Crosserlough 1-13
Southern Gaels 1-10

Crosserlough clinched the Minor Football Championship B title this afternoon with a spirited second-half display against Southern Gaels at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Shane McCabe's team were sublime from the 28th minute onwards as they turned an early six-point deficit into three by half-time and hit the ground running in the second-half, with the frees of Pierce Smith and points from Shane Galligan and Christopher Tobin ushering them into their first lead by the 41st minute.

Galligan's goal seven minutes later was a hammer blow for the Gowna/Lacken amalgamation, for whom Conor Madden scored 1-6 for over the hour, and despite their county minor trying to pull them back into contention late on, Crosserlough kept their cool to shoot insurance points towards the end and see out a splendid victory.

Southern Gaels started in brilliant fashion, with wing-forward Karl Clinton getting the ball rolling for them inside the first minute by slotting between the posts before Madden announced his arrival with a superbly taken goal in the next attack.

The Gowna teen added a free to leave the Gaels up by five, with as many minutes played, and their opponents yet to string together a purposeful attack of their own. When they did it was corner-forward Christopher Tobin that had them off the mark after being sent through by Shane Galligan in front of the posts.

Madden and Pierce Smith traded points thereafter, but two more points (one a free) from the former would cushion Southern Gaels' lead to six by the 20th minute.

In bad need of a score, Crosserlough hit back with a free which was erased by Aaron Brady down the other end, before the young Kilnaleck men finished out the half strong via points from midfielder Pauric McManus (2) and Shane Galligan to leave it at 1-6 to 0-6 for the interval.

Crosserlough kept their momentum flowing after the restart to level by the 36th, as Shane Galligan, Kevin Smith and Pierce Smith (free) made the most of a profitable spell. They'd be in their first lead two minutes later when Christopher Tobin was slipped through for an over, but the Gaels quickly levelled when Madden sent into Craig Lanauze, now operating at full-forward, and he swung over to end a 13-minute scoring drought for his side.

It looked as though Lanauze's strike would be the perfect tonic for the Gaels to get going again, but instead they'd be rocked by the concession of a Shane Galligan goal after failing to clear a goal mouth scramble. The Gowna/Lacken contingent had called for a free out in the build-up, but Bailieborough referee Tony Gregory played on and it saw the black and ambers move into a three-point lead.

Kevin Smith's second of the afternoon stretched it to four, before Madden landed a huge score to keep the southsiders in the hunt with 10 minutes to go. Mark Stewart and Pierce Smith (free) cushioned the lead up to five for Crosserlough.

Madden and Thomas Galligan pulled back frees to leave a goal in it in the dying stages, and while the Gaels sought their major desperately to try and rescue a draw they could find no way through a stubborn Crosserlough defence as they held on for a coveted victory.

Crosserlough: John Reilly; Ciaran Cooke, Andrew Galligan, Conor Smith; Kevin Smith (0-2), Shane McManus, Raymond Lynch; David Shalvey, Pauric McManus (0-2); Pierce Smith (0-4, 3f), Shane Galligan (1-2), Mark Stewart (0-1); Christopher Tobin (0-2), Shane Reilly, Tommy Boylan. Subs: Dean McCarthy for C Cooke (25), Adrian Smith for C Tobin (44).

Southern Gaels: Ryan Galligan; Gary Cronin, Ryan McGahern, Damien Bannon; Killian Galligan, Noel Halton, Martin Brady; Craig Lanauze (0-1), Tomas Galligan (0-1, 1f); Karl Clinton (0-1), Daryl Buckley, Cian Bannon; Paudie O'Donoghue, Conor Madden (1-6, 3f), Aaron Brady (0-1). Subs: Dylan Donoghue for C Bannon (26), Paul Leddy for N Halton (36), Cian Bannon for P Donohoe (46).

Ref: Tony Gregory (Bailieborough Shamrocks) Tweet

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