Crossmaglen looking the part

ALL-IRELAND CLUB SFC FINAL: St Brigid's v Crossmaglen:RARELY HAS an AIB All-Ireland club football final appeared more straightforward on one level and yet on another been so difficult to predict.

On one side are Crossmaglen Rangers from Armagh, the six-time All-Ireland finalists, four-time All-Ireland champions, eight-time Ulster champions, and widely regarded as one of the most competitive teams in club history.

On the other side are St Brigid’s from Roscommon, the first-time finalists, and two-time Connacht champions, whose only other appearance in the All-Ireland stages ended in the 2007 semi-final defeat, to Crossmaglen Rangers.

So, where would your money be? Consider too that no Roscommon club has ever won the All-Ireland football title. And it’s not like they haven’t had their chances: formidable Clan na nGael infamously lost four finals in succession, between 1987 and 1990.

And yet there are reasons to believe that their time – or rather St Brigid’s time – has come. Few people gave them much of a chance of beating Nemo Rangers in the All-Ireland semi-final, especially given the Cork champions boasted a record seven All-Ireland titles and had made 11 finals in all.

Yet St Brigid’s paid little attention to history, delivering a composed and remarkably confident second-half performance to down the Cork champions 0-13 to 1-8.

With Senan Kilbride and former Roscommon star Frankie Dolan showing the way up front, and Karol Mannion and Garvan Dolan holding firm at midfield, St Brigid’s chased down the victory with an air of steely determination, something manager Noel O’Brien afterwards put down to both the experience and indeed bitter memory of losing the 2007 All-Ireland semi-final.

Even with that notable victory there is still little pressure on St Brigid’s, and that obviously suits them. They’ve been consistent this season too, beating Killererin of Galway after extra-time in the Connacht final, having earlier racked up a big score against Eastern Harps of Sligo and mastering Leitrim’s Glencar-Manorhamilton.

The big question here is whether they can raise their game a step up again against Crossmaglen – because no one doubts the Armagh champions are coming to Croke Park with nothing but victory on their mind. Losing out to Kilmacud Crokes in the final two years was obviously a bitter pill to swallow, but it made their semi-final win over the same opposition all the sweeter.

Kilmacud had their chances that day – and had injury not deprived them of so many first -choice players they might well be chasing a second title in three years. Yet Crossmaglen did what they do best: rode out an early onslaught, clawed their way back into the game, and eventually won it. Just about.

So, that set them up for a fifth title in all, having beaten Dr Crokes of Killarney after a replay in 2007 – and their previous title before that coming in 2000, when they beat Na Fianna. There have been inevitable changes over the years, with so-called veterans such as the Kernan brothers, Oisín McConville, Paul Hearty and the returning John McEntee balanced out by relative newcomers such as Jamie Clarke, David McKenna and Kyle Carragher. Former club star Tony McEntee has now graduated to team manager, while another famous old-timer, Francie Bellew, is still willing to throw his weight around when needed.

There’s no denying that Crossmaglen’s semi-final win was at least partly aided by Kilmacud’s internal breakdowns, including their discipline, and the unfortunate goalkeeping error that resulted in the second Crossmaglen goal. But there was a determination about the Armagh champions too that ultimately decided the matter.

Given their emerging youthful talent, it would be inaccurate to portray this as a sentimental comeback for Crossmaglen. While the sentimentalists might welcome a breakthrough win for outsiders St Brigid’s, they’re also well capable of winning. But there is fresh momentum to this Crossmaglen team that looks set to bring them perhaps their most famous victory yet.

Paths to the final

St Brigid’s (Roscommon)

– beat Eastern Harps (Sligo) 0-21 to 0-4. – beat Glencar-Manorhamilton (Leitrim) 1-13 to 3-5.

– Connacht final: beat Killererin (Galway) 2-14 to 1-10 (after extra-time).

– All-Ireland semi-final: beat Nemo Rangers (Cork) 0-13 to 1-8.

Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh)

– beat St Gall’s (Antrim) 1-12 to 0-9.

– beat Burren (Down) 1-11 to 2-7.

– Ulster final: beat Naomh Conaill (Donegal) 2-9 to 0-10.

– All-Ireland quarter-final: Neasden Gaels (London) 1-8 to 0-5.

– All-Ireland semi-final: Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 2-11 to 1-12.