Pierson's late free sends Gowna back to county final

Senior Football Championship semi-final

Gowna 2-12

Crosserlough 2-11

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

An injury-time free from Oisin Pierson proved the difference as Gowna edged out Crosserlough in this rip-roaring SFC semi-final.

This was an eagerly-awaited clash between two sides tipped as frontrunners for the vacant title of heavyweight kingpin. Both are young and talented and honours had been divided in the previous five meetings since 2017, leaving a sense in the build-up that this could be a defining encounter of sorts.

The ’Lough came into the match as favourites, having won their previous two matches by a combined 46 points, and welcomed back fit-again cousins and county players Stephen and James Smith.

But Gowna, beaten in a replay in last year’s final, entered the game with confidence too, having toiled during the group stage before belatedly hitting top form in their quarter-final replay win over Cavan Gaels.

Adding to the sense of anticipation was the fact that the game was broadcast live on RTE Television to a nationwide audience, a vote of confidence for the local championship – and the teams stepped up to the mark in style.

At half-time, it was all square at 2-4 to 1-7 and Crosserlough would have been the happier side as, drenched, the teams made their way down the tunnel.

Gowna were the better team for the first 17 minutes, at the end of which they led by 2-3 to 0-5, but Crosserlough improved in the second quarter. Crosserlough cut the gap to two with a pair of Paddy Lynch frees before a superb Stephen Smith goal saw the sides go in even.

Of Crosserlough’s seven first-half points, four came from frees. Gowna registered 2-3 of their first-half tally from play, the highlights two brilliantly-taken goals.

The tone was set when Ryan Donohoe carried the ball forward from the throw-in and Tiarnan Madden curled over the opener after 20 seconds; within a minute, though, Dara McVeety won a break and Stephen Smith flung over his first score.

A free from Lynch was cancelled out by a Conor Casey point, via the upright. Casey was electrifying in the opening 20 minutes before Crosserlough belatedly made a change, sending Peter Smith over to pick him up which proved successful in quelling the young attacker.

Pierce Smith fisted the lead point before Gowna hit the front on 10 minutes when Aaron Brady sent a terrific high crossfield pass to Conor Madden, who rose above John Cooke to field and plant the ball in the roof of the net.

Crosserlough responded with a Lynch free after McVeety was fouled but Gowna, whose penchant for goals has been well documented, struck another – and this was truly spectacular.

Ryan Brady dragged James Smith, who had been struggling with injury of late and didn’t look fully fit, to the wing which created space; Robbie Fitzpatrick broke down the kick-out, Cian Madden laid off to Casey 55 metres out and he tore through the middle and blasted to the top corner.

That made it 2-2 to 0-4. McVeety, who took the fight to Gowna all evening, replied. Casey won a free which Tiarnan Madden slotted over before Lynch kept Crosserlough in touch with two frees.

Robbie Fitzpatrick curled in well off the left but the game was turned on its head when Stephen Smith waltzed through the Gowna defence and planted a perfect left-footed finish to the bottom corner of the net. That goal, created from nothing, was the final score of the half and tied the match as the teams went down the tunnel.

The second half was exciting and frantic. Both sides had periods of relative dominance but Gowna led from three minutes in, when Ryan Brady pointed, till the hour-mark, when Ramor drew level.

Scores were hard to come by in the early running; another Tiarnan Madden free made it 2-6 to 1-7 in the 38th minute before Gowna spurned a huge goal chance when Conor Madden sent wide.

Ryan Donohoe, who was excellent in the engine room, released Ryan Brady for another and although Lynch replied with a free, a super score from Casey left a goal between them and when Conor Madden thumped one over from 35 metres, Gowna were four up entering the final quarter.

They extended that to five with 12 minutes left when Cian Madden raced along the end-line and fisted over – but Crosserlough came roaring back into the match in the next three minutes.

First, McVeety picked out James Smith for a mark which he knocked over. McVeety won the resulting kick-out and again picked out Smith with a high ball; the county man fielded well and was fouled and brother Peter calmly stroked home the spot kick.

Suddenly, it was a one-point game. Robbie Fitzpatrick kicked the next, a terrific and important point, before Crosserlough missed a couple of chances. Lynch was off-cue with a couple of efforts and Ronan Bannon saved well from Fionn Lovett.

A McVeety point left one in it; then, Stephen Smith dropped one short and the ball was shovelled out to sub Adrian Smith, who levelled the match in the final minute of normal time.

Two and a half minutes into injury time, Gowna were handed a final chance and they took it, Oisin Pierson nailing a missable free for the lead.

Crosserlough forced a 45 but again, it fell short and after a scramble, the ball was cleared and the final whistle followed, signalling a second county final appearance in success for Gowna.

Gowna: Ronan Bannon, Cormac Brady, Ryan Brady (0-2), Ryan McGahern, Fionán Brady, Conor Brady, Tiarnan Madden (0-3, 2f), Robbie Fitzpatrick (0-2), Ryan Donohoe, Cian Madden (0-1), Mark McKeever, TJ Fitzpatrick, Aaron Brady, Conor Madden (1-1), Conor Casey (1-2)

Subs: Oisin Pierson (0-1f) for TJ Fitzpatrick (ht), Sean Harten for A Brady (51), Daire Madden for C Casey (60)

Crosserlough: Thomas Byrd, John Cooke, James Smith (0-1m), Patrick O’Reilly, Fionn Lovett, Conor Rehill, Peter Smith (1-0, pen), Dara McVeety (0-2), Darren Gaffney, Stephen Smith (1-1), Brandon Boylan, Oran Rehill, David Shalvey, Patrick Lynch (0-5f), Pierce Smith (0-1)

Subs: Cian Boylan for D Shalvey (25 mins), Adrian Smith (0-1) for O Rehill (41), Shane McManus for B Boylan (58), Emmett Boylan for Pierce Smith (60), Ryan Stuart for F Lovett (60)

Ref: Conor Dourneen