Crosserlough provided Kilcoo with a 'test of character' says Karl Lacey
Kilcoo manager Karl Lacey says that his side’s narrow win over Crosserlough was a ‘test of character’ and that he believes it will stand to his side as they progress through the Ulster Championship.
The Magpies were highly-fancied, but they were in a battle from start to finish. They found themselves a goal down after five minutes, and could never shake the Cavan champions, as they were level with five minutes to go.
That was until Paul Devlin stepped up to be the hero towards the end with two late scores to seal a 0-15 to 1-10 win.
“We knew it was going to be like that, a tough game, they weren’t going to come here to lie down,” said Lacey post-match.
“So, we are relieved to get over the line really. Last year I suppose was a learning curve, we didn’t really get tested by Derrygonnelly and then got caught the next day. I think that will stand to us, that was a test of character tonight.
“They are a good side, the play a nice brand of attacking football, they are a big physical side, but we dealt with it well. Things didn’t go right, there were errors, there was sloppiness, there were wee decisions, there was 50/50 balls that just… it is luck at the end of the day and tonight everything was going against us, but we pulled through and we are just glad to be into a semi-final.
“They are well set up and their goal, it was a cross into the box, that could have went anywhere unfortunately for us in went into our net and it gave them that energy, it gave them that little ticket into the game, so they realised ‘it is game on here’. As I say, we adapted to that, we clawed our way back into and we got a point up before half-time, so we were happy getting the boys back in at that stage of the game in that position.
“We are glad that we have met a team like that, they gave us a really good game and we have come out the other side of it.”
Lacey also praised the impact of super-sub Conor Laverty, who came on contributed an important point and an assist when the game was in the melting pot.
“For us it always comes back to training,” said Lacey.
“Conor has been playing really well and it is just the competitor in him, he is that Kilcoo through and through and if there was anybody that was going to seize the game it was Conor Laverty, he came in at the right time and he made a real difference.
“His intelligence is a big plus at that stage and being able to play the right balls, draw the right frees and just that wee pass into PD [Paul Devlin], that nice, weighted pass like that, it was just clever. It is up to everybody else now, Conor has put his hand up and he has put us under pressure over the next two weeks and hopefully he can bring a few others with him, we just need to put the head down and work harder again.”
For more coverage on Kilcoo’s win over Crosserlough see this week’s Newry Reporter – in shops Wednesday November 16!