Crosserlough 0-13 Kingscourt Stars 0-8
Crosserlough ended a 48-year famine when they overcame underdogs Kingscourt Stars in a pulsating Cavan SFC final replay at Kingspan Breffni.
The ‘lough weren’t flattered by their winning margin and but for four brilliant saves by Kingscourt goalkeeper James Farrelly they would have coasted home.
The would-be winners arguably lost most of the battles but, crucially, won the war with a calm, composed display which belied their youth.
As in last week’s drawn game, Crosserlough grabbed the initiative from the get-go and led their profligate opponents by 0-6 to 0-2 after 15 minutes.
To their credit, Kingscourt dug in deep and helped by a brace by Cian Shekleton cut their deficit to 0-6 to 0-8 at the interval.
Kingscourt carved out a decent goal chance in the 44th minute when trailing by 0-6 to 0-11 but Padraig Faulkner’s effort flew over rather than under the bar.
Appropriately, man-of-the-match James Smith and top-scorer Patrick Lynch bookended the ‘lough’s first title success since 1972 with a point apiece in the dregs of added-on time.
Crosserlough: B Malocca; J Cooke, P O'Reilly, D Shalvey (0-2); S McVeety, C Rehill, C Boylan; M Stuart (0-1), J Smith (0-3); S McManus, B Boylan, D Gaffney; A Smith, P Lynch (0-5, '45, 3f), S Smith (0-2).
Subs: Pierce Smith for S McManus (40); R Galligan for D Gaffney (50); E Gaffney for A Smith (56); Peter Smith for S McVeety (60); B McKiernan for B Boylan (63).
Kingscourt Stars: J Farrelly; C McKeown, A Clarke, K Farrelly; S Duffy, P Meade, J Oates; S Gray, P Corrigan; B Tully (0-1), P Tinnelly, K Curtis; C Shekleton (0-2), P Faulkner (0-3), B Reilly (0-2,2 f).
Subs: D Gunne for K Curtis (37); O Cunningham for J Oates (44); S Burke for C Shekleton (44).
Referee: Oliver Óg O'Reilly (Mullahoran).
