ROSLEA ......................0-15

ERNE GAELS ................2-8

Roslea have been installed as one of the warm favourites for promotion but they were given a warning in this game that their expected run back to the top division may have it's rocky moments. In this opening tussle with visiting Erne Gaels, Roslea found themselves coming perilously close to surrendering a point.

They had been reeled back on a couple of occasions by Erne Gaels goals, the second of these arriving late in the game and at that stage the Belleek team had every appearance of snapping up an unexpected draw.

But Roslea gathered themselves for one final assault and they were to squeeze out the win with a late pointed free from Seamus Quigley. In the end a deserved enough success for the Shamrocks for they had generally been the more inventive side and had led for practically all of the hour. But Erne Gaels will have performed sufficiently strongly here to suggest that they can pose problems for all the sides in the division and if that is the case it will certainly liven up this division.

Roslea were to shoot a tally of eight first half points, a fairly wide spread of scoretakers here underlining the balance of their attack. Seamus Quigley, Ruairi McGuinness, Peter Lynch, Eamon Sherry among the marksmen for themand at one stage they were moving easily ahead.

But they were then pegged back by the first Erne Gaels goal, this one hammered home by Colin Ferguson who did extremely well to create the space for his shot which he then smashed into the net.

This left only a point separating the teams at the interval. On the restart it was again Roslea who were to be the dominant side thanks to their superiority around the middle of the park. They again began to pick off points on a regular fashion the same players again contributing though Erne Gaels with isolated points in reply did keep in touch. Still it was Roslea's game and several points clear with full time beckoning it seemed that the issue was decided. But Erne Gaels had one final throw in their locker.

They collected a point and then turned the game on it's head when they poached a second goal, Shane Lyons thundering down the centre to smack home a crisp shot.

But the day finally did fall to Roslea with a late winning point from a placed kick.

For Roslea, Martin Renfrew after a lengthy absence through injury made a welcome return and he played soundly at corner back. In the other corner Shane McMahon also did well while Kevin Cosgrove supplied the foundation in the middle of the park.

For Erne Gaels, wing half Ciaran Smith had a very industrious match, Shane Lyons also did his bit and substitutes Mark Duffy and Brian Mullins also had their moments.

Referee Enda McBrien Derrylin.