Stephen Kernan shines as Crossmaglen Rangers take time to find overdrive

Crossmaglen (Armagh) 0-12 Kilcoo (Down) 0-8: Stephen Kernan was the dominant figure as Crossmaglen reached their first Ulster Club SFC final since 2012.

Exacting revenge on Kilcoo for that final defeat three years ago, they had to bide their time and on another day may have rued their nine first- half wides. So slow were they out of the blocks, Kilcoo could have been more than two points up after the opening 20 minutes.

But there was only one team in the game after half-time by which stage Crossmaglen had restored parity at 0-3 apiece. Kernan, along with brother Aaron, was integral to the team’s sharper and slicker attitude in the second-half.