Big Barry lands winner for Mitchels
BIG Barry Moran kicked a sensational late point to fire Castlebar Mitchels into an all-Ireland club final on St. Patrick's Day where they will meet Ballyboden St. Endas after seeing off Crossmaglen Rangers (0-13 to 0-12).
There were dramatic scenes at the end of a sensational semi-final at Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan, this evening (Saturday).
The game ended in a sideline melee as officials and players became embroiled as injury-time ticked away, but, at the end of the day, the Ulster champions will look back on a litany of missed chances in the first half.
The sides were level on five occasions in the second half before Barry Moran finally kicked Castlebar into the lead with three minutes remaining. Crossmaglen had the chance to force extra-time, but corner-back Paul Hughes was just off target.
Trailing by three points at the break, Castlebar wiped the slate clean with three unanswered points within four minutes of the restart and it was game on as Castlebar kept coming back in a game which saw two of their players black-carded.
Crossmaglen hit the ground running in the first half and had three points on the board from Stephen Kernan, Michael McNamee and Tony Kernan (free) before Neil Douglas got Castlebar off the mark on six minutes.
But the Ulster champions were dominant at midfield and had pulled five points clear at one stage, and that could have been worse for the Connaught champions but for a goal-line save from Ray O’Malley, who denied John Murtagh a certain goal.
Two superb points for Paddy Durcan from play and three frees from Douglas kept Castlebar in the game as they trailed by three at the break - 0-8 to 0-5, Jamie Clarke popping over two excellent points for Crossmaglen who should really have been further ahead.
Castlebar Mitchels: R. Byrne, T. Cunniffe, A. Feeney, D. Newcombe, P. Durcan (0-3), E. O’Reilly, R. O’Malley, G. McDonagh, B. Moran (0-2), S. Hopkins, N. Lydon (0-1), S. Keane, N. Douglas (0-6, 6f), R. Feeney, D. Kirby (0-1).
Subs used: F. Durkan for S. Hopkins (40), C. Costello for N. Lydon (45), J. Durcan for S. Keane (53) A. Walsh for R. Feeney (55), D. Stenson for N. Douglas (BC, 61).
Crossmaglen: P. Hearty, P. Hughes, A. Rushe, P. McKeown, A. Kernan, M. Aherne, J. Morgan, J. Hanratty, O. O’Neill (0-2,1f), M. McNamee (0-1), S. Kernan (0-2), T. Kernan (0-3, 3f), J. Clarke (0-3), K. Carragher, C. Cumiskey (0-1).
Subs used: J. Murtagh for K. Carragher (6), S. Finnegan for P. McKeown (34, BC), P. Stuttard for M. McNamee (39), R. Keely for J. Murtagh (58).
Referee: E. Kinsella (Laois).