Ulster Club SFC final: Crossmaglen 0-5, Ballinderry 0-3Blushes all round. There were three times as many scores registered in the junior football curtain-raiser to this record low -scoring Ulster club senior football final at rain-drenched and windswept Casement Park yesterday.
However, in winning their fifth Ulster crown, Crossmaglen were quite magnificent in the conditions, adapting cleverly with verve and style.
Pity about the scoring rate though. Joe Kernan, the most successful of all Armagh managers, watched with obvious pride as his three sons, Tony, Paul and Stephen, shared handsomely in the victory.
"I wasn't surprised by the low scoring," said Kernan. "We were lucky to have a game at all. Full marks to the ground staff for having the pitch in such ship-shape."
Kernan claimed it was a victory for youth combining with experience. He rightly singled out one of the youngsters, Dave McKenna, as a key player on the day.
The 19-year-old, operating in his first Ulster final, was an inspirational figure in midfield. He reacted with steely conviction and skills to complement the stubborn defensive play of central defenders John Donaldson and Tony McEntee. McEntee was given the full-back position and proved a mighty deputy for Francie Bellew.
Bellew, who is recovering from injury, was introduced to an enormous roar from the Crossmaglen faithful towards the end.
The staunch full back, figuring beyond midfield, was effective for the few minutes he was on the pitch, getting involved in John Murtagh's crucial point to stave off Ballinderry's late challenge.
Murtagh's point came when Ballinderry reduced the deficit to a single point with minutes remaining.
There was little or nothing to surprise anybody following a first half that produced only two points, both from the trusty boot of Oisín McConville.
McConville kicked the first one over to open the match account in the 12th minute and added his second from another easy position in the 30th minute.
It was difficult to believe that Ballinderry, with such an adroit, two-pronged central attack provided by Enda Muldoon and Conleth Gilligan, could not manage a score in that first period.
And the astonishing famine lasted well into the final quarter.
The ice was eventually broken for the Derry men 10 minutes from full-time when Gilligan landed their opening point with a little help from substitute Daniel Bateson. Bateson's brother James was sent to the line by Cavan referee Joe McQuillan for a second yellow-card offence.
McQuillan had cause to issue quite a number of yellow cards during a match in which tempers were remarkably restrained, given the day that was in it.
Crossmaglen, with a dominant midfield buttressed by the mature exploits of young McKenna, created most of the scoring chances and produced 10 wides to Ballinderry's six.
The game was still in the balance in the closing stages when Enda Muldoon shaped up to take a close-range free with the obvious intention of going for a goal. The ball was momentarily cleared but another free was awarded to Muldoon, and this time he took the point with the final whistle almost sounding.
Ronan McGuckian, the hard-working Ballinderry centre back, thought the game was still there for the taking at half-time.
"We found it difficult to break down their defence" said McGuckian. "We consider ourselves a good championship team capable of performing no matter what conditions prevail. It was simply a case of being beaten by a better team on the day."
Sportingly, he added, "No excuses about the weather."
CROSSMAGLEN:P Hearty; R Carragher, T McEntee, S McNamee; P Kernan, J Donaldson, B McKeown; S Clarke, D McKenna (0-2); M McNamee, J McEntee, O McConville (0-2 frees); T Kernan, J Hanratty, S Kernan. Subs: J Murtagh (0-1) for T Kernan; M Bell for McConville; F Bellew for Clarke; M Ahern for M McNamee.
BALLINDERRY:M Conlon; Kevin McGuckian, N McCusker, D Crozier; P Wilson, R McGuckian, M McIvor; J Conway, Kevin "Moss" McGuckian; D Conway, C Gilligan (0-2, one free), M Harney; S Donnelly, E Muldoon (0-1 free), R Wilkinson. Subs: D Bateson for Crozier; J Bateson for Wilkinson.
Referee:J McQuillan (Cavan)
