Crosserlough 0-13
Kingscourt Stars 0-8

Crosserlough are Cavan senior football champions for the first time since 1972 after overcoming Kingscourt Stars in this evening’s final replay at Kingspan Breffni.

After last weekend’s thrilling decider ended in stalemate, Crosserlough delivered the goods at the second time of asking to help banish the ghosts from their final loss of two years ago.

Jimmy Higgins’s men opened up a two-point lead after seven minutes through ‘Man of the Match’ James Smith and, in truth, they’d never really look back.

Points from Stephen Smith, Mark Stuart and Patrick Lynch (45) made it 0-6 to 0-2 by the time the first water break had arrived, leaving the Stars to chase their opponents for the rest of the game.

A Barry Reilly free was erased by James Smith at the other end and the Kilnaleck men would have a five-point lead when Lynch sailed over a free with three minutes left in the half.

Cian Shekleton (2) and Padraig Faulkner posted the responses for Kingscourt and they’d also see ‘keeper James Farrelly pull off a terrific save on Stephen Smith on the eve of half-time, leaving it at 0-8 to 0-6 for the interval.

Lynch, James Smith and Shane McVeety restored the five-point lead for the black and ambers within 10 minutes of the restart before they introduced captain Pierce Smith to the fray.

Faulkner and Reilly (free) got scores back for the Meath border men but they’d need a goal to take control in this contest and it simply never came their way, as a stingy opposing defence held them to just two points in the second-half.

Instead Stephen Smith and Lynch sailed over the scores at the other end to ensure a first senior championship success for Crosserlough in 48 long years.

Crosserlough: Brian Malocca; John Cooke, Patrick O’Reilly, David Shalvey (0-1); Shane McVeety (0-1), Conor Rehill, Cian Boylan; Mark Stuart (0-1), James Smith (0-3); Shane McManus, Brandon Boylan, Darren Gaffney; Adrian Smith, Patrick Lynch (0-5, 2f, 1m, 1 ‘45), Stephen Smith (0-2). Subs: Pierce Smith for McManus (41mins), Ryan Galligan for Gaffney (50), Peter Smith for Rehill (55, temp), Enda Gaffney for A Smith (56), Peter Smith for McVeety (60), Barry McKiernan for B Boylan (60).

Kingscourt Stars: James Farrelly; Cathal McKeown, Alan Clarke, Killian Farrelly; Shane Duffy, Paddy Meade, John Oates; Shane Gray, Peter Corrigan; Barry Tully (0-1), Philip Tinnelly, Kevin Curtis; Cian Shekleton (0-2), Padraig Faulkner (0-3), Barry Reilly (0-2, 2f). Subs: Darragh Gunne for Curtis (37mins), Sean Burke for Shekleton (45), Oisin Cunningham for Oates (45).

Ref: Oliver Og O’Reilly (Mullahoran)

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