Mannok Fermanagh Senior Football Championship final: Derrygonnelly Harps 2-8 Enniskillen Gaels 0-5
From Andy Watters at Brewster Park
“THE Harps are back!” roared delighted skipper Ryan Jones after Derrygonnelly deservedly reclaimed their county crown with a nine-point victory over Enniskillen Gaels.
Jones and his team-mates had to withstand a first half storm from their combative, but toothless, opponents but they blossomed in the second half and goals from Conall Jones (a debatable penalty) and Stephen Gullion saw them capture their sixth title in seven seasons with a bit to spare.
Manager Sean Flanagan said that losing that their title last year has driven his players to train with intensity this year and his resilient side now face Tyrone champions Dromore in the Ulster Championship quarter-final.
“It’s an expectation now in Derrygonnelly to win the championship but Ederney beat us fair and square last year and we sat down and assessed it,” he said.
“The boys know and I knew as manager that we didn’t do ourselves justice and it was a drive to get back out this year.”
Former Derrygonnelly midfielder Flanagan added: “We got through the first half, regrouped at half-time and then drove on.
“We had the knowhow in the second half. Ryan Jones dropped back and controlled the game well along with the rest of the defence and we got some good breaks. In fairness, we controlled the second half rightly.”
Enniskillen manager John Reihill couldn’t have asked for more commitment from his players but they left their shooting boots at home and missed opportunities at the start of both halves were a luxury they could not afford.
“It didn’t happen for us in the forward line,” he said.
“We needed to keep the scoreboard ticking over all the time and it just didn’t happen for us. We knew we had to get off to a good start and we stopped them from scoring. We wanted to keep them down to five points in the first half and they scored four but we didn’t score enough ourselves.
“Derrygonnelly’s strength is their defence and we just weren’t able to penetrate them. I’m disappointed from that aspect but I think the boys gave everything and when the penalty – which I thought was a bit harsh - went in we were up against it.”
Fluent football was difficult on a heavy pitch with a slippery ball and Enniskillen wasted no time getting stuck into the pre-match favourites with Richie O’Callaghan setting the tone around the middle of the field.
Physical exchanges took priority and the first half was a stop-start affair that was disrupted by fouls. There were three bookings (and there could have been more), 10 wides and only six scores.
The needle between the teams, who were meeting for the third time this season, was obvious and Declan Cassidy and Callum Jones had a running battle throughout the first half. Enniskillen’s Jones opened the scoring after 14 scrappy minutes and was immediately booked for barging into Cassidy in an adrenalin-fuelled celebration.
Ryan Jones equalised and then Josh Horan was penalised for a foul on Derrygonnelly full-forward Conall Jones which could easily have been given the other way.
Gary McKenna slotted over the free before Paddy Reihill equalised with a rare moment of quality.
Conall Jones stabbed a goal chance just wide but then blocked a pass as Enniskillen attempted to play the ball out from the back and charged towards goal. He was pushed in the back by Josh Horan and Garvin Jones slotted over the free. A second from Ryan Jones left Derrygonnelly two points up (0-4 to 0-2) at the break and looking well placed to regain their county crown.
To have any chance, Enniskillen had to start well and, although Derrygonnelly targetman Conall Jones extended his side’s lead to three, the Gaels did carve out three decent chances.
They wasted all three however and Derrygonnelly made them pay when Aaron McKenna’s delightful pass played in Gary McKenna who was bundled over as he shaped to shoot. Referee Monaghan awarded a penalty and Conall Jones brilliantly tucked it away off the inside of the post to leave his side six points ahead with 20 minutes left.
Derrygonnelly settled and began to play some incisive counterattacking football which led to scores from Leigh Jones and Gary McKenna. It was 1-7 to 0-2 at the water break and although Eoin Beacom, who put in a good shift in midfield for the Gaels, ended their half-hour wait for a score the game had slipped away from his team by then.
Conor Love tapped over a couple of frees with his distinctive style but Derrygonnelly killed of remote comeback hopes when Declan Cassidy broke from his centre half-forward patch and played in Lee Jones who passed to Stephen McGullion and he stuck the ball in the Enniskillen net. Game over.
Derrygonnelly Harps: J McGurn; A Jones, T Daly, M Jones; O Smyth, D Cassidy, A McKenna; S McGullion (1-0), R Jones (0-2); E McHugh, G Jones (0-1 free), Leigh Jones (0-1); S Gilroy, C Jones (1-2, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free), G McKenna (0-2, 0-1 free)
Subs: R McGovern for Leigh Jones (53), Lee Jones for A McKenna (53), G McGovern for G Jones (60), R McGovern for G McKenna (60)
Yellow card: D Cassidy (34)
Enniskillen Gaels: C Newman; N Love, J Ferguson, A Nolan; C McShea, J Cassidy, P Reihill (0-1); B Horan, E Beacom (0-1); J Horan, C Jones (0-1), C Quinn; C Love (0-2 frees), R O’Callaghan, J Reihill
Subs: R Beattie for Quinn (HT), C Smith for Nolan (48), R Bogue for Cassidy (48), C Watson for Jones (53), J Tierney for Ferguson (58)
Yellow cards: C Jones (14), J Horan (25), O’Callaghan (34), Beacom (57)
Referee: Barry Monaghan
