Craig Taylor capped a sparkling individual display on Saturday with a goal and assist but Annagh United manager Ciaran McGurgan is more concerned with collective responsibility.

Taylor fired Annagh in front after the break with a powerful angled drive then set up substitute Henry Cromack to seal the Championship points in a 2-0 win over newly-promoted Moyola Park.

Sam Sproule came close to scoring on two occasions in his cameo off the bench, with Jude Cargill clocking another assured performance and Jordan Gibson at the heart of Annagh’s positive play.

A penalty save by Martin Marron at 1-0 to prevent David Parkhouse from netting an equaliser offered another high point for “absolutely delighted” McGurgan after what he viewed “just a complete performance”.

placeholder image — Annagh United manager Ciaran McGurgan. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

“Marty (Marron) got his opportunity as Dylan Graham was suspended and he makes an unbelievable save from the penalty and that's really a game-changing moment...we seemed to get a bit more energy after it,” said McGurgan. "Overall, a clean sheet…I can name a load of players.

"Jordan Gibson...outstanding, Craig Taylor...obviously ‘man of the match’ and well deserved.

“Liam Burns has come in and he hasn't really played much senior football, he was outstanding. He was in Thursday night (for training) so being thrown straight in to produce that performance like he did was really pleasing.

"Jude Cargill, Sam Sproule – and I’ve probably left some out there – we are extremely young but they're hungry and that's good enough for me.

"Sam’s energy...he just comes on and stretches the play for us. A couple of times he's just burning the man off and getting to the line...that stretches teams and it makes defenders frightened and all of a sudden it puts them back five or six yards just because they're afraid of his pace in behind, so it gets us up the pitch.

"Jude...when you're 18 years of age, you'd think you've played men's football for 10 years, he's been absolutely outstanding. There was a moment in the game...a ball to the back post and his composure as he headed it back to the keeper under pressure, I just thought ‘he's a player’.

“Lee McLaughlin was our worry because we played against him last year in the cup and we know how good Moyola can be and he, especially, was outstanding that night. We thought that was going to be the outlet, which you could clearly see they were trying but I thought Jude was outstanding...really, really good."

Having suffered promotion play-off pain on four occasions, McGurgan has set his squad a challenge to maintain momentum.

“It's just all about consistency now...they've set the standard, they've set the bar," he said. "We know that's what they can produce but it's just getting that week in, week out...for 40 weeks.

"I know it's not easy but that's what it takes to win, to go all the way.”