All Ireland Club Championships - Final Stages

[Croí na hÉireann]

Well done CR, this will be their greatest achievement if they win the AI with this team IMO. I only saw the highlights on League Sunday last night so obviously this carries a serious health warning but I think KC can count themselves seriously unlucky. Unlucky to have all the injuries they have had, unlucky to have 2 men sent off when neither were deserving of 2nd yellows or red (CR wasn't red either) and unlucky for keeper to spill ball & knock it back under him when he did. All that said CR knuckled down on more than one occasion when they looked like they were going to be blown away and the scoreboard doesn't lie at the end of the day. I reckon it'll be a cracker of a final now and Brigid's will have more of a chance than they are being given.

[Groucho]

Fair dues to Cross, hope you go on and win it again, Oisin still the daddy of them all

[orangeman]

Lads,


Does anybody have the Cross v Kilmacud match on dvd ?

I'd really appreciate a copy.

Thanks.

[Celt_Man]

Lads,


Does anybody have the Cross v Kilmacud match on dvd ?

I'd really appreciate a copy.

Thanks.

It's on TG 4 Live Player

http://live.tg4.ie/main.aspx?level=sport&content=501468907521

[our_fella]

nothing comes up to play the video etc?

[Orangemac]

Unbelievable comeback by Cross. At 6-0 with 10 mins gone I feared for them. Crokes were winning everything in midfiield.MF for Crokes that went off was a big loss.

Musicians change but the song remains the same. Work rate of Cross was amazing.A few more of this team should be given a run at county level (McKeown and J Hanratty in particular).

1st and 3rd sendings off were harsh enough and referee wasn't great ( decision to blow for HT as Cross were about to shoot was a joke)

Hopefully they can finish the job on Paddys day.

[orangeman]

That TG4 yoke doesn't play - anyone got a dvd of the match ?


It would be much appreciated.


Thanks.

[Orior]

During injury time in the second half, why did the KC player take a point instead of lobbing the ball into the large parallelogram?

[ross4life]

How many of the current Crossmaglen team will be starting 15 on the Armagh team this summer? & is it true cross have only lost one All Ireland final?

[our_fella]

ross4life

we would hope to see:
Hearty
Aaron, stephen and tony kernan
jamie clarke
david mckenna
paul mcgeown
possibly james morgan + oisin? 

[drici]

Cross resurrect to reach sixth final

All-Ireland Football Semi Final
Crossmaglen Rangers 2-11 Kilmacud Crokes 1-12


At varying stages of this pulsating All-Ireland club semi-final Crossmaglen Rangers were literally at sixes and sevens against their lively Dublin opponents Kilmacud Crokes but twice resurrected themselves from 6 point deficits to reach their sixth All-Ireland club final and their third in the last 5 years.

Rangers from their previous losing All-Ireland final against Crokes knew that their opponents were fast starters but could not have anticipated literally not getting their hands on clean possession for the opening five minutes as the Dublin outfit fired over three points. Inside 20 seconds impressive midfielder Craig Dias set up Liam Og O hEineachain for the games opening point. Waterford referee Maurice Condron who went on to play a major role in the match stamped his strict refereeing style on proceeding with a second minute booking of Stephen Finnegan for a foul which Brian Kavanagh converted. Pat Burke set up Declan Kelleher for point number three before Kavanagh doubled his tally from play to make it 4 nil with Rangers goalkeeper Paul Hearty the only player on his team to get his hands on the ball.

Cross crossed the half way line on six minutes with Oisin McConville laying the ball off to his team Captain Paul McKeown who shot wide quickly followed by another bad wide from Francis Hanratty. On eight minutes the irrepressible Burke placed midfielder Dias for a point and on eleven minutes a foul by Morgan enabled Kavanagh stretch the lead to an even half dozen points with Cross like a punch drunk boxer all over the show and on the ropes.

Experienced duo Aaron Kernan (who picked up the TG4 Man of the Match) and Oisin McConville hauled their team back into the match with pointed frees. A foul on Francis Hanratty allowed Oisin open Rangers account. The resulting short kick-out saw Morrissey closed down into conceding a free which Oisin converted. Aaron Cunningham shot wide for Cross before Crokes Kevin Nolan picked up a significant yellow card for a cynical tackle on Stephen Kernan who was heading goalwards. Aaron halved the deficit from the free as Cross replaced midfielder David McKenna with John McEntee. On 19 minutes Rangers first score from play was a very good one off the boot of Tony Kernan from an acute angle. Kilmacud lost midfielder Paul Duggan to injury replaced by Hannamy before the game took another dramatic turn two minutes later. The tireless unselfish work carried out throughout the entire match by Cross midfielder Johnny Hanratty brought it's first reward as he was fouled twice going through the middle of the Crokes defence with Nolan picking up a harsh second yellow card and dismissal as Aaron Kernan made it a one point game from the resulting free 0-6 to 0-5.

Credit Kilmacud who replied to the adversity with a typical Cross response as they hit Rangers with an unanswered 1-2 in the last 8 minutes of the half. Paul Kernan picked up a yellow card for a foul on Kavanagh who pointed the free for Crokes first score in 13 minutes and less than 30 seconds later Kavanagh lofted over a great point from play. Burke won yet another ball and found the inrushing Dias whose goal bound effort was well save with his feet by Paul Hearty but it was Dias who beat Danny O Callaghan to the loose ball and he first timed it into the roof of the net to make it 1-8 to 0-15 to 14 man Kilmacud. Six behind again Rangers replied with 2 wides from Oisin and Tony Kernan before the short whistle sounded. Referee Condron made the Rangers bench and supporters very cross by sounding that whistle as Aaron Cunningham was in front of the goals about to shoot a point for Cross when the pee shooter sounded. In all my years at matches it is the first time I have witnessed a referee blow the game up with a player in such a position.

Cross used the interval to re-organise after turning in a half which uncharacteristically for them had yielded only one point from open play. David McKenna was re-introduced on the forty, replacing Aaron Cunningham. Rangers keeper Hearty set up the opening score of the second half using the dropped short ball to good effect by parting to Stephen Kernan who advanced forward before playing a diagonal ball to Jamie Clarke who bagged his first score and signalled Rangers new found intensity. Burke hit a poor wide for Crokes as Cross upped the ante as Oisin was unlucky to see his effort for a point hit the upright. The Kernan brothers Paul and Stephen came out of defence with the ball before Stephen made a pass to Clarke who calmly rounded goalkeeper Nestor and hit the ball net ward only for corner back Conor Lamb to deflect the ball into the air which was pounced upon by Francis Hanratty who punched the leather to the back of the net. The fillip and tonic Rangers need in the shape of a goal had arrived within 6 minutes of the restart. The Leinster champions showed their pedigree with Dias popping up on the edge of the Cross square electing to take his point to make it 1-9 to 1-6. Crokes Ronan Ryan received a yellow card for a foul on McKenna with the resulting free from Aaron Kernan allowing Rangers grab an equalising goal which carried a lot of good fortune. Aaron's free was dropping short of the goals when keeper David Nestor advanced to catch the ball but fumbled the catch and in trying to atone knocked the ball into the grateful hands of Jamie Clarke who scored Rangers second goal 2-6 to 1-9. Mark Vaughen ruled out of the starting line up through injury came in for his replacement Mark Coughlan.

The outcome was back in the melting pot and things were about to get even better for Cross as Brian McGrath got a straight red for an off the ball challenge on Aaron Kernan with 18 minutes remaining in the match. Cross introduced Kyle Carragher for Francis Hanratty with Rory O Carroll coming in for Kelleher and immediately picking up a yellow along with his marker Paul McKeown. The drama and unexpected continued when Rangers Danny O Callaghan got himself stupidly sent as everyone awaited the game to restart with a free to Crokes. While what O Callaghan did was relatively harmless 13 again 15 was always going to leave the team with numerical advantage suspect to the next Red Card and so it proved to be. Crokes regained the initiative once again with an excellent point from Vaughan 1-10 to 2-6 with the other substitute O Connell spurning the opportunity to double Crokes lead as he shot for a goal which was well saved by Hearty but Kilmacud had found a new lease of life and a foul on Ryan (who could have just as easily been penalised for over carrying) enabled Kavanagh to extend the lead to two points. Stephen and Tony Kernan combined to set up a goal chance for Clarke against whom a square ball decision was given as he jumped with Nestor.

John McEntee then found Johnny Hanratty in acres of space and a fitting reward for his unselfish work was reflected on the scoreboard with a superb point to leave a point between the teams inside the final 10 minutes. Another pin point pass from Stephen Kernan to Clarke saw Jamie fouled and Oisin converting for the equalizer 2-8 to 1-11. McConville saw a point attempt from a free go wide off the upright his teams seventh of the match. Martin Aherne was sprung from the bench for a match winning contribution in place Stephen Finnegan. Martin was immediately involved winning the ball in defence and giving it to Stephen Kernan. Stephen played it into the corner to Kyle Carragher who played a one two with Aaron Kernan before baring down on goals and taking the right option by fisting a point. Amazingly Cross were ahead for the first time in the match 2-9 to 1-11 as the stopwatch showed 3 minutes left. A poorly hit Oisin free from outfield drifted across goals some twenty yards out and with Cross winning the loose ball it was Aherne who doubled Rangers advantage. A minute later Hanratty knocked the ball from the grasp of a Crokes player as they launched an attack with John McEntee supplying the loose ball onto Carragher who offloaded to fellow substitute Aherne who duly netted his second point to put a goal between the teams 2-11 to 1-11 in added on time. Francie Bellew to tremendous applause came in for Clarke as Aherne cleared a dangerous Crokes attack to safety. The Dublin champions had the last score of the game as Kavanagh pointed from the 21 yard line leaving Cross through to their sixth All-Ireland club final on St Patricks Day.

Cross will take on Roscommon side Srt Brigid's surprise 0-13 to 1-8 winners over title favourites Nemo Rangers. Cross beat St Brigids 1-11 to 0-11 in Mullingar in the All-Ireland semi-final in 2007.

[armaghniac]

is it true cross have only lost one All Ireland final?

If I am not mistaken, the AI club final two years ago was the only final lost by Cross since the present phase started in 1996. They did lose the Armagh county final in 1982 though.

[RedandGreenSniper]

I finally got around to watching the game on TG4 player there. Orangeman I think it depends on your computer. Couldn't play it in college but managed fine on my laptop at home.

Christ, though, the referee gave as bad a display as you'll ever see. Sent off three lads in the wrong. Some might argue the Crokes centre-half back was guilty of dangerous play but I think it was just a trip. It was a stupid act though so can't feel too sorry for him. As for Nolan and the Cross'  chb, terrible calls. Some of the yellows as well were downright shocking.

Crossmaglen are something else though. People might say Crokes don't have the stones or whatever but I think that's doing Cross a disservice. I've never seen a team like them to stay in games when playing poorly and to really frighten the hell out of the opposition. They make good teams play like rabbits in the headlights. Crokes weren't the first and probably won't be the last. Will we ever see the likes of them again? I doubt it.

[orangeman]

still can't get it - 

[armaghniac]

from Irish Examiner (not Cross Examiner!)
probably written by Bennydorano!

NEITHER Crossmaglen super-sub Martin Aherne nor his team-mates believed they would reach the All-Ireland Club final this year.

A county title would have been recovery, a provincial one would have been a bonus. But an All-Ireland title? That would have been just greedy.

However, the Rangers players never bought into the idea either that they would fall flat on their faces as they believed others, especially those in the media, did.

After Sunday's win over Kilmacud Crokes, a sixth All-Ireland final now awaits Crossmaglen although it was an unlikely appearance.

"I didn't see it, no," he admitted. "We didn't see it. The media and everyone else wrote us off. They said we were a car crash waiting to happen. They said we got out of Armagh very luckily. I don't think we are a car crash. I think we are a very good team. We play as a unit and stick as a unit".

After losing Danny O'Callaghan to a straight red card in Navan on Sunday, they needed to work as a unit. Granted, Kilmacud Crokes had already lost a couple of players but his dismissal in the 45th minute was nevertheless a set-back.

Aherne didn't see the incident between O'Callaghan and Rory O'Carroll but suggests the timing of it after Crokes had Brian McGrath sent off three minutes before was more than coincidental.

"I didn't see it, I was warming up. I think the referee was evening it up."

Aherne, whose two late scores helped Rangers on their way to victory, likened the win over Crokes to a hard-earned victory in the county championship last year.

"It was a battle," he said of the game in Navan. "We drew with Cullyhanna in the Armagh championship and it really lifted us as a unit. They were two big, hard games and we got out of it.

"We got out of it as a team and as a unit. There is nothing if you get knocked out of an All-Ireland semi-final. Thank God we got out of it".



This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/sport/gaa/final-spot-astounds-crossmaglen-146825.html#ixzz1FOV1zgvZ