Erne Gaels Manager Seamus Ryder says that they are where they want to be after his side secured the Division One title with a hard-fought one-point win over Kinawley in Brewster Park on Sunday.

The Belleek side landed last year’s Intermediate Championship title, but it is the major crowns that they want with this, their first Division One victory since 1996, and he says it means a lot to the club to be challenging, and winning at the top table.

“You can see what it means here with the supporters – it was ‘96 since the last one.

“We have been starved of success and although last year was sweet, this is where we want to be – back at the top of Division One and challenging for league titles and championships.

“The fact that we went ten wins out of ten made it all the sweeter too,” said a delighted Ryder.

This was a much tighter affair than when the sides last met a couple of weeks ago when Erne Gaels ran out comfortable victors, and Ryder says he expected a tougher test this time around.

“We were under no illusions that they were going to bring the fight and would be a lot better.

“They had a few players back and in the end there was just a kick of the ball in it, and we were lucky that it went wide and they were unlucky.”

And the Erne Gaels boss was pleased with the battling display of his players, as well as the impact that they got from the bench.

“We just hung in there and stayed close. I don’t think we played anywhere close to what we can, but we kept tipping along and kept the scoreboard ticking over and then a couple of players stepped up big-time towards the end.

“Paul Ward had a couple of big interceptions, and Odhran Johnston won a free and had a great point; Gareth Deery came on and won a few balls, so the fact that we had to use the squad and those boys came on and produced was pleasing,” he said.

The focus now for Erne Gaels is championship and Ryder is expecting a huge test when they take on Belnaleck in their group opener on Sunday, September 11.

“We’ll enjoy this for a day or two and then it’s all guns blazing for Belnaleck in two weeks’ time.

“They will bring the fight, they will be well set up, and have a couple of players back.

“They have been tipping along nicely in the league and have had a couple of big results with wins over Enniskillen and Ederney, and they were well in the game with us but we got two goals in a minute which killed them.

“I’ve no doubt they will bring the fire in two weeks in Belleek,” he added.

Kinawley Manager Dom Corrigan felt his side were always in the game, although he rued four successive wides at a key period in the second half.

“It was a great contest and I certainly felt that we were well in, going into the last 15 minutes.

“We had a couple of chances in the second half that we didn’t take and that maybe cost us,” he said.

However, Corrigan is satisfied with their league campaign as a whole as he looks to now build on that for the championship campaign which begins with a home game against Roslea on Saturday, September 10.

“Overall, we would have been pleased with the league. We had some tight games, some heavy defeats, and then we brought a great battle to the final.

“The key now is to take the lessons from these into the championship and then look to improve on certain aspects,” he commented.