Cormac Leonard Commercials Armagh SFC Group D, round one
Clan na Gael 2-13 Crossmaglen Rangers 3-5
A BAD day at the office for Rian O’Neill? You could say that. The Armagh All-Ireland winner hit three first-half wides, missed a second-half penalty and was red-carded as a feisty encounter between last year’s finalists ended with defeat for the defending champions.
No-one will need to tell Crossmaglen the better side won on the day because – apart from a five-minute first-half spell during which Pearse Blessing scored two goals – Clan na Gael thoroughly deserved a victory that showcased the pace, ability and determination in the side.
“Cross went hard at us but the bottom line is that we stood firm,” said Clans manager Ronan McMahon.
“Clan na Gael need to experience days like that when they win the hard way through hard work.
“We have brilliant footballers but we also have a group of players who desperately do not want to lose and that’s brilliant about them.
“We felt at half-time that we left chances behind us because we were just taking the point – I felt there were gaps there and they could have explored the goal a wee bit more. But when you have a wind at your back the boys wanted to pop the ball over the bar and in hindsight, it was a good job they did that.
“In the second half, we had to work the ball through the lines and they did that brilliantly.”
Crossmaglen have work to do, but as Anthony Cunningham remarked they “aren’t out of it” yet. He’ll be confident his side will steady the ship going in next Sunday’s round two clash with Sarsfields.
“There was a two or three-minute spell at the start of the second half when we should have scored a goal and two points and we didn’t get it,” he said.
“That gave them the energy and, it is what it is.
“Preparation wasn’t great to be honest obviously with the boys coming back from county – we didn’t get them too long.
“I’m not going to make excuses – Clan na Gael were well worth their win. They were hungry and they went for everything. Luckily, it’s a Champions League-style championship, so we aren’t out of it.”
The early stages were nip-and-tuck. Niall Henderson and Cian McConville swapped scores and the impressive Callum O’Neill had extended Clans’ lead to two points (5-3) before Cross retaliated against the run of play.
Odhran Kieran and Rian O’Neill did the spadework and Blessing applied the finish and the Clan’s defence didn’t learn their lesson because a couple of minutes later the ball was in the back of their net again.
This time it was Oisin O’Neill and Cian McConville who set it up and again Blessing added the finishing touch.
Blessing added a point which briefly had Cross four ahead but the Lurgan men raised the last four flags of the half and at the break, it was level at 0-10 to 2-4.
With a gale at their backs, Cross would probably have taken that but the South Armagh outfit never got going in the second half.
Oisin O’Neill, working hard in midfield, and younger brother Aaron almost released Ronan Fitzpatrick in front of goal but the Clan’s defence managed to slam the door shut and that was the story of the second half.
O’Neill and his Armagh teammate Stefan Campbell swapped scores but there were wides on both sides and regular yellow cards as the temperature rose before the home side began to take control. Campbell and pacey Brendan O’Hagan combined to create a chance for Shane McPartlan and he buried it.
Cross hit back with their third goal from Paul Hughes but their chances began to fade when Michael McConville replied with the home side’s second major minutes later.
It was a score that summed up his side’s afternoon. McConville had the pace and strength to power through one tackle, then the skill to beat another defender with a dummy.
His shot was saved and so was Jack Lavery’s follow-up but McConville poked the rebound home and the Clans led 2-13 to 3-5 with less than 10 minutes’ left.
Cross kept fighting though and when Hughes was bundled over in the square O’Neill had the chance to cut the deficit to two points. He struck his penalty hard and low but Clans goalkeeper Ryan Conway dived right to block it.
Cross laid siege to the Clan’s goal from there to the end. Hughes and Blessing had shots blocked as the home side manned the barricades and O’Neill’s sending-off was the cherry on the top of a forgettable day for his club.
He’ll be back though and so will the Rangers.
Crossmaglen: C Deery; T og Duffy, R Kelly, C Crowley; O McKeown, C Cumiskey, O Kieran; S Morris, O O’Neill (0-1); C McConville (0-3, 0-2 frees), R O’Neill, P Blessing (2-1); R Fitzpatrick, O Carragher, A O’Neill
Subs: P Hughes (1-0),
Yellow cards: R O’Neill (25), O Kieran (28), L Blessing (31), O O’Neill (50), R Kelly (52), A O’Neill (57)
Red card: R O’Neill (59)
Clan na Gael: R Conway; S McClarnon, A McCreanor, J Lavery (0-1); N Loney, M McConville (1-0), J Brady; D O’Hagan, S McPartlan (1-3, 0-1 free); B O’Hagan (0-1), N Henderson (0-3), C O’Neill (0-1); J Austin (0-1), S Campbell (0-3, 0-1 mark), M Lennon
Subs: C France for M Lennon (38), S Mackle for N Loney (50), D Loney for J Austin (58)
Yellow cards: A McCreanor (45), B O’Hagan (51), D Loney (60)
Referee: Neil McGeown