Crust & Crumb Senior Football League Division 2 Final
Aghadrumsee 1-11 Roslea 0-11
By Pauric McGurn
AGHADRUMSEE will compete in Division One next year for the first time since 2001 as they came from behind to defeat near neighbours Roslea on Sunday in a titanic battle at Brewster Park.
The all important score was Eddie Courtney’s superb penalty, Aghadrumsee’s first score of the game which decided the outcome, with little separating the sides throughout.
Roslea will look back to a number of wides and bad decision making at the end that ultimately cost them a place in the new look Division One for next season.
The Shamrocks were the better side in the opening half and went in leading 0-07 to 1-03, but Aghadrumsee hit three early second half points and it was a lead they would not relinquish.
Roslea opened the scoring from a Seamus Quigley free, but ultimately the major score of the game arrived on nine minutes as Eddie Courtney was taken down, before he hit the net from the spot.
The water break arrived as the sun shone brightly onto the Brewster Park surface, while Roslea’s Adam Treanor showed his class to skip past two Aghadrumsee defenders before fisting over.
Seamus Quigley hit a sensational two pointer, before he then stroked over another free to leave it a two point game after 21 minutes.
Eddie Courtney pointed for his side to leave it a one point game, but Roslea upped the stakes once more as Micheál Flanagan got forward to point andAdam Treanor fisted over to leave it 1-01 to 0-07.
Aghadrumsee were having chances but they hit three wides in a row until Iarlaith Durnian hit a two-pointer just before the half time whistle to give his side confidence going in at the break.
Aghadrumsee’s half-time team talk seemed to have worked as the opening minutes saw Jason O’Connor’s side hit early scores.
Darren Kearns popped forward to point, before the exciting Durnian hit a two pointer to put Aghadrumsee into the lead.
Seamus Quigley pointed on 35 minutes, but again Aghadrumsee replied with real fluidity as James Flanagan done well to shoot on sight and score.
Eddie Courtney then rose powerfully to catch a long ball in before Enda McCabe came forward and pointed with real conviction to surge three points ahead.
Roslea needed something and they got it on 45 minutes as Seán Quigley converted a two pointer free before the sides went in for a second water break.
An Aidan Bannon free nudged Aghadrumsee into a two point lead, but on 53 minutes James McMahon showed his class to come forward and point from a difficult angle to cut the deficit to one.
Roslea were now in search of an equalising score, but they only left three men back late on and a simple free was knocked over the bar from Durnian as the game went into three additional minutes.
As Roslea searched for scores, Aghadrumsee broke away and Bannon knocked over a free on 62 minutes to put a goal between the sides.
Roslea were unable to grab a goal to send the game into extra time as Aghadrumsee stood firm to get their hands on the Division Two title.
Tempers flared after the game and Roslea’s Seán Quigley was shown a red card by referee Oliver McShea, but it did little to dampen the Aghadrumsee celebrations in Brewster Park.
Teams
Aghadrumsee: Gerard Grew, Paul Boyle, Eugene Kearns, Aidan Little, Thomas O’Hara, Aidan Bannon (0-02), Caolan Adair, Darren Kearns (0-01), Damien McCarville, James Flanagan (0-01), Iarlaith Durnian (0-05), Daniel Crudden, Enda McCabe (0-01), Eddie Courtney (1-1, 1 pen), Gerard Beggan. Subs: Oisin McPhillips for G Beggan (54).
Roslea: Seán Quigley (0-02, 2f), Shane McAleer, John Connolly, Niall McMahon, Micheál Flanagan (0-01), Adam Callaghan, James McMahon (0-01), Diarmuid McAleer, Conor Mulligan, Darragh Flanagan, Niall Cosgrove, Martin Beggan, Oisin Toye, Seamus Quigley (0-05), Adam Treanor (0-02). Subs: Caolan Rooney for D Flanagan (44), Brendan Sherlock for O Toye (50).
Referee: Oliver McShea (Enniskillen Gaels)