DERRYGONNELLY .................................... 1-8
BELNALECK .......................................... 0-12
Belnaleck got their league promotion bid back on track with this narrow one point victory over Derrygonnelly. Just about a merited win for them, they had led at the break by four points and though they failed to sustain the lively presence they had showed over the opening thirty minutes they did enough to come through.
For the winners there were to be strong defensive displays turned in by Martin Baxter at corner back and from Dwayne McNulty at full back and this sector of the team kept the Derrygonnelly attack well contained. Further up the park for them Martin Gilheaney was a forceful figure with Dermot and Sean Lewisley also contributing to the overall team performance.
For Derrygonnelly, Chris Farrell turned in a solid display at corner back and Richard Jones was a commanding figure in the centre back slot. In the middle of the park Anthony Maguire did a good job and Pauric McGurn featured in the forward line.
Derrygonnelly had the game's opening score but it was to be the more eager Belnaleck team who had the upper hand for the remainder of the half. It was not however until the second quarter that the Belnaleck pressure began to make itself felt.
The teams had traded points over the initial fifteen minutes but then Belnaleck got a firmer grip and they pushed into the lead. Points for them came from Joe Heavey and from Sean and Dermot Lewisley.
After the resumption Belnaleck continued to hold sway and they were to have further scores fired over by Sean Lewisley and Joe Heavey but Derrygonnelly were never all that far adrift. They kept themselves well in the hunt with points from their sharp substitute Niall Elliott and they were then to give themselves a decided boost when they snapped up what was to be the game's only goal.
This came some ten minutes from full time and ensured that there would be a tight finish to the contest but Derrygonnelly couldn't make further headway and it was Belnaleck who edged out the closing exchanges to register a victory which will keep them among the leading sides in the division.
Referee Eugene McDonagh St Josephs.
