Newtownbutler 0-13 Rock 1-12

Newtownbutler’s Ulster campaign came to an end on Sunday when they made their exit at the semi-final stage to Tyrone champions Rock.
The First Fermanagh’s did not go down without a fight, producing a late rally to cut a six point deficit with 20 minutes to go back to two by the finish, but Rock were deserving winners at the end as they progressed through to a final meeting with Monaghan outfit Blackhill.
The decisive period in this game was the second quarter when Rock took control of matters and bagged the only goal of the game through Aidan McGarrity to take a five point lead in at half time.
And battle as Newtown did in the second half they could get no closer than two points as Rock held on.
First Fermanaghs assistant manager Colum Monahan felt that 20 minute period before half time was crucial in the outcome.
“The game was won or lost then,” he said. “There’s no doubt they were a decent side and they are experienced at this level but errors were costly for us during that spell and it left us too much to do.”
He was though happy with the battling spirit displayed by the side in the second half.
“That was the most pleasing thing about the game, the way the boys finished the game. I felt we finished the fitter team, we put them under pressure and the boys showed a lot of passion but we never really looked like getting the goal we needed,”stated Monahan.
For Newtown Sunday may have ended in disappointment but overall they have achieved their goal for the year.
“Getting out of Junior and back into Intermediate was the target so it is good to have acheived that although once you are in a semi-final you want to go further but it wasn’t to be,” he said.
The opening spell of the encounter was evenly contested with the sides sharing the first four points. McGarrity, who finished the day with 1-07 to his name, landed the first point of the game from a free before Jarlath Jackman replied with a free for Newtown.
And Eamon Ward and James Connolly then swapped points from play to leave it 0-02 apiece after ten minutes.
Rock though began to take a stranglehold on things after this as they got on top in most sectors with Colm McCreesh a key figure in attack for the Tyrone side as he proved an excellent target man and was involved in a string of scores.
McGarrity knocked over two further frees to put two between the sides while the Newtown goal led a charmed existence at times as Rock were twice denied by goal-line clearances.
A goal though looked inevitable and it eventually arrived in the 19th minute as McCreesh collected a long ball before laying it off to McGarrity who fired it past Gary Mullaney in the Newtown goal to put five between the sides, 1-04 to 0-02.
A point from play from Brendan McBrien and a free from Jackman kept Newtown in touch but Rock continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges and a point from Ryan Crilly and two from Padraig Ward pushed the gap out to six while Ward also had an effort at goal that shaved the post.
Jackman had the last say of the half as he lobbed over a free for Newtown but at the break Rock held a five point lead, 1-07 to 0-05.
Newtown needed to make a good start to the second half and they did notch the first point with a Jason Flanagan score from play to leave four in it. However, Rock replied with two more frees from the reliable McGarrity to stretch their advantage to six with 40 minutes on the clock.
Newtown were able to get their hands on more ball in the second half and the placement of Shane Leonard as sweeper in front of McCreesh did curtail his influence on proceedings.
And, the Fermanagh men did start to eat into the Rock lead as they accounted for four of the next five points.
McBrien converted two frees as well as chipping over a point from play while the impressive Flanagan also tagged on a score to leave only the goal dividing the sides with five minutes of normal time to play.
However, when McGarrity and McCreesh knocked over frees for Rock and Newtown had Sean McDonald sent off after he picked up a second yellow card, it appeared to be game over with the contest moving towards added on time.
Back again though came Newtown and Frank Mulligan, Jackman and Leonard all fired over points to leave two points separating the sides deep into added on time.
Press as they did though Newtown could not find a way through for the goal they needed to complete the comeback and their wo