Fermanagh SFC Final: Erne Gaels retain title

Fermanagh SFC Final Replay

Erne Gaels 1-12 Derrygonnelly Harps 1-9

By Gareth Cauldwell at Brewster Park

Erne Gaels withstood a second-half rally from Derrygonnelly Harps to retain the Fermanagh SFC title with a 1-12 to 1-9 victory in this replayed encounter at Brewster Park.

The Belleek side played some excellent football in the first half as they went in at the break holding a 1-9 to 0-4 advantage.

However, Derrygonnelly responded brilliantly at the start of the second half as they hit 1-4 in a six-minute spell to claw their way back to within two points.

Erne Gaels, though, were able to keep their noses ahead for the remainder of the tie as they finished up three-point victors.

Derrygonnelly started brightly as Gary McKenna and Shane McGullion knocked over early points.

However, once Barry McCann opened the Erne Gaels scoring from a free, they began to take control of matters with Ultan Kelm following up with a tenth-minute goal.

The impressive Kelm latched on to a McCann effort that dropped short, and he made space before firing low to the corner to give the Belleek outfit a big lift.

Oisin Kelm also had a massive influence on proceedings in the first half, lofting over his first point before Jack McCann fisted over to make it 1-3 to 0-2.

Derrygonnelly had a goal chance of their own midway through the half when Rory Smyth gathered the ball, but he was denied by a superb block from Oisin Kelm.

The Kelm brothers, Ultan and Oisin, tagged on further points for Erne Gaels as they moved six ahead, 1-5 to 0-2 by the 20th minute.

Derrygonnelly hit back as they registered their first score in 20 minutes when Conall Rasdale converted a free before Aidan McKenna added on a point from play to cut the deficit back to four.

Indeed, it could have been much closer as Rory Smyth slipped Oisin Smyth in on goal, but his effort came back off the post.

It was Erne Gaels, though, who were to finish the half stronger as Shane Rooney clipped over a close-range free before Oisin Kelm accounted for his third point of the half.

In added-on time, Ultan Kelm rattled over a terrific two-point score for Erne Gaels as they went in at the interval with a 1-9 to 0-4 lead.

That lead was stretched out to nine points early in the second half through Rooney, but Derrygonnelly then enjoyed their best spell of the game as they came right back into contention.

Michael Jones fired over a lovely point from the left before midfielder Stephen McGullion landed a fine two-point score.

Momentum was beginning to swing the way of the Harps, and with 39 minutes on the clock, they struck for a goal as Leigh Jones sent a thunderbolt to the top corner of Brian Ryder ‘s net to make it 1-10 to 1-7.

Gary McKenna then tapped over a free for Derrygonnelly to leave two between the sides with 20 minutes left, and it was all to play for.

Derrygonnelly, though, failed to capitalise on chances to further cut the Belleek advantage, and instead Erne Gaels substitute Seamus Ryder made an impact on his introduction as he rattled over a good score to put three in it.

In a tense finish, a McKenna point from a free brought Derrygonnelly back to within two as the contest moved into the 60th minute, but Erne Gaels dug in and deep in added-on time, Aogan Kelm slotted over to put three in it and ensure that it was back-to-back titles for the Belleek men.

Scorers for Erne Gaels: U Kelm 1-3 (tp), O Kelm 0-3, S Rooney 0-2 (1f), B McCann 0-1 (f), A Kelm 0-1, J McCann 0-1, S Ryder 0-1

Scorers for Derrygonnelly Harps: L Jones 1-0, G McKenna 0-3 (2f), Stephen McGullion 0-2 (tp), C Rasdale 0-1 (f), A McKenna 0-1, M Jones 0-1, Shane McGullion 0-1

Erne Gaels: B Ryder; P Ward, J McCann, U O’Reilly; O Kelm, R Lyons, O Johnston; M Og McGarrigle, B Mullin; S Mimna, T McCaffrey, A Kelm; S Rooney, U Kelm, B McCann

Subs: S Ryder for Johnston (45), M Gilfeddar for Mimna (48), D McCann for Rooney (52).

Derrygonnelly Harps: J Kelly; A Jones, O Smyth, M Jones; R McGovern, Shane McGullion, R McHugh; J Flanagan, Stephen McGullion; G McGovern, L Jones, A McKenna; C Rasdale, R Smyth, G McKenna

Subs: C Burns for McHugh (HT), M Duffy for Rasdale (HT), A Duffy for R McGovern (41), S Gilroy for A McKenna (55), N Maguire for Stephen McGullion (60).

Referee: James Lewis (Lisnaskea).