Enniskillen 1-10 Belnaleck 1-10

Enniskillen and Belnaleck shared the spoils at Brewster Park last Friday night although the Art McMurroughs will feel that it is a game that they should have won, having led by eight points at one stage of the game.

Enniskillen did respond well to get back on level terms but the away side then missed a couple of chances late in the game to snatch the win as it finished 1-10 apiece.

“We should have won the game and we should being going in to the league proper with a point on the board,” said Belnaleck boss Colm Bradley.

“But we didn’t see it out and the black card (to Oran McCarney) really affected us. We lost our shape and the Gaels played very well during that time. I was pleased with how we battled back though and steadied the ship and we had chances to win it.

“Obviously now we are chasing in the league but we will just get the head down and work hard before we meet Roslea in our first game,” he said.

The older Bradley sibling, and Enniskillen manager, Simon, saw his side come into the game already guaranteed to go into the league proper with the maximum three points on the board but he was disappointed with their performance and felt they were fortunate to gain a share of the spoils.

“We were lucky to get a draw, we got out of jail as Belnaleck were the better team for 70 per cent of the game but they didn’t take their chances at the end,” he said.

“That was the poorest performance we have had so far this year but as a team we learnt a lot from it heading into the league and we’re just happy to be going into the league with three points and we’ll now take each game as it comes,” said Bradley, whose side begin their league campaign with a home game against Derrygonnelly.

Belnaleck were boosted by the return to action of Che Cullen for the game and they were much the hungrier side in the early stages as they came flying out of the blocks.

Bryan Owens landed the opening score of the game before Conor McAuley bagged a goal for the away side to put them into a 1-01 to 0-00 lead.

A Conor Love free got the Gaels off the mark but Belnaleck continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges and the influential McAuley fired over before Garvan Quigley also pointed to make it 1-03 to 0-01.

James O’Donnell answered with a score for Enniskillen but the visitors had their tails up and McAuley and Quigley again slotted over as Belnaleck extended their advantage to make it 1-05 to 0-02.

And they were to maintain that six point lead at the break as the sides shared the last four points of the half with Quigley and Lewsley on target for the Art McMurroughs while Ciaran Smith and Conor Kelly knocked over for Enniskillen to leave it 1-07 to 0-04 at half time.

Things looked even better for Belnaleck at the start of the second half as Quigley and Ryan Keenan stretched their lead out to eight.

A black card to McCarney though disrupted Belnaleck and Enniskillen hit an unanswered 1-05 to get themselves back on level terms.

Conor McShea and James O’Donnell knocked over two points apiece while Ethan Beresford hit 1-01 as Enniskillen made it 1-09 apiece.

A Quigley free edged Belnaleck back ahead before Love levelled matters again with a point for the Gaels.

Quigley though had a couple of chances to seal the points for Belnaleck late on but he failed to convert as the game finished all square.