Harps and Gaels must play it again as honours end even in Clones
DERRYGONNELLY Harps and Cavan Gaels will have to do it all over again after they played out a 0-12 to 0-12 draw in Clones yesterday.
It was nip and tuck throughout the contest, the Fermanagh side leading by one at half time only for Cavan Gaels to respond with five points in a row at the start of the second half to move into a 0-10 to 0-06 advantage.
Derrygonnelly though had the better of things in the final quarter and a Conall Jones point from a free sent the game into extra time.
The Harps got their noses in front in either period but Cavan Gaels answered each time and a Darragh Sexton point three minutes from time meant that the sides would have to meet again.
The Breffni outfit made the livelier start to the game with a slick-moving attack giving problems for the Derrygonnelly defence.
Niall Smith, Andrew Graham and Martin Dunne were among the points as they claimed a 0-3 to 0-1 lead.
The Fermanagh side though, began to settle into the game, and they went on to hit the next four points to move two ahead. Paul Ward, Garvan Jones and Ryan Jones all slotted over points during this period for Derrygonnelly although Seanie Johnston and Declan Meehan levelled for Cavan Gaels before a Ward free left one in it at half time, 0-07 to 0-06.
However, Cavan Gaels came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half and five successive point seemed to have them in control of the game.
Dunne, Levi Murphy and Paul O’Connor were the point scorers as the Gaels seemed to find an extra gear to make it 0-10 to 0-06.
Declan Cassidy registered Derrygonnelly’s first point of the second half in the 40th minute and Cavan Gaels were then dealt a big blow when Murphy was red carded by referee Paudie Hughes after a clash with Derrygonnelly’s Conall Jones.
With an extra man the Harps began to get on top and Garvan Jones and Gary McKenna swung over scores to leave it a one-point game, 0-10 to 0-09.
The Ernemen though wasted a number of good chances, including two Ward frees, to level up the contest but with the tie in added on time Conall Jones banged over a free to make it 0-10 apiece.
There was one last chance for Cavan Gaels to win it but Niall Murray’s effort came back off the upright as the game went to extra time.
A McKenna free nudged Derrygonnelly in front early in the first period but Dunne replied with a free for the Gaels to keep it level at the interval.
And Ward and Sexton traded points in the second period as both sides started to tire.
There was one last opportunity for Derrygonnelly to snatch the victory at the death but Ward’s free dropped short and with neither side able to find a winner the contest finished in a draw.
Derrygonnelly: D Feely; Shane McGullion, Lee Jones, M. Jones; N. Gallagher, E. McHugh, G. McGinley; R. Jones (0-01), G. Jones (0-02); K. Cassidy, P. Ward (0-05, 3f), D. Cassidy (0-01); G. McKenna (0-02, 1f), Leigh Jones, C. Jones (0-01, 1f)
Subs: Stephen McGullion for K. Cassidy, A. Gallagher for Lee Jones, Kevin Cassidy for Leigh Jones, Lee Jones for N. Gallagher, Leigh Jones for Stephen McGullion, Stephen McGullion for A. Gallagher
Cavan Gaels: C Flynn; L. Fortune, N. Murray, K. Meehan; S. Murray, B. Fortune, L. Murphy (0-02); P. Graham, R. Maloney Derham; N. Smith (0-01), D. Meehan (0-01), A. Graham (0-01); P. O’Connor (0-01), S. Johnston (0-01, 1f), M. Dunne (0-04, 2f) Subs: C. Coyle for P. Graham (bc), S. Higgins for A. Graham, D. Sexton (0-01) for S. Murray (bc), S. Fitzsimons for Smith, M. Lyng for O’Connor