Both these sides had to settle for a point apiece after a titanic tussle in Belcoo on Sunday with both sides having lead for considerable periods of the contest.

Leading by two points with a couple of minutes to go, Belcoo attacker Paul McGrath admits it was disappointing not to come away with the victory.

“We could have taken both points having been two up with a few minutes left of play and had a chance or two to add to our lead but Roslea are a tough side to shake off and we are well used to draws at this stage. Overall, it was a good game of football played at pace and with more intensity than anything we had faced previously but I suppose that’s to be expected when sides are priming themselves for Championship football in two weeks.” With Derrygonnelly losing on Sunday, the point was enough to move Roslea a point clear at the top of the Division One table although Niall Cassidy accepts that they were fortunate to get a draw.

“We were very lucky to come away with a point at the end. Belcoo were the better side on the day and we just never showed up with the way we know we can play. We’re very happy to come away from here with the point,” he commented.

Roslea appeared to start the better and had a Seamus Quigley 45’ and a free from the same player to give them a two point lead with only four minutes played.

However, Belcoo responded as Ciaran Flaherty collected a kick out form goalkeeper James McGrath before finding Barry McGovern who opened the home side’s scoring.

Flaherty and Shane McCabe then set up Niall McGovern and the big midfielder made it two apiece before Peter Sherry was penalised for over carrying and John Carrigan was to knock the ball over the bar to give Belcoo a 0-03 to 0-02 lead on 10 minutes.

Indeed, Belcoo went on to add to that when Johnny Feely had a goal chance saved by Sean Boyle but the rebound broke to Shane McCabe and he played a delicate ball along the square to find Brian Cox who buried his shot low past the Roslea bodies to push Belcoo further ahead.

Niall Cosgrove and Seamus Quigley hit back with points for the Shamrocks before Quigley tagged on a further point from a free after James Sherry was fouled to make it 1-03 to 0-05.

At this stage, Roslea were on top and Peter Lynch and Sean Quigley landed points to put the away side ahead by a point, 1-03 to 0-07.

And matters improved further for Roslea when Seamus Quigley captialised on a poor kick out from McGrath by expertly lobbing the helpless goalkeeper to place the ball into the empty net.

Belcoo ended Roslea’s run of an unanswered 1-05 by recording the last point of the half through Ryan Leonard to leave it 1-07 to 1-04 in favour of Roslea at half time.

Belcoo started the second half with another point as a great driving run from Paul McGrath saw him find Johnny Feely who fired over to put two between the sides.

Roslea though were to regain the advantage four minutes into the second half when Niall Cosgrove was dragged back by Christopher Leonard in a goal mouth scramble and Sean Quigley made no mistake from the resultant penalty as Roslea extended their lead to five.

However, Belcoo rallied following this set back as they hit a real purple patch, notching 1-04 to take the lead.

Declan Leonard, who was starting to see more breaking ball come his way, found Niall McGovern who pointed before Shane McCabe added another point to make it 1-07 to 2-07 with 18 minutes remaining.

Declan Leonard then orchestrated another flowing move as he linked up with Johnny Feely and his high ball saw John Carrigan flick the ball into the net to bring the sides all level.

Belcoo were now playing with a spring in their step and Feely pointed from a free before Ciaran Flaherty pointed from the ground after Feely was held back to move Belcoo two clear.

Roslea finally settled with their first point in 22 minutes when Brendan Sherlock played in Sean Quigley for a point while Shane McCabe found space to once again move Belcoo two clear.

Roslea though showed all their experience to muster up two points from substitute Martin Renfrew and James Sherry to make it 2-10 apiece.

Shane McCabe’s effort and a Seamus Quigley free gave both sides an opportunity to snatch it right at the end but both failed as the sides settled for a point apiece.