ERNE GAELS ...................... 0-9

KINAWLEY ......................... 2-7

Erne Gaels have only themselves to blame for this defeat for they had created more than enough opportunities to win this tie. But their forward line was to be woefully wayward, a dismal tally of wasted chances that in the end went into double figures.

Kinawley who were making their first appearance of the season were to much more economical with the sparser openings that cropped up for them and none more so than with the two goal openings which they converted in the first half.

In the end it was these two goals which carved out the Kinawley win and left Erne Gaels ruefully reflecting on what might have been.

Colin Ferguson knocked over a quick point for the home side but they were then to be rocked back by the first Kinawley goal. A badly conceded goal from Belleek's point of view as they failed to deal with a high punt into the heart of their goalmouth. The ball was spilled down and it fell kindly to Shay Keenan who had little trouble in poking the ball home.

Seamus Ryder had a point for Erne Gaels but then came another punishing blow for the home side as Kinawley swept in for a second goal. This one was a splendid individual effort from Shaun Doherty who stormed his way down the centre before precisely slotting home a low shot.

It opened up a five point gap and was to give Kinawley a comfort zone for the remainder of the game. Kinawley went on to have further scores prior to the break from Sean Leonard (rua) and from Tomas Corrigan with Erne Gaels, amid a string of wides, answering with a couple of points to leave seven points separating the sides.

Kinawley had an early score on the resumption from Tomas Corrigan but thereafter the game was to be increasingly dominated by a resurgent Erne Gaels team. With Mark Lyons putting in the work in the middle of the park there was to be a steady flow of Erne Gaels attacking play but the rewards were limited.

Points did come irregularly from substitute Sean Sands and from Mark Lyons but the inaccuracy overall left them still chasing the game as the end approached. Kinawley were to give themselves a slight measure of relief with a Shay Keenan point, only their second score of the half and they just managed to hang on.

For the winner's full back Conor McBarron with a lot of work on hand, performed steadily with Sean Leonard and substitute Sean McManus also doing well.

For Erne Gaels, Mark Lyons and Seamus Ryder were perhaps the most effective but this was a game which was allowed to slip away from them.

Referee Alan Richardson.