ERNE GAELS ........1-13
DERRYLIN .............2-7
A string of points in the second half, a tally of nine in all totalled after the break, saw Erne Gaels fend off the opposition of Derrylin. A three point gap separated the sides at the finish but the Belleek team were a shade more convincing winners than that for the second Derrylin goal didn't arrive until the stroke of full time.
Erne Gaels were generally the better side throughout this tussle. They were to go in at the interval leading by four points, they had notched their goal on fifteen minutes, and they were not to be unduly pressed thereafter.
Their defence did a sound job of work in curtailing the Derrylin attack, though they did concede two goals but the stream of points being popped over at the other end of the park, ensured that the Belleek team were always in front.
Quite a number of these second half points in particular were to come from the accurate place kicking of Brian Mullins and Kevin McGloin.
Derrylin had been generally subdued in the opening half, restricted to just a meagre three points tally, their scores coming from Ryan Brown, Mark McBrien and Brian Maguire. Erne Gaels had hit the front however with their goal,Gregory McGloin firing home his opportunity and with four points tacked on by Mark O'Shea and Brian Mullins they were deserving of their four point interval lead.
That lead was to be momentarily under threat when Derrylin hit a goal some ten minutes after the resumption. A shot was parried out by the Erne Gaels goalkeeper but the rebound fell to Ryan Brown who knocked home the score which trimmed the deficit to a single score.
But Derrylin couldn't forge on from there and in a contest which was, in the main controlled by Erne Gaels, the gap separating the sides was stretched by the precise free taking of McGloin and Mullins.
Last score of the game went to Derrylin, a goal from Brian Maguire but this was much too late to overturn the scoreline.
For Derrylin, corner backs, Enda McBrien and Ciaran Curry worked hard with Ryan Brown best further up the park.
