Moyola started the better and it took them a mere three minutes to get on the scoresheet. Rodney Hassen broke down the left and delivered a dangerous cross to the feet of Jason Stevenson who took advantage of some slack defending to slot the ball into the corner of the net for 1-0 to Moyola and the perfect start for the visitors.

    Ballinamallard started to settle thereafter and almost equalised on ten minutes when Nigel Keys tapped a free kick to Gary Bownes who unleashed a 25 yard drive that produced a super one handed save from Simon Ferguson in the Moyola goal. Ferguson could only tip the ball onto the bar but Brian Martin cleared the rebound to keep the scoreline at 1-0 to Moyola.

    At the other end, Moyola almost increased their lead when John Paul Kane went close with two excellent efforts. His first effort flew past the left hand post while his second, from 12 yards, produced a super save from Chrissy Breen.

    As the half progressed, the Mallards came more and more into the game and Bownes was unlucky not to level matters when he combined well with Nicky Noble only to see his goal bound shot well saved again by Ferguson.

    Bownes was again unlucky on the half hour mark when a swift break by the Mallards out of defence ended with Bownes again letting fly but it went the wrong side of the post.

    Noble was the next to go close when he latched onto a pass from Keys but his 25 yard shot failed to test the Moyola goalkeeper. Bownes then clipped the bar with a 25 yard drive as Ballinamallard continued to press for an equaliser which surely had to come. In the 41st minute the pressure finally told. Shane O'Brien took a quick throw to Noble who played the ball back to O'Brien. The two former Kesh men then played a one-two with each other and this created enough space for O'Brien who slotted home for a welcomed and deserved equaliser.

    This left the half time score at 1-1 and it was a confident Ballinamallard that emerged for the second half following their strong finish to the opening half.

    This confidence was almost immediately boosted when O'Brien put the home side in front after 6 minutes with his second goal of the game. The ever alert O'Brien picked up a poor clearance from Martin and easily struck the ball past Ferguson for 2-1 to the Mallards.

    It was nip and tuck thereafter for ten minutes, as both defences got on top but the introduction of Robert McAuley injected further life into the Mallard team and he initiated a good passing movement with Holden and Crean with Crean firing in a shot which just went wide.

    Moyola had their first chance of the half in the 70th minute when Stevenson's shot from long range was well blocked by Holden and the resultant corner was safely collected by Chrissy Breen. O'Brien was unlucky not to notch his hat-trick soon after when a neat lay off from Crean gave the big striker space in the box but O'Brien's shot from 17 yards cannoned off the bar.

    Ballinamallard, however, did not have to wait long for their third and decisive goal. Two goal hero, Shane O'Brien, turned provider this time. He collected a good ball from Monahan on the right hand side and proceeded to bear down on the Moyola goal before unselfishingly crossing for Bownes who had the simplest of tasks, heading the ball into an unguarded net. Indeed, the same combination almost scored a minute later but this time Bownes headed over from three yards when it would have been easier to score.

    Ballinamallard killed the game completely in the closing minutes when Matt Maguire crossed for McAuley who walked the ball into the net to make the score 4-1 for Ballinamallard and a well deserved win.