Crosserlough grab win late on in dour contest

Senior Football Championship round 3

Crosserlough 0-13

Ramor United 0-11

Paul Fitzpatrick at St Matthew’s Park

Crosserlough came good with two excellent injury-time scores to pick up their second win of the Senior Championship in this heavyweight clash before a bumper crowd of 1,570 at Crosskeys this afternoon.

The sides had met four times in the last four seasons and had two wins apiece. All of the matches in that period had been high-quality and high-scoring but Act 5 was the exception. This was a slow-burner which belatedly caught light (just about) but overall, with both sides missing several of their better players, it was poor fare, despite the best efforts of both teams.

The game was tied entering second-half injury time but Crosserlough came up with two superb points when they were needed.

Crosserlough led by 0-6 to 0-5 at the end of a forgettable first half which was littered with errors.

Ramor were the better side for the first quarter. Crosserlough opened the scoring through a Paddy Lynch free after a foul on Dara McVeety but Jimmy Higgins’s side would go 18 minutes without scoring, during which time Ramor registered five points.

After Ado Cole was fouled, Sean Brady tied the game with a free. A classy score from Paddy McNamee, after good work from Cole and James Bradley, handed Ramor the lead and a well-struck 30-metre curling free off the left foot by Jack Brady soon followed.

On 15 minutes, John Brady’s men extended their advantage when a high ball in by Jack Brady wasn’t dealt with and McNamee pounced to fist over.

The resulting kick-out landed straight back in on top of the ‘Lough full-back line; Sean Brady was heading for goal when he was fouled and he dusted himself down to tap over the free and make it 0-5 to 0-1 with 16 minutes played.

The next score was going to be crucial and it fell to Crosserlough – as did the five which followed it as the 2020 champions seized back the lead from the current holders.

A 40-metre free from Lynch for Crosserlough going again before he slotted another from close range (he had kicked it over play but the ref signalled advantage had elapsed).

David Shalvey added the next, stylishly curling over with the left after a Conor Rehill lay-off, and on 29 minutes, they levelled matters when a pinpoint Thomas Byrd kick-out launched a good move which McVeety finished to make it 0-6 to 0-5 at the halfway stage.

The poor quality continued on the restart, with three wides in the first 90 seconds. Defenders Patrick O’Reilly and Cian Boylan linked up and the latter pointed well to make it 0-7 to 0-5 but Ramor were soon level when Enda Maguire, in space, split the posts and then defender Lorcan Lynch found himself in the full-forward line unmarked and made it count with a point on the turn.

Crosserlough carved out two great goal chances midway through the half but were denied by a pair of stunning saves from Liam Brady. In both cases, attackers Peter and Pierce Smith didn’t do much wrong but Brady was equal to their shots – but crucially, Lynch knocked over the resulting 45s on both occasions and that was probably the difference in the end.

Those Lynch strikes made it 0-9 to 0-7 but Ramor pulled ahead with three points in the next 10 minutes. Jack Brady converted a free after a foul on Ado Cole, Liam Brady sent over a 50-metre free from the ground and then Killian Maguire laid off for defender Adam O’Connell to knock over the lead score on 55 minutes.

Immediately, McVeety showed leadership to win the resulting kick-out and Pierce Smith got on the end of the move to finish well and tie the game once more as it entered the home stretch.

The former county star won a break at midfield in the next play and fed Shalvey, who drove over a fantastic point with the right foot – but after patient play, sub Seanie Keogan made it 0-11 apiece on 55 minutes with a well-struck point off the left boot.

It was anyone’s game. Jack Brady had an opportunity but his free fell short; at the other end, Lynch nailed one from the left wing to nudge Crosserlough ahead by the minimum.

Ramor pressed up but a misplaced handpass cost them a likely equaliser and with time almost up, they were caught on the break, Pierce Smith flinging over a terrific point from a tight angle to seal a two-point victory.

Ramor United: Liam Brady (0-1f), Adam O’Connell (0-1), Damien Barkey, Lorcan Lynch, Mark Magee, Jack Brady (0-2f), Ben Smith, Enda Maguire, Gareth Mannion, Eoin Somerville, Sean Brady (0-2f), Laurence Caffrey, Paddy McNamee (0-2), Ado Cole, James Bradley

Subs: Cathal Maguire for E Somerville, Simon Cadden for G Mannion (both ht), Seanie Keogan (0-1) for J Bradley (47 mins), Killian Maguire for S Brady (50)

Crosserlough: Thomas Byrd, John Cooke, Cian Boylan (0-1), Patrick O’Reilly, Fionn Lovett, Conor Rehill, Peter Smith, Dara McVeety (0-1), Darren Gaffney, Shane McManus, Brandon Boylan, Oran Rehill, David Shalvey (0-2), Pierce Smith (0-2), Patrick Lynch (0-7, 4f, two 45s)

Subs: Ryan Galligan for S McManus, Mark Stuart for C Boylan (both 50 mins), Tommy Boylan for O Rehill, Ryan Stuart for D Shalvey (both 57)

Ref: Barry McMenamin