AIB Ulster Club SFC First Round

Ballybay Pearse Brothers 2-11 Crossmaglen Rangers 1-9

By Steve Malone at the Athletic Grounds

Jerome Johnston’s Ballybay will face his native Kilcoo, where his sons play, after a blistering win over Armagh’s Crossmaglen Rangers on Saturday.

The Monaghan champions outscored Crossmaglen 1-6 to 0-1 in a pulsating opening 10 minutes of the second half, to secure their place in the Ulster quarter-finals.

Played in the Athletic Grounds Ballybay got off to a mixed start after Drew Wylie received a black card after two minutes but then on five minutes won a penalty, which Shane McGuinness expertly tucked into the bottom left-hand corner.

Crossmaglen responded in style, first Cian McConville turned and struck over from under the seated stand. From the resultant kick-out captain Stephen Morris caught, kicked into Jamie Clarke, who turned his marker before off-loading to Rian O’Neill who stunned everyone by lashing into the net.

Cross were in the lead but Ballybay hit back with captain Eoin McKearney aiming for goal only for Aaron Kernan to deny him. Still, Thomas Kerr levelled for a brief few seconds as Caolan Finnegan edged Rangers ahead.

Clarke tagged on a point and Ronan Fitzpatrick’s long-range beauty had Cross shaping up nicely with a 1-4 to 1-1 lead with 22 minutes gone.

The Monaghan champions got themselves back in the game and McGuiness almost grabbed a second goal, but Cross 'keeper Conor Deery made a great save.

Drew Wylie and Paul Finlay steered over either side of Cian McConville’s free and Ballybay closed the gap to a point with the Paul Finlay having the last kick of the half.

At the same time Crossmaglen’s Dara O’Callaghan was given a black card, which meant Cross returned for the second half a player down for the first 10 minutes of the second half.

Then Ballybay made hay with their advantage in numbers. Dessie Ward, a brace from Shane McGuinness and another Finlay free, gave the Monaghan side a 1-8 to 1-5 lead with only five minutes of the half gone.

Dara O’Callaghan pulled a point back but it was all Ballybay as McGuinness squared for Aaron Toner to palm into the net. Ward and Finlay (free) tagged on points as Ballybay enjoyed a 2-10 to 1-06 lead with 20 minutes still to play. Cross were back to 15 players but they had no answer to an Ballybay’s controlled aggression.

Shane McGuinness, Drew Wylie and man of the match Paul Finlay were outstanding.

Rian McConville looked odds on to pull back a goal, but his shot went over the bar. Cousin Cian McConville and Caolan Finnegan tagged on scores but the night belonged to Ballybay and they’ll face Kilcoo in Clones next.

Scorers for Ballybay: Shane McGuinness 1-2 (1-0 pen), Paul Finlay 0-4 (3fs), Aaron Toner 1-0, Dessie Ward 0-2, Drew Wylie, Thomas Kerr, and Christopher McGuinness 0-1 each.

Scorers for Crossmaglen Rangers: Rian O'Neill 1-1, Cian McConville 0-3 (2fs), Caolan Finnegan and Ronan Fitzpatrick 0-2 each, Jamie Clarke 0-1.

Ballybay: Julius Sniauksta, Colm Lennon, Tiernan McSkean, Daniel Caraher, Shane Monaghan, Drew Wylie, Eoin McKearney, Dessie Ward, Michael Hannon, Ciaran Galligan, Shane McGuinness, Thomas Kerr, Paul Finlay, Christopher McGuinness, Ryan Wyle.

Subs: Aaron Toner for C Galligan (HT), Tomas Keenan for D Caraher (55), Patrick O’Neill for S McGuinness (60), Shane Monaghan for C McGuinness (60+3).

Crossmaglen Rangers: Conor Deery, Tony O’Callaghan, Alan Farrelly, Thomas Duffy, Aaron Kernan, Tomas Duffy, Aaron Kernan, James Morgan, Paul Hughes, Stephen Morris, Rian O’Neill, Caolan Finnegan, Callum Cumiskey, Dara O’Callaghan, Cian McConville, Jamie Clarke, Ronan Fitzpatrick.

Subs: Chris Crowley for Farrelly (36), Daniel Cumiskey for D O’Callaghan (48), Orin McKeown for P Hughes (51).

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).