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CROSSMAGLEN Rangers are flexing their muscles once again in the Armagh senior football championship.
They may have surrendered their long-held authority to Maghery in 2016 and to Armagh Harps last year, but Rangers certainly look as if they intend to erect the business as usual sign again this year.
The clinical manner in which they disposed of Harps’ challenge by 2-22 to 1-15 in their weekend quarter-final suggests that the Rangers will settle for nothing less than their place on the county throne again.
The O’Neill brothers Rian and Oisin along with their cousin Cian McConville perhaps best epitomise the rekindled vigour and drive which has permeated the Rangers side and the trio were prominent in ending Harps’ hopes of landing back to back titles.
Johnny McKeever and Kyle Carragher scored the Rangers goals while long-serving Michael McNamee helped to compile their healthy ration of points.
St Patrick’s, Cullyhanna proved too strong for Silverbridge last night, winning by 2-13 to 0-7. Aidan Nugent was their top scorer with 1-5 while Kyle Reid got their other goal with Ross McQuillan, Peter Carragher and Mal Mackin turning in fine displays.
Ballymacnab also made it through to the last four by getting the better of Killeavy by 1-10 to 0-3 with the Grugan brothers Rory and Jack along with Gavin McParland inflicting most damage on their south Armagh opponents.
In the Tyrone senior football championship Killyclogher and Omagh St Enda’s joined Errigal Ciaran in making progress.
Errigal Ciaran had initially set the ball in motion on what was a busy weekend in the O’Neill county by beating Carrickmore by 0-16 to 0-12 with Peter Harte, Darren Canavan and skipper Cathal McRory to the fore before Omagh St Enda’s overcame Aghyaran by 1-11 to 1-6.
Damian McGuigan’s extra-time goal was to prove crucial in deciding the latter contest.
In contrast, St Mary’s, Killyclogher had things very much their own way in accounting for Derrylaughan by 2-8 to 0-5. Mark Bradley was in impressive form for the winners and scored five points while Marty Swift and Gabhan Sludden grabbed their goals.
The Tyrone Competitions Control Committee has proposed sanctions on the Strabane and Stewartstown clubs following the violence which marred their intermediate championship match last weekend and are now awaiting the response from both clubs. They may well decide to appeal against whatever sanctions are imposed.
And with the CCC having also stated that it is satisfied the referee had acted appropriately in imposing no sanction following the incident in which Sean Cavanagh sustained severe facial injuries and concussion while assisting Moy against Edendork last weekend, there now appears to be a desire to draw a line under the issue.
Thee Edendork club had re- Top talent: Oisin O’Neill is on fire for Crossmaglen
leased a statement in which it said it would “take legal action in respect of comments published on social media inferring and expressly stating that this was a deliberate act. The Club and individual player will meet any inferred or expressed statement with the full brunt of the law to ensure that the club’s and the player’s reputations are protected”.