minute.

Claudy's resolve was being tested but they answered the question with Aaron Kerrigan stepping up when his side needed him. After levelling, Kerrigan twice edged the Mitchel's in front but Swatragh refused to bow and deserved their draw, secured by those late points from Paul and Jude McAtamney, the latter superb throughout.

For what it's worth, the result moves the Davitt's top of Group D with a final game against Ballinscreen to come, the winner of which will top the group. For Claudy, they have Dungiven, against whom they will look to build on the positives from this one.

Claudy scorers: Marty Donaghy (1-0), Aaron Kerrigan (0-6, 5f), Conor Gormley (0-2), Oran Armstrong (0-1, 1f), Paddy Hargan (0-2),

Swatragh scorers: Sean Kearney (1-0, 1pen), Paul McAtamney (0-1), James Kearney (0-1, 1f), Jude McAtamney (0-3), Niall McAtamney (0-1), Francis Kearney (0-4, 3f), Conor McAtamney (0-1),

Claudy: Kieran Reilly, Jamie Brown, Russ Stevenson, Fionan Smyth, Blaine Carlin, Conor Johnston, Aaron Donaghy, Eoin McGahon, Stephen Farren, Paddy Hargan, Shea Kerrigan, Conor Gormley, Marty Donaghy, Aaron Kerrigan, Oran Armstrong. (Subs) Daryl Devine for S Kerrigan, 37mins; Corey Armstrong for J Brown, 52mins.

Swatragh: Sean McNicholl, Dermot Dillon, Tiarnan Walsh, Sean Francis Quinn, Brian Diamond, Sean Martin Quinn, Niall Coyle, Niall McAtamney, Conor McAtamney, Paul McAtamney, James Kearney, Jude McAtamney, Francis Kearney, Lorcan McWilliams, Sean Kearney. (Subs) Oisin McWilliams for B Diamond, 40mins;

Referee: Richie Donohoe