‘It seems like the end of the world right now’

OISÍN McCONVILLE was hurting afterwards, hurting big-time. “It seems like the end of the world right now,’’ he commented dejectedly.’’

However, he wasn’t alone amongst the Crossmaglen Rangers contingent who found it hard to face up to the reality that they had lost their first AIB All-Ireland club final in Croke Park yesterday.

More disappointingly for the squad and Donal Murtagh — who has been associated with all of their successes of recent times either as a player or manager — they never once looked like beating the Dublin champions Kilmacud Crokes. And, that wasn’t just the neutral view. It was readily accepted by them.

“We were playing catch-up. I looked up at the scoreboard one time and it was 06 — 01,’’ said McConville.

“We managed to come back to 07 — 04 at half time and it probably didn’t look that bad for us. In the changing room we said ‘we’re three points down, we haven’t played any football.’ But, we didn’t really win that much ball in the second half. We weren’t getting to the breaks. I suppose that was a sign of hunger on their part. After that we were fighting a losing battle.

“We could have kicked a few scores near the end, but it was a fair enough result. They were the better team.

“We still have our targets and we still have things we want to achieve. We will be back.’’

McConville agreed that they were under pressure after conceding the early goal, commenting that all through the campaign they had managed ‘not to give a goal away.’ “It probably was our downfall in the end,’’ he said.

“In fairness to them they were sharper than us, and first to every ball.

“We have to hold our hands up. We have been on the right side of it many a time. It’s just unfortunate on this occasion we came out losers — and believe me, it’s very hard to take.

“But, we are going to have to take it. People will say it had to end some time, but we were of the opinion it didn’t have to end. We waited a year to get back to an All-Ireland final. We missed out last year in the semi-final and that hurt. That was what brought us back here today.

“This is going to hurt even more.’’

The seasoned campaigner also voiced his regrets over losing the way they did.

“A lot of boys are there a long time and an All-Ireland would have been a good way for them to go out,’’ he stated.

“But, it’s not all doom and gloom. We have won 25 finals (county, provincial and All-Ireland) and that’s the first we lost. We can hold our head up high. We owe this competition nothing. We have put our heart and soul into it over the last 12 or 13 years.’’