Craigbane book final place in dramatic fashion

Craigbane 1-11 .... Drumhowan 1-11 (Craigbane win 5-4 on penalties AET)

There is nothing more powerful in sport than momentum. Just ask Craigbane.

When Jude Óg Moore raced upfield in the 41st minute of this blockbuster, they trailed by five points.

With every stride, it looked like the start of the move that led to Jude McLaughlin’s goal against Knockbride in the previous round.

Only this time, they needed a goal to get their heads above water against a Drumhowan team who were on top in most sectors.

Jonathan Lavelle’s tackle was something out of a text book. He waited before flicking in his hand to strip the ball and seconds later Caolan Reilly had the ball in the back of the Craigbane net.

At 1-9 to 0-4, the Farney lead looked insurmountable. Within a minute, Reilly was back in his role of tracking Fergal Mortimer. When the Craigbane captain lined up a shot, Reilly’s block was inspirational and all the momentum was with them.

Craigbane managed a point from a free. A questionable one tapped over by Lee Moore. The type of sympathy free a team can get when streets behind.

Then everything changed. Craigbane had thrown youngster Pierce McCloskey into the action seconds earlier. It wasn’t long until he played the pass for Brian Rainey’s fisted goal. The 1-9 to 1-5 scoreline etched on the scoreboard could have been easily translated into two words – game on.

Craigbane have two Ulster intermediate titles to their name. Their defeat to Drumlane two years ago is their only ever defeat in Ulster. Tradition doesn’t kick the ball over the bar, but can magically slide self-belief under your nose.

But tradition is only useful if you meet it half way. The Craigbane 2024 model did just that. After Rainey flicked to the net, you could almost see the Craigbane shoulders straighten up.

Some 13 years ago, at the same venue, Carrickmacross held all the aces in an Ulster semi-final. Bliain Gormley, Jude McLaughlin, Bliain Gormley, Lee and Rory Moore were out on the pitch.

The young bucks watching from the stand were now beside them in the trenches. And they didn’t disappoint.

When Lee Moore thumped over two whopping points, momentum was now Craigbane’s best friend.

For three quarters of the game, Drumhowan ‘keeper Enda Duffy was picking out runners on the wings.

All of a sudden it was white jerseys winning the races. One went to Fergal Mortimer. Another to Bliain Gormley. Conor McLaughlin snuffed out another. Eoin Coll got hands on one.

They still needed James McLaughlin to throw himself on a Ciaran Duffy shot to prevent a goal chance. Drumhowan were two ahead at the time.

Craigbane's Brian Rainey celebrates. (PHOTOS: Paul Kealey.)

For all Craigbane’s play and Jude McLaughlin curling over a pressure free, their fate came down to one moment.

Fergal Mortimer spent a lifetime of taking a bag of balls to Craigbane pitch for kicking practice. On Saturday his problem was getting his hands on the leather. Caolan Reilly was always touch tight.

Trailing 1-9 to 1-8 and with time running out, Mortimer was on the ball with a hard of space. It was a pressure kick. All or nothing. Boom. Over the bar, years of kicking for that one moment and Craigbane had saved the game.

The sides were still level at 1-10 each after the first period of extra time. Lee Moore, James and Conor McLaughlin missed chances on the restart but Craigbane were looking the likely winners.

At the other end, Coll and Rainey closed the door on a Drumhowan attack. Another small yet massive moment.

Pierce McCloskey and the McLaughlins were the energy they needed before Lee Moore kicked Craigbane into their only lead of the game.

It didn’t last long. Tom Doherty got away from Oisin O’Donnell for once to fist over the equaliser.

Now it was Craigbane’s turn to hold on. When Daragh McElearney was fouled, Drumhowan had a scoreable free to win the game. A penny for the Craigbane thoughts.

With free taker Aiden Quinn replaced, it was Doherty entrusted with the kick but he skewed it into the clouds and the blockbuster went to penalties.

First up was Joseph Duffy who missed. Craigbane didn’t. Lee Moore in off the post. Jude McLaughlin, Jacob McElhinney and Jude Óg Moore all tucked theirs to the net before Rory Moore booked their final spot with his kick.

Craigbane came into the game on the back of an excellent team performance against Knockbride.

Drumhowan were unconvincing in their win over Aghadrumsee but had their homework done.

Daragh McElearney picked up Lee Moore. Attacker Caolan Reilly dropped back on Fergal Mortimer. Tiarnan Reilly pulled deep on Brian Rainey.

With Rory Moore sitting tight in front of his full-back line, Liam McGuirk pulled far and wide to leave the central channel for McElearney and Killian McAdam to exploit.

Drumhowan had the wind at their backs but didn’t score until the eighth minute when McAdam kicked to Tom Doherty for the first of three points from advanced marks.

Craigbane's Jacob Mc Elhinney on the move.

The Monaghan champions added a second from a fisted point from skipper Patrick Quinn.

Earlier in the game Ben O’Kane denied Caolan Reilly when a Drumhowan run took them through the middle.

Jude McLaughlin opened the Craigbane account when Lee Moore drilled a long ball into the inside line.

Moore tapped over a free to level the game after 16 minutes but Craigbane should’ve had a goal only for Duffy’s saving from Jude McLaughlin.

Tom Doherty was the star man and had a hand in five of the Farney first-half scores.

Craigbane needed a top drawer save to deny Aodhan Brennan but they were beginning to lose the midfield battle.

A Jude McLaughlin free cut the interval lead to 0-6 to 0-3 but the sight of Lee Moore limping towards the tunnel was a major concern.

He emerged for the second half and was moving a lot freer but Drumhowan set the early pace with scores from Gerard Quinn, Kevin Mooney and Liam McGuirk to open a 0-9 to 0-3.

Craigbane were trying a more direct route and it nearly paid dividends only for Jude Óg Moore’s flick to come off the crossbar.

Lee Moore tapped over a free for Craigbane’s first score of the half after eight minutes but their world came crashing down with the Reilly goal for Drumhowan three minutes later for a 1-9 to 0-4 lead.

Craigbane tried to go direct but it wasn’t working with a Moore free all they had to show for their efforts.

That’s why Rainey’s 48th minute goal was so important. He was impeccable in his use of the ball but turning Pierce McCloskey’s pass to the net sent a surge of energy through the Craigbane system.

Moore kicked two mighty scores and when Mortimer levelled matters with the last kick of normal time, their recovery was complete.

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Craigbane were territorially the better team in extra time but didn’t translate it into scores and when Drumhowan missed their first penally, five successful kicks sent the Derry champions into a Saturday final date with Donegal side Muff.

Craigbane scorers: Lee Moore 0-7 (5f), Jude McLaughlin 0-3 (2f), Brian Rainey 1-0 and Fergal Mortimer 0-1 each

Drumhowan scorers: Tom Doherty 0-5 (3m), Caolan Reilly 1-0, Aiden Quinn 0-2f, Patrick Quinn, Kevin Mooney, Liam McGuirk and Aodhan Brennan 0-1each

Craigbane: Ben O’Kane; Oisin O’Donnell, Eoin Coll, Fintan Lynch; Conor McLaughlin, Rory Moore, James McLaughlin; Brian Rainey, Bliain Gormley, Jude Óg Moore; Aaron Sharkey, Jacob McElhinney, Fergal Mortimer; Lee Moore, Jude McLaughlin.

Subs: Pierce McCloskey for Sharkey (45), Liam Crossan for Lynch (48), Niall Feeney for Mortimer (75)

Drumhowan: Enda Duffy; Daragh McElearney, Conor Curran; Aiden Quinn; Caolan Reilly, Jonathan Lavelle, Killian McAdam; Tiarnan Reilly, Jack Treanor, Patrick Quinn; Gerard Quinn, Liam McGuirk, Kevin Mooney; Aodhan Brennan, Tom Doherty.

Subs: James McAdam for G Quinn (52), Ciaran Duffy for McGuirk (57), Kieran Mooney for Kevin Mooney (62), Gerard Quinn for A Quinn (HT ET), Joseph Duffy for T Reilly (74), Ronan Duffy for C Reilly (74)

Referee: Mark Dorrian (Donegal)

MAN OF THE MATCH - Tom Doherty was racing to the star man at half-time before Oisin O’Donnell got his hands on him in the second half. Jude Óg Moore put in a big shift at midfield. Brian Rainey was consistent across the game. Ben O’Kane, Conor and James McLaughlin were excellent. It’s a hard one to call but Lee Moore’s tally of 0-7, including two boomers when Craigbane were under the cosh, is hard to look past.

TURNING POINT - There were many moments. Ben O’Kane’s save from Aodhan Brennan. James McLaughlin blocking Ciaran Duffy to keep Craigbane withing touching distance. Brian Rainey’s goal turned the time. Craigbane’s afternoon came down to one moment. With time ticking away, Jacob McElhinney was on the ball before it was dished to Fergal Mortimer who kicked the equaliser with the last kick of normal time.

SCORE OF THE GAME - When Jude Óg Moore cut through the middle in the 40th minute, Craigbane were 0-9 to 0-4 in arrears. They needed a goal at some point and this was a good a time as any. Jonathan Lavelle’s tackle was crisp and perfect to dispossess him. Drumhowan’s swift breakaway was instant. Gerard Quinn’s pass was on the money and Caolan Reilly slotted to the net at the end of a team move.