Cormac Leonard Commercials Armagh SFC final: Crossmaglen Rangers 0-17 Sean MacDermott’s, Maghery 4-9
YOU wouldn’t have paid much more than 70p for a pint the last time Crossmaglen came out on the wrong side of an Armagh final, but the Maghery players won’t have had to spend a penny during last night’s celebrations after bringing the Gerry Fegan Cup back to the Loughshore.
It was 1982 when Carrickcruppen got the better of Cross, and the south Armagh men have lifted the trophy 23 times in the years between.
Even without injured midfielder Stephen Morris (broken hand) and goalkeeper Tiarnan McConville (broken foot) - both lost to the Cross cause during the week - they would’ve been short odds favourites to make that 24 as half-time neared yesterday.
With Oisin and Rian O’Neill in inspired form, and Kyle Carragher’s movement causing the Maghery backline bother, Stephen Kernan’s men had moved ominously into to a four point lead approaching the half hour.
However, Brian Fox’s goal two minutes into added time, and the introduction of towering midfielder Ben Crealey at half-time, proved critical as the balance of power surged towards the men in blue and gold.
And it was Maghery’s efficiency in front of goal that ultimately proved the telling difference.
Twice in the space of a minute goalkeeper Caolan Hendron denied James Morgan and Oisin O’Neill as the water break neared, while further opportunities came and were passed up after the break.
Expecting a fast start from Cross, who had a strong wind at their backs, Finnian Moriarty’s men were clearly determined to make the most of any goalscoring opportunities that came their way.
Brendan Haveron rattled the net six minutes in after neat build-up play involving the superb Stephen Cusack and John Mackle.
Cross rebooted and when Rian O’Neill switched out to midfield, he won everything in the air and supplied the bullets for big brother Oisin to fire.
Brilliant young forward Dara O’Callaghan also popped up with two classy scores off the left boot during this period as Cross dominated.
But when Fox poked the net, having appeared to lose control of the ball for a split second, it breathed new life into the Maghery challenge.
From facing a huge uphill battle after half-time, they were now just two points back, trailing 0-11 to 2-3.
Crealey hadn’t played a minute of championship action this year after breaking his collarbone earlier in the summer, and Moriarty had only planned on using him late on – if at all.
However, with Rian O’Neill lording it around the middle, to the point where he was winning his own breaks at times, the towering Armagh midfielder was summoned for the second half.
Within 12 minutes, Crealey had a hand in 1-2 as Maghery moved into a 3-7 to 0-13 lead. First he intercepted a pass from Rian O’Neill before feeding Aidan Forker for the opening score of the half.
Stefan Forker levelled it up and when Crealey won the ball at midfield, full-back Gerard Campbell surged forward to stroke Maghery ahead for the first time since the 14th minute.
And when Aidan Forker’s 42nd goal arrived, it sent a shockwave across the stand - everything about it underlining the clinical nature of his side’s approach.
Crealey won a break ball and immediately launched it into Forker just inside the 45. Referee Kevin Faloon blew to signal an attacking mark was there if he wanted it but, with the scent of blood in his nostrils, Forker wasn’t stopping.
Instead, he drove towards the square before rifling low past Paul McEntee. It seems strange to think that, after such a brilliant display of all round forward play, in a matter of weeks we’ll be watching him operate as a man-marker in county colours.
Three points ahead – and three minutes later it was six when big full-forward Ronan Lappin fisted home a wicked, swirling ball into the square from Stefan Forker.
Cross weren’t done yet but as they upped the ante in the search for the goal that would close the gap, so Maghery stood firm when they had to – Hendron again repelling Oisin O’Neill, whose influence had waned after the break, as the finishing line neared.
They ended up finishing the game with just 13 men after substitute Steven Fox was shown a red card just a minute after coming on, while a second yellow saw Aidan Forker leave the field.
He departed to a hero’s reception, and was barely off the field before the party was officially started. A second championship success, and their first having claimed Crossmaglen’s scalp, this one could last for a while.
Crossmaglen: P McEntee; C Crowley, P Hughes; J Morgan, A Kernan, C Cumiskey (0-1), A Rushe; R O’Neill (0-3, 0-2 frees), T O’Callaghan; T Kernan (0-2, 0-1 free), O O’Neill (0-6, 0-1 mark), C McConville (0-2, frees); M Boyce, D O’Callaghan (0-2), K Carragher (0-1). Subs: G Carragher for A Rushe (19), P Finnegan for K Carragher (46), S McConville for M Boyce (46), P Stuttard for C Crowley (60), O Kieran for T O’Callaghan (60)
Yellow cards: A Kernan (30), R O’Neill (30)
Maghery: C Hendron; E Scullion, G Campbell (0-1), O Lappin; S Cusack (0-3), C Higgins, B Haveron (1-0); J Lavery, J Mackle; S Forker (0-2, 0-1 free), D Lavery, O Cushnahan; B Fox (1-0), A Forker (1-3, 0-1 free), R Lappin (1-0). Subs: B Crealey for J Mackle (HT), K Robinson for O Cushnahan (39), P Forker for B Fox (55), S Fox for R Lappin (62)
Yellow cards: A Forker (30), B Fox (30)
Red cards: S Fox (63), A Forker (65)
Referee: K Faloon (Forkhill)
