Goal hero Flynn lauds Crosserlough team-mates

Kevin Óg Carney

ON a day packed with expectation, all in attendance were agreed that what was delivered last Saturday at Kingspan Breffni wasn't what they had anticipated.

The offensive lines garlanded in black and amber and sky blue had an off-day and while the early signs were promising, the prospect of a shoot-out petered out almost as quickly as it took to read the players' pen-pics.

Not that Orla Flynn and her Crosserlough team-mates will be concerned this week by either the laboured nature of the winners' display or by the fact that purists won't be lining up to collect tapes of the final:

"It wasn't pretty and wasn't the quality of game we wanted but it was probably the kind of game most people expected," two goal hero Flynn admitted.

The twice (2016/17) Ulster club medallist is humility itself as she fields the requisite post-match questions. Upon reflection, the uber experienced half-forward says she was "just in the right place at the right time" for her goals in the 4th and 47th minutes.

"I think with the kind of dogfights that there is between us and Lacken, goals were always going to be crucial and I suppose they counted in a big way this time."

Flynn's finishes to the Lacken net at once put the challengers on the front foot and then cemented her team's path to victory.

But should the 'Lough not have sustained the pressure on the Celts, having sped into a 2-0 to 0-0 lead with just five minutes on the clock?

"Yeh, but it was a strange kind of game. It was heavy going in the (underfoot) conditions and cold hands and a cold sliotar didn’t help, said Flynn.

“Lacken came roaring back at us after our early goals and they dominated the last 20 minutes or so of the first half.

“We always knew they wouldn't go down without a fight but we dug in and thanks to the likes of Joanne (Dowling) we were able to deal with the pressure Lacken put us under and we stuck it out till the final whistle," the Crosserlough native opined.

Keen to emphasise the collective nature of the 'Lough's deserved victory, the Ballinamore-based schoolteacher - and former Connaught and All-Ireland IFC medallist – does, in any event, name check her attacking colleague Cara Reilly and believes the number 15's second half points "changed the game and were absolutely key to getting us over the line".

And the path that now lies ahead?

"A bit of celebrating - that has to be done - and then getting down to preparing for our Ulster semi-final."

For full coverage of Crosserlough's Senior Camogie Championship victory, pick up this week's Anglo-Celt.