Huge emotion as Conor Loftus scores injury-time penalty to seal All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football title for Crossmolina and deny Ballinderry

A last minute penalty from Conor Loftus won the All-Ireland Intermediate football final for Crossmolina Deel Rovers sparking hugely emotional scenes in Croke Park.

The Crossmolina players surrounded Loftus at the final whistle, having come from behind to defeat the Derry champions Ballinderry.

It was a hugely emotional occasion on Jones’ Road, with Loftus having lost his fiancee Róisín Cryan a fortnight ago.

The game was re-fixed for this Sunday with the Mayo side winning out by 1-12 to 0-13, with Loftus’ penalty sealing the victory with virtually the last kick of the game.

A second Daniel McKinless point looked to have sealed victory for the Shamrocks until the late Crossmolina showing.

Man of the match Niall Coggins blasted over a second goal chance to leave a point between the sides before a dramatic yet controversial finish.

Substitute Stephen Duffy capitalised on a defensive error before charging into goalkeeper Ben McKinless. Referee Lonergan deemed it a foul before showing McKinless a black card.

Daniel McKinless stepped into goals but Loftus tucked his penalty to the corner of the net to win the game.

Ballinderry were forced to start without Niall O’Donnell who tweaked a hamstring in their semi-final win over Austin Stacks.

A foul on Conor Loftus handed Fionan Duffy the chance to open the scooring with the first of three first-half frees.

It was former Derry forward Ryan Bell who levelled matters before the mayo men pushed 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after 10 minutes with points from Conor Loftus and Kevin Mulhern.

Frees from Conor O’Neill had Ballinderry level and back in contention in a game that ebbed and flowed.

Bell and Crozier added scores for the Ulster champions but Duffy, with two frees, saw the sides go in at half time level for the fifth time, 0-6 each.

Tiernan Rocks kicked Ballinderry 0-8 to 0-7 ahead after 36 minutes but it was Crossmolina who pushed clear, 0-11 to 0-8 with scores form Niall Coggins and sub Lorcan Loftus.

Daniel McKinless and Ruairi Forbes pushed Ballinderry towards the finish line before a dramatic finale.

Scorers

Crossmolina: C Loftus 1-1, F Duffy 0-4f, N Coggins 0-3, J Maheady 0-2 (1f), K Mulhern and L Loftus 0-1 each

Ballinderry: C Crozier (2f), C O’Neill (0-2f), R Bell 0-3 each, D McKinless 0-2, R Forbes and T Rocks 0-1

Ballinderry: B McKinless; A Mullan, O Duffin, R O’Neill; E Devlin, G McKinless, R Forbes; L Bell, C Crozier; T Rocks, C O’Neill, S McCann; D Lawn, R Bell, S Coleman Subs: Daniel McKinless for Coleman (38), M Smyth for Lawn (49), J Bell for Crozier (52), O Mullan for Rocks (65)

Black cards: B McKinless (65) Yellow cards: B McKinless (39) Red cards: B McKinless (65)

Crossmolina: JP Mulhern; D Fox, K Mulhern, M Gordetskyy; A Goggins, C Loftus, M Loftus; D Syron, J Flynn; D Coggins, J Maheady, N Coggins; D Walsh, P Leddy, F Duffy Subs: L Loftus for Syron (27), P Loftus for JP Mulhern (INJ 45), C Carolan for Walsh (57), S Duffy for Leddy (59), K Ferris for M Loftus (65)

Yellow cards: L Loftus (40), J Flynn (43),

Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary)