All-Ireland champions Crossmolina finally lost their battle for survival when they crashed out of the Mayo senior football championship yesterday .
They came out one-point losers to neighbours Knockmore - 1-13 to 1-12 - in the final of the qualifiers section , which had the prize of a semi-final meeting with Charlestown, North Mayo or Garrymore.
A Kevin O'Neill point in injury time despatched the champions , who were reduced to 14 men after Johnny Leonard was sent off ten minutes into the second half.
In Leitrim, Aughavas's reign as Leitrim champions came to an end yesterday when Allen Gaels produced a superlative display in the second half to convincingly take the crown in Carrick-on-Shannon.
It had been four years since the Drumshanbo club last won the county title. Ironically, they also beat Aughavas that day by 6 points.
And just like four years ago, Noel Moran and Adrian Cullen were the chief architects of the victory. Moran gave a masterful display at midfield, while Cullen scored two vital goals, one in each half, that decided the issue. The second goal came eight mins into the second half when Moran dispossessed an Aughavas attacker and set up his team mate for the crucial goal.
Yet Aughavas had their chances in the first half and it took two brilliant saves from Gaels' keeper Kevin Nolan to deny them what looked like certain goals. His heroics deservedly won him the man-of-the-match award.
ALLEN GAELS: K Nolan, A McKeon, D Lynch, A Canning, N Gilbane, K McWeeney, C McGovern, N Moran (0-2), G McWeeney (0-1), J Gilbane (0-1), P Kenny (0-3), A Fee , H Gibbons (0-3), A Cullen (2-0), S McGuire . Subs - J Keane for J Gilbane; S McGovern for L ynch; J Gilbane for S McGuire; F McPartland for S McGovern; M McGowan for Fee.
AUGHAVAS: P McGirl, S Colreavy, A Charles, R McBrien, B McKiernan, E McNamara, F Shortt, E Heslin, D Smith, P McLoughlin (0-6), C McKiernan, S McBrien (0-1), P Charles, K Keegan (0-1), F McBrien. Subs T McLoughlin (0-1) for F McBrien; P McBrien for B McK iernan; W Casey for S McBrien; D Bohan for T McLoughlin; B McKiernan for P Charles.
Ref: P Kane (Gortletteragh) ends
Knockmore: K O'Neill 0-6, A Burke 1-1, D Munnelly 0-1, P Cawley 0-1, P Clarke 0-1, S Sweeney 0-1, L McHale 0-1, K Staunton 0-1.
Crossmolina: J Leonard 1-0, K McDonald 0-3, M Moyles 0-3, G Walsh 0-2, J Keane 0-2, P Gardner 0-1, P McAndrew 0-1.
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