CRANFORD goal hero Cathair Sweeney was delighted to help his side stay in the TDA Repairs Division One last Sunday.
Sweeney had just come on in the 68th minute for Danny McBride as play was stopped for a free-kick.
Kyle McFadden’s cross from that free was headed out towards player-manager Chris Carr but he dummied the ball to Sweeney.
The substitute struck the ball from 20 yards and found the bottom corner of the Kerrykeel ’71 net, although he was very honest about his effort post-match.
“It was a very tight game, at the end of the day the two teams are both very good,” Sweeney said.
“I just came on and it wasn’t even a minute before I scored the goal. I haven’t had many like that but I’m happy that we’re staying up.
“I told Chris to leave it and shouted at him, but I was trying to cross it! But it was a miss hit and it managed to go in past the ‘keeper so we’ll take that.”
Cranford finished third bottom in their first season back in Division One after losing to Lagan Harps on the final day of the league season.
They were well clear of Convoy Arsenal and Letterbarrow Celtic in the automatic relegation spots, so were never troubled to go straight down but they would have hoped to avoid the play-off spot, with a number of teams battling to stay out of it.
But their final game against Lagan was a must win and they failed, although they got a second bite at it on Sunday.
And despite their season only ending two weeks before the game, while Kerrykeel finished up two months before, it was the ’71 that started stronger before Cranford got into the game.
“Staying up was the main goal and we were unlucky two weeks ago against Lagan which took us to the play-off but we went into the game strong and looking to get a result and we came out with the win so we’re happy enough.
“We were slow getting going and they were on top in the first half but we came out stronger in the second half and we were by far the better team I thought.
“Both teams are brilliant and it was a great game to watch and at the end of the day somebody had to win and we’re staying up.”
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