Crosserlough 0-11
Gowna 1-8

Crosserlough and Gowna must do it all again after playing out a draw in Saturday evening’s senior football championship semi-final at O Raghallaigh Park, Kingscourt.

In the end, Cian Madden’s 61st minute point was what snatched a draw for favourites Gowna as the scoreboard read 0-11 to 1-8 when the last whistle sounded.

Crosserlough’s splendid start saw them lead by 0-7 to 0-3 at the half and they stretched their advantage to five before Ryan McGahern’s 40th minute goal brought the Longford border side right back into contention.

Still the Kilnaleck men never fell behind in tgis contest and only points from Oisin Pierson and Madden (2) in the closing six minutes denied them a return to Kingspan Breffni on October 21st.

Daragh McCarthy’s side raced out of the traps in this hotly anticipated clash, kicking points through Barry McKiernan (2), Daithi Shalvey, Darren Gaffney and Stephen Smith that rocked their counterparts.

Veteran Mark McKeever got Gowna off the mark on 13 minutes before Gaffney and Madden exchanged scores and Robbie Fitzpatrick had it at 0-6 to 0-3 some 10 minutes before the interval.

Gaffney continued to torment Timmy Fitzpatrick’s charges, stroking over his third from play that left the margin at four come the halfway stage and a white flag from ex-Cavan minor Paddy O’Reilly restored the five-point advantage for Crosserlough three minutes into the resumption.

McGahern’s strike seven minutes later was colossal from a Gowna perspective and, despite O’Reilly landing his second soon afterwards, they were able to chip away at the black and ambers’ lead as Conor Brady, Conor Madden and Cian Madden all floated over scores that outweighed a single from Smith at the far end.

Dara McVeety widened the gap back to two on 56 minutes but the momentum was firmly with Gowna and they made it count via the speedy Pierson before Madden held his nerve to earn his side a second chance at a coveted county final berth against tomorrow's winners between Castlerahan and Lavey at the same venue. 

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