A general view of Brewster Park. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Fermanagh SFC Final
Enniskillen Gaels 0-8 Erne Gaels Belleek 0-8
By Gareth Cauldwell at Brewster Park
Enniskillen Gaels and Erne Gaels will have it all to do it all over again after the Fermanagh SFC final ended in a stalemate in Brewster Park this evening.
Played in tricky underfoot conditions, the sides were level on six occasions over the course of the contest, and both had late chances from frees to snatch the win, but neither could capitalise with the replay scheduled to take place on Saturday night.
It was a cagey start to the contest, but it was Erne Gaels who settled better and were to shade matters in the opening half as they went in at the interval with a slender 0-5 to 0-4 lead.
Dan McCann notched the first score of the encounter for the Belleek outfit as he rattled over a fine long-range effort only for Enniskillen to respond with a Conor Murphy point.
There was little space for either forward line to operate in as the sides again traded points, Oisin Kelm on target for Erne Gaels while Enniskillen answered through Ethan Beresford.
Another Dan McCann point edged Belleek back ahead and they then had a great goal chance when they gathered possession from a loose kick out, but Enniskillen goalkeeper Ross Bogue denied Ultan Kelm.
Two Eoin Beacom points, one a free and the other a terrific point from play, gave Enniskillen the lead for the first time in the game, but Erne Gaels finished the half well as superb points from Ultan Kelm and Aogan Kelm left them with a narrow advantage at the break.
Enniskillen made a bright start to the second half as they rattled off three points in the opening five minutes. John Reihill popped over a free and this was followed by fine points from Callum Jones and Beresford.
Erne Gaels, though, responded and Ultan Kelm converted a free before the impressive Dan McCann accounted for his third score of the encounter to make it 0-7 apiece.
Indeed, with 10 minutes to go, Ultan Kelm put Erne Gaels ahead as they looked to land their first title since 1981.
However, Enniskillen goalkeeper Ross Bogue drilled over a ’45 to tie up matters once more.
Erne Gaels had a chance to win it when they were awarded a free in the 60th minute, but it dropped short and Enniskillen broke before winning a free at the other end. Jones’ effort though was wide as they game finished in a draw.
Scorers for Enniskillen Gaels: E Beacom 0-2 (1f), E Beresford 0-2, C Murphy 0-1, C Jones 0-1, J Reihill 0-1 (f), R Bogue 0-1 (45).
Scorers for Erne Gaels: D McCann 0-3, U Kelm 0-3 (1f), O Kelm 0-1, A Kelm 0-1.
Enniskillen Gaels: R Bogue; J Tierney, N Tierney, J Horan; C Murphy, C Quinn, C Smith; E Beresford, J Cassidy; E Beacom, C McShea, C Jones; C Love, R O’Callaghan, J Reihill
Subs: B Horan for Reihill and C Halligan for Beresford (39), C Watson for J Tierney (62)
Erne Gaels: B Ryder; S Mimna, J McCann, U O’Reilly; O Kelm, B Mullin, R Lyons; M Og McGarrigle, P Ward; D McCann, S Rooney, U Kelm
Subs: S Ryder for Gilfeddar (43), B McCann for Ward (56).
