Derrygonnelly 2-16
Enniskillen 3-7
By Martin McBrien
YET again the mesmerising scoring talent that ranks Eimear Smyth as one of the most clinical and prolific forwards in ladies football in Ireland stood out in this highly competitive contest
Footballing poetry in motion, a joy to watch, her 2-12 (6 frees) total represented the vital difference between the sides.
It didn’t take long for Eimear to start making her mark after a first minute Emma Cassidy point had opened the home scoring.
Within the next two minutes she finished off a slick passing move with a point, then weaved her way though in typical manner to shoot the game’s first goal.
Enniskillen responded in determined manner with a quickfire goals brace by Lucy Johnston and Kellie McAnespey thrusting them in front by the eighth minute.
Visitors lead then speedily increased with an equally fast points double, Aoibhin Kelly and Johnston each on target.
But they were rapidly reeled in by a sustained Harps surge.
First a brace of Smyth points and a Lynne Carroll single levelled it at 1-05 to 2-02 by the midway stage, then a Smyth 1-03 put clear daylight between the sides by the 22nd minute.
Judge and Kelly did pull back singles apiece, either side of a Smyth pointed free for a foul on herself, to leave it 2-09 to 2-04 at half time.
A 32nd minute Sarah-Jane Jones point saw Harps open the second half scoring, Judge and Johnston quickly likewise getting the Gaels off the mark again.
Respective goalkeepers, Eimear Keenan and Louise Dundas each had to act smartly off their lines to deny goals before Smyth (2) and Jones points widened the gap.
Enniskillen though were competing with commendable resolution and grabbed a goal lifeline in the 40th minute when Johnston’s looping effort dropped into the far corner of the home net.
After another Smyth point, cancelled by a super Johnston run and chip over, made it 2-14 to 3-07 by the three quarters stage, scoring rate remarkably slumped.
With the game still in the balance, just two further home points added.
Smyth’s sixth free conversion in the 53rd minute, followed by what was perhaps her best point of the dozen, coolly lofting over a wall of defenders to wrap it all up.
Ciara Leonard, Andrea Gordon and Naomi Jones were strong at the back for Derrygonnelly, while for Enniskillen, Kerri Roche, Emma Nolan and Lillie Dorrian led the rearguard effort.