Ulster club SFC final: Cross' have that little bit extra

November 29, 2015

Crossmaglen's Paul Hearty with Scotstown's Orin Heaphey
©INPHO

Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh) 2-17

Scotstown (Monaghan) 2-12

(After extra-time)

Crossmaglen have been crowned Ulster club football champions for an 11th time following a thrilling extra-time victory over Scotstown at the Athletic Grounds.

A late free from Scotstown's Shane Carey forced extra-time on a 1-10 apiece scoreline before a poor kickout by Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan handed Kyle Carragher a crucial goal in the second period. Substitute Brian McGinnity pulled a goal back for Scotstown to leave just three points in it, 2-12 to 2-15, but the vastly-experienced Armagh champions were able to close out the game with two late points.

The losers finished the game with 13 men aftter Darren Hughes followed his brother Kieran for an early shower in extra-time, while Cross' had substitute Danny O'Callaghan red-carded for an off-the-ball offence in the second half before being restored to the full 15 for the additional 20 minutes. However, they were reduced to 14 men again before the end when defender James Morgan picked up a second yellow card.

Darren Hughes continued his excellent goal-scoring form by bagging an early major, but Cross' hit back with a similar score from Tony Kernan to lead by 1-6 to 1-3 at the break.

Scotstown fought back in the second half before Kernan's free was cancelled out by Carey's late leveller.

Kieran Hughes was red-carded midway through the first period of extra-time as Cross led by 1-13 to 1-11 at the change of ends. The game remained in the melting pot until Beggan's mistake allowed Carragher to grab the decisive goal for the charges of Oisin McConville and John McEntee, who will now face Castlebar Mitchels in next February's All-Ireland club SFC semi-final.

Crossmaglen Rangers - P Hearty; P Hughes, A Rushe, P McKeown; A Kernan (0-1f), M Aherne, J Morgan; J Hanratty, R Kelly; M McNamee (0-1), S Kernan (0-1), T Kernan (1-6, 0-5f); O O'Neill, J Murtagh (0-3), K Carragher (1-2). Subs: D McKenna (0-1) for J Hanratty, S Finnegan for A Rushe, J Clarke for O O'Neill, C Cumiskey (0-1) for R Kelly, D O'Callaghan for M Aherne, A Cunningham for M McNamee, G Carragher for D O'Callaghan, P Stuttard (0-1) for A Cunningham, K Brennan for J Murtagh, D McConville for S Kernan, A Cunningham for K Carragher.

Scotstown - R Beggan (0-1'45); D McArdle, E Caulfield (0-1), P Keenan; M Duffy, K Hughes, F McPhillips; F Caulfield, J Turley; O Heaphey (0-1), D Morgan (0-1), C McCarthy (0-2, 1f); S Carey (0-6, 5f), D Hughes (1-0), R McKenna. Subs: B Boylan for F McPhillips, D McCague for R McKenna, B McGinnity (1-0) for O Heaphey, B McMeel for E Caulfield, D McNally for D McArdle.

Referee - B Cassidy.


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