Inspired Maghery dethrone Crossmaglen Rangers to win second Armagh SFC

Maghery Seán MacDiarmada celebrate following their Armagh SFC title win. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Armagh SFC final: Maghery 4-9 Crossmaglen Rangers 0-17 

Crossmaglen Rangers may be one of the most storied clubs in the history of the GAA but yesterday they were forced to bow the knee to an inspired Maghery side that lifted the Armagh senior championship title for the second time in five years.

In a throbbing, tension-laden encounter at the Athletic Grounds, Maghery's inherent skill, courage and character paved the way for their return to the Orchard County throne.

They may have made life difficult for themselves on occasions but they never lost their impetus or momentum as they stuck grimly to their task.

In the superb Aidan Forker, they provided the man of the match following his spectacular second-half performance in particular during which he posed ceaseless headaches for the Rangers defence.

The reigning champions were rocked as early as the fifth minute when a scintillating Maghery movement that ripped the Rangers defence asunder culminated in right-half-back thundering home a spectacular goal.

Stephen Kernan's side responded by laying siege to the Maghery posts and a seven-minute blitz yielded a brace of points from each of the O'Neill brothers Rian and Oisin before the impressive Stephen Cusack pilfered a point for the title challengers.

But as the game unfurled it became increasingly clear that Crossmaglen held the whip hand in midfield with Rian O'Neill filling a more outfield role as he plundered a rich harvest of possession.

Magherys’ Ronan Lappin celebrates after the game. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

This was turned into a string of points with O'Neill himself sharing the scoring honours along with brother Oisin with Tony Kernan, Cian McConville and Dara O'Callaghan also chipping in as the champions moved into a 0-10 to 1-3 lead.

But when Brian Fox crashed home Maghery's second goal just before half-time this provided his side with a fresh injection of self-belief.

Trailing by 0-11 to 2-3 at the break, Maghery still looked vulnerable but when the Forker brothers Aidan and Stefan along with Gerard Campbell swept over three points immediately on the re-start it was the beginning of the end for Rangers.

And it was Aidan Forker who set Maghery on their victory march with a stunning 37th minute goal. It was a clinical finish that clearly rattled the Rangers but this was nothing to the heartache they suffered when Ronan Lappin fisted in a fourth Maghery goal three minutes later.

In a fraught finish, Maghery held their nerve although they had Stephen Fox and Aidan Forker dismissed, the latter for incurring two yellow cards.

But it mattered not. Maghery had already been transported to a sporting heaven and even though there is no Ulster club championship to look forward to, yesterday's victory will always remain as truly historic occasion in the annals of the lough shore club.

Scorers for Maghery: Aidan Forker 1-3 (1f), B Fox 1-0, B Heavron 1-0, R Lappin 1-0, S Cusack 0-3, S Forker 0-2, G Campbell 0-1.

Scorers for Crossmaglen: O O'Neill 0-6 (2f), T Kernan 0-4 (1f), R O'Neill 0-3 (2f), C McConville 0-2 (2f), D O'Callaghan (0-2).

Maghery: C Hendron; E Scullion, G Campbell, S Cusack; B Haveron, C Higgins, O Lappin; J Lavery, J Mackle; S Forker, D Lavery, O Cushnahan; B Fox, A Forker, R Lappin.

Subs: B Crealey for Mackle (half-time), K Robinson for Cushnahan (38), P Forker for B Fox (55), s Fox for R Lappin (62).

Crossmaglen Rangers: P McEntee; C Crowley, J Morgan, P Hughes; A Kernan, C Cumiskey, T O'Callaghan; A Rushe, D O'Callaghan; M Boyce, O O'Neill, T Kernan; C McConville, R O'Neill, K Carragher.

Subs: G Carragher for Rushe (21), P Finnegan for Carragher (46), S McConville for Boyce (46), P Studdard for Crowley (60), O Kieran for (60).

Referee: Kevin Faloon (Forkhill).