CLANN Eireann completed the Armagh Intermediate League and Championship double after a convincing 2-13 to 2-8 win over St Killian’s Whitecross in yesterday’s T-Met Armagh Intermediate Football Championship final.
The Lurgan side delivered a much more direct style of football and importantly they were more clinical in front of goal with their first coming after only seven minutes with Chris McCafferty rattling net.
Up to that point Whitecross had pressed with Mark Shields and Barry McKeown testing Clann Eireann keeper Kieran Kerr, but the south Armagh side did get off the mark through two Cathal McSherry points.
Clann Eireann’s Barry Seeley and Whitecross captain Barry McKeown exchange a brace of converted frees but the Lurgan side were awarded a penalty, which Seeley converted.
Paul McKenna could have bagged a third goal for the Lurgan men but he opted to fist over the bar to give his side a 2-03 to 0-04 lead on 27 minutes. Colm O’Hanlon’s point and Mark Shields’ converted 45’ closed the gap but Clann Eireann led 2-03 to 0-06 at the break.
Whitecross got off to an exciting start to the second half as McSherry brothers Cathal and Neil both rattled the crossbar, but Mark Shields was fouled and Conor Malone converted the resultant penalty to level the score.
But the south Armagh side failed to build on that early momentum and instead Paul McKenna (0-6) Ryan Henderson and substitutes Daniel McKavanagh picked off points with Mark Shields’ converted free as a response giving Clann Eireann a comfortable 2-12 to 1-7 lead with eight minutes remaining.
However, Whitecross didn’t give up and with that fighting spirit Eamonn Reavey tucked his shot neatly into the corner of Clann Eireann’s net and Barry McKeown’s converted free garnered hope for the south Armagh men.
But there was only enough time for McKenna to kick his sixth point of the game and county chairman Paul McArdle presented the Atty Hearty Cup to Clann Eireann captain Conor Bell. Clann Eireann’s double means that Grange will move
up to the Armagh Senior League next season.
