Gaoth Dobhair outlined their Ulster Club SFC winning credentials with an impressive seven-point semi-final success over Crossmaglen at Healy Park today.

Mervyn O’Donnell’s Donegal champions recorded a 4-11 to 0-16 win to set up a provincial final showdown with Scotstown of Monaghan.

A first-half Dáire Ó Baoill hat-trick was a key ingredient in their winning formula against an Armagh opposition that finished with 13 men.

Johnny Hanratty was issued with his marching orders after picking up a second yellow card with 25 minutes left on the clock while Rian O’Neill was shown a straight red card for a late challenge right at the death.

The winners led by 3-5 to 0-9 and the evergreen Kevin Cassidy slotted home their fourth goal in the 42nd minute.

That left the scoreboard reading 4-7 to 0-11 in favour of Gaoth Dobhair and, with Ódhran MacNiallais pulling the strings, there was no way back for Donal Murtagh’s Crossmaglen charges.

Gaoth Dobhair - C Sweeney; G McFadden, N McGee, C McFadden; N Friel (0-1), E McGee, O McFadden Ferry; D O Baoill (3-0, 1-0pen), O MacNiallais (0-4, 1f); C Mulligan (0-1), N O Baoill, D McBride; E Collum (0-2, 1f), K Cassidy (1-2), M Carroll. Subs: P Hughes for D McBride, S Carroll for E Collum, S O Baoill for O McFadden Ferry, S Ferry (0-1) for M Carroll.

Crossmaglen - J McEvoy; R Kelly, A Farrelly, G Carragher; A Kernan, J Morgan, P Hughes; S Morris, O O’Neill (0-3, 1f); J McKeever, R O’Neill (0-8, 5f), J Hanratty (0-2); C Cumiskey, T Kernan (0-2, 1f), K Carragher (0-1). Subs: A Rushe for G Carragher, D McKenna for C Cumiskey, P Stuttard for P Hughes, C McConville for T Kernan, M Boyce for K Carragher.

Referee - J McQuillan.

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