Culloville see off Crossmaglen by 12 points in Armagh U21 Senior Football Championship semi-final
Culloville give Cross Blues as they target three-in-row
Armagh U21 Senior Football Championship Semi-final
Culloville 3-20
Crossmaglen 1-14
By Kieran Lynch
CULLOVILLE moved one step closer to completing their three-in-a-row ambitions in the Armagh U21 Senior Football Championship, as they saw off neighbours Crossmaglen by 12 points in Cullyhanna in Saturday's semi-final.
The Blues were powered by a superb team effort, with 10 different players making their mark on the scoreboard.
With one eye perhaps on their Ulster Senior Championship clash against Gowna this weekend, Crossmaglen held the likes of Aaron O'Neill, Aaron Haughey, Keelan McEntee and Eugene McEntee in reserve in the first half.
When they were unleashed at half-time, the Rangers had too much to do, as they trailed by 13, and could never reel Culloville in.
Crossmaglen were the first team on the scoreboard, with Thomas Muldoon converting a two-point free, but Culloville wrestled control after points from Dylan Hoey and Charlie Garvey, followed by a two-point free from goalkeeper Shea Rice.
Rice showed his class at both ends, as moments later, he used every inch of his frame to deny Ciaran Wallace's goal-bound effort.
Conor McConville pointed for Cross to make it a one-point game, but Culloville began to dominate and reeled off 2-7 without reply.
Josh King raised a white flag and Ciaran Connolly raised an orange flag, before Daniel Agnew raised a green flag, scoring his side's first goal of the day.
The Blues remained in command, and Daire Dooley (one-pointer) and Charlie Garvey (two) pushed their lead out further, before Niall Dale palmed home their second goal, following an impressive assist from Aaron Garvey.
Eoin Duffy and Shea Bellew traded points in the dying minutes of the first half, and when the referee blew the short whistle, Culloville were in complete control, leading 2-11 to 0-4.
Although Crossmaglen turned to the bench to bring on the cavalry, Culloville picked up from where they left off, with Aaron Garvey and Eoin Duffy (free) finding the target.
Aaron O'Neill was Crossmaglen's stand-out man on the day, and he opened his account with a two-point free.
However, any hopes of a comeback were surely dashed when Connolly pointed and moments later, Hoey broke free of the Cross defence and finished off his side's third goal of the game.
To Crossmaglen's credit, they kept battling and landed a two-point free via Aaron O'Neill, and scored a well-taken goal through Cormac McEntee, either side of an Aaron Garvey point.
McConville and Duffy (free) then traded scores, before Aaron O'Neill kicked a spectacular two-pointer off the outside of his boot from the right wing. However, Culloville replied with Rice knocking over a two-point free at the other end.
In the closing stages, Aaron O'Neill and Keelan McEntee (two-pointer) closed out Crossmaglen's tally, whilst Charlie Garvey added two more points at the other end, putting the final touches on a decisive win.
Culloville, who won U21 Championship glory in 2024 and '25, will take on Clann Eireann in the final on Friday, November 13th.
MATCH STATS
Culloville scorers: Charlie Garvey (0-5, 1tp, 2f), Dylan Hoey (1-1), Shea Rice (0-4, 2tpf), Ciaran Connolly (0-3, 1tp), Niall Dale (1-0), Daniel Agnew (1-0), Eoin Duffy (0-3, 2f), Aaron Garvey (0-2), Josh King (0-1), Daire Dooley (0-1).
Crossmaglen scorers: Aaron O'Neill (0-7, 2tpf, 1tp, 1f), Cormac McEntee (1-0), Keelan McEntee (0-2, 1tp), Thomas Muldoon (0-2, 1tpf), Conor McConville (0-2), Shea Bellew (0-1).
Referee: Conor McGahan.