CLONTIBRET O’NEILL’S: 0-10
CROSSMAGLEN RANGERS: 0-9
Declan Bogue reports from Athletic Grounds
THREE TIMES these two teams have faced each other in the Ulster Club Championship and each time, there has been just one point in it at the end.
For once, this was Clontibret’s turn. And on the sideline, having armed the Monaghan men with as much information as they could process, was their manager and Cross folk hero, John McEntee.
We come to the Ulster club matches to see the very cream in their club civvies, and the appeal never wavers when you get to see talents like Conor McManus. Two incredible frees in the first half was only trumped by a ‘worldie’ of a point off his left foot with marker, the Carlow corner-back Christopher Crowley, flaking away with rapid-fire tackling.
Coming into this game, Crossmaglen had built a reputation of being the ultimate second-half team, overcoming a huge deficit in the county final against Ballymacnab to once again triumph and the opening half had little to admire with their first point from play coming from Kyle Carragher on 25 minutes, as they limped to the break 0-7 to 0-3 down.
They came again strongly for the second half, reducing it to a one-point game in the 46th minute, but two Conor McManus frees gave Clontribret a cushion that did just enough to withstand the inevitable final onslaught.
Three times Cross fired in high balls from Mel Boyce, Tony Kernan and Rian O’Neill, but each time, Clontibret goalkeeper Darren McDonnell got strong fists to them. Living on their nerves.
Is there any other way to beat Cross?
Scorers for Clontibret: C McManus 0-6, 5f, MP O’Dowd 0-2, P Boyle 0-2Scorers for Crossmaglen: R O’Neill 0-3, 2f, O O’Neill 0-2, 1f, P Hughes, K Carragher, T Kernan 0-1 each, A Kernan 0-1f
CLONTIBRET:
1. Darren McDonnell
2. Conor Doyle
3. Conor Boyle
4. Liam Savage
5. Jack Gormley
6. Dessie Mone
7. Colum Greenan
8. Francis Hughes
9. Killian Lavelle
10. David Savage
11. Michael P Dowd
12. Brian Greenan (C)
13. Pauric Boyle
14. Vincent Corey
15. Conor McManus
Subs:
17. Darragh Hughes for P Boyle (48m)
20. Kieran Greenan for F Hughes (60m)
21. Eoin McGuigan for D Savage (63m)
CROSSMAGLEN:
1. Tiernan McConville
2. Paul Hughes
3. Rico Kelly
4. Paul McKeown
5. Aaron Kernan (C)
6. Callum Cumiskey
30. Christopher Crowley
8. Stephen Morris
9. Alan Farrelly
25. Johnny Hanratty
11. Oisin O’Neill
20. Colin O’Connor
19. Cian McConville
14. Rian O’Neill
15. Kyle Carragher
Subs:
27. Tony Kernan for Hanratty (HT)
12. Padraig Stuttard for McKeown (HT)
13. Mel Boyce for Farrelly (43m)
10. Johnny McKeever for C O’Connor (50m)
Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)
Attendance: 4,564
