Ulster Club FC Semi-final: Getting through - it is what Crossmaglen excel at through these dreary days of November. Not much stirred beyond chimney smoke and traffic in Enniskillen as the formidable Armagh side subdued an optimistic Cavan challenge in Brewster Park yesterday.
Like many Ulster sides that have encountered Crossmaglen Rangers over the seasons, Cavan Gaels will close out the year wondering precisely why they were unable to seize an opportunity that looked there for them for a long period. Cross looked ordinary for much of yesterday afternoon.
They were missing John McEntee, who is honeymooning in Australia; Cavan closed down Oisín McConville; the physical presence of Nicholas Walsh prevented Stephen Kernan from creating a playmaking platform from midfield; Cross were in all kinds of trouble with their own kick-outs and they even went 17 minutes without a score in the second half.
And yet, for all that, there was the sense that the Cavan man were pushing against a boulder that would simply remain immovable. Even when the Gaels, storming and gaining in confidence, made it 0-10 to 1-8 with eight minutes left, it was hard to see Crossmaglen falling - not on a soaking afternoon, with light fast draining and players like Francie Bellew, John Donaldson and Stephen Clarke glowing in self-belief and in the basic necessity of coping with the task at hand.
In the end, it wasn't surprising that a goal was the dividing score between the teams. Cathal Short's deftly struck shot set up Crossmaglen after just two minutes of play and originated in a mistake in the Cavan defence: a long ball hoofed forward, a spilled catch and Short, a master craftsman in around the square, had stolen his goal in the blink of an eye.
It would be his only score of the day - after that, Cavan's Darren Rabbit kept him under tight scrutiny. But the mistake had already been made.
Football on drenched, slow-burning winter afternoons are about avoiding mistakes more than anything and at the close of the game, the scoreboard illuminated Cavan's early error.
They neither led nor even drew level at any stage in the game, playing catch-up with admirable style and conviction at times, but always, fatally, playing catch-up.
At times too, inexperience got to them. Karol Crotty was unfortunate enough to get sent off with five minutes remaining for two bookings because there was a reckless and threatening phase of the game when any number of players might have been booked for lunging, clumsy tackling and persistent shoving and pushing
Such distractions do not affect Crossmaglen's serene concentration one jot, but for Cavan they were a hindrance. It says something about Crossmaglen that, for all Cavan Gaels' nice approach play, they conceded just one score from a free over the hour.
Their brightest period was before half-time, after McConville landed two useful frees to leave it at 1-5 to 0-5.
Cross stayed in control for the remainder of the half with both the Kernans, Aaron and Stephen, clipping really fine points.
They dipped though, after the break and Cavan, building their attack around Anthony Forde and Michael Lyng, went for broke. They fired three points without reply, with the lively substitute Niall Collins an added dimension to their play.
Crossmaglen rang the changes - the arrival of big Colm O'Neill causing consternation among the Cavan contingent. "Would ya look at the size of that hoor," declared one man in outrage. "He's at least six foot six."
The manner in which Crossmaglen closed it out was like a reprimand for Cavan for just daring to hope. Their lead down to just a point, they permitted Cavan to miss two reasonable chances from frees and then just pulled the shutters on the match.
Michael McNamee blasted his first point of the game. And it was no surprise that O'Neill ended up landing the point that more or less buckled the Cavan challenge with four minutes left, a slow, weakening shot that fell over the crossbar with inches to spare.
He had got the ball because Short, tumbling to the ground, had managed to scramble it to him with the Cavan men coming within inches of successfully clearing it. Such were the differences.
CROSSMAGLEN RANGERS: P Hearty; G O'Neill, F Bellew, C Dooley; A Kernan (0-1), T McEntee, J Donaldson; S Clarke (0-3), S Kernan (0-1); J Murtagh (0-2), A Cunningham, O McConville (0-2 frees); M McNamee (0-1), C Short (1-0), C Clarke. Sub: C O'Neill (0-1) for C Clarke (half-time).
CAVAN GAELS: E Elliot; E Reilly, D Rabbitt, J Gurhy; K Crotty, G Duffy, A Forde (0-2); E King (0-1), C Collins; M Lyng (0-2), C Nelligan (0-2, 1 free), P O'Donnell (0-1); M Graham, N Walsh, S Johnston (0-1). Subs: D O'Connor for M Graham (half-time); D Reilly for P O'Donnell (43 mins); N Collins (0-1) for S Johnston (46); S Reilly for C Nelligan (56).
Referee: S McGonagle (Donegal).
