Ballinagh 2-9
Crosserlough 1-10

Ballinagh ended Crosserlough's senior championship crusade tonight at Kingspan Breffni Park to set-up a final date with either Castlerahan or Cavan Gaels next month.

Scorer of 1-5 over the hour, Niall McDermott once again proved the difference for Ciaran O'Reilly's men, whom never trailed once their ace attacker put them in front against their neighbours inside the first minute. Strong performances for the winners, along with McDermott, also came from Padraic O'Reilly, Patrick Carroll and Colin Gumley, while Barry McKiernan led the line superbly for Crosserlough at the other end.

McDermott's ninth minute goal proved a nightmare start for the Kilnaleck side, whom were 3/1 outsiders coming into the game, as it saw them fall five points behind at half-time before they were gifted a freak goal early on in the second-half which brought them back into contention.

However, in truth, this was a game in which Ballinagh never looked like losing to this year's senior championship surprise package and when Niall O'Reilly struck their second goal five minutes from time their final date and chance of a first ever Cavan SFC title was cemented.

A brace of McDermott points (one a free) had Ballinagh off to the perfect start in this semi-final, while Crosserlough suffered a huge blow in the early stages when they lost full-back Pauric McKiernan to injury.

Jonathan Crowe and Barry McKiernan (free) brought the game level by the fifth minute, but Ballinagh were only coming into their rhythm at that stage as a Gumley point pushed them back into the lead before McDermott hit the jackpot for the Saffrons in the 9th minute. The Cavan senior made it look all too easy as he gathered possession in the right corner and darted through the centre to dispatch the ball past Ciaran Galligan in the Crosserlough goal.

A second placed ball from the full-forward had Ballinagh's lead at five by the 11th minute, leaving their opponents no doubt in fear of being overrun. Two points from McKiernan (one free) were sorely needed scores to steady the ship for the Kilnaleck outfit.

However, it didn't take long for Ciaran O'Reilly's chargers to find their range again and they ended a small scoring drought in fine fashion when
Thomas Moore's superbly struck '45' sailed between the posts. Smith and McKiernan exchanges frees to bring the half into its added minutes when Gumley lashed over his second to stretch the lead back to five, 1-7 to 0-5, leaving Bernard Morris and his players with plenty of food for thought for the second-half.

The early stages of the second-half suggested that there would be no let up from Ballinagh, with McDermott coming close to adding to his tally in the first minute of the restart, but it was the men in black and amber that hauled themselves right back into contention six minutes in with a freak goal. Some terrific work from Dara McVeety gave the young Cavan defender time and space to squeeze off a shot for a point which came off the inside of the post and struck Pierce Smith in the small square to fall into Declan Beard's net.

The goal, albeit a fluke, injected some much needed life into the game, as Crosserlough showed some resolve by cancelling-out McDermott's fourth free of the night with a brilliantly worked score which McKiernan finished over from a very narrow angle.

With two points between the sides and a little over 10 minutes remaining, the game (and a county final slot) was there for the taking and it was Ballinagh that upped the ante with 1-1 in the space of two minutes to leave their opponents with a mountain to climb in the closing stages. First McDermott's fifth and final free restored his side's advantage back to three before a long ball in from the outstanding Padraic O'Reilly wasn't dealt with by Galligan and Niall O'Reilly was on hand to pounce and bury to the onion bag.

Far from deflated, Crosserlough bounced back to ensure a nervy finish as substitute Jimmy Higgins and McVeety shot over scores within the same minute before a McKiernan free sent the game into injury-time with a goal separating the sides. The trailers wouldn't be happy to see only two added minutes from referee Mickey Lee as they could only manage a Shane McManus point that left them two short come the full-time whistle which signalled Ballinagh's passage to a long-awaited county senior final.

Ballinagh: Declan Beard; Killian McBride, Patrick Carroll, Michael Ward; Conor Smith, Niall O'Reilly (1-0), Philip Bogue; Padraic O'Reilly, Damien McInerney; Kevin Smith (0-1, 1f), Thomas Moore (0-1, '45'), Terry Smith, Colin Gumley (0-2), Niall McDermott (1-5, 4f), Enda Brady. Subs: Blake Carthy for E Brady (48mins), Andrew Ward for K Smith (60), Paul Galligan for Gumley (60).

Crosserlough: Ciaran Galligan; Declan McCabe, Pauric McKiernan, Karl Lynch; Damien Lynch, Dara McVeety (0-1), Colin Lynch; Jonathan Crowe (0-1), Thomas McEvoy; Eoin Cusack, Shane McManus (0-1), James McEvoy; Barry McKiernan (0-6, 3f), Paul McEvoy, Pierce Smith (1-0). Subs: Karl Smith for P McKiernan (4mins, inj), Jimmy Higgins (0-1) for J McEvoy (44), David Shalvey for J Crowe (49), Adrian Smith for P Smith (53).

Ref: Michael Lee (Drumalee) Tweet

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