ARMAGH All-Ireland winners Stefan Campbell and Shane McPartlan hope to inspire their club to a first senior championship in 30 years.
Campbell scored three points and midfielder McPartlan netted a second-half goal as ‘the Clans’ got the better of 2023 champions Crossmaglen in the opening round of Armagh senior championship group games.
Crossmaglen fielded three of the Armagh Sam Maguire-winning squad and county friendships were parked as both sides traded hits in an intense, feisty encounter.
Afterwards Clans manager Ronan McMahon, whose side lost to Cross in last year’s final, paid tribute to his county duo.
“Those two lads are unbelievable people,” said McMahon.
“The way they’ve come into this team having won an All-Ireland with Armagh which was phenomenal for their county and for them on a personal level… They have been brilliant in terms of leadership with these lads.
“They’ve been completely dialled-in to everything we’re doing and it’s a pleasure working with them, it really is. There’s no ego there with either of them, they’re brilliant.”
There is an old adage in Armagh that when Crossmaglen and Clan na Gael are going well, the county team feels the benefit.
Lurgan’s ‘Clans’ won with five points to spare but the old rivals from opposite ends of the county may well meet again when more is at stake in the knockout stages.
Cross fought to the bitter end at Davitt Park but a disappointing day for Rian O’Neill included a missed penalty midway through the second half.
“It was crucial – that would have got us back to two points,” said Cross manager Anthony Cunningham.
“In hindsight, he wasn’t on his game today. We probably should have shifted to another player. He is our star, he’s our big man and he’ll be disappointed he didn’t put it away.”
Cunningham added: “I don’t want to make excuses but we’d three or four injuries – we’d actually two injuries in the lead-up to the game as well. A couple of key men, but I don’t want to take away from Clan na Gael, they were well worth their win today.
“You’d like to think those boys would be back, if not for the group stage, hopefully the next stage.
“Chris Crowley was out with a wrist injury and our goalkeeper (Miceal Murray) was out with a hamstring injury. We were working on a few kickout strategies and, lo and behold, his hamstring went. It’s one of those things.”
