Kilmacud overcome Crossmaglen

AIB ALL-IRELAND CLUB SFC FINAL:

Kilmacud Crokes 1-9 Crossmaglen Rangers 0-7, Croke Park

Crossmaglen Rangers succumbed to their first ever AIB All-Ireland Club senior football final defeat before 32,952 spectators at Croke Park as late points from Niall Corkery and Ray Cosgrove cemented a five-point victory for Kilmacud.

It was a bad day at the office for Cross. They kicked ten wides and failed to display the characteristics which earned them four All-Ireland titles in the past 12 years.

South Dublin outfit Kilmacud got off to the perfect start and held a 1-3 to 0-1 lead after just 10 minutes, as the Rangers got off to the worst possible start.

Longford senior star Brian Kavanagh opened Crokes' account after just two minutes and although Paul Hearty pulled off a superb fourth minute save for Cross, following a Mark Davoren goal effort, the Rangers' net was to bulged by the same player just six minutes later.

Crokes lorded possession in the opening quarter and while this dominance certainly reflected on the scoresheet, they also amassed two early wides and another countless number of chances finished in the hands of Cross netminder Hearty.

Donal Murtagh's charges could not have accounted for Crokes' blistering start in the pre-match build-up. The Dublin club, backed by the likes of Vaughan, Kavanagh, and Adrian Morrissey of Wexford in attack, simply could do no wrong.

Vaughan's first point of the day arrived in the eighth minute from a placed kick, and once Davoren crashed the ball to the net for the game's only goal two minutes later, Crokes had suddenly built up a five-point cushion.

Crokes utilised the short passing game quite well in those opening stages, as midfielder Corkery fisted the ball to the inrushing Davoren who sent his shot low and hard past Hearty.

Indeed, it was the only real blip from an otherwise solid Cross rearguard, who failed to let the side down and battled diligently throughout the contest.

In contrast, the Crossmaglen attack was afforded plenty of chances but with the bulk of the scores coming from placed kicks from Oisin McConville and Tony Kernan, it was the Rangers' failure to capitalise majorly on chances created from open play which proved to be their downfall.

They had a positive finish to the first half after McConville slotted over his third point and with just a goal separating the sides at the interval, things were looking up for Crossmaglen for the second half.

However, their comeback never arrived, as a dismal first half was followed by an even more lifeless second half. They engineered just two scores in the third quarter, with Tony Kernan and Darren Magee trading points inside nine minutes of the restart.

Scores were thin on the ground with Vaughan opening up a 1-6 to 0-5 lead by the 46th minute following his third point of the game.

The introduction of Kyle Carragher, Stephen Finnegan and Rico Kelly did give Cross some heart and following a brace from Stephen Kernan and McConville within two minutes, the deficit was cut to two points with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining.

But that was as good as it got for Cross as Crokes finished out the game with scores from Vaughan, Corkery and Ray Cosgrove to seal their second All-Ireland title win and first since 1995.

After the game, Kilmacud Crokes captain Darren Magee, in his acceptance speech, praised Crossmaglen for their input into club football throughout the 32 counties, and how they set the benchmark for others like Crokes to follow.

“Crossmaglen, you’ve set the standards for club football in Ireland. You have set the benchmark for every other club in the country and we knew we’d have to dig in with that performance,” Magee said.

KILMACUD CROKES: David Nestor; Ross O’Carroll, Rory O’Carroll, Kevin Nolan; Brian McGrath, Paul Griffin, Cian O’Sullivan; Darren Magee (0-1), Niall Corkery (0-1); Liam Óg Ó hÉinneacháin, Brian Kavanagh (0-2), Adrian Morrissey; Mark Vaughan (0-4, 3f), Mark Davoren (1-0), Pat Burke. Subs: Johnny Magee for Ó hÉinneacháin (53); Ray Cosgrove

(0-1) for Kavanagh (58).

CROSSMAGLEN RANGERS: Paul Hearty; Brendan McKeown, Paul Kernan, Paul McKeown; Aaron Kernan, Francie Bellew, John Donaldson; Tony McEntee, David McKenna; Michael McEntee, John McEntee, Tony Kernan (0-2, 2f); Jamie Clarke, John Murtagh, Oisin McConville (0-4, 3f). Subs: Stephen Kernan (0-1) for Michael McEntee (27); Kyle Carragher for Murtagh (40); Stephen Finnegan for Brendan McKeown (47); Rico Kelly for Donaldson (49); Cathal Short for John McEntee (58).

REFEREE: Gerry Kinneavy (Galway)