Derrygonnelly Harps 0-10 Roslea Shamrocks 1-03

 

Derrygonnelly Harps dominance of Fermanagh club football continued today as they made it five championship titles in a row with a four point victory over a dogged Roslea side at Brewster Park.

In tricky underfoot conditions that led to a low scoring affair, the Harps took control of matters in the final quarter as they rattled off the last four points to run out winners in the end.

Two early points in the second half had saw Roslea quickly turnaround a two point half time deficit but they struggled to trouble the Derrygonnelly defence over the remainder of the tie.

Shane McGullion edged Derrygonnelly back in front in the 45th minute and with Kevin Cassidy, Conall Jones and Aidan McKenna also tagging on points they pushed on for the win.

Both sides set up quite defensively from the outset and it was the Harps who were to open the scoring through a fine point from Conall Jones.

Roslea though were on top around the middle third where they displayed a real hunger to win breaking ball although they failed to turn their possession into scores.

Sean Quigley drilled a couple of long range frees wide while Roslea's talisman also had a goal chance as he collected a long ball from bother Conor before making shooting space but he fired just the wrong side of the post.

The full forward did land his side's first score from a free to level things up after 15 minutes but Conall Jones nudged his side back ahead after being teed up by Kevin Cassidy.

The Shamrocks hit five wides during the opening 18 minutes but they were getting some joy of the direct ball into Quigley and with 20 minutes gone it was this route that provided the only goal of the game. Niall Cosgrove this time with the delivery and Quigley got a slight flick to the ball to steer it into the back of the net to make it 1-01 to 0-02.

Derrygonnelly's reponse to this though was good as they knocked over four unanswered points between this and the break.

Garvan McGinley raided forward to clip over a point from the right before Garvan Jones punished two mistakes in the Roslea defence with two converted frees. And Jones also tagged on the final point of the half with a good strike from the left hand side after the Harps had turned over possession to leave it 0-06 to 1-01 at the interval.

Roslea, who introduced James McMahon at the break, were fast out of the blocks at the start of the second half with Brendan Sherlock firing over after a lovely pass from Sean Quigley, while Quigley was again provider moments later for John Connolly to level things up at 0-06 to 1-03.

This though was to be Roslea's last score of the game although with both sides guilty of coughing up possession in the slippery conditions it remained closely fought.

The Harps though were beginning to gain a degreee of control of the ball and they did have a goal opportunity when Conall Jones broke through but he shot tamely wide.

Derrygonnelly were guilty of wayward shooting in the second half but they did finally get their noses back in from through McGullion with 15 minutes left on the clock.

And the hard working Kevin Cassidy then popped up with a crucial score soon after as Derrygonnelly moved two clear.

Roslea were finding it increasingly difficult to make any inroads in the final third and when Conall Jones clipped over a free it put three between the sides with five minutes to go.

Roslea took their final roll of the dice with the introduction of Seamie Quigley but with a lead to defend, the Harps were able to get plenty of bodies around the twin threats of the Quigley brothers in the closing minutes.

And deep in added on time Aidy McKenna slotted over the insurance point after a great dispossession by Eamon McHugh as the Harps deservedly brought the New York Cup back to Derrygonnelly for a fifth successive year.