Banagher are ousted after epic encounter
CAVAN champions Mullahoran booked their place against St Enda’s of Antrim in the final of the Ulster Club Intermediate Championship after an extraordinary night of football in Armagh’s Athletic Grounds on Saturday evening.
The second semi-final was delayed by 45 minutes as Mullahoran needed two periods of extra-time and a free-kick shootout to overcome Banagher of Derry 1-6 to 0-19 in an epic battle.
Two 10-minute periods of extra-time failed to separate the sides so an additional five minutes each way was required with Banagher’s Peter Hagan scoring a dramatic late point to level proceedings at 0-19 to 1-16 after over 90 minutes of enthralling action.
Each side then put forward five players for the first free-kick competition in the provincial club championships.
Standing 35 metres from goal on the edge of the ‘D’, Mullahoran’s Enda O’Reilly, Fionnan O’Reilly, Gavin Brady, Philip Brady and Cormac O’Reilly all converted in a 5-3 shoot-out win.
The second semi-final was never going to live up to the excitement of the first, but St Enda’s and Tattyreagh served up an entertaining spectacle nevertheless with the Antrim side emerging 0-13 to 1-8 winners.
After a cagey opening quarter, owing much to the lengthy delay in the throw-in time, St Enda’s moved two clear before half-time with Eoin Nagle, Odhran Eastwood and Ruairi Scott to the fore for the Glengormley outfit.
However, the impressive Johnny Harkin drew the Tyrone champions level at 0-5 each after just three minutes of the second half.
St Enda’s moved clear once again with Nagle landing his fourth from play to put his side three ahead.
Harkin then set up wingback Joe Cartin for the game’s only goal after incredible defending forced five turnovers in quick succession for Tattyreagh while midfielder Ethan Gibson picked up a black card for the Co Antrim men.
However, a stunning point from Eastwood indicated the resolve of this young St Enda’s team and a point from wing-back Conor McAuley drew them level with two minutes of normal time remaining.
Sub Michael Morgan, a late addition to the match-day squad, proved his value with two points in stoppage time. GAOTH DOBHAIR: C Sweeney; G McFadden, N McGee, C McFadden; N Friel 0-1, E McGee, O McFadden-Ferry; D ÓBaoill 3-0, 1-0 Pen, O MacNiallais 0-4, 1f; C Mulligan 0-1, N ÓBaoill, D McBride; E Colm 0-2, 1f, K Cassidy 1-2, M Carroll
Subs: P McGee for McBride (43 mins), J Carroll for Colm (47 mins), S ÓBaoill for McFadden-Ferry (52 mins), S ÓFearraigh 0-1 for N ÓBaoill (58 mins), C McClafferty for E McGee (64 mins)
CROSSMAGLEN: J McEvoy; R Kelly, A Farrelly, G Carragher; A Kernan, J Morgan, P Hughes; S Morris, O’Neill; J McKeever, R O’Neill, J Hanratty; C Cumiskey, T Kernan, K Carragher
Subs: A Rushe for G Carragher (28 mins), D McKenna for McKeever (H-time), C McConville for T Kernan (46 mins), P Stuttard for Hughes (48 mins), M Boyce for Carragher (59 mins)
Referee: Joe McQuillan
Attendance: 7,794
TWO years ago, Gaoth Dobhair were beaten by 12 points in the Donegal Championship and walked out of the ground a broken team. Mervyn O’Donnell took over as manager and made one pledge — that he was going to restore honesty to the club.
Now, they will face Scotstown in their first-ever Ulster club final, after — not to be blunt about it — tearing no less then Crossmaglen Rangers asunder.
In many ways, it’s been a dream for the Gaeltacht men. Their talent has never been in question but down through the years they would be the first to admit that their focus was not what it should have been.
And there is a huge dollop of romance in this too. Who would begrudge the likes of Kevin Cassidy, 37 years of age and with 2-5 now from his Ulster campaign from play, a chance of another Ulster medal to go with the one he earned with Donegal in 2011?
Eamonn McGee at 34? Neil McGee at 32? There is a sense here that despite all the building the club have been doing down through the years with an incredible crop of youngsters, there must be a big squeeze to get all these veterans over the line.
There was always the suspicion that Gaoth Dobhair’s running game would trouble Cross, but few could have predicted the ease in which they got in behind the lines and plundered the Armagh champions.
Dáire ÓBaoill struck for three goals in the first 25 minutes. The first came from a ball floated over a defensive line that he raced through to pot a shot beyond Rangers goalkeeper Jamie McEvoy.
The second came out of nothing really, as he tore off from the sideline farthest from the stand and just kept running for 50 metres before again just caressing the ball to the net.
As much as what is made about Crossmaglen’s style and the traditional shape they favour, it simply wasn’t fit for purpose here and Gaoth Dobhair’s runners ran riot.
A penalty arrived after 25 minutes after when it looked like they had overcooked a move, Cian Mulligan was upended by Garvan Carragher in the penalty area. ÓBaoill’s finish underlined his experience playing soccer.
Say what you want about rule changes, but games like this refute the need for any tinkering.
That’s with Gaoth Dobhair using both McGee brothers at times as sweepers. They knew however from their county final win over Naomh Conaill and the Ulster club triumph over Cargin, that they couldn’t afford to invite other teams on.
Despite all that, Cross came roaring back and in the last three minutes of the first half forced their opponents to over-carry three times, getting their free kicks off quickly and narrowing