Inniskeen's date with destiny in Croke Park on Sunday 19th February proved to be an historic occasion as they wrapped up the All Ireland intermediate football club championship title with a display of courage, commitment, sheer guts and a refusal to accept defeat that eventually wore the Galway champions, Caherlistrane, down. The victory also makes history as it is the first time that a Monaghan club has taken an All Ireland club title to the county. Inniskeen stayed with the favourites all through and never allowed them to get too far ahead and having limited them increasingly in the second half the Grattans came with a late rally to clinch victory. The game as a contest was a very fitting finale to what had been a dramatic series as both sides served up some excellent football although Caherlistrane's tendency to foul in an effort to prevent Inniskeen building their running game did lead to periods of frustration. In the end though Inniskeen came to grips with that tactic and with the Galway danger men as they plugged the gaps effectively to strike for victory at the vital moment. Both sides enjoyed periods of dominance during the game but Caherlistrane always appeared to have the capacity to strike back any time Inniskeen threatened. However in the end they had reckoned without the gutsy tradition that is a hallmark of Inniskeen's play and they dug deep in the second half to turn it around and then pounce at the right moment thereby giving the Galway men no time to recover. The Grattans retained their focus all through and were always within striking distance even when things were not going their way. The early stages saw the Galway champions dominate the midfield exchanges but the introduction of Gary Lynch at the start of the second half by Inniskeen gradually turned that situation around and it was fitting that it was Lynch who got the vital touch for the goal that set up the dramatic and history making victory. Team captain Michael Fitzpatrick who was treated for concussion immediately after the match and looked a little groggy as he accepted the cup from President Sean Kelly led by example all through but admitted afterwards that he would only really know what all this means in a couple of days time. "The lads were fantastic but I cannot really remember all that much about the second-half. I got a knock on the side of my head and I do remember just saying to myself to keep running and keep working although alot of the game passed me by. It was fantastic to lift the cup on the Hogan stand and a moment that myself and my family will always treasure and remember". That level of emotion tended to pervade the comments by the Inniskeen mentors. Gerry Hoey who came in to supplement the team management in the absence of team manager Gerry Sheridan who was in Australia, spoke of the great character that is in the team. "It was a fantastic display by the boys but these are a great bunch of lads. They are very easy players to work with and if we ask them to do something they do it. It is absolutely amazing and mind-boggling to be standing here and realise that we have won the All Ireland intermediate club championship, it's a great day for the club and a great day for everyone concerned because they have worked extremely hard". Team selector Charlie McSkane felt that the introduction of Gary Lynch was a key move on their part but also the fact that they analyzed the situation very well at half-time. "We spoke to the lads at half-time and we told them what we were going to do and that we would be making changes if we needed to and we did. We had examined the areas where they were giving us trouble and the first thing we had to do was plug the gaps and we did that very effectively and when we did that their game was not as effective. After that we had to then concentrate on our own game and the boys were absolutely magnificent. They deserve it because they have worked extremely hard since we started last year". Another selector Eamon Monaghan felt that it was a just reward for everyone's efforts. "When we won the Monaghan intermediate championship we then began to think of the Ulster club and that it would take three games to win it and while we had a little bit of luck that went very well. Against Carbery Rangers we rode our luck a little bit but we were always in touch in every match and it was the same today. Gary Lynch going in for the second-half was a bit of a gamble as he hadn't played very much last year but he's an experienced player and he gave us a bit of height in that area and that helped. It is almost impossible to describe how we feel and I suppose it will take a few days to realise what we have achieved but it is a great feeling". ALL IRELAND INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Inniskeen (Monaghan) 2-10 Caherlistrane (Galway) 1-11 A goal by substitute Gary Lynch was the score that set Inniskeen up for this dramatic and history making victory at the end of an exciting and at times hugely dramatic All Ireland intermediate club final in Croke Park yesterday. Inniskeen were full value for their victory in as much as they always appeared not to countenance defeat even when they dropped behind to the tune of four points three times during this intriguing contest. However it is being ahead on the scoreboard at the finish that counts and Inniskeen's final rally was enough to clinch victory. Early on the Galway champions looked to have done enough as they justified their pre match tag of favourites by holding the advantage from the early stages with Inniskeen only regaining the lead for the second time three minutes from the end of normal time. With Cormac Bane in fine scoring form on the 40 Caherlistrane struck the front after just a minute when their top scorer, who finished with a personal tally of a goal and eight points, opened their account. Inniskeen to their credit rallied strongly and three points from Paul Meegan, two from frees, had them in front approaching the end of the first quarter. Inniskeen were struggling in midfield at this stage and Caherlistane capitalised to hit a brilliant patch that yielded four points in as many minutes, three from Cormac Bane and one from Barry Lee to open a two points gap. Again Inniskeen struck back and two free kick conversions by Michael Lennon and Paul Meegan had the Monaghan champions level at five points apiece on 28 minutes. Caherlistrane again lifted their game to finish the half strongly, hitting 1-1 without reply, Cormac Bane getting the goal, to go in four points to the good of the break, Caherlistrane 1-6, Inniskeen 0-5. The introduction of Gary Lynch into midfield by Inniskeen at the start of the second-half was to have a marked effect on the ultimate outcome of this game as Inniskeen gradually got to grips with the Galway men's dominance in that area. Lynch was in action straightaway to help set up three early attacks that yielded three unanswered points from Niall Lennon, a Paul Meegan free and Michael Lennon to reduce the deficit to the minimum. As before Caherlistrane struck back strongly and points by Barry McCabe, substitute Ronan Conneeley and a Cormac Bane free had them four in front approaching the 20 minute mark. Almost immediately though Inniskeen struck in dramatic fashion with Martin Dooley, Ronan Meegan and Patrick Meegan all conspiring to create the opening for Paul Meegan who crashed to the Galway net in the 19th minute to set the game up for a grandstand finish. Meegan added a point from a free a minute later to bring the sides level for the third time in the match. Seven minutes from the end of normal time Caherlistrane re-took the lead through top scorer Cormac Bane and they could have pushed their advantage a little more but for two wasted chances from frees before the were dealt a real hammer blow when Michael Lennon floated the ball into their goal area, Gary Lynch rose highest to palm to the corner of the net to put Inniskeen in front for only the second in the game. Cormac Bane reduced the deficit to the minimum in the final minute of normal time but Inniskeen were in no mood to surrender and they drove forward in numbers with Niall Lennon and picking off a peach of a point just on the stroke of time to seal victory for the Grattans by two points and send their supporters in the crowd of 6, 400 into a frenzy of celebration. Teams and Scorers: Inniskeen: Gregory O'Rourke, Trevor Meegan, Raymond Lennon, Andrew Meegan, Martin Dooley, Jordan Meegan, Michael Fitzpatrick, Fergal Duffy, Michael Lennon 0-2, Patrick Meegan, Martin Callan, Paul Rice, Niall Lennon 0-2, Paul Meegan 1-6, Ronan Meegan. Subs: Seamus Loftus for A Meegan, Gary Lynch 1-0 for P Rice, Pearse McSkane for R Meegan. Temp. Sub: Stephen Callan for T Meegan. Caherlistrane: Philip Skelly, Ciaran Murphy, Stephen Walsh, Patsy Monahan, Padraig Cunningham, Liam Dalton, Cillian Bane, Clive Monahan, Ciaran McHugh, Declan Lee, Cormac Bane 1-8, JJ Greaney, Barry Lee 0-1, Rory Glynn, Barry McCabe 0-1. Subs: Ronan Conneely 0-1 for JJ Greaney, Pat Madden for P Monahan, David Glynn for B McCabe. Referee: Michael Walsh (Limerick). Tweet

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