Crossmaglen cruise to victory against Dromcollogher-Broadford

Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh) 4-12 Drom-Broadford (Limerick) 0-6

Four-time All-Ireland champions Crossmaglen Rangers are on the hunt for another national crown after a brace of goals in each half helped them romp past Dromcollogher-Broadford this afternoon.

Tony Kernan's goals in the 33rd and 41st minutes were the catalyst for victory, with the 22-year-old replacing injured midfielder Tony McEntee after just five minutes.

Once half-forward Jamie Clarke slotted home a second-minute goal, the Ulster champions led until the finish at Pearse Park.

They held a 2-6 to 0-4 interval lead, despite playing against a stiff wind in the opening half.

Clarke bagged 1-1 before half-time with his goal coming from an excellent move which started in the heart of the Crossmaglen defence as Paul McKeown fed Aaron Kernan, and finished with Clarke slotting past goalkeeper Eamon Scollard.

Oisin McConville and John Murtagh tagged on points, before Rangers lost McEntee through injury.

Although half-forward Derry McCarthy responded with a seventh-minute point for Dromcollogher-Broadford, the Limerick outfit failed to score for a further 20 minutes, as Crossmaglen built up a 2-4 to 0-2 advantage.

Crossmaglen's second goal arrived after 11 minutes saw McKenna make a fine catch at midfield before dispatching the ball to Mickey McNamee who went on a surging run.

McNamee despatched the ball to John Murtagh 30 metres out and the full-forward sent the ball to the net with relative ease.

Ray Lynch claimed the underdogs' first point for 20 minutes, and although Michael Reidy followed up with a pointed free three minutes later, a brace of scores from Stephen Kernan and McConville handed Cross a 2-6 to 0-4 lead at the interval.

Lynch added his second point on the restart for Dromcollougher-Broadford but Crossmaglen showed no mercy as they ran the Munster champions ragged in the second half.

Crossmaglen's dominance at midfield continued right through the closing 30 minutes, with John McEntee now playing a central role.

It did not take long for their attack to get motoring again with Tony Kernan breaking through for his first goal following a good hand-passing movement in attack.

Tony's brother Aaron added his first point of the game, before Tony broke through for his second goal. A mix-up in the Dromcollogher-Broadford defence, which saw full-back Tommy Stack lose concentration, allowed Tony Kernan through and he picked his spot for Cross' fourth goal.

Trailing by 4-7 to 0-5 at this stage, the heart was firmly gone out of the Dromcollougher-Broadford defence as Cross could afford to cruise home and into their second All-Ireland final in the space of three years.

CROSSMAGLEN RANGERS: P Hearty; B McKeown, P Kernan, P McKeown; A Kernan (0-2, 0-1f), F Bellew, J Donaldson; T McEntee, D McKenna; M McNamee, J McEntee, J Clarke (1-2); S Kernan (0-2), J Murtagh (1-1), O McConville (0-4, 0-1f).

Subs used: T Kernan (2-0) for T McEntee (5 mins, inj), S Finnegan for J Murtagh, M Aherne for McNamee, K Carragher (0-1) for Donaldson, J Hanratty for McConville (all 45).

DROMCOLLOGHER-BROADFORD: E Scollard; D O'Leary, T Stack, E Barry; N Conway, T McLoughlin, M Clancy; P Donnelly (0-1, 0-1f), J Stokes; D McCarthy (0-1), M Reidy (0-2, 0-2f), S Buckley; G Egan, R Lynch (0-2), G Noonan.

Subs used: K Culhane for Clancy (37 mins, inj), J O'Kelly for Noonan (52), M O'Sullivan for Donnelly (55), D O'Connor for Barry (57), J Ryan for Egan (59).

Referee: Derek Fahy (Longford)