Judge strikes early for Enniskillen

Enniskillen Gaels ... 1-12 Gowna ... 0-11 Enniskillen Gaels are through to the Ulster football final following their victory over Cavan side Gowna in Clones yesterday but they could have been caught with a late rush.

Just four points separated the sides as the game drifted into injury time when Gerard Pierson blocked a kick-out by Ronan Bannon with the ball rolling into the Enniskillen net but the score was ruled out by Armagh referee Jim McKee.

Played in difficult conditions the game never rose to any great heights with too many frees and stoppages and what flowing football there was came from the Fermanagh champions.

Enniskillen got off to a blistering start with a goal after 18 seconds from Rory Judge.

Two points in quick succession left Enniskillen five points ahead and Gowna did not really recover until some 10 minutes into the second half. By that stage they were down to 14 men with the dismissal of Ciaran Brady for a second bookable offence just before half-time and they went in at the break trailing by seven points.

Gowna made three substitutions at the start of the second half and they did put in an improved performance thereafter but they were always chasing the game. Ronan McCabe extended Enniskillen's lead to eight points four minutes after the restart but they came under increasing pressure.

Pierson looked the most likely to breach the Enniskillen rearguard. His brace of points in the 15th and 17th minutes reduced the deficit to six points.

Gowna produced their best football in the dying minutes, hitting three unanswered points in the final three minutes, from Pierson (two) and Dermot McCabe, to reduce the deficit to four points but Enniskillen held on for what was overall a deserved victory.

ENNISKILLEN GAELS: N O'Connor; M Millar, K Gunn, M Lilly; N Cox (0-1), M Farry, R McCluskey; P Brewster (0-1), T Brewster (0-6); O McShea, N Keenan, D Shannon; R McCabe (0-4), R Judge (1-0), C Bradley. Subs: B Morris for M Lilly, R Curran for D Shannon, P Fitzpatrick for C Bradley.

GOWNA: R Bannon; G Hartin, F Hartin, B Sorohan; C Hartin, D Duignan (0-1), C Madden; P Brady, B Morris; C Fitzpatrick, C Brady, N Madden; M McKeever, D McCabe (0-3), G Pierson (0-7). Subs: L Brady for P Brady, J Brady for D Duignan, G O'Reilly for C Hartin, S Pierson for L Brady.

Referee: J McKee (Armagh).