Gaelic Games

Fermanagh SFC Final: Goals key as Enniskillen Gaels prove too strong for defending champions

Conor Love scores two goals as Enniskillen take first county football title since 2006

Sun Oct 30 2022 - 16:41

Enniskillen Gaels 3-12 Erne Gaels 0-10

Goals win games as rampant Enniskillen Gaels clearly showed in this very one-sided Fermanagh SFC final at Brewster Park.

The winners were superior in all departments and were never really pushed by a mostly lethargic Erne Gaels, who came into the game as defending champions.

Two cracking first-half goals from dual star Conor McShea and Conor Love gave the Enniskillen boys a firm platform that they never lost.

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And they were well worth their 2-5 to 0-4 lead at the break to take their first Fermanagh- county title since 2006.

And Love copper-fastened their obvious superiority when he sprinted down the wing and slid a low shot to the net.

For a badly outgunned Erne Gaels, county star Ultan Kelm tried hard to rally his troops-but he and his bewildered colleagues got little change out of a superbly organised Enniskillen defence.

Enniskillen Gaels had the brighter start and took an early lead when Johnny Cassidy found Callum Jones in space and he hit a fine opening point.

The impressive John Reihill added to that tally from a pointed free as Ultan Kelm responded for Erne Gaels with a fine point from an acute angle.

But it was the Enniskillen Gaels who continued to dominate, and Neil McDermott angled over a fine point as the Belleek men struggled with the pace of the game.

And then the winners struck for the first of two cracking goals in the 12th minute when McShea finished a fabulous six-man move to the net to put his team in a really commanding position.

Jones added another point for Enniskillen as Ultan Kelm got a jittery Erne Gaels their second point and Odhrán Johnston added their third.

But it got even better for Enniskillen as they grabbed a great second goal after a seven-man move unlocked the Erne defence and Love was on hand to calmly tap the ball home.

Conor Watson put Enniskillen into a 2-5 to 0-3 lead, before Ryan Lyons pointed a close-range free for Erne as Enniskillen led by 2-5 to 0-4 at the break.

Enniskillen swiftly resumed normal service after the break with Love and Jones on target and James Ferguson coping well with the threat of Shane Rooney.

And the game was sealed as early as the 43rd minute when Love got the third killer goal, and Enniskillen were well on their way to victory.

Erne Gaels replied with a few late points that made no real impression on the result.

ENNISKILLEN GAELS: Cian Newman; Jack Tierney, Aaron Nolan, James Ferguson; Josh Horan, Jonathan Cassidy, Conor Watson (0-2); Brandon Horan, Richard O’Callaghan; Neil McDermott (0-1), Callum Jones (0-3, one free) Conor McShea (1-0); Conor Love (2-2), Ryan McDonnell, John Reihill (0-2, one free).

Subs: Patrick Reihill for Nell McDermott (40 mins), Ciarán Smith (0-1) for Conor Watson (47), Ross Bogue for Ryan McDonnell (52), Ronan Beattie for Jack Tierney (58), Conor Kelly (0-1, free) for Conor Love (60).

ERNE GAELS: Brian Ryder; Colm Keown, Paul Ward, Jack McCann; Ultan Kelm (0-4), Brian Mullin, Oisín Kelm; Michael Óg McGarrigle, Gregory McGloin; Martin Gilfedder, Ryan Lyons (0-4, four frees), Aoghan Kelm (0-1, free); Thomas McCaffrey, Odhrán Johnston (0-1), Barry McCann.

Subs: Shane Rooney for Barry McCann (h-t).

Referee: James Lewis (Newtownbutler)