‘Unfinished business’ drives Crossmaglen to another decider

IF they sound arrogant they don’t mean too but Crossmaglen make no bones about the fact that, by qualifying for the All-Ireland Club Football final, they believe they are back where they belong.

The new millennium was less than three months old the last time the south Armagh club was crowned All-Ireland champions and for a side that takes winning trophies to be their birthright that sticks in the craw.

The closest they came to returning to Croke Park for Paddy’s Day before yesterday was at the same semi-final stage two years ago when Portlaoise edged them out in a drab and disjointed affair in Dublin.

Cross drove back up the M1 that day disgusted, not at the defeat, but the manner of their performance. Portlaoise hadn’t beaten them, they felt. They had beaten themselves.

“That was a big driving factor,” admitted manager Donal Murtagh. “We left Parnell Park two years ago against Portlaoise with unfinished business.”

Their reputation will go before them, meaning they will travel to Dublin next month as favourites regardless of who wins the replay between Moorefield and Dr Crokes.

“That’s the way you want to go into these big games in Croke Park. They have never been beaten there in an All-Ireland final and we’ll be telling the lads that that is a run we want to continue.”

Though a half dozen or so of yesterday’s team were on duty back in 2000, the current team boats a youthful look around the fringes.

Chief among the new brigade yesterday was 19-year old David McKenna who lorded the midfield for long spells.

The new boys and the old men share one thing in common though, the will to win.

“The central spine of the team is all old heads,” said Murtagh. “They’ve all won numerous medals before. The wing men might have changed in one or two places but the will to win is certainly there. The younger lads coming in have added wee bit of pace and skill which is critical with some of the older boys beginning to slow down.”

For all that, Brigid’s took them all the way to the finishing line yesterday and the Roscommon side know only too well that they could well have breasted the tape ahead of them had they been that little bit more clinical. “We’re very disappointed,” said manager

Anthony Cunningham. “We had a few very good chances there after half-time and we just didn’t take them. A couple of mistakes in the first half probably cost us as well and we were chasing the game all day after that.

“We rallied magnificently and I’m fierce proud of the boys. That bit of experience counted too and we’re trying to emulate these (Crossmaglen) boys here. Hopefully we’ll get there at some stage.”