Crossmaglen 1-15 Silverbridge 0-7
This game more or less followed the pre match script with Silverbridge staying in touching distance during the first half before Cross opened up and powered home to comfortably book their place in the last four. The Rangers struck eight unanswered points during the second period as they held Silverbridge scoreless until eight minutes from time.
Cian McConville chipped over the opening point when the nippy corner forward skipped by his man and shot from close range. A fantastic fetch off a Crossmaglen kick out from Alan Farrelly launched another attack with McConville playing provider this time around and setting up Johnny McKeever who settled Cross into a two point lead.
Silverbridge halved the margin through a Paddy Reel free kick before Cross struck a killer blow when Oisin O’Neill’s powerful run saw him assist Colin O’Connor who raised the first and only green flag of the day. Oisin Martin split the posts for the Bridge to leave the goal the difference by the end of the first quarter.
Rian O’Neill got his name on the score sheet with a converted placed ball while Stephen Morris did likewise from play. The game could have been beyond doubt when Mel Boyce’s strong run along the end line saw him play in Johnny McKeever whose flick bounced off the crossbar and the Rangers had to settle for a point with Boyce getting the final kick.
Silverbridge gave themselves some hope going into the second period with the final two scores of the first half. Jarly Og Burns captured possession from a Silverbridge kick out and assisted an Aaron Duffy point before Duffy hit the target once again five minutes later to close the gap at the half time whistle, Cross ahead 1-5 to 0-4.
Cross hit eight straight points before Silverbridge got off the mark in the second half with Stephan Morris’ opening score followed by an Oisin O’Neill brace while Aaron Kernan also split the posts on two occasions from the dead ball. Rian O’Neill hit a mighty point from the corner while Oisin O’Neill and Morris tagged on further scores.
Jamie Murphy registered Silverbridge’s first of the second half while Paddy Reel converted from a dead ball. Rian O’Neill fired over a 45 which was matched by Aaron Duffy’s point but O’Neill struck over the final score of the game from a free to see Cross take a semi final place with 11 points the margin at the final whistle.
Cross Scorers: Rian O’Neill (0-4), Oisin O’Neill (0-3), Stephen Morris (0-3), Colin O’Connor (1-0), Aaron Kernan (0-2), Cian McConville (0-1), Johnny McKeever (0-1), Mel Boyce (0-1).
Silverbridge Scorers: Aaron Duffy (0-3), Paddy Reel (0-2), Oisin Martin (0-1), Jamie Murphy (0-1)
