GWEEDORE’S MAGIC MOMENT BECKONING
DAIRE Ó BAOILL’S first half hat-trick sent Gweedore careering into a first ever Ulster Club SFC final as they routed the legendary Crossmaglen at Healy Park in Omagh. The Donegal men played with a freedom and a refreshing positivity as they sliced open the Cross’ defence time and again, adding a fourth goal through former county star Kevin Cassidy early in the second half. Rian O’Neill’s eight points kept the Armagh side in touch, but he was sent off late on as his side finished with 13 men. Ó Baoill appeared on Odhrán Mac Niallais’ shoulder to fly in and plant the ball in the net for his first goal on eight minutes. Cross’ had barely recovered from the shock when the midfielder sprinted through the middle with searing pace to rifle home a second four minutes later, and when Mac Niallais swept over a couple of long range scores, the men from the Gaeltacht led by 2-5 to 0-4. Gweedore were awarded a penalty for Garvin Carragher’s foul on Cian Mulligan, and Ó Baoill stepped up to complete his hat-trick from the spot. Trailing by nine, the Rangers piled on the pressure in the closing stages of the half, hitting four points, three of them from Rian O’Neill, to trail by 3-5 to 0-9 at the break, and they lost Johnny Hanratty to a second booking two minutes after the restart. Full forward Cassidy reacted fastest to smash home another goal, seizing the rebound as a Mac Niallais effort came back off post. Now they led by eight, and the crisis deepened for a Crossmaglen side searching for a way back into the contest. Rian O’Neill, Oisín O’Neill and Kyle Carragher pulled back scores, but they never looked like getting close against a Gweedore defence in which Eamonn McGee and Niall Friel excelled. And Crossmaglen’s misery was completed when top scorer Rian O’Neill received a straight red
card in stoppage time as Gweedore eased home.
GWEEDORE: C Sweeney; G McFadden, N McGee, C McFadden; N Friel, E McGee, O McFadden-Ferry (S Ó Baoill 51); D O Baoill, O Mac Niallais; C Mulligan, N O Baoill, D McBride (Peter Hughes 42); E Collum (S Carroll 42), K Cassidy, M Carroll (S Ferry 57). Scorers: D Ó Baoill 3-0 (1p); K Cassidy 1-2; O MacNiallais 0-4 (1f); E Collum 0-2 (1f); N Friel, C Mulligan, S Ferry 0-1 each. CROSSMAGLEN: J McEvoy; R Kelly, A Farrelly, G Carragher (A Rushe 27); A Kernan, J Morgan, P Hughes P Stuttard 47); S Morris, O O’Neill; J McKeever, R O’Neill, J Hanratty; C Cumiskey (D McKenna HT), T Kernan (C McConville 47), K Carragher (M Boyce 57). Scorers: R O’Neill 0-8 (5f); O O’Neill 03 (1f); J Hanratty 0-2; T Kernan 0-2 (1f); K Carragher 0-1. Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).