KEVIN COURTNEY CAR SALES IFC FINAL

Enniskillen 0-13  
Maguiresbridge 0-9

Enniskillen came into this Intermediate decider as the less fancied side and  over the opening minutes that tag looked to be appropriate enough.

For the Gaels were definitely slow to settle and it was a vibrant, energetic Maguiresbridge side who dictated the initial exchanges. Hunting a first intermediate title in almost four decades the ‘Bridge played those early exchanges with a pace and a vigour which had the Gaels very much on the back foot.

The ‘Bridge scooted into a four point lead and all seemed to be set fair for them, the pre match speculation looking to be accurate. But from the onset of the second quarter the tenor of the match was to change and the ‘Bridge began to lose their way.

By the time that the interval was reached the Gaels had hauled themselves level on a scoreline of five points each and the influence of a clutch of older hands in the Enniskillen lineout had begun to exert a significant influence on the contest.

Centre back Ryan McCluskey cut off a lot of ball that had initially been successfully channelled into the threatening  ‘ Bridge full forwards Matthew Teague and Sean Corrigan while in the middle of the park Neil Cox along with Richard O’Callaghan established a presence that was to persist right to the finish.

The presence of Brian McAleer around the middle third was also a factor and when the ‘Bridge had one of their centrefielders Niall Carson having to depart due to injury, the tide steadily flowed in Enniskillen’s favour

The Gaels from a position of four points adrift were to grow a momentum that was not to be stalled and in the second half they were clearly the superior side again with their platoon of seasoned veterans at the heart of their performance.

All so promising for Maguiresbridge over the opening ten minutes as they began the contest full of purpose and running. In the front line of their attack corner forward Sean Corrigan and full forward Matthew Teague were getting regularly on the ball and with four scores quickly totted up all seemed set fair for their side.

Corrigan had nabbed a point in the opening raid seconds from the throw in and Andrew Breslin angled over a  second. In between  there had been a couple of wides registered but with the team buzzing this didn’t look a concern especially when Corrigan and Teague hit two  more score on ten and eleven minutes to put the side four clear.

So dominant had been the early push from the ‘Bridge that Enniskillen had to wait until fourteen minutes before they launched their first serious attack which resulted in the first wide of the hour for the home based side. And  when McAleer hoofed a free well  wide it was an ominous signal for the Gaels.

But after that things were on the mend for them.

McAleer was to make amends for this miss with his side’s first score a minute later and in fact he was to be very much on song with his place kicking thereafter.

Enniskillen were steadily easing themselves into the contest and though Maguiresbridge did have a fifth point from  Sean McAvinue who stormed up from half back to ping the score, the tide had turned.

In the lead up to the break, Enniskillen remorselessly cut down the deficit.  Niall Shanon launched their revival with a score after a quickly taken free had created the opening,  Conor Kelly landed a score which skimmed high off the upright and McAleer had his second of the evening.

By now the spark had faded from the ‘Bridge effort and close to the interval McAleer with another free pulled the teams level, the initiative now clearly with Enniskillen.

Still the game was evenly enough poised and it could go either way but a marker was promptly set down by Enniskillen in the early minutes on the resumption.

They raided in for three points that hoisted them into the lead for the first time and they were never to be pegged back.
Brian McAleer posted two further placed kicks and sandwiched between them was a neat score from corner forward Conor Kelly who skipped his way in for the successful shot.

There was  a momentary reprise for the ‘Bridge when  Sean Corrigan clipped a free but they were now struggling badly for possession in centrefield and their attacks were becoming sporadic.

Enniskillen were now in full flow and they duly pushed added scores which essentially clinched the result for them. McAleer again on the mark this time with a  simple tap over free, Conor Kelly with his second for the evening.
This score had come direct from a terrible free kick from the ‘Bridge which had gone direct to a Gaels player, indication that the losing side were badly off the pace by this stage.

Two more points and the deficit was now six points with less than ten minutes remaining.

There was to be a brief glimmer of a late Maguiresbridge rally as they picked off two points in the space of two minutes from Matthew Teague and Sean Corrigan but critically they also tossed two other shots wide and that essentially signalled the end of their  challenge.

Over the final minutes Neil Cox was to win a lot of possession in the centrefield for the Gaels thus keeping the ‘Bridge penned in and over the finishing run in a point each for the teams and a flurry of red cards, three in all being handed out as it all got a little messy.

Enniskillen
Chris Breen; Donal Carron; Paul Green; Eoin Hamill; Paul Coulter; Ryan McCluskey; Patrick Reihill; Neil Cox; Richard O’Callaghan; Paul Mullen; John Slowey; Niall Shannon; Conor Kelly; Brian McAleer; Aidan McCarron; Subs; Tom Brewster;James McKenna;Michael Kerr;

Maguiresbridge
Fergal Hanna; Niall Rice; Conor Hyde; Ciaran Corrigan; Odhran Russell; Sean McAvinney; Colm Rice; Niall Carson; Ryan Hyde; Daniel Teague; Mark Gavin; Andrew Breslin; David Teague; Matthew Teague; Sean Corrigan; Subs; Steven Maguire; Patrick Hyde; Dwayne Rice;

Referee; Martin Higgins; Lisnaskea.