Armagh Club football & hurling

[Wee Shea]

Cross 1 14 St Pats 2 11

Clarke and Tasker off, straight reds.

Scrapping with each other?

[armaghniac]

FT draw.

[Piarsaigh Oga]

When would the replay be??

[AFS]

Great entertainment there tonight. Last night's game was pure dross in comparison. Would've been even better had the two best forwards on show not been lined within a couple of minutes of each other. Didn't see Clarke's red (Cross' legion of subs were blocking my view), but I thought Tasker's was a joke and stank of a ref wanting to even things up.

Draw was probably a fair result, and no one could accuse the ref of playing for it. He allowed a good four or five minutes injury time with both teams getting opportunities to snatch it. Thought a couple of Cullyhanna's second half points were suspect - the one the ref had to overrule the umpires on and McKeever's at the end.

Wouldn't count out St. Pats completely in the replay, but I get the impression they'll miss Tasker more than Cross will miss Clarke.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Great entertainment there tonight. Last night's game was pure dross in comparison. Would've been even better had the two best forwards on show not been lined within a couple of minutes of each other. Didn't see Clarke's red (Cross' legion of subs were blocking my view), but I thought Tasker's was a joke and stank of a ref wanting to even things up.

Draw was probably a fair result, and no one could accuse the ref of playing for it. He allowed a good four or five minutes injury time with both teams getting opportunities to snatch it. Thought a couple of Cullyhanna's second half points were suspect - the one the ref had to overrule the umpires on and McKeever's at the end.

Wouldn't count out St. Pats completely in the replay, but I get the impression they'll miss Tasker more than Cross will miss Clarke.

Which one was that? The one where Barry kicked it really high. I thought Brookie's just about went over though it was very tight.

f**k I dunno what to say about that match. I'm lost for words.

[armaghniac]

Perhaps a draw at Silverbridge was just as well. The umpire gave a wide as a point for each side, Cross halfway through the 1st half and an even worse one for Cullyhanna 5 mins from the end of the game!

[mackers]

What a game............the best club game in Armagh for years. Real pity that Tasker got sent off as he gave some exhibition.................2.5 I think with all but one point from play. Ciaran McKeever outstanding again. The attacking play from both sides was something else with Jaimie Clarke quiet. Aaron Cunningham was Cross's best forward IMO (although he was constantly getting involved in the niggly stuff).
Didn't see either sendings off but a couple of fellas beside me saw Clarke elbowing Eoin McArdle in the face. The Tasker incident was at the far end of the field.
As AFS says Cross put their score up without Clarke contributing so you'd think that'll miss him less than St Pat's will miss Tasker. Can't wait for the replay.

[AFS]

Great entertainment there tonight. Last night's game was pure dross in comparison. Would've been even better had the two best forwards on show not been lined within a couple of minutes of each other. Didn't see Clarke's red (Cross' legion of subs were blocking my view), but I thought Tasker's was a joke and stank of a ref wanting to even things up.

Draw was probably a fair result, and no one could accuse the ref of playing for it. He allowed a good four or five minutes injury time with both teams getting opportunities to snatch it. Thought a couple of Cullyhanna's second half points were suspect - the one the ref had to overrule the umpires on and McKeever's at the end.

Wouldn't count out St. Pats completely in the replay, but I get the impression they'll miss Tasker more than Cross will miss Clarke.

Which one was that? The one where Barry kicked it really high. I thought Brookie's just about went over though it was very tight.

f**k I dunno what to say about that match. I'm lost for words.

Aye. Looked wide from where I was and there were a good few around me thought the same. But I suppose the ref must've been certain if he was prepared to call it 

[Piarsaigh Oga]

Any Idea when the replay is??

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Any Idea when the replay is??

Don't know, don't care. I've decided I hate football.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Senior Championship Semi-Final: St Patrick's 2-11 Crossmaglen Rangers 1-14

Silverbridge was the setting on Sunday evening for what turned out to be magnificently thrilling county semi-final played in near-perfect conditions on Sunday evening. A huge crowd attended from throughout the county and beyond and they were certainly not disappointed as the two local rivals served up a feast of football. Whilst local bookmakers had made little of the Cullyhanna team's chances earlier in the week, they showed no signed of being overawed by either the occasion or the illustrious nature of the opposition as St Pat's made an excellent start when a Ciaran McKeever free was well won by Gary McCooey who laid the ball off to Robbie Tasker for the opening point. A Tony Kernan free levelled matters before Robbie Tasker collected a loose ball and fired over the bar. After eight minutes, Liam O'Hare won possession in the corner, drove towards goal and found Eugene with an excellent pass. Casey made no mistake in kicking the point to send his side two points into the lead. With Mal Mackin exerting quite a bit of influence at midfield, Cullyhanna seemed in the ascendancy however Cross soon showed their true quality as Stephen Kernan kicked a magnificent point with the outside of the foot. Two more Crossmaglen points followed in quick succession before Stephen Kernan got the first goal of the match when he pounced on a loose ball, deceived the goalkeeper with an outrageous dummy before coolly slotting the ball to the net.

Facing a four point deficit, St Patrick's again utilised the long ball to good effect to allow Gary McCooey who was excelling at full forward to take a score. Aaron Cunningham responded with a point before another excellent Robbie Tasker point brought St Pat's back within a goal. Cross then took advantage of some criminally lax marking to go 5 in front. A Robbie Tasker free and a magnificent Ciaran McKeever point from the right hand sideline kept St Pat's in touch but Rangers finished the half stronger with two late points to lead at the break by 1-9 to 0-7 after a very open and attractive first half of football.

The prevailing view amongst the Cullyhanna support at half-time was that, despite the deficit, the team looked dangerous when they attacked with direct football. Yet even the most optimistic of St Pat's followers could hardly have imagined the dividends which those tactics would pay early in the second half. From the first throw in, Mal Mackin caught the ball and was fouled. His long free was flicked on by Gary McCooey who found Robbie Tasker in space. If the former County Minor was nervous facing a gilt-edged goal chance, he showed no signs of it as he expertly found the bottom corner of the Crossmaglen net to cut the deficit to two points. Two minutes, the old adage that lightning doesn't strike twice was turned on its head when Gary McCooey leaped into the sky to attempt to field another Mackin kick. Whether McCooey got his palm to the ball or not is a matter for debate but crucially Tasker ended up through on goal again and the result was the same as the net bulged to send the Cullyhanna support into raptures, but more importantly, his team into the lead.

Cross did not win 13 county titles by panicking however and they soon drew level with a pointed free. While it seemed as though the match could scarcely be much more dramatic, controversy soon erupted when two separate incidents within a minute of each other resulted in both sides losing their marquee forward to a sending off, Jamie Clarke and Robbie Tasker receiving their marching orders respectively. With both sides down to 14, the match was entirely in the balance but it was Cross who forged into the lead thanks to a pointed free before a lobbing Barry McConville kick restored parity. Cross soon kicked another score and led by a point however with 9 minutes to go, Ciaran McKeever, who was magnificent throughout, made a driving run forward before passing to Tony Donnelly. Donnelly showed great composure to come inside before kicking an excellent score. Try as they might, St Pat's could not stay level for long as Cross again got their noses in front with a point.

After 24 minutes, the long ball tactic which had brought success all evening worked again when a Tony Donnelly sent a high kick in towards Gary McCooey who, despite being blantantly fouled very close to, if not inside, the penalty area, rose acrobatically to fist a superb point. Level with five minutes to go, there was still more drama in store as Cross edged into the lead again after a well worked point. Behind in a championship semi-final with 3 minutes to go, Cullyhanna needed leaders and inspiration and they found both in the shape of Ciaran McKeever whom under the severest pressure, kicked his second magnificent point of the day from the right hand sideline. While both sides should have been desperate at this stage to find the winning score, it was difficult to attribute such urgency to the Crossmaglen goalkeeper who seemed obsessed in the final few minutes with having the football replaced. Eventually a O'Neills size 5 was found which met his exacting standards and late into injury time, it looked as though Cross had their opportunity to win the game with an Aaron Kernan free. The whole of South Armagh drew its breath as Kernan attempted the difficult kick and there were huge sighs of relief from the Cullyhanna faithful when the ball landed just wide. Referee Jimmy McKee blew for full-time soon after to ensure that it will take another outing to find a victor.

While the perceived wisdom in such situations seems to be that the underdog who forces a draw is always likely to struggle in the replay, the St Pat's side would do well to remember that such clichés are founded in little more than bluster and hearsay. Crossmaglen are undoubtedly a superb side with some magnificent players however Cullyhanna showed today that they have the ability to match the Rangers and will be hoping to go one better in the replay. Next week will no doubt be a different match with different controversies and turning points, however if it produces anything the excitement of Sunday's game, the supporters will be very fortunate indeed.

Starting XV: C O'Neill, B Savage, S Reel, M Murray, E McArdle, C McKeever (0-2), P McCreesh, M Mackin, B McConville (0-1); K Hoey, L O'Hare, E Casey (0-1), T Donnelly (0-1), G McCooey (0-2), R Tasker (2-4). Subs Used: N McShane, A Mackin, S McKeever

[crossfire]

A terrific game which neither team deserved to lose.
Both dismissals seemed a bit harsh and were no reflection on the game which was played in a very sporting manner throughout.
A very large attendance and no doubt the replay will again attract a very large gathering.
Congratulations to both teams on a great contest.

[mackers]

Agree with TAM on Hearty, wtf was he at? Booted one ball clean over the clubrooms!!

[crossfire]

A point of interest perhaps. !!

Since Cross won their first all Ireland title in 1997. tonight was the first time that they started a championship match with no one  in the starting lineout who played in that final.

[mackers]

That cross team are poles apart from the 97 team. Not in the same league in the physicality stakes but still a very good collection of footballers. Don't know whether they could handle the muck and sh1t in November (if they get that far) as well as the twins, Francie, Donaldson,etc..