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Paul McGirr Ulster U16 tournament
Sat, 02 Nov 2013
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Crossmaglen 3-07 Newry Shamrocks 2-05
Crossmaglen emerged 5 point victors over Newry Shamrocks in a highly entertaining game played with ferocious intensity on Saturday in Gardrum Park Dromroe to advance to the semi-final of the Ulster U16 Club Champions Tournament. It was a game between two teams of contrasting styles as Crossmaglen's long ball game proved too much against a Shamrocks team whos running game was constantly thwarted by a crowded Cross defence. A left footed point from the robust Michael McCabe got the Armagh men off to a good start but it didn't take Shamrocks long to respond and they did so in style when the alert Conor McKeown stuck for an opportunist goal which was followed by a Jordan Murphy point much to the delight of the large Newry following. However this was to be as good as it got for the Down champions as Cross took a stanglehold on possession around centre field. Three further points, two from the impressive McCabe put Cross level and they then struck for a goal from man of the match Oisin O'Neill who fielded a high ball 14 yards out and finished in style into the bottom corner. O'Neill was causing the Shamrocks defence unending trouble as they struggled to cope with his ball winning abilities throughout the remainder of the game and it was him who set up full forward Johnny McKeever for a second goal just before half time in between points from Stephen Morris and Shamrock's Jody McGovern to leave the half time score 2-05 to 1-02.
While the game was being played in a sporting manner, the tackles were coming in hard and heavy as both sides showed their commitment and determination. Playing into the breeze in the second half, Cross adopted a more defensive formation and with Aaron Smylie and Caolan Dillon puttting in impressive performances it was never going to be easy for the Newry attack to break them down. Early points from O'Neills younger brother Rian and McKeever extended Cross's lead early in the second half with a score from Joshua Durnin giving Shamrocks a glint of hope before the crucial score of the game came when raiding wing half back Ruairi O'Neill reacted first to a breaking ball in the sqaure to finish to the net and all but extinguish the Down mens chances. To their credit, the Shamrocks kept fighting to the end and late scores from Durnin, corner back Odhran McCaffrey and a goal from centre half forward Shane Hanna caused a few minutes of panic for Cross before Eugene McConnell's final whistle. Crossmaglen now progress to the semi-final where the will face the winners of the Tyrone v Antrim quarter final.
Crossmaglen: 1 Jamie McEvoy 2 Ryan McKeever 3 Shane Farrelly 4 Aaron Smylie 5 Fergal Burns 6 Caolan Dillon 7 Ruairi O'Neill 8 Daniel Cunningham 9 Oisin O'Neill 10 Peter Short 11 Stephen Morris 12 Rian O'Neill 13 Eoin Keenan 14 Johnny McKeever 15 Michael McCabe
Newry Shamrocks 1 Jack Heaney 2 Odhran McCaffrey 3 Shea Harper 4 Ferdia O'Gribben 5 David Murphy 6 Mark Harte 7 Gavin Fox 8 Jack Mallon 9 Tiarnach Lynch 10 Blaine Tumelty 11 Shane Hanna 12 Jody McGovern 13 Conor McKeown 14 Jordan Murphy 15 BJ McCourt 16 Sean McAleavy 17 Joshua Durnin
Referee: Eugene McConnell
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