Cormac Leonard Armagh Senior Football Championship final: Crossmaglen Rangers 2-16 Clan na Gael 1-7
CROSSMAGLEN retained the Gerry Fegan Cup with a commanding second half performance that swept aside a Clan na Gael team that led at the break but managed just three more points after Michael McConville had scooped in their goal just before half-time.
The black card shown to Ciaran Campbell early in the second half pulled the rug from under their feet but, even at full strength, the Lurgan outsiders would have struggled to cope with the second half onslaught.
Cross hit seven points on-the-trot after McConville’s goal and second half majors from skipper Jamie Clarke and Ronan Fitzpatrick rubber-stamped the dominance of Anthony Cunningham’s side who meet the winners of the Tyrone championship (Errigal Ciaran or Trillick) in a fortnight.
“These are the days to enjoy,” said a delighted Cunningham.
“If we’re going to improve we have to get to that Ulster table and thankfully now we’re back at it. We were disappointed last year against Ballybay, we didn’t perform but we’re back now and we have another chance.”
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Clans manager Ronan McMahon had coached several of the men who starred against his side at St Colman’s College, Newry.
“We were happy at half-time,” he said.
“We thought we were doing brilliantly to contain their weapons but we needed to get more scores on the board, that’s what killed us and the black card was a massive moment in the game for us.
“Cross are worthy champions, they deserve it and they were the better team today and they are full of class those men.”
McMahon’s side opened the scoring in the third minute when Shane McPartlan took a pass on the right wing, rode a highish tackle from Thomas Og Duffy, turned and lashed over a brilliant point from 30 metres.
Sean Mackle was unlucky not to extend the lead a couple of minutes later when his shot hit the upright and, at the other end, the Clans defence coped with Rangers’ early attacks until Jamie Clarke picked out Oisin O’Neill, lingering in space on the left, who equalised after eight minutes.
McPartlan hit the post with a free and sent another wide and, with the pace and power of the O’Neill brothers cutting channels through their defence, those misses seemed a luxury the Clans could ill afford.
Paul Hughes got on the end of a flowing move to edge Cross ahead and another McPartlan wide followed but then he got into the square and was dragged down and Campbell stroked over the equaliser.
Mackle quickly added another score and another Campbell free left the Clans 4-2 up after 21 topsy-turvy minutes.
A Rian O’Neill free halved the deficit but then the Cross defence failed to deal with Mackle’s high ball. It was allowed to bounce in the square and, after McPartlan flicked it on, Michael McConville brilliantly scooped it into the net.
It was all downhill from there for the Clans. Cian McConville responded with three frees (two from Cian McConville, the other from Rian O’Neill) but the Clans dug in and, with McConville and Jamie Brady tackling as if their lives depended on it, they held a 1-4 to 0-6 lead at the break.
Cross manager Cunningham threw in another O’Neill, Aaron, for the second half and the Clans were quickly reduced to 14 when Ciaran Campbell was black-carded.
Cross began to move through the gears. Stephen Morris equalised and then Rico Kelly and Paul Hughes (a mark) pushed them into the lead.
Another Hughes point made it 0-10 to 1-4 after 10 Cross-dominated minutes and Campbell missed a chance to post an urgently-needed reply for the Clans.
Matthew Lennon, with his first touch, did split the uprights so there was two in it as the fourth quarter (Clans territory all season) began.
But Cross kept their foot on their rivals’ throat. Rian O’Neill replied with a brilliant free and, with space appearing as the Clans pushed out, McConville and Morris added two more.
From the kickout after the Morris point, the break fell to Jamie Clarke and Cross put the game to bed with a searing move that ended with Brady bringing down Duffy. Clarke rolled the penalty past Ryan Conway and that left eight points in it with seven minutes to go.
McConville added two more and sub Ronan Fitzpatrick gave the selectors a timely nudge with a goal and a point as the Rangers retained their crown. They go into Ulster with the wind in their sails.
Crossmaglen Rangers: M Murray; O McKeown, R Kelly (0-1), T Og Duffy; A Kernan, C Cumiskey, C Crowley; S Morris (0-2), O O’Neill (0-1); P Hughes (0-3, 0-1 mark), R Fitzpatrick, O Kieran; J Clarke (1-0 pen), R O’Neill (0-3 frees), C McConville (0-5, 0-3)
Subs: A O’Neill for D Cumiskey (HT), R Fitzpatrick (1-1) for Kieran (53), C O’Connor for Hughes (69), O Carragher for McKeown (60)
Yellow card: Clarke (14)
Clan na Gael: R Conway; S McClarnon, A McCreanor, J Lavery; N Loney, McConville (1-0), J Brady; D O’Hagan, S McPartlan (0-2); S Mackle (0-1), N Henderson, C O’Neill; M Ward, S Campbell (0-2 frees), C Campbell
Subs: M Lennon (0-1) for C Campbell (43), B O’Hagan for Loney (43), J Austin for Ward (49), D Loney (0-1) for Brady (54)
Temporary sub: B O’Hagan for McPartlan (34-35)
Black card: C Campbell (32)
Referee: E Mallon (Madden)
