Armagh champions Crossmaglen fought back to steal a late victory
By
Niall Keenan
BBC Sport NI contributor
- Published5 minutes ago
Rian O'Neill's last-gasp score secured a 1-22 to 2-18 comeback win for Crossmaglen in their Ulster Club SFC quarter-final against Gowna at Breffni Park.
Three two-pointers and a goal from Conor Madden had Gowna in command 1-13 to 1-5 at the break.
Seanie Hartin grabbed a second goal upon the restart, but Cross produced a seismic comeback as they did so often on their way to winning the Armagh championship.
Rian and Oisin O'Neill scored two-pointers to bridge the gap and an orange flag from Oisin brought them level on 56 minutes.
The lead changed hands thereafter with Ryan Donohue nudging Gowna back in front with a score from outside the arc of his own.
However, Cross and the O'Neill brothers would have the last say as Oisin played a two-point free short to Rian and he raised the roof and split the posts to send his club into the final four.
Cross fight back to secure place in last four
Oisin O'Neill opened the scoring for Cross inside the first 60 seconds, but they would have to wait 13 minutes before registering their second.
In that time, Gowna made hay. Cian Madden and Conor Brady got the Cavan champions going before Conor Casey shot back-to-back scores, while Fiachra Brady raised an orange flag to stretch their lead to five.
Rian O'Neill responded for Crossmaglen, but a free from Cian Madden and another two-pointer from Daire Madden had Gowna in full control.
A 20th-minute punch to the net from Conor Madden put the Breffni men nine points clear.
Casey landed Gowna's third two-pointer of the first half, but Cross did get themselves back to within eight by the break.
Rian O'Neill popped the ball inside to McConville, who slipped his marker and fired to the net.
The south Armagh outfit trailed 1-13 to 1-5 at the break, and when Seanie Hartin netted in the first minute of the second half, the deficit opened up to 11.
However, the 11-time Ulster champions rallied and hit seven unanswered points, with Rian and Oisin O'Neill both nailing two-point efforts.
By the 57th minute, the Armagh champions were ahead when lively substitute Seamus Teelan put them in front for the first time since the opening stages.
Still, there was time for Ryan Donohue to raise an orange flag and put Gowna's noses back in front but Rian O'Neill's kick in the dying embers snatched the victory for Cross.
