Cullyhanna 'relieved' mistakes weren't punished admits Aidan Nugent

St Patrick's celebrated history and All-Ireland honours. Cill na Martra, meanwhile, rued a staggering wides total of 16.

RELIEVED: Kieran Hoey, right, and Aidan Nugent of St Patrick's Cullyhanna celebrate. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

St Patrick's Cullyhanna (Armagh) 1-8

Cill na Martra (Cork) 0-7

Before yesterday afternoon, an Armagh team had never won the All-Ireland intermediate club football championship. Before yesterday afternoon, John Evans had never lost a final at Croke Park.

At 4.53pm, both those stats went tumbling.

Cullyhanna celebrated history and All-Ireland honours. Evans and Cill na Martra cursed a staggering wides total of 16.

Their 16 misses defined and decided this decider. Their 16 misses were shared evenly across the two halves.

Three wides from Daniel Ó Duinnín inside the opening five minutes set an unwanted tone that would worsen as the afternoon wore on. Their wastefulness reached a hair-pulling peak during a third quarter where they kicked away a comeback effort that had all the ingredients bar the necessary final pinch of composure.

Although a little unfair to again single out Cork senior Ó Duinnín, given he was one of 10 Cill na Martra players to keep the umpires’ arms waving on this biting cold afternoon, but his run-of-the-mill free sent to the right of the Hill 16 posts approaching the three-quarter mark summed up a Croke Park outing where Cill na Martra contributed heavily to their own downfall.

Factor in the efforts dropped short and the conversion rate of the Cork champions came in at a desperate 24%.

It was a conversion rate that lifted Cullyhanna during spells where they struggled to lift themselves out of their own half.

“It was a funny game because they just weren't punishing our mistakes,” said Cullyhanna’s chief contributor Aidan Nugent.

Cullyhanna’s Aidan Nugent scores the first goal of the game. Pic Credit: Ryan Byrne, Inpho.

“When a team does punish your mistakes, you get more hectic. But it was more relief when they were kicking wides, and then reset and go again.

“We only kicked three points in the second half, so fairly lucky to get over the line. Looking up there at our supporters in their droves, it is something special for the club.” For Cill na Martra, what might have been special was undone by stage fright.

“Obviously it is stage fright in front of the goals. There is no question about that. There was no conviction in our shooting,” said manager John Evans.

“Dan Ó Duinnín is a gifted player. He had a 22-yard free in front of goal and he kicks it wide. We were on the cusp of closing in on them at that stage.

“There were guys that turned away from taking on a man there today where their natural instinct is to go taking them on, and they just turned away from it.

“I'll defend these lads to the last because they have been warriors. But what we were doing to ourselves was hurting ourselves all the time.” The aforementioned Aidan Nugent was an anonymous figure for the opening 17 minutes of this club final. Tadhg Ó Corcora, as expected, was given the brief of standing beside the Armagh forward. Ó Corcora did his job superbly in the opening 17 minutes.

On one occasion, he cut out a Kieran McCooey delivery intended for Nugent. On another, he stripped possession right out of Nugent’s grasp.

But the worth of having an inter-county forward at this level is that they can go from anonymous to awesome in mere seconds. From peripheral to principal scorer.

Nugent kicked his opening point on 17 minutes. It was his first meaningful involvement. It was the first time Cullyhanna led. He’d finish the half with 1-3. His team finished the half 1-5 to 0-4 in front.

His goal was well finished, albeit its creation was somewhat fortunate.

A point attempt dropped short was gathered by Neil McCreesh. He offloaded to Nugent. Goal. 1-3 to 0-2 they led.

Ciarán Ó Duinnín posted the Cill na Martra reply. It was their first score in 12 minutes.

Evans’ men had begun brightly. There was a raft of turnovers executed by Ó Corcora, Ó Duinnín, Antóin Ó Cuana, and Séan Ó Fórréidh. Problem was there was also a raft of wides.

Three points was as close as they came after Nugent’s 20th minute green flag.

Shea Hoey’s white flag on 52 minutes was only Cullyhanna’s second of the half. But it served to send them five in front.

Jason Duffy sealed a first Armagh victory at this level in injury-time. He and Pearse Casey were outstanding at midfield, as were Gavan Duffy and McCooey carrying from deep.

They took their chance, Cill na Martra didn’t.

Scorers for St Patrick’s Cullyhanna: A Nugent (1-3, 0-2 frees); G Duffy, P Casey, S Hoey, G Mackin, J Duffy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cill na Martra: C Mac Lochlainn (0-3); C Ó Duinnín (0-2); A Ó Cuana, D Ó Duinnín (0-1 each).

ST PATRICK'S CULLYHANNA: J Carragher; S Óg Irwin, S Connell, N McCreesh; G Duffy, M Murray, G Mackin; P Casey, J Duffy; C Reavey, T Donnelly, R McQuillan; K McCooey, S Hoey, A Nugent.

Subs: B McConville for McCreesh (58); P Savage for Reavey (65).

CILL NA MARTRA: P Ó Críodáin; T Ó Corcora, G Ó Mocháin, F Ó Faoláin; C Mac Lochlainn, S Ó Fórréidh, C Ó Fórréidh; A Ó Cuana, G Ó Goillidhe; F Ó hÉalaithe, D Ó hUrdail, C Ó Duinnín; M Ó Deasúna, D Ó Duinnín, M Ó Duinnín.

Subs: D Ó Conaill for Ó Cuana (temporary, 29-30); D Ó Conaill for Ó Deasúna (HT); S Ó Duinnín for Ó hUrdail (43); E Ó Conaill for M Ó Duinnín (54); D Mac Lochlainn for Ó hÉalaithe (58).

Referee: L Devenney (Mayo).