Gowna see off Crosserlough to claim league title

ACFL Division 1 final

Gowna 2-13

Crosserlough 2-9

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

Gowna served notice of their arrival as a force to be reckoned with when winning a first Division 1 league title in over 15 years with a deserved win over Crosserlough.

The winners recovered from conceding 2-5 unanswered in the first half to turn in an impressive second-half performance. In a lopsided match, both teams had periods of dominance but Gowna improved as the game wore on and on the home stretch in particular, they were superior.

Crosserlough were leading by 2-5 to 0-7 at the end of an entertaining first half.

Early on, Gowna were sharper and they raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after eight minutes but Crosserlough would register 2-5 unanswered as they took control of the contest.

However, points from Cian Madden and Conor Madden just before half-time reduced the deficit to four at the end of a first half which was bad-tempered at times.

Gowna hit the front after 30 seconds through Tiernan Madden before Crosserlough levelled with a 35-metre converted mark from Stephen Smith, probably their best performer on the night.

Gowna then reeled off three in succession. Tiernan Madden landed a free before Cian Madden, who was at the heart of most of Gowna’s good attacking play, found Aaron Brady, who pointed, and Cormac Brady added the next after a good move.

The pendulum then swung the way of the senior champions. Stephen Smith won a free on the sideline which brother Pierce did well to swing over and the first goal arrived moments later when a perfect Patrick Lynch pass found Shane McManus, who buried it in the bottom corner.

Gowna were having trouble on their own kick-out at this stage and Crosserlough, their tails up, were punishing them. A 40-metre Pierce Smith free was followed by their second goal when Smith pounced on a poor kick-out and fed Emmett Boylan, who sent a rocket of a shot to the top corner.

And when David Shalvey swung in a trademark effort and Stephen Smith sent over another, the Kilnaleck-based side were 2-5 to 0-4 up on 22 minutes and cruising.

However, Gowna steadied the ship with those two points before the break and the introduction of Oisin Pierson and, in particular, Robbie Fitzpatrick gave them fresh impetus in the second half.

A torrential shower during the interval made conditions very difficult. There were mistakes a-plenty and countless turnovers and with both sets of passionate supporters in full voice, there was a cauldron-like atmosphere throughout the second half.

And Gowna rose to the challenge. Pierson picked out Cian Madden with a great pass and he found the bottom corner with a cool finish just a minute into the second half and when Fitzpatrick split the posts brilliantly while off balance, they were level.

Brandon Boylan (mark) and Cian Madden (free) traded scores as the rain began to fall again. Mark McKeever slotted over another but Stephen Smith was on the mark again to regain the lead for Crosserlough with a dozen minutes to play.

Brandon Boylan won a turnover and Stephen Smith slotted over again to make it a two-point game but if there was a sense that Crosserlough had ridden out the storm (literally), Gowna weren’t feeling it.

A 40-metre Fitzpatrick free and a similar one from Cian Madden tied the game with six minutes to play and Gowna hit the front when sub Ray Keogh picked out Conor Madden for a mark.

Then, as the match ticked into additional time, the Gowna men, under the management of Dermot McCabe and Fintan Reilly, kicked for home. Crosserlough pushed up and they countered, McKeever starting the move, Ryan Donohoe and Ryan Madden playing a one-two and midfielder Donohoe tucking away a super finish from 15 yards.

This was a frenetic, thoroughly absorbing affair, producing nine yellow cards, one red and one black as well as a significantly above-average 39 frees, 25 of which went to Gowna.

Crosserlough: Brian Malocca, John Cooke, Patrick O’Reilly, Karl Lynch, Cian Boylan, Conor Rehill, David Shalvey (0-1), Patrick Lynch, Ryan Galligan, Shane McManus (1-0), Pierce Smith (0-3f), Shane McVeety, Emmett Boylan (1-0), Stephen Smith (0-4, 1m), Brandon Boylan (1m)

Subs: Darren Gaffney for McManus (50 mins), James Smith for E Boylan (53)

Gowna: Ronan Bannon, Cormac Brady, Mark McKeever, James Madden, Fionnán Brady, Ryan McGahern, Ryan Brady, Ryan Donohoe (1-0), Conor Brady, Tiernan Madden (0-1f), Conor Madden (0-2, 1m), Cian Madden (1-4, 3f), Aaron Brady (0-2), TJ Fitzpatrick, Conor Casey

Subs: Oisin Pierson for A Brady (ht), Robbie Fitzpatrick (0-2, 1f) for TJ Fitzpatrick (ht), Raymond Keogh for R Brady (38 mins), Ryan Madden for Fionnán Brady (56)