Teemore 1-08

Enniskillen 0-08

Teemore edged ahead in the race for promotion from Division Two as they moved back to the top of the table with a three point win over Enniskillen in wet conditions on Sunday.

Indeed, the promotion issues could be decided this weekend with Enniskillen having to beat Irvinestown at Brewster Park to keep alive their hopes of making a return to Division One.

If Irvinestown come out on top in that game then it will be the St. Molaise and Teemore who secure promotion.

Given the conditions on Sunday as goal was always going to be a big score and it was Cian McManus' 27th minute strike that ultimately proved decisive for the Shamrocks who played the majority of the second half with 14 men after McManus was dismissed by referee Martin Higgins for an off the ball incident involving Richard O'Callaghan.

Teemore had the advantage of the breeze in the first half and they opened the scoring in the first minute with Ryan Maguire firing over and Cian McManus and Declan Fitzpatrick added to the home side's lead as they tagged on points to make it 0-03 to 0-00 after nine minutes.

The Gaels though were enjoying plenty of possession with O'Callaghan helping them gain the upperhand in the middle of the park while James McKenna was a bright presence at centre half forward but they struggled to find any fluency in their attack.

However, they did slice open the Shamrocks defence in the tenth minute as Conor Watson laid the ball off to Brendan Lilley but with just Teemore goalkeeper Sean Curry to beat he fired well wide of the goal.

A number of other chances for points were also spurned by Enniskillen and it was Teemore who stretched their advantage to four points when Eoin McManus converted a free in the 21st minute.

The game though looked to be swinging the way of Enniskillen as they landed four points in as many minutes to level things up at 0-04 apiece.

McKenna fed Conor McAleer who clipped over their opening score of the game in the 22nd minute while McKenna also landed two points, one with the left and one with the right, and McAleer tagged on a free.

Teemore though were to reply with the only goal of the game moments later as McManus charged forward and planted a well struck effort into the top corner of Chris Breen's net to leave it 1-04 to 0-04 at the interval.

With the wind at their backs in the second half and only three points adrift, Enniskillen still looked to be well placed to make a strong challenge after the break although they were left empty handed from their opening couple of attacks of the half. However, their position looked to have been strengthened further when McManus was given his marching orders four minutes into the second period.

The red card though seemed to spur on Teemore and they were to go on and take a grip on matters despite being a man down.

The Shamrocks brought Eoin McManus and Barry Owens out the pitch from the full forward line and this helped them quell Enniskillen's dominance in the middle third.

Indeed, Teemore began to win the battle in the middle as they got on top on breaking ball and when Eoin McManus and Declan Fitzpatrick fired over points it put them into a five point lead, 1-06 to 0-04, as the game entered the final quarter.

And the Shamrocks experience was to tell over the final quarter as they slowed things down at every opportunity to stay in control of matters.

Sean McAleer grabbed the Gaels first point of the second half in the 46th minute but Teemore hit back with a converted McManus free.

Enniskillen did have a period of pressure after this and Brian McAleer, Daniel Keenan and Conor Watson all rattled over points to leave two in it in added on time.

But they were unable to get for the goal they required and Teemore broke forward to tag on a late point from Joey Donegan as they ran out 1-08 to o00-08 winners at the end.