SKIM back through The Irish News archives over almost two decades and you come across optimistic quotes from men preparing to face Crossmaglen in Armagh finals.
They speak about sticking to the gameplan, being patient and taking their chances and how it’s all ‘on the day’, but every year bar 2009 they’ve sat on the field and watched Cross lift the cup.
Cullyhanna, Pearse Og, Ballymacnab, Dromintee, Clan na Gael, Mullabawn and Madden have all tried and failed since 1996 and Armagh Harps had their turn last year.
Like their predecessors the city side hoped for the best, but on the day they froze and lost by 17 points. The ball zipped past Harps goalkeeper Paddy Morrison four times in that decider and he’ll be between the sticks again tomorrow expecting better for himself and his team. ‘Goundhog Day’ is the last thing on his mind.
“We don’t want to be going out and giving a repeat of last year,” said Morrison.
“I think we played the occasion instead of the match itself. We’re focussing on nothing else other than going out and performing better than we did last year.
“The teams we’ve played this year have been a bit stronger than last season, which is far better preparation.
“We’ve played the likes of Cullyhanna and Ballymacnab there in the semi-final who would have had their own ideas of reaching the final and going on to win it. Our total focus now is on winning.”
Morrison – son of coaching guru John – feels the Harps have improved from last year’s no-show. Backboned by Charlie Vernon and Declan McKenna in midfield and spearheaded by Gareth Swift, John Toner’s side have impressed some good judges in this campaign.
“In the last couple of years we’ve been in around the semi-final and final quite regularly,” Morrison explained.
“This is still a very young team and each year we are progressing and it is showing in the depth we have in the squad. Some of the lads in their mid-20s are maturing very well and the experience is standing to them.”
One substantial crumb of comfort for the Harps is that Jamie Clarke – scorer of two of the Cross goals in 2014 - won’t play tomorrow. However, Kyle Carragher and David McKenna – who bagged the others – will and there are other scoring threats in the side. Aaron Kernan is expected to play too.
“Cross are very, very clinical with the opportunities they create,” said Morrison.
“The first half last year was even enough until their clinical finishing at the end – it left us going in 10 or 11 points down at half-time which is a mountain for anybody to climb.”
If the Harps are to avoid more of the same tomorrow Morrison’s role will be pivotal and not just in terms of saving shots and hitting accurate kick-outs. He is a strapping six-footer, but it’s no slur to say that, on the pitch, you often hear him before you see him.
As a keen student of the game, communication is one of the key components of his 11-point goalkeeping manifesto that also includes hands, stance, head, feet, distribution, close the gap, manipulate, recovery, presence and C.A.N.I. (constant and never-ending improvement).
“I try and stick to the 11 principals and I would mark my performance in every game on them,” he explained.
“Communication would be up near the top. The goalkeeper sees everything that goes on in front of him and it’s my job to relay what’s going on behind each of the lines of defence and make sure that our boys know what’s going on so they can trust themselves to go for certain balls.
“If I’m shouting down the field the full-forwards joke that sometimes they can hear me and it’s seen as an instruction rather than a criticism of anybody.”
He’ll need all his knowhow and skill tomorrow. There may have been better Crossmaglen teams down the years, but as Morrison says: “Cross are Cross and the only thing they care about is that they’re in the final and their focus will be on winning it.
“Some people might say they’re not playing well but they know how to win that type of game and how to win when it’s close, how to grind out games and stop teams from getting in front. They like to get in front and stay in front and they’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember.”
