Donnelly Group Armagh SFC semi-final: St Patrick’s, Cullyhanna v Crossmaglen (tomorrow, the Athletic Grounds, 7pm)
Have St Patrick’s, Cullyhanna the real belief they can beat their elite neighbours Crossmaglen? That question will be answered tomorrow night at the Athletic Grounds.
Holders Cross, going for their 20th title in 21 years, have been clear championship favourites from the outset and despite living dangerously for so long in their quarter-final win over Harps, the odds, if anything have shortened.
Whilst they have introduced a lot of new blood they still have that crucial backbone of experience with the likes of the Kernans, Paul Hearty, Johnny Hanratty, Kyle Carragher, Martin Aherne, Paul McKeown, Michael McNamee, Kyle Brennan,Rico Kelly, James Morgan all on board. They will be hoping to have Stephen Kernan’s red card picked up late in the Harps game rescinded.
Missing players of the calibre of All-Ireland winners Jamie Clarke, Paul Hughes, David McKenna, Johnny Murtagh and Aaron Cunningham, would be a tremendous loss to any team, but so well-oiled is that magical Rangers’ conveyor belt that one would scarcely notice.
Granted it took old heads like Aaron and Tony Kernan, Paul Hearty, Kyle Carragher and Rico Kelly to get them over the line against Harps, but there is no questioning the talent of new kids on the block Oisin and Rian O’ Neill, Alan Farrelly, Stephen Morris, Aidan Rushe and Sean McConville.
League championship St Pat’s, despite missing key forwards Aiden Nugent, Robbie Tasker and Tony Donnelly, as well as county defender Micheal Murray have also a very strong panel. They are a physical team that attack the ball and one of their major strengths is winning possession. They have a tight defence in which Stephen Reel, Sean Connell, captain Gary McCooey, Paudie McCreesh and the attacking Conor Connolly have been most consistent.
The midfield power of Barry McConville and Phelim Savage has been central to their in-form run, whilst up front the unsinkable Mal Mackin, the Caseys – Eugene and Pearse – and Shea Hoey have been the main threats.
St Pat’s, despite their long and proud tradition, have yet to win the championship.
First half goals from Jason Duffy and Gary McCooey (penalty) gave them a resounding 2-20 to 1-5 opening round victory over Pearse Og.
In round two against Sarsfields a first minute Sean Connell goal laid the foundation for a 1-15 to 1-9 victory and Mal Mackin’s goal and 0-7 from Shea Hoey shaped the 1-13 to 1-7 quarter-final result against Wolfe Tones.
Cross were ordinary enough in their first round defeat of old adversaries Dromintee, goals from debutants Stephen Morris and Sen McConville helping them to a 2-13 to 1-10 success.
Next day out they ruthlessly ripped Tir na nOg apart, 6-21 to 0-8, Mel Boyce back from long term injury helping himself to a hat-trick.
It was Armagh Harps at the quarter-final stage, the team they had hammered in the last two county finals.
It was a different story this time with Harps dominating most of the exchanges. The city outfit were ahead by two points midway through the second half when veteran keeper Paul Hearty denied them a second goal which would probably have sealed it. Hearty’s superlative stop was the game-changer and when Tony Kernan put the champions back in front with a cracking goal it was vintage Cross from there to the finish, winning 1-16 to 1-13. The fact that Rangers were well below par and still managed to score 1-16 is an indication of the scoring power they possess.
St Pat’s can take comfort from the fact that this is a semi-final and not a final, as Cross have never a lost a final in 21 years. The teams met in the 2013 decider when St Pat’s seemed more content to put in a performance rather than actually win the game. They certainly have the power and strength to outmuscle their opponents outfield.
Cross will certainly have their work cut out, it will be tight, but the champions are the masters of tight finishes.
Cullyhanna have worked so hard to get this monkey off their back and will need to get a firm footing right from the opening bell. Did Cross fall into the complacency trap against Harps? If this was the case one can be assured there will be no repeat.
It’s a semi-final that should have everything but Cross perhaps with a better spread of scorers throughout their ranks can make it through.