Derrygonnelly 1-17 Trillick 3-11 (aet)

(Derrygonnelly won 6-5 on pens)

Derrygonnelly set up an Ulster Club SFC semi-final against Kilcoo following a dramatic penalty shoot out victory over Trillick in a thrilling encounter at Brewster Park today.

The Harps had looked to be in serious trouble at the end of normal time and then again in extra time only to claw their way back on each occasion.

With less than five minutes of normal time left to play Trillick led by three points but Derrygonnelly showed great character to fight back to level and then in extra time they trailed by four at time but again dug deep and Conall Jones held his nerve to slot over a free with time up to send the game to penalties.

Despite the immense pressure, both sides nailed their opening five spot kicks before Conall Jones put Derrygonnelly 6-5 ahead.

Lee Brennan then stepped up for Trillick but his effort came back off the base of the post to send the Harps supporters wild as they progressed to the last four in the most dramatic of fashions.

This was an enthralling contest between two well matched sides and it was the Fermanagh champions who made the brighter start as Eamon McHugh got on the end of a half blocked down Conall Jones effort to flick the ball to the net.

Conall Jones was a prominent figure in the early stages, landing two monster points from play and a free from the left hand side as Derrygonnelly opened up a 1-03 to 0-03 lead.

Derrygonnelly were controlling things in the middle of the park through the impressive pairing of Stephen McGullion and Ryan Jones but Trillick rallied and they were back on level terms by the 14th minute as Ryan Gray found the net after Mattie Donnelly was picked out by a pinpoint pass from bother Richie.

Full forward Mattie Donnelly was giving the Derrygonnelly defence plenty of problems and he was fouled for one of two frees that Lee Brennan landed to push the Tyrone side into a two point lead.

Derrygonnelly though finished the half well and with the Jones brothers, Ryan, Garvan and Conall all firing over points it left it level at the break, 1-06 apiece.

Trillick suffered a big blow when Mattie Donnelly did not reappear for the second half after picking up a knock late in the first half but they did forge ahead early in the second period as the lively James Garrity fired a shot to the corner after a great ball from Liam Gray.

And when the excellent Daire Gallagher and Lee Brennan tagged on points they moved three clear, 2-08 to 1-08, with 20 minutes to play.

The sides shared ther next four points as Trillick remained in pole postion but Ryan Gray missed a chance to put them four clear and this was to prove costly as Derrygonnelly produced a late fightback.

Garvan Jones rattled over two frees before Shane McGullion then fired over the equaliser to send the contest to extra time.

Trillick appeared to have taken control in the first period of extra time when Ryan Gray bagged his second goal, finding the net after a Brennan 45 had comer back off the crossbar.

And when Lee Brennan followed up with a point from a free it pushed Trillick four ahead, 3-11 to 1-13.

Indeed, that advantage could have been greater as Niall Gormley was presented with a chance but he hit the post to leave four in it at half time.

Derrygonnelly though were fired up at the start of the second period and three points in the opening three minutes from Ryan Jones and Garvan Jones (2) had them right back in it again.

However, with the tie moving into added on time in extra time, Trillick looked as if they would hold on but the reintroduced Mattie Donnelly slipped at a critical time and was surrounded by Harps players with the referee awarding a free in for over carrying.

And up stepped Conall Jones with the biggest of pressure kicks to stick the ball between the posts and send the tie to penalties.

Six perfect spot kicks found the bet for the Harps and when the unfortunate Brennan hit the post it finally brought an end to an absorbing contest as Derrygonnelly booked their spot in the semi-final.