Impartial Reporter

Erne Gaels edge out Kinawley to secure league title

Erne Gaels 0-11 Kinawley 0-10

- By DONNIE PHAIR

ERNE Gaels secured the Division One title with a hard-fought one-point victory over Kinawley in a tight encounter at Brewster Park on Sunday.

The Belleek outfit came into the game on the back of nine successive wins, and although they were never behind they were made to battle all the way by the Brian Borus.

One point divided the sides at half time with Erne Gaels leading 0-05 to 0-04 following a cagey 30 minutes, although Kinawley could have been ahead at the break after seeing a late Sean Mcmanus penalty saved before he fired his follow-up off the crossbar.

The sides were level a couple of times in the early stages of the second half but Kinawley will look back on four successive wides when they were on top at a key period of the game.

And Erne Gaels made them pay as they rattled off three points on the bounce to take a 0-10 to 0-07 lead as the contest drew to a close.

Kinawley did keep battling away and they closed the gap back to one point deep in added-on time, and they had a late ’45 to force extra time. However, Lorcan Mckenna’s effort drifted wide as Erne Gaels held on to secure their first Division One title since 1996.

It was Erne Gaels who landed the opening score of the game as Ryan Lyons clipped over a free, but Kinawley responded through a Sean Mcmanus free.

Oisin Kelm was a lively presence for the Belleek side in the halfback line and he slotted over a wellworked score to nudge Erne Gaels back ahead in the 11th minute.

When Lyons then fired over after a good break by Tommy Mccaffrey, it put Erne Gaels two in front, although Mcmanus converted a free at the other end to leave one between the sides at the end of the first quarter.

Erne Gaels have carried a serious goal menace in the latter stages of the league and on the whole Kinawley did a good job in limiting this threat.

However, Barry Mccann did get played in from the left-hand side but he fired wide at the near post.

The Belleek side though were enjoying a good spell, and Ultan Kelm released brother Aoghan, who fired over before a foul on Dan Mccann resulted in Lyons knocking over his third point of the tie to make it 0-05 to 0-02.

But, Kinawley were to finish the half well as Mckenna rattled over a point from play before they were then awarded a penalty in the 28th minute. Aaron O’reilly’s delivery from a sideline ball picked out Aaron Tierney in front of goal, and when he was upended, referee Nigel Sweeney awarded a penalty.

Mcmanus stepped up to take the kick but his effort was saved by Brian Ryder in the Erne Gaels goal before he then crashed the follow up off the crossbar as Belleek survived.

Mcmanus though did land a free in added-on time to leave it 0-05 to 0-04 at the interval.

Rifled over

Erne Gaels edged two in front again early in the second half with substitute Shane Rooney converting a free, but Kinawley replied straight away as half-time replacemen­t Ruairi Corrigan rifled over after a strong run.

And when Mckenna then drilled over a ’45 it left the sides level at 0-06 apiece.

At the other end, Rooney saw a shot saved by Owen Melanaphy, but Kinawley were in the ascendancy at this stage.

However, they failed to take full advantage of this with the Brian Borus kicking four wides in a row before Erne Gaels went down the pitch for Rooney to slot over.

Shea Keenan answered this with a Kinawley point, but Erne Gaels then hit three in a row to give them some breathing space.

Oisin Kelm rattled over an excellent point, Rooney clipped over a free, and substitute Odhran Johnston

then lofted over to make it 0-10 to 0-07 with 57 minutes on the clock.

Kinawley though dug deep and Mcmanus and the hard-working Paddy Mcgovern hit quickfire points to cut the gap back to the minimum.

However, Erne Gaels then won a free, which Ultan Kelm converted in added-on time to put two in it although Mcmanus hit back with a point for Kinawley.

Right at the death then, Kinawley had a ’45 to take the game to extra time, but Mckenna’s effort was off target as Erne Gaels held on for the win.

 ?? ??
 ?? ?? Ryan Lyons sandwiched between Kinawley’s Eoghan Mcmanus and Patrick Mcgovern during Sunday’s Division One final at Brewster Park.
Ryan Lyons sandwiched between Kinawley’s Eoghan Mcmanus and Patrick Mcgovern during Sunday’s Division One final at Brewster Park.
 ?? ?? Donal Owens finds himself under attack from Brian Mullin and Jack Mccann.
Donal Owens finds himself under attack from Brian Mullin and Jack Mccann.

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