Messages

Seanie, while the Liverpool teams of the late 70's early 80's were masters of the back pass(lawro and Hansen being the prime candidtaes) they did play devastating football going forward.The teams that won the last few championships are rightly regarded as some of the best attacking teams ever in English football, Barnes, Beardsly, Rush, Aldridge,all top-class forwards.  Like any team of the era though they were able to slow games down to their own pace when it suited.  I would venture that this is why Liverpool were, and still are excellent in Europe.  They can slow the came down to the pace of continental teams and then break at pace.  Not as much now as they used to but they certainly could do it well.

Myself, Oisin, the two macs,Francie, paddy mckeown, paddy moley,michael mc shane paul mc shane, james hughes and Cormac Carragher were all involved in the Mosney Final and went on to win Al lIrelands. Here is the link to the photo gallery of the winning team

http://www.crossrangers.com/multimedia/gallery05.asp?offset=10. 

it is just coincidence that the pictures underneath are from our 1999 Final.

I know your love of all things Kernan knows no bounds but Paul is definitely a potential.  He played a significant role in the minor team that beat Down a few years ago and will only get better as he is playing weekly with good players.  Maybe not this year but in the next few years he should make the breakthrough.  If Tony can stay free of injury he will also be a contender.  Also in Cross Brendan(Skinny) McKeown is pushing hard.  He is 23/24 and is very well thought of.  He would have been more regular in the Cross team over the last few years but for his fouling.  He seems to have curbed that and if coached right could be a very good player.

Whatever happened to the Granemore minors from the last few years?  I think there was a lad called McClelland was a good player?

I have an apology to make to John and Tony Mac.  Got a text from Tony last night and they both ahve all the same medals as Oisin.  I think I got mixed up a bit because Oisin is the only one of the three who has played in all the finals.  The Macs due to injury were not available from one or two.  So Tony, as you said my mind is playing up on me! I am getting old you know, I am on the other side of 30 now

Stephenite, I am not disagreeing with you about the having one handed to us.  Thank you very much for such a lovely gift

Don't have a link, but joint top with Burren.

I would say they are they are maxpower.  There is an advantage but a lot of the Cross team have never played at AI level either, ie P Kernan, Ryan Carragher, M Aherne, D McKenna, J Hanratty

A number of the lads have all 11 county medals, Francie, Oisin, Paul Hearty, one of the Macs, Cathal Short, Oisin though has 11 county medals, 5 Ulster Club medals, 3 All Ireland Club medals, 6 Ulster County Medals, a National League medal and an All Ireland medal as Charlie said.  No one else of the county players has that. 

All the kids in the area always wore Cross tracksuits, I had a few pairs of the old black ones with the straps around the bottoms and the groovy 3 yellow stripes down the side and that is 20ish years ago. Also seeing that Cathal Shorts da has the local sports shop and he played as well there is never any shortage of the stuff.

Donal was full back throughout the success.  He is actually harder than Francie as he would hit you just as hard but rarely gave away frees and I thunk was only sent off once in his career.  I marked him every night at training for a good few years and I know what the corner of his elbow feels like as he comes down on the top of your head after catching the ball above you
He actually dislocated his shoulde or elbow in the first half of the 2000 final against Na Fianna.  He played on and gave an exhibition cleaning Sherlock out of it.

I have to say I am a very proud Cross man today after another great achievement by everyone involved.  I obviously would have loved to have been involved but I have no regrets about my career   It is fantastic to see all the new lads doing so well, and to win an Ulster without two of the teams best players for most of the run makes it even better.  It is great for Donal, Califf and all involved to have brought the club back to the top and who knows what they can achieve.  With none of the so called strong clubs left apart from Cross they have a serious chance of going all the way.

On the management, Donal Murtagh was one of the smartest, is not the smartest footballer, i ever played with.  If ever someone lives and breaths sport it is him and he has a great ability to read the game.  Also he has shown that he is not afraid to make important decisions.  With Aaron kernan out against Clontibret, many club managers would have been tempted to play one of either Francie or Stephen Kernan even though they were hurt.  It was a great show of faith in his squad that he didn't play them and he has to be commended very highly for that.

Rufus you comment on how well they have done with a greatly changed team.  There were only 4 of the starting team that played in 1996, and Hearty didn't even play in the Ulster due to injury.  There has been a continuous re-invention of the team over the last 11 years.  Under Joe in the first 5 years or so the team practically picked itself.  There were generally only 2-3 places up for grabs.  However, with our success filtering down through the underage structure, players who 15 years ago would have given up have stuck at it.  There was always the undergae talent but for quite some time it never broke on through to senior.  Now every year there are 3-4 county minors on the Armagh squad and they are gradually making it through to the senior team allowing the oldies(like me ) to move on. Once they are coming on to a successful team they have the self belief, based on the players around them, to make it to the top every time.  Also the competitive spirit that O'neill posted about is enhanced by the added competition.  Also the continuity of those involved has a huge bearing on it.  We may be a huge club but the team is based on families. McEntees, Kernans, McNamees, Murtaghs,  McKeowns(the sub goalie is Brendan McKeowns brother).  David McKenna is a son of Donal McKenna, Joe Kernans selector.  It is all very close knit and when I was there there were never too many wee clicks, we all stuck together.

Anyway enough grandstanding by me, Well done and all going well I will see everyone in Croke Park on the 17th.

Pat daly, I believe they play the Connacht champions, St Brigid's now, but I could be wrong.

Charlie linkbox, Oisin is the only one with them all.  I could be wrong but I wopuld reckon he is the most decorated footballer currently playing.

Was at my best (whatever that is) 1999/2000.  Was in the best physical shape of my life, played in the two greatest seasons of my clubs history and kept my place on the team throughout.  Was 23/24. Although I was never a prolific scorer, I scored a few memorable and vital scores during that time.  I went to pot after that with fitness problems and injury.

Hoping to get myself into decent shape this year as things have calmed down since last season and maybe get fit enough to play regularly and use my older, more experienced head to guide a group of younger lads in my new club.  A second coming you could say  

Abbeyside, the drill would have two players side by side and the ball carrier must beat his man to the end of the cones, with the tackler only allowed to use his inside arm at all times.  Quick, short burst aqnd that is it.  You can also do it with the players facing each other and the tackler only allowed to use closest hand at anuy time even it is the weaker hand.

Seems fair enough.  Cluxton/Quirke was a toss up as was Spillane/Cullen.  With no really outstanding FB displays by anyone else Owens desrves his.  Fair play to Karol Lacey.  Mortimor may have lost out on the back of a poor Final but there was no real challenger so he held on.  

Bud do you think Laois deserved any?

TAC can maybe confirm if he is still about, but the McConville family had 3 sons, Gary(mad man), Neil and the other one who wasn't as good as the other two played on the same team as their father Brendan in a few games.

Spirit he is repaying me for looking after him over the years!

Billy, it is in me to argue.

[successful]

If that is all I have been called over the years I would be happy   They couldn't get me on the pitch so they try to hurt me from behind the safety of their computer screens.  I am happy to be a successful, clumsy, aggressive player

I am getting fed up with this constant digs at me about being dirty.  I am a very misunderstood player by referees and have had one or two indiscretions which have tainted my reputation.  The deftness of my touch and my lightning pace were always my greatest attributes

Bensars,  i tend to agree with wobbler on this.  McAnallan was a hard working, clever player and a great leader but was not one of the most naturally gifted players.  There is nothing wrong in saying that, he had other talents that many other players do not have.  He was the type of player who rarely made mistakes but rarely did anything that would make you catch your breath and say wow.  To me a naturally gifted player is the sort of player who could do things that would make you want to watch them over and over again, and McAnallan in my opinion was not one of those players.

As for Downey,  he was a slimmer and fitter version of me and I am definitely not naturally gifted.