Constant Cross out on their own

A LOT has changed in the last year.

The economy has disappeared down the toilet, America has elected its first black president and Manchester City are suddenly on the verge of becoming the world’s biggest football club.

Other things remain the same. Just like this time last year, and the year before that, Crossmaglen are plotting another tilt at the Ulster club title as we turn the last calendar page into December.

Another constant in these uncertain times is the south Armagh side’s impeccable record in deciders of every hue. In county, provincial and national finals, no-one has got the better of ‘Cross’ in 23 attempts.

Tomorrow’s encounter against Ballinderry in Enniskillen will test that stretch to the limit. It may only be a parish of some 350 families on the Derry-Tyrone border, but Ballinderry are market leaders in their own right.

The Derry championship has been a veritable minefield of late, especially compared to Armagh where Crossmaglen have dominated for the past 13 seasons, but Ballinderry have still managed to claim four of the nine titles this decade.

Their credentials became abundantly clear in the provincial semi-final and Cavan Gaels manager Mick O’Dowd had no hesitation making them favourites for tomorrow’s encounter after watching his side lose by 10 points.

That seems incredible given everything we know about Cross but other observers have made the challengers favourites too, something Ballinderry’s Collie Devlin admits makes him nervous.

In truth, each side seems equally wary and respectful of the other and it is, without a doubt, the game every neutral wanted to see — even if the participants themselves don’t share that view.

“If we had our choice of opponent, it wouldn’t be them,” Cross manager Donal Murtagh admits. “If you had the chance to win it without playing the better teams you would take it. Any team would. It’s all about getting that win under your belt, no matter who it is against.

“They are there on merit. They got through what was probably the tougher end of the draw and we expected them to come through, just like they probably felt the same about us. Hopefully the game will live up to its billing.”

Their last meeting didn’t. It was at this juncture two years ago when anything resembling a spectacle was made impossible by weather conditions that called into question the wisdom of scheduling these games so deep into winter.

Ballinderry took 49 minutes to register their first point of the game at a wind tunnel masquerading as Casement Park. Only seven others were registered with Crossmaglen edging the lottery by five to three.

Thankfully, the forecast this time around appears to be more benign.

“You wouldn’t mind the cold,” says Murtagh. “As long as it is dry, you can play the football you want to. The game two years ago was played on an horrendous day. We even thought the game would be called off in Belfast that day. Brewster Park is a good pitch though and I don’t see there being any worries that way this time.”

Either way, Cross will adapt. They always do. How could it be any other way with half a dozen veterans playing who were there when the roller coaster first started picking up momentum back in 1996? That core has fused itself into every corner of the pitch. Paul Hearty is between the sticks, Tony McEntee and Francie Bellew guard his approach while John McEntee, Cathal Short and Oisin McConville plough their furrows further upfield.

That alone wouldn’t be enough to safeguard their position at the summit. The emergence of the three Kernan brothers and others has ensured the continuation of the flame and there is little sign of it being extinguished.

This year again, younger faces have proven themselves eager and able to challenge for roles. The versatile 19-year old Jamie Clarke, for one, has earned praise and Murtagh has little hesitation in describing him as “one for the future”.

And yet questions remain. Stuttering performances against Fermanagh’s St Patrick’s and St Eunan’s of Donegal over the last few weeks have led some to think that Rome may well be ripe for the sacking.

“We scraped through last year as well, against Clontibret from Monaghan and Dromore of Tyrone, and we didn’t look too impressive. St Gall’s were actually tipped to win the final after all that last year.

“That was a great game, a great spectacle with a great crowd. It was in Newry and the whole of south Armagh seemed to turn up, but there were a lot of people from south Down and north Louth as well.

“It was a great open game of football. Many a person said that it was the best game of football they had seen in a long time and we came through by three points.”

No change there then.