DERRYLIN .................... 2-10

ERNE GAELS ................. 2-9

Erne Gaels have had a tough time of it in the league for a number of seasons but there are signs surfacing in this game that perhaps the corner has at last been turned. They came very close indeed to getting something from this game and home team Derrylin had to work extremely hard to edge through in the end by the minimum margin.

The game was very evenly contested all the way through in what developed into a rousing second half. The sides had been level on the break on five points each and in the second half, the goals began to arrive that heightened the tempo of the exchanges.

Darren Dolan and Ryan Brown with two points each and a single from Stephen Cosgrove had been the marksmen for the O'Connell's while the answering response from Erne Gaels had been produced by Shane O'Brien, Mark Duffy and Colin Ferguson.

Derrylin then made a strong restart and they jumped into a sizeable lead with a quick point from Mark Murphy followed by a goal, the approach work for this score involving Stephen Cosgrove and Ryan Brown. But if Derrylin had thoughts that they were going to coast home, these were soon dismissed as Erne Gaels made a positive comeback.

This was ignited by a point from Shane O'Brien and Martin O'Shea then cracked in a goal. O'Shea added another point to put the visitors in front and from there to the end it was enterprising stuff from both teams.

Derrylin had been unsettled by this feisty Erne Gaels spurt but they gathered themselves for another assault and they regained the lead with points from Donal McAvinue and Mark Murphy before Murphy was on hand to snap up his team's second goal.

Still far from decided, however, with a determined Erne Gaels hauling themselves back into contention with their second goal, this one coming from Ciaran Smith and the teams were once again level.

There was to be a winner in the end, however, Derrylin scraping out the success with what proved to be the game's final point, Damian Cassidy shooting over a few minutes from full-time.

For the winning side, Mark Murphy was always strong around the middle of the park, Darren Dolan was a steady defender and others to feature brightly were Ryan Brown and Stephen Cosgrove.

For Erne Gaels, Mark Duffy had a good match with Shane Lyons and Shane O'Brien also much to the fore.

Referee: Seamus McMahon, St Patrick's.