ODHRAN Kieran proved to be the hero in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds when he slotted over Crossmaglen’s winning point as they nipped their arch-rivals Cullyhanna at the line to reach the Senior Championship semi-finals.
The Rangers, who led by five points at the half-time interval, scored just twice after the turnaround, once at the start and once at the end. That was enough for Anthony Cunningham’s side to shade this titanic tussle.
It wasn’t exactly the blood and thunder contest that the pre-match hype promised, and the feeling was at half-time that there was only going to be one winner.
That ended up being true, but Cullyhanna left it all on the field.
The reigning All-Ireland Intermediate champions kicked six points in succession to tie the game with five minutes remaining but unfortunately for Stephen Reel’s side, they couldn’t get their noses ahead and morale victories will mean nothing around the St Patrick’s club.
Cross were always a step ahead of their opponents during the first period and Rian O’Neill’s major after 27 minutes gifted them a comfortable five-point cushion when the sides switched ends at half-time.
Indeed, the first half was mostly controlled by the O’Neill’s, not only Armagh’s All-Ireland winners Rian and Oisin, but by their younger brother Aaron as well, who had a big impact during the first 30 minutes.
The sides were matched score for score in the first couple of minutes, with Crossmaglen grabbing their points much easier than the opposition. When Aaron O’Neill and Cian McConville raised white flags, it opened up the first bit of daylight between the teams.
County men Aidan Nugent and Ross McQuillan swapped scores with Oisin and Rian O’Neill while Sean Og Irwin did likewise with Daniel Cumiskey. Then came the Cross three-pointer and it drove them five points clear.
With the Cullyhanna goalkeeper added to the attack, Cross turned the ball and Oisin O’Neill launched a kick pass from one end of the field to the other. His sibling Rian was on the receiving end, and he slotted home the game’s only goal.
Aaron O’Neill and Shane Conlon both split the posts at either end before the half-time whistle sounded and it was the Rangers who marched into the changing rooms much the happier, leading 1-9 to 0-7.
Cian McConville extended that advantage at the start of the second period with his second, but it was all Cullyhanna on the scoreboard for the next 25 minutes. Aidan Nugent kicked three of the next four points, while Shea Hoey also raised a white flag for the underdogs.
Jason Duffy made it a one-point game before Nugent knocked over another from a free to tie things up with five minutes left. Kieran drove over the final point and Cullyhanna couldn’t find the equalising score to bring the contest to extra time.
It’s Clann Eireann up next for Crossmaglen, who welcomed Jamie Clarke back for his first competitive minutes this season, in a repeat of the 2021 final, while Clan na Gael and Madden lock horns on the other side of the semi-final draw.
