Morris: 'This Town needed this'

By Steve Malone

CROSSMAGLEN midfielder Stephen Morris picked up his sixth county title on Sunday.

A former captain and player who gives everything time and again, he said that Crossmaglen’s slow start was down to the dramatic semi-final comeback against Clann Eireann a fortnight ago, but he was delighted for title number six.

“It is a good feeling, a good buzz.

“They all mean a lot but this one is very sweet, it has been difficult over the past two years, difficult for our club losing wee Stringer, he should have been with us today but he is always with us in spirit and Margaret McConville she was massive person of this club and it is just great to be back on top.

“This is what our town needed, we have been hurting over the past two years, we needed this and we will enjoy the night.”

Killeavy put in a fine display and Crossmaglen Rangers were forced to dig in before pulling away in the final minute and Morris admitted it was a tough battle.

“It was back and forth, we knew how good they are and good forwards the have and we tried to quieten them, which is hard, but we are happy to get our forwards ticking as well.

“I know it was a big game but we just had to park it, maybe the first ten minutes we were a wee bit leggy from that game, we didn’t really get the start we wanted to but it was back and forth in the second half and thankfully we came out the right end.

“The gameplan was the same as always, get the ball to the forwards and hope they do the damage. We knew they would come in with plenty of buzz, given making the final and we were prepared for Killeavy, we didn’t play how we wanted to in the first ten minutes but we turned it around and I am happy we got the win.”

His manager Shane Lennon said that last year’s shocking defeat to Cullyhanna hurt his side and that they were convinced that this was going to be the year for the Rangers.

“There was a lot of hurt from last year,” said Lennon.

“We were nine-up with seven minutes to go against Cullyhanna last year and the feeling we had in the dressing room was unbelievable and it has driven everybody on since we started doing a bit of running before Christmas last year.

“We gradually built it up. There was a bit of a stall in the league, but when we were missing so many attacking players. At half-time in Madden (final group game) we were able to unleash Oisin and Rian (O’Neill) from the bench it changed the whole perspective.

“If you put them two into any club in Ireland they would have an impact. The ethos of the club is attacking football and championship football, and it has all come together now. We sat down after the Tullysaran game (round one of the leagues) in a meeting and we asked: ‘Are we going to win a championship?’ To a man, 42 players in the room and the management, and every one of us said: ‘Yes, we’re going to win a championship’ and here we are.

“It wasn’t easy, but we took the toughest route we could with Clans (Clan na Gael), Culloville and Clann Eireann to build to what we produced today. It’s unbelievable.

“I think there were seven lads starting their first championship final today,” added former Louth star Lennon.

“I know Killeavy (in their first decider since 1988) are all new to the championship final but to have so many men in our team in their first final, it’s a credit to them and then Keelan McEntee came on, James Teelan came on.”

While Crossmaglen’s season turned after the county players came back, it was players such as young James Teelan and the evergreen Johnny Murtagh that kept in the topflight of the league and the young players really stood up against Killeavy.

“People look at the O’Neill’s and Cian McConville, all the superstars but Pearse Blessing is only 21, Aaron Haughey was Armagh U20 captain last year, Eugene McEntee was in U20 and they’re all young lads and chomping at the bit,” Lennon said.

“It wasn’t plain sailing in the league, there were a few hard truths in the league and the championship, but when a team produces that when the chips are down it's a credit to them."