Kinawley 0-15
Ederney 1-13
Luke Harron kicked an inspirational score with 82 minutes on the clock to send Ederney into the Fermanagh Senior Football Championship semi-final after a dramatic thriller on Sunday evening.
The odds were stacked against an Ederney side missing several key players and trailing by seven points at the break, but they showed true pedigree and character to turn the tables on Kinawley.
Kinawley dominated the game from early on, racing into a four-point lead with Tomás Corrigan landing three early scores (two frees) and Donal Owens pointing to push Dom Corrigan’s side well ahead.
Playing against a ferocious breeze, Ederney struggled to convert their chances and there was 23 minutes on the clock when they got the scoreboard up and running through a close-range Pól McKervey score.
Tomás Corrigan, Dylan Boyle (2) and Paul Breen tagged on further scores for the Boru’s in a one-sided half which saw the Kinawley men go into a commanding 0-08 to 0-01 lead at the half-time break.
With veteran Martin McGrath brought out to midfield, Ederney got more control of the ball after the restart and scores from Shaun McCarron and keeper Chris Snow reduced the Kinawley advantage to five points.
Both team rang the changes and Dom Corrigan’s Kinawley rallied in the third quarter with Ruairi Corrigan pointing against the breeze to extend their lead.
The Boru’s were awarded a penalty following a foul on Ruairi Corrigan in the square, but Sean McManus’ blazing effort rose high over the bar, with only a point to show for his efforts.
McGrath’s experience was a welcome boost for the young Ederney side and he rolled back the years with two points within two minutes to bring the St Joseph’s men back into the game.
Caolan Brennan, a second half sub, kicked on a big score from range for Kinawley with 44 mintues played.
It was Kinawley’s last score of the game though, as Chris Kelly’s Ederney staged a remarkable comeback.
Pól McKervey, Paul McCusker and Calvin Brown pointed late in the half to leave a nail-biting finish, with Kinawley three in front with normal time played, and four minutes of additional time awarded.
Ederney broke on a counter attack and they cut through the Kinawley defence, with referee James Lewis pointing to the penalty spot after he alledged that ‘Man of the Match’ Shay Deazley was fouled in the penalty area.
Up stepped Ederney goalkeeper Snow and he coolly slotted the ball low to the bottom right corner of Shaun Doherty’s net to send the game to a 20-minute period of extra-time.
Patrick McGovern was shown a black card in the penalty drama and the Boru’s played the first period of extra time with 14 men, although Ederney failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage.
McGrath and Paul McCusker pointed for Ederney, while Tomás Corrigan and Donnacha Morris converted for Kinawley to leave the sides tied at 0-13 to 1-10 at half-time in extra-time.
After the restart, the impressive substitue Brennan and Tomás Corrigan lofted over from distance to put the Boru’s two ahead with eight minutes of time remaining, with Ederney’s backs firmly against the wall.
The St Joseph’s men dug deep again and scores from Paul McCusker and Pól McKervey saw the sides tied once again, with five minutes of normal time remaining.
Both sides had chances to win the game and wing-half back Luke Harron proved to be Ederney’s match winner with his left footed effort in the 82nd minute booking his side a place in the championship semi-final.
TEAMS
Kinawley: Shaun Doherty, Niall Bogue, Aichlinn O’Cathain, Dylan Boyle (0-02), Liam Owens, Patrick McGovern, Anthony Anderson, Paul Breen (0-01, 1 45), Ciaran Breen, Tom Keenan, Sean McManus (0-01), Dara Cathcart, Ruairi Corrigan (0-01), Tomás Corrigan (0-06, 2f), Donal Owens (0-01). Subs: Caolan Brennan (0-02) for T Keenan (37), Donnacha Morris (0-01) for D Cathcart (48), Colman Corrigan for D Owens (55), Tiernan McKenna for D Boyle (58), Donal Owens for N Bogue (72), Paidi Drumm for C Breen (80).
Ederney: Chris Snow (1-01, 1 pen, 1f), Matthew Maguire, Manus Maguire, Enda Cassidy, Luke Harron (0-01), Declan McCusker, Finlay Harron, Calvin Brown (0-01), Shaun McCarron (0-01), Shay Deazley, Paul McCusker (0-03), Pól McKervey (0-03, 1f), Niall Maguire, Martin McGrath (0-03), Eoin McKervey. Subs: Jack Keown for E McKervey (33), Darren McCusker for F Harron (48), Eoin McKervey for D McCusker (77).
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