Crossmaglen Rangers 1-19 Granemore 0-10
Crossmaglen landed their 46th senior Armagh title to set up an Ulster club championship clash with Ballybay after an impressive win over Granemore.
Granemore were looking to clinch the Gerry Fegan Cup for the first time in their history and they needed everything to go their way if their underdogs status was to turn heroic, and while they can be content with their display and proud of their season, Crossmaglen were in control throughout.
Player of the match Cian McConville (0-08), Aaron Kernan, goal-scorer Caolan Finnegan, Rian O'Neill and James Morgan were exceptional as Rangers ultimately ran out comfortable winners.
O’Neill opted to play around the middle and he gleefully picked out passes to Clarke and McConville as Rangers raced ahead.
Granemore’s corner-back Cathal O’Hare bagged two early points but McConville, Paul Hughes and O’Neill sent Cross on their way.
Finnegan ran down the tunnel to get his head bandaged up and was only back on the pitch a matter of seconds when O'Neill found him with a quick free and from 35-metres out he drilled to the back of the net.
A minute later Finnegan tagged on a point after Kernan’s high press as Cross led 1-06 to 0-02.
Granemore did make headway from Ryan Rafferty’s incisive runs, but the Cross defence had him bottled up close to goal.
Marty Carr landed two points, including one from play, but Cross stretched their lead with Clarke making a superb fetch before setting up McConville who grabbed his fourth point, while Callum Cumiskey’s mark gave the Armagh kingpins a 1-09 to 0-04 interval lead.
McConville, son of All-Ireland winner Jim, converted another free, but four unanswered points from Jason O’Neill, the lively Rafferty and a beauty from Louis Hughes, gave Granemore a glimmer of hope.
Rangers hit back with four unanswered points as Dara O’Callaghan, O’Neill, McConville and Ronan Fitzpatrick stroked over, to give Crossmaglen a healthy 1-14 to 0-08 lead with 45 minutes on the clock.
And Cross were cruising when the brilliant McConville curled over his seventh of the afternoon.
Tony McClelland and O’Hare’s third point showed that Granemore had plenty to offer, but Cross finished with a display of top-drawer points from cousins Rian O’Neill and Cian McConville and defender Chris Crowley.
The Armagh champions face Ballybay on Saturday, 5 November, back in the Athletic Grounds for the first round of the Ulster club championship and they’ll take some stopping, with Kilcoo awaiting the winners.
Crossmaglen: Miceal Murray, Tony O’Callaghan, Caolan Dillon, Thomas Duffy, Aaron Kernan, James Morgan, Paul Hughes (0-01), Stephen Morris, Rian O’Neill (0-04, 1f), Caolan Finnegan (1-01), Callum Cumiskey (0-01 mark) Dara O’Callaghan (0-01), Cian McConville (0-08,0-4f), Jamie Clarke, Ronan Fitzpatrick (0-02).
Subs: Daniel Cumiskey for C Finnegan – blood sub (12-17’), Chris Crowley (0-01) for T O’Callaghan (ht’), Alan Farrelly for Dillon (39’), Orin McKeown for Thomas Duffy (53’), Seanie McConville for J Clarke (53’), Aidan Rushe for A Kernan (59’).
Granemore: Kevin Kelly, Cathal O’Hare (0-03), Ross Finn, Padraig Hollywood, Michael King, Karl McQuaid, Kieran Doyle, Darren Carr, Brendan Boylan, Louis Hughes (0-01), Jason O’Neill (0-2,2f), Odhran Doyle, Peter Carr, Marty Carr (0-02, 2f), Ryan Rafferty (0-1).
Subs: Tony McClelland (0-01) for P Carr (ht’), E O’Neill for M Carr (ht’), Conrad Keenan for P Hollywood (25’), Darren Rafferty for L Hughes (55’), Padraig Doyle for M King (58’).
Referee: Shane Murphy (Collegeland).
