Enniskillen 1-17 Gowna 2-14 (aet)

Enniskillen won 5-3 on penalties

 

Enniskillen Gaels secured their place in the Ulster Club SFC semi-final in dramatic style at Brewster Park tonight - seeing off Cavan champions Gowna following a penalty shoot-out.

In an enthralling contest, Enniskillen had led by two at the break, 1-08 to 2-03, before Gowna responded to level matters midway through the second half.

And it looked as if it might not be the Gaels night as Gowna got their noses ahead for the first time in the tie in added on time.

Howwver, Eoin Beacom stepped up and drilled over a magnificent free kick from 40 metres as the contest moved to extra time.

Gowna appeared to have the upperhand as they hit three early points in the first period to got three clear but Enniskillen dug in and Conor Love hit the last two scores to send the contest to the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

And Enniskillen were flawless from the spot as Love, Conor Watson, Eoin Beacom and John Reihill all converted while goalkeeper Cian Newman saved from Cian Madden.

That left Ciaran Smith the task of stepping up to send Enniskillen through and he duly obliged as Enniskillen progressed.

The Gaels had the better of things early on in the game with forwards Conor Love, Callum Jones and John Reihill al looking lively. And with 12 minutes gone Love sent Jones through and he fired to the net as Enniskillen built up a 1-03 to 0-02 lead.

However, Gowna caused problems at the other end too and a sweeping move resulted in TJ Fitzpatrick driving to the corner of the net while Robbie Fitzpatrick added a second goal for Gowna as he palmed in at the back post to make it 1-05 to 2-02.

Enniskillen though finished the half well and with Richie O'Callaghan, Conor Watson and Reihill on target they went in at the break with a 1-08 to 2-03 advantage.

Conor Casey notched the opening point of the second half for Gowna but Jones answered with a superb point from the left and Love followed up with a point to put Enniskillen back into a three point lead, 1-10 to 2-04.

Gowna though began to get a foothold in the tie and points from Conor Madden and two Cian Madden frees levelled up proceedings as the tie entered the final quarter.

Love and Tiarnan Madden then traded points before both sides saw red as Jones and Conor Madden were dismissed by referee Niall McKenna.

A Love free though nudged the Gaels ahead but Gowna replied with points from Fitzpatrick and Madden to lead for the first time, 1-12 to 2-10.

Beacom though stroked over a free from distance in response to send the game to extra tiome.

It looked as if Gowna would push on as two more Maddden frees and a point from Casey put them three up after only four minutes of the first period and althoiugh Love hit a point for Enniskillen, there was still two in it at half time in extra time.

Ethan Beresford and Daire Madden then swaped points but Enniskillen were on top in the second period and Love landed two points to send it to penalties as the Gaels set up a meeting with the winner of the Ballybay v Kilcoo clash.

 

Teams & Scorers

Enniskillen: C Newman; P Reihill, A Nolan, J Ferguson; J Horan, J Cassidy, C Watson 0-01; B Horan, R O’Callaghan 0-01; N McDermott, C Jones 1-02, C McShea; C Love 0-07 (2f), R McDonnell, J Reihill 0-04 (2f)

Subs – C Quinn for McDermott, C Smyth for Watson, E Beacom 0-01 (f) for P Reihill, E Beresford 0-01 for J Reihill

Gowna: R Bannon; Cormac Brady, R Brady, R McGahern; F Brady, Conor Brady, M McKeever 0-01; R Fitzpatrick 1-02, R Donohue; Cian Madden 0-05 (5f), A Brady, T Madden 0-01 (1f); C Casey 0-02, Conor Madden 0-02 (1m), TJ Fitzpatrick 1-00

Subs – D Madden 0-01 for TJ Fitzpatrick, O Pierson for A Brady, R Keogh for R Fitzpatrick