Armagh SFC: Crossmaglen 6-21 Tír na nÓg 0-8
REIGNING champions Crossmaglen showed absolutely no mercy as they handed out a 31-point thumping to Tir na nOg at the Athletic Grounds on Sunday.
As the shoreline suggests this was a mismatch from start to finish, indeed by the half way stage it was already a foregone conclusion as goals from the brilliant Mel Bryce,PatrIck McEnteggart and Tony Kernan powered Cross to a 3-10 to 0-6 interval lead.
There was no be no let-up in intensity as Cross playing into a strong wind in the second half tore the opposition to pieces tallying another 3-21 in the process. There was a significant contribution off the Cross bench with Stephen Kernan, Kyle Carragher, Aiden Rushe, Martin Aherne and Oisin O'Neill all introduced.
Aaron Kernan picked up man of the match accolade with a stunning display of skill and vision in keeping with his most memorable performances in the county shirt. It was a measure of Tir na nOg' despondency when Brian Mallon uncharacteristically kicked wide a second half free in front of the posts.
In fairness the Garvaghy Road men had very little going for the them, a seemingly legitimate penalty call on the resumption was turned away allowing Cross to break for an Aaron Kernan wonder goal.
Playing with an almost gale-like wind Cross with points from Kyle Brennan, Mel Boyce and Patrick McEntegggart had laid down an early marker. It took the opposition 10 minutes to register defender Tony Marley racing through for a minor but by the end of the first quarter Cross had tagged on a Mel Boyce goal and points from the Kernan brothers, Aaron and Tony.
As the champions continued in cruise mode two goals in the space of four minutes from Patrick McEnteggart and Tony Kernan had then 12 clear. Tir na nOg did improve approaching the break, Brian Mallon landing three points from frees whilst at the other end Tony Kernan raised four white flags, three from play.
The second-half was all one way traffic, two early goals from the unstoppable Kernans turning the proceedings into a farce. Paul Carvill one of the few Tir na nOg players to make an impression chipped over a free but by the 50th minute the difference had been stretched to 25 points.
As Cross continued to empty the bench, Kyle Carragher and Stephen Kernan kept piling on the agony. The fact that the losers could only score a paltry two points with the wind, both Paul Carvill frees is just another indication of the massive gaps between the sides.
