Enniskillen 2-09 Belnaleck 0-07

Enniskillen Gaels secured their place in a first SFC final since 2006 with a 2-09 to 0-07 victory over Belnaleck in Ederney on Sunday.

A Conor McShea first-half goal had helped Enniskillen into a one-point lead at the break, although Belnaleck had shaded things in terms of possession of the ball.

However, the winners went on to produce a dominant second half display to control the contest, and they were able to push on to record an eight-point victory by the end.

The second half performance was built on gaining a stranglehold around the middle of the pitch, with Brandon Horan, Eoin Beacom and Richie O’Callaghan giving them the platform in this sector to go on and win the game.

It was Belnaleck though who had settled into the game the quicker of the sides as they bossed possession in the opening stages against a nervous Gaels outfit.

The lively Garvan Quigley landed the opening point of the tie, clipping over after gathering a cross-field ball from Glenn Treacy.

Darragh McGurn then doubled their advantage as he took a pass from Peter Monaghan at pace and fired over.

McGurn’s threat was one that Enniskillen had targeted with Johnny Cassidy moved to midfield to pick him up, but McGurn was prominent in the early stages and he then tapped over a free to make it 0-03 to 0-00.

Enniskillen finally started to settle into the game after this with Conor Love firing over from a Beacom pass in the tenth minute before John Reihill slotted over a free.

And Love had the sides level by the 15th minute, with a good effort from the left.

However, Quigley edged Belnaleck back ahead just before the water- break with his second of the game, to leave it 0-04 to 0-03.

The key score of the half though arrived in the 22nd minute as the Gaels took a lead they were never to relinquish.

Ronan Beattie, who made a good impact on the game after coming off the bench midway through the half, saw his shot come back off the upright but McShea was there to gather the rebound and slot the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Belnaleck did have a chance to hit back with a goal of their own as McGurn broke from deep, but his pass to James Speight was just too high and Enniskillen keeper Cian Newman was able to intercept.

Suffered a blow

McGurn though did fire over a good point from play soon after, although Belnaleck suffered a blow when they lost Glenn Treacy to injury at the end of the half.

Enniskillen began to impose themselves at midfield from the start of the second half, cleaning up the breaking ball, and they were then able to make their dominance tell on the scoreboard.

Conall Quinn clipped over from the right before Beacom drilled over a 45 to make it a three-point game.

Conor Watson was next to register as he punished a poor ball out of defence by the Art McMurroughs, and when John Reihill then knocked over after Beattie had turned over possession, Enniskillen found themselves in a five-point lead, 1-07 to 0-05.

McGurn finally accounted for Belnaleck’s first score of the half from a close in free to cut the deficit back to four at the end of the third quarter, but Enniskillen stamped their authority on proceedings again as Reihill converted a free and Callum Jones fired over the score of the game from the right-hand side to put six between the sides.

And that lead could have been greater, only for Che Cullen clearing Aaron Nolan’s effort off the line before Belnaleck went down the other end and Monaghan powered over from distance.

But any hopes that Belnaleck had of mounting a late rally were ended in the 59th minute as Enniskillen bagged their second goal, Paddy Reihill’s attempt at a point deceiving Art McMurrough’s goalkeeper Conor McGovern and dropping in to the corner of the net to make it 2-09 to 0-07.

Enniskillen had the luxury of then seeing Eoin Beacom’s late penalty clip the base of the post, with the miss having no effect on the outcome as Enniskillen progress to the final on November 21.