CHAMPIONS.. Sean McAleer lifts the Division 1 trophy for Enniskillen Gaels
Enniskillen 4-11
St Patricks 4-2
Just seven minutes into this Division one decider and Enniskillen had rampaged their way into a commanding 2-3 to 0-0 lead.
The Gaels were apparently heading for the most comprehensive of victories.
At the finish Enniskillen were still comfortably in charge but they hadn’t quite demolished the opposition in the way that their initial blitz of scoring would have perhaps suggested they would have done.
St Patricks had battled their way back into contention, at least to some degree and indeed when the Donagh side fired in their fourth goal, Ryan Kelly drilling home a penalty on fifty minutes, there was a definite edge of uncertainty about the outcome.
Just two points separating the sides at this juncture but Enniskillen were to respond to the challenge with commendable assurance and they nailed down the result with a late spree of scores, that spree ignited by a fine individual goal from corner forward Sean McAleer.
McAleer’s goal killed the St Patrick’s revival and the Gaels dictated to the finish, their nine point winning margin a fair enough reflection on the trend of the game.
St Patrick’s all at sea in the opening minutes as Enniskillen waltzed their way through for a stream of scores, points from the nimble McAleer, Conor McShea and Ciaran Brough and two goals from McAleer and Ciaran Smith.
A runaway win on the cards but St Patricks responded and they were to edge back as they made the most of the limited opportunities that came their way.
Two excellent goals from corner forward Paul Og Reilly gave the game a hint of a competitive edge. Enniskillen picked off late points from the impressive Ciaran Brough and from McAleer to reach the break six clear but the game hadn’t slumped into the monotonous one sided affair that had seemed to be its fate earlier on.
In fact St Patricks were to be an even match for the opposition over the third quarter and for some ten minutes on the resumption it was a tight battle,no scores arriving but when one finally came it was to be the third St Patricks goal of the evening.
A touch of fortune perhaps about it as a shot from the right wing from Shay Cadden looped across the face of goal and nestled into the top corner of the net.
It was a score which definitely introduced a bite into the contest and St Patricks were now full of running, putting the Gaels under their first spell of heavy pressure.
The Gaels woodwork hit twice in the space of a hectic twenty seconds and then a penalty coughed up.
Kelly smacked home his shot with aplomb and the lead was narrowed to a mere two points.
But that was the best that St Patricks were to manage and Enniskillen, who had been the better balanced side from the outset and who had enjoyed the greater bulk of possession, were to put in a sparkling finishing surge.
With Brough in the middle third producing an exceptionally hardworking contribution, Enniskillen struck back with a flurry of late scores that had them galloping well clear once again.
Key score was the McAleer goal and close to the final whistle,Brough was to cap his influential personal display with a smartly taken fourth goal.