Kilcoo are through to the Semi-Finals of the Ulster Championship after a thrilling win over Crosserlough, but it was a game that pushed them right to their limits – something manager Karl Lacey is now savouring.
For whatever reason, the Down Championship was comfortable even more so than usual for Kilcoo this year and they were never really tested, so for the Cavan champions to make their way up to Páirc Esler and put in a performance like they did makes the Magpies’ victory all the more impressive.
Lacey maybe wasn’t enjoying it so much from the sideline but is now thankful that they met such an enormous challenge and came out on top.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game, they weren’t going to come here and lay down,” said the former Donegal star and 2012 All-Ireland winner.
“Last year we played Derrygonnelly, didn’t really get tested and then we were caught in the next round, so I think that game will stand to us.
“It was a test of character, they are a really good side. They play a nice brand of football, nice attacking football; they are very physical but we dealt with it well.”
He isn’t wrong. Crosserlough were very physical, to their detriment in the end, as they received three black cards and a red.
Although this gave Kilcoo an obvious advantage, it was something that made things disjointed.
“It is difficult to manage, especially when they have the fly keeper coming out, so it may have been a numerical advantage but because they were well structured, well set up and rigid, it wasn’t easy,” Lacey added.
“Then whenever their keeper would join the play, it was still 14 on 14 out the field, so it was difficult, and the same thing happened last year (against Scotstown) with Rory Beggan.
“It’s well known now that in Gaelic games the use of the fly keeper is really effective when it is done right, and they used it really well tonight.”
In the end, though, experience told, and when Kilcoo found themselves in the lead in injury time, they took control of the situation.
“When we needed to win a dirty ball, or for a man to stand up, we got that and it got us over the line.
“Whenever you get tight games like that, you can watch it and find areas of improvement, while in the Down Championship we were going in at half time six or seven points up, so tonight will hopefully stand to us.”
Kilcoo: Niall Kane, Niall Branagan, Ryan McEvoy, Callum Rogers, Miceal Rooney, Darryl Branagan, Eugene Branagan, Aaron Morgan, Ryan Johnston, Mac Darragh Hynes, Anthony Morgan, Shealan Johnston, Celium Doherty Jerome Johnston, Paul Devlin.
Scorers: R Johnston 0-1, C Rogers 0-1, J Johnston 0-2, P Devlin 0-7 (5f), R McEvoy 0-2, D Branagan 0-1, C Laverty 0-1.
Subs: C Laverty on for E Branagan (40), Padraig Shalvey on for J Johnston.
Crosserlough: Shane McManus, John Cooke, Patrick O’Reilly, Fionn Lovett, Cian Boylan, Conor Rehill, Kieran Smith, James Smith, Peter Smith, Oran Rehill, Dara McVeety, Harry Boylan, Brandon Boylan, Emmett Boylan , Matthew Costello.
Scorers: J Smith 1-1 (1m), B Boylan 0-1 (1f), D Mcveety 0-2, P Smith 0-1, S McManus 0-1, E Boylan 0-1, K Smith 0-1, O Rehill 0-1, M Costello 0-1,
Subs: Eoin Cusack on for B Boylan (49), Stephen Smith on for E Boylan (52), Ryan Galligan on for H Boylan.
Referee: Barry Cassidy