Dunshaughlin ... 1-12 Crossmolina ... 3-10 Not the proverbial game of two halves - yesterday's AIB club football semi-final at Hyde Park, Roscommon, was rather a tie of three thirds.
Dunshaughlin, appearing at this stage for the first time, seemed to be well on the way to a shock success when racing into a 1-5 to 0-1 lead. But then came the turning point after 20 minutes as midfielder Niall Kelly, who had been the Meath side's most influential player in their march through Leinster, was ordered off by Donegal referee Michael McGrath, having picked up a second yellow card.
Although Martin Reilly increased Dunshaughlin's lead to eight points from a converted free, Crossmolina soon began to take advantage of their opponents' misfortune, with Kieran McDonald leading the revival.
The centre forward was conspicuous with his white boots and white socks but also stood out with his inspirational play.
He started the move for the first goal after 26 minutes before Paul McGuinness centred for full forward Joe Keane to leave the board reading 1-6 to 1-3.
After losing Kelly, Dunshaughlin only managed a single point from play. That was hit by David Crimmins at the end of the first half, which finished with the deficit reduced to just a kick of the ball, 1-8 to 1-5. The tide was turning in favour of the 2001 All-Ireland champions.
Dunshaughlin resumed with Aidan Kealy, who got the green light from the GAA's GAC last week, at centre back in his first game since September and Michael McHale moved to midfield. But their lead was not to last long.
Less than two minutes after the restart Moyles raced in from the right and fired to the net. At 2-5 to 1-8, the odds were stacked on Crossmolina.
Moving the ball around sweetly, their forwards had too much pace for the Dunshaughlin rearguard.
The Mayo side's finishing improved too and the final deposit for Croke Park on St Patrick's Day was paid 18 minutes into the second half when they were 3-10 to 1-9 clear. McDonald was already pointing them in the right direction, sending over a free, a 45 and a glorious point from play in the third quarter.
Liam Moffatt netted the clinching goal following that super ball from Moyles and a pass from Keane.
Maughan could afford to give some of his substitutes a run in the closing stages and Dunshaughlin were left to rue missing four easy looking frees in the second half. It was not to be their day.
Afterwards Crossmolina manager John Maughan admitted to being concerned when his side fell so much in arrears in the first half.
"We came here fully expecting to win. We have a high quality team but I thought it could slip away from us when eight points behind.
"All credit to Dunshaughlin for the manner in which they took the game to us - I saw them in the Leinster final and they possibly played better today than in that game,"he said.
" The sending off obviously had a huge bearing on the game. It is unfortunate for any player to be sent off but once we got our first goal, we began to move that bit better and I was pleased with the overall display."
Dunshaughlin manager Eamon Barry, while admitting his side were comprehensively beaten in the second half, felt the referee was inconsistent.
"It's disappointing to lose after such a fantastic start but you have to hand it to Crossmolina , who are a super team," he said.
"The loss of Niall (Kelly) was a huge blow but one of their players could also have walked."
CROSSMOLINA: B Heffernan; S Rochford, T Nallen, C Reilly; P Gardiner, D Mulligan, G O'Malley (0-1); J Nallen, G Walsh; M Moyles (1-1), K McDonald (0-6, 3 frees, 1 45), E Lavelle; M Moffatt (1-1), J Keane (1-1), P McGuinness. Subs: J Leonard for McGuinness, P McAndrew for Reilly, N Convey fir J Nallen.
DUNSHAUGHLIN: R Gogan; F Gogan, K McTigue, Denis Kealy; R Yore, M McHale, R Kealy (0-3, all frees); N Kelly, Dermot Kealy; B Kealy (1-0), R Maloney (0-1), D Tonge; M Reilly (0-6, all frees), D Crimmins (0-2), T Dowd. Subs: A. Kealy for Yore, C Byrne for Dowd, J Crimmins for B Kealy.
Referee: M McGrath (Donegal).
