MATCH REACTION:HARD TO imagine how badly Crossmaglen took the business of not winning 14 county titles in a row last year. But we are getting some idea now.

“It hurt.” said Stephen Kernan “No mistaking. We were sick for months after it. It took a long time to get over it. We started this year on the second of January at eight o’clock on a Sunday morning and the place was covered in snow and people were still sore over it. Still sorry for themselves.”

They started with brand new management. Two old friends and team-mates new to senior management.

“In fairness to Tony McEntee and Gareth O’Neill they have worked under a lot of successful managers but they have come in with no experience at this level but I have never met fellas to simplify football this much. They have been unbelievable and have made us more of a team than we ever were.

“We wouldn’t have won here today if they hadn’t made a lot of changes to our attitudes. We had everything we wanted. Now we have to earn everything again as we were starting from scratch.”

From scratch to their eighth Ulster title and looking more ominous than ever.

“Oh delighted,” said Tony McEntee, who had been here so often as a player. “Very pleased with the second-half performance, we had a lot to work on after the first half but we corrected a lot of the mistakes in the second half. The subs opened up the game for us.”

They brought in Francie Bellew first as a sweeper and then as whatever he wanted to be. Simple as flicking off a light.

“We needed Francis after 20 minutes as there were a lot of balls going in that were dangerous. They didn’t get goals but they were dangerous. Young Mickey McNamee had to be sacrificed.

“In the second half we came out with a lot of ball and we gave Francie free licence. We got our structure back. Our three quarter line was poor in the first half. Ball to the full forwards was non-existent. That, on top of the loose marking in our half back line, meant we were under pressure. It improved all in all in the second half. Very happy. Tony Kernan got sent off, probably deserved it, I’m not going to gripe over it.”

With a couple of weddings coming up in the panel (Stephen Kernan and Oisín McConville, but not to each other!) McEntee announced a complete break for his players until the new year.

The journey back on the frost -plated roads to Donegal was going to be a sombre one. Naomh Conaill had seen the promised land. But it eluded them.

“We’re heartbroken”. said manager Cathal Corey. “We came to win it not just to play. We set our stall out early on, played well, tackled well, doing everything. We conceded a goal against the run of play. We responded. Came back and took the lead but at half-time we knew we were nowhere near getting the job done. Cross’ needed a big incident to happen. They got a man sent off and that gelled them, got them going. They raised their intensity.”

For years Crossmaglen have stood between Ulster and Croke Park for any team hoping to appear on St Patrick’s Day. The lessons learned have to be retained. Cross’ have yet to lose an Ulster final.

“Once they hit the second goal there was no way back,” added Corey. “They closed every route to goal. They shut up shop on us. I know we have good players . . . but we couldn’t get a break.”

A long season ends though, in defeat but in honour.

“But I’m wild proud of the boys. they came here to win. They are disappointed and hurt. They have lost a chance but on big days like this you have to lose and learn. Cross’ have so much knowledge. Our boys will be better players in a couple of years time.”