Cross conquer Exiles in club championship
Sunday, 5 December 2004 22:06London champions Kingdom-Kerry Gaels made Crossmaglen Rangers sweat for their place in next year's AIB All-Ireland Club football semi-finals after a tight 2-10 to 1-9 decision at Ruislip.
The Exiles' side - who had not played a competitive match in over two months - scored a late 1-2, including a goal from 41-year-old substitute Jim Landy, but the Armagh kingpins rallied to hold on.
Star forward Oisin McConville was central to that, scoring 1-5 in all.
Cathal Shortt notched an opening goal for Cross in the third minute after a defensive mix-up in the Gaels' rearguard.
But points from Colm Foody (0-2), Padraig McDonagh and a late brace from Gordon Weldon saw the London side just 0-5 to 1-4 down at half-time.
John Murtagh, Stephen Clarke and McConville 0-2 (1f) were on target for the visitors.
Two-time All-Star McConville and the Kernan brothers, Stephen and Aaron, put Cross 1-7 to 0-5 on the restart, before Foody (0-2) reduced the lead back to a single goal.
McConville, who has been suffering from back pain, struck home a 51st minute penalty, after Shortt had been hauled down by Gaels' goalkeeper Stephen Howard to ease Cross worries.
Gaels' late comeback brought them back within a single point, but Cross pulled through for a semi-final meeting with Portlaoise on the back of closing McConville (0-2 (1f)) and Gareth Devlin scores.
