COLLISION COURSE

CROSSMAGLEN boss Shane Lennon made no secret that his target is winning silverware this season.

Having the honour and pressure of becoming the first manager from outside the club, Louth man Lennon won’t be looking ahead of Saturday night’s south Armagh derby against rivals Cullyhanna.

It is sure to be a cracking contest with the senior championships top scorer Aidan Nugent hoping to get St Pat’s over the line while marque forward/midfielder Rian O’Neill will lead Crossmaglen’s charge.

It’s two years since Rangers won back-to-back senior titles and the new man in wants to bring the 48th senior county title back to the club.

“I’ll be straight up and honest - to win the Championship. To get the boys back enjoying football,” said Lennon.

“Obviously, the new rules kind of helped with the role that I was given. They want to see more attractive football.

“They're a very proud club football-wise. They want to see it played right. I've played full forward all my life so, I'm a forwards kind of coach. I like to see the forwards express themselves. See Ronan Fitzpatrick there, Aaron O’Neill, Cian - quality forwards. If you don’t have them running back, defending the whole game, with the old rules, you probably were expected to do that.

“With the new rules now, you're going to have three of them quality forwards up front.

“The games are attractive to watch. I'd be joking with the lads; they're nearly trying to make games entertaining. It's up and down the field. I'd like to see a wee bit more control. In spells of the game, yes, we want to play attractive football. But you have to keep possession at stages of the game.”

It was also two years ago that Cullyhanna wrapped up the Intermediate title, before going on to Ulster and All-Ireland success and they having been building towards senior success since then.

The injury to Pearse Casey is a massive blow to Cullyhanna’s senior championship credentials but they have still been able to answer any questions the previous teams have put up to them.

Whereas Crossmaglen seem to be getting their players off the treatment at the right time as Oisin O’Neill’s first half performance against Carrickcruppen illustrated. And the Cross boss hopes that Caolan Dillon, James Morgan and Callum Cumiskey will be fit to play some part in the semi-final.

“Callum Cumiskey, (James) Morgan and Oisin are the stand-in captains. When you’re missing players like that, the bounce that Oisin gives, even in training, the leadership he has. . . we’ve young lads out there who are still plying their trade.

“Part of my role coming in there is to try and blood some of the players from that minor set-up. You see Aaron Haughey out there, Gene McEntee - probably their first real full Championship campaign.

“There are plenty of examples to look up to in the Crossmaglen dressing room and Oisin would be one of them big figures.

“Odhran Kieran as well, I think he got injured in the third League game and was ruled out for the year. Odhran is a big player for us as well. We've other lads. Obviously, it's going to be touch and go. We've a good medical team there and hopefully we'll get them turned around. A bit of magic spray and get them back out.”

Cian McConville is a man on a mission and he is displaying a hunger and clinical prowess that will strike fear in to most defences, Aaron O’Neill, Stephen Morris and Paul Hughes have been in top form this season.

Sean Og Irwin and Sean Connell are not your average defenders and they’ll relish the chance to reengage with the Cross hotshot forwards.

Jason Duffy was exceptional against St Peter’s, GAA All-Star nominee Ross McQuillan has been continuing his county form into club, while Nugent probably was more quiet than usual in the quarter-finals but when it came to the crunch he delivered the big scores.

Crossmaglen’s vulnerability under the high ball isn’t any more or less than most teams but they have been exposed in the big games and they’ll continue to get tested.

Lennon says he is enjoying his time at the helm.

“ Loving it. Really enjoying it. They're a great bunch of lads.

. The lads are loving it. We're bringing loads of different kinds of ideas to it. It's not just your standard Tuesday, Thursday. We've thrown a couple of different things in. They're enjoying it.”

Defending Armagh Champions Clann Eireann face Madden in the other semi-final tonight, Friday (October 10) at 7.30pm in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, while Crossmaglen v Cullyhanna takes place on Saturday (0ctober 11) at 6pm, also at Armagh’s Headquarters.