Goals prove decisive for Gaels as they claim U21 title

Enniskillen Gaels secured the Fermanagh U21 Championship title with a hard earned 3-07 to 0-09 victory over Derrygonnelly Harps in a cold Derrygonnelly on Sunday evening.
The Gaels ability to find the net ultimately proved decisive with Conall Quinn and Callum Jones bagging goals in the first half as Enniskillen went in with a 2-04 to 0-05 advantage.
And Conor McShea rattled home a third goal for the Gaels late on as they ran out eight point winners in the end.
Enniskillen manager Rory Rafferty, who lined out with nine of the minor side who won the Ulster Minor title on New Year’s Day, was thrilled to have secured the title.
“We’re delighted to have won and credit to both teams as it was tough conditions to play in. Derrygonnelly are a good side and they were hard to overcome but I felt that we carried a goal threat and in the end the goals proved crucial. I was also really pleased with our younger players who I thought really stood up to be counted,” he said.
It is now on to the Ulster Club U21 Championship for the Gaels with Carryduff providing the opposition this Saturday at 2.15pm in Belfast.
“Look, it is bonus territory for us now as we have a really young side but we’ll look forward to pitting ourselves against the Down champions and we will do our best to represent the club and the county,” he added.
Played in difficult conditions, there was little between the sides in the opening quarter with the sides sharing the opening six points of the contest.
It was Enniskillen who landed the first point of the game with Callum Jones knocking over a free but the Harps responded and Colm Jones fired over two good points from play.
Ciaran Brough levelled up the game as he punched over from an Eoin Beacom attempt at a point that dropped short before Conall Quinn arrowed over a free after a foul on Jones to make it 0-03 to 0-02.
Back again though came Derrygonnelly and the lively Gavin McGovern converted a free to leave it 0-03 apiece at the end of the first quarter.
However, Enniskillen then swooped for the first of their goals to put them into a lead they would never relinquish.
Ronan Quinn’s shot was partially blocked down and the ball broke to Quinn who sent a shot past Jack Kelly in the Derrygonnelly goal and into the back of the net. Indeed, Quinn then knocked over a free as the advantage was stretched out to four although Derrygonnelly replied with a fine point from Conor Cassidy to make it 1-04 to 0-04.
The Harps though suffered another blow four minutes before half time as the Gaels grabbed their second goal of the game. Jack Love was adjudged to have touched the ball on the ground and from the resultant penalty Jones fired to the net to leave the two goals dividing the sides.
Lee Jones pulled a point back for Derrygonnelly with a well executed score but at the other end of the pitch the Harps were living dangerously as Ciaran Brough beat Kelly in the air only to see Debhan McGovern race back to clear the ball off the line as it remained 2-04 to 0-05 at the interval.
It was Derrygonnelly though who had the better of the exchanges at the start of the second half as Colm Jones and Lee Jones landed points to trim the deficit back to three. Indeed, it should have been even closer but Colm Jones went for goal from a close in free which was cleared by Enniskillen when he should have taken the point.
Enniskillen’s first point of the second half came from a Jones free as they moved four ahead once more although the Harps did have a glimpse at goal but Aaron McGlone just failed to get on the end of a ball played across the face of the goal from the right.
The Gaels though were to go on and put the game to bed soon after with Conall Quinn rattling over two excellent points from play to put six in it once more.
Oisin Smyth pulled a point back for Derrygonnelly with five minutes left to play but Enniskillen answered this with their third goal. Eoin Beacom and Ciaran Brough were involved in the build up as the ball was fed to McShea and he made no mistake in blasting to the net to make it 3-07 to 0-09.
Cillian Jones did knock over a late point for the Harps but it was only a consolation score as Enniskillen ran out 3-07 to 0-09 winners.