Ulster Club FC Semi-final The Loup 0-10 Crossmaglen Rangers 0-8 The Loup are just one step away from an Ulster title following their battling victory over Crossmaglen Rangers in this semi-final in Clones yesterday. Crossmaglen were reduced to 14 players after 14 minutes when John McEntee received a straight red card following a striking offence on Paddy McGuinness.

The Loup also finished the game with 14 players, full back Joseph O'Kane receiving his marching orders for a second bookable offence 14 minutes into the second half. O'Kane's dismissal was a real blow to The Loup at that stage as he was a very effective spare man and with his dismissal the game again became a close contest.

Few, however, could quibble with the outcome of the game as The Loup always looked more dangerous going forward and, despite the fact they contrived to cause problems for themselves through over-elaboration, they also proved more adept at finishing, with four of their starting forwards getting on the scoresheet. Crossmaglen were forced to rely almost exclusively on the accuracy of Oisín McConville from frees.

The sides went in level at the break on five points each but by the start of the final quarter The Loup had opened a four-point gap and Crossmaglen had failed to score during that spell. In the final 10 minutes, however, The Loup were under increasing pressure as Crossmaglen went in search of match-saving scores and by the 27th minute they had reduced the deficit to the minimum through three McConville free-kicks.

Indeed, at that stage it might well have been level had McConville not mis-hit a scoreable 25-yard effort in the 18th minute.

THE LOUP: S McGuckin; J Young, J O'Kane, P McGuinness; B Lavery, P O'Kane, F Devlin; J McBride (0-2), J O'Kane (0-1); B McVey (0-1), F Martin (0-3), R Rocks (0-1); P McFlynn (0-2), S McFlynn, E McQuillan. Subs: J Devlin for J Young; K Bigmore for B Lavery; G Mallon for S McFlynn.

CROSSMAGLEN: P Hearty; J Fitzpatrick, G O'Neill, F Bellew; A Kernan (0-1), J Donaldson, B McKeown; T McEntee, S Clarke; C Clarke, A Cunningham (0-1), O McConville (0-6); M McNamee, J McEntee, C Shortt. Subs: J Murtagh for S Clarke; J McConville for C Clarke.

Referee: M Brady (Cavan).