Tempo 1-07 Erne Gaels 1-07

Both managers were happy enough to have a second bite at the cherry after Tempo and Erne Gaels played out a 1-07 apiece draw under the lights in Brewster Park on Friday night.

In a low scoring affair, Erne Gaels went in at the break with a one point advantage, 1-04 to 1-03, thanks to Tommy McCaffrey’s goal in added on time at the end of the half.

However, it was Tempo who had their noses in front late on when Conor Meehan landed a terrific point but Jack McCann fisted over an equaliser for the Belleek side to ensure his side a replay.

“We could have won it and we could just as easily have lost it so from our point of view we are just glad to be still in the championship and I’d say that both teams are happy enough with the draw,” said Erne Gaels manager Seamus Kelm, who was disappointed with his side’s performance.

“We had so many men who just didn’t turn up on the night and that was disappointing but we have a chance to put that right,” he added.

Tempo manager Sean Breen felt a draw was a fair result and he knows his side will have improvement to make if they are to progress to the semi-finals.

“We missed a couple of goal chances in the first half and a few frees in the second while they had a chance to win it late on and I think it would have been harsh on either side to have lost the game so a draw was fair enough.

“We are happy to have another go at it. A good few of our boys never got going so we will be looking to make an improvement and I feel that we can improve,” he commented.

It was Erne Gaels who got off to the brighter start in the game as they managed to open up an early advantage.

Barry McCann landed the first score of the game from a well struck free before Tommy McCaffrey also converted a free after he himself was fouled.

When the excellent half back Jack McCann then popped up in space to slot over it put Erne Gaels into a 0-03 to 0-00 lead with ten minutes on the clock.

Tempo started slowly but they were right back in the contest a minute later when they grabbed the first goal of the half.

Daryl Keenan was first to Meehan’s high floating ball and he got his hand to it to steer it past goalkeeper James Hoey to level up the game.

Keenan then rattled over a fine point from distance to put Tempo ahead although Erne Gaels soon hit back to level as Ryan Lyons picked off a good score.

Tempo though were in the ascendancy at this point and they had the opportunity to put daylight between the sides when they were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute.

Referee Dermot Love adjudged Erne Gaels goalkeeper James Hoey to have over-carried in the small square and gave a penalty much to the annoyance of Erne Gaels.

However, Tempo were unable to capitalise on it as Aidan Breen’s thumping drive rebounded back off the crossbar as it remained 1-01 to 0-04.

The Maguires though continued to shade things and Keenan clipped over a close in free before Ryan Ingram then slotted over to make it 1-03 to 0-04 two minutes into added on time.

It was Erne Gaels though who were to go in at half time with the lead as they went straight down the other end and Tommy McCaffrey raced in on goal to fire to the net.

Tempo were back on level terms at the start of the second half when Tiernan Bogue landed a free and when Aidan Breen drilled over a 45 it edged the Maguires back in front.

The Belleek side though quickly tied it up as McCaffrey knocked over after getting on the end of a good ball from Ryan Lyons to make it 1-05 apiece.

The sides once again traded points with Daryl Keenan converting a free and Gareth Deery registering from play for Erne Gaels.

It was Erne Gaels who were to enjoy more of the ball in the latter stages but they could not turn that into scores and an excellent Conor Meehan effort nudged Tempo ahead once more.

The impressive Jack McCann though hit back as he fisted over following a surging run and Erne Gaels had a chance at the death to win it but Paul McCaffrey’s effort tailed wide as the sides had to settled for a draw and another bite of the cherry.