Ryder praises side’s character as Bradley prepares to meet Harps

Erne Gaels produced a late rally as they came from three points down and a man down to secure a draw against Belnaleck in Belleek on Sunday lunchtime.

The Art McMurroughs had looked to be on their way to victory as they moved three-clear before Erne Gaels then lost Captain Brian Mullin to a straight Red Card. But the league champions dug deep and two Shane Rooney frees and a Ryan Lyons effort from play snatched a draw for them.

“I was delighted with the character the boys showed,” said Erne Gaels Manager Seamus Ryder. “Boots [Mullin] is a big leader in our teams and to lose him and be three points down, it didn’t look good for us.

“The boys though dug it out and thankfully we had that wee bit of quality to get the draw and we’re delighted with that. I would think we would be happier with the draw than Belanleck.”

Next up for Erne Gaels is an away game against Teemore this Sunday and Ryder knows that it is going to be a tough test, having watched Teemore on Sunday against Derrygonnelly.

“You get nothing easy in Teemore, they have a proud championship tradition and it is going to be tough. I thought that they put up a good showing in the first half against Derrygonnelly, which was a really difficult opening game for them, and I think they will come on for that game.”

And Erne Gaels will go into the tie without captain Mullin, who is suspended while forward Rooney is likely to miss out through injury.

“Up to recent games we have had to chop and change in the league so that will have helped us and we have boys who are chomping at the bit to get in,” said Ryder, who knows the importance of Sunday’s game.

“We want to win the game and get ourselves qualified from the group and then it will be about where you finish in the group. We don’t want to have to be relying on beating Derrygonnelly to make sure that we qualify,” he added.

Prepare

Belnaleck Manager Colm Bradley will now prepare his side for a meeting with holders Derrygonnelly this weekend, and knows the size of the challenge that lies ahead.

“Derrygonnelly will be a huge test for us – they are the best championship team in the county over the past seven years.

“They have knowhow and experience and make very few mistakes so we know the challenge that lies ahead of us. But these are the challenges we want,” he said.

On the Erne Gaels game, he felt that it was one they should have won but one they could have lost in the end.

“There was mixed feelings at the end of the game. We feel we should have won, but we conceded the last three scores of the game, so Erne Gaels were on a roll and could easily have won.

“A loss would have been hard to take so we are focusing on the positives now.

“We will look to improve some aspects of our play while maintaining others at the level they were,” he said.

With incessant rain, the game in Belleek was played in difficult conditions, but it was the home side who started the better as Ryan Lyons clipped over an early free before they were then awarded a penalty in the fifth minute after Shane Rooney was pulled back as he got on the end of a ball that had dropped short.

However, Belnaleck goalkeeper Ryan McNulty saved Lyons’ penalty and the away side swept down the other end for Bryan Owens to fire over to make it 0-01 apiece.

In a cagey affair in which both defences were on top, Owens and Lyons then traded points from frees before Ciaran McBrien slipped past two defenders to fire over as Belnaleck edged into a 0-03 to 0-02 lead.

Erne Gaels responded with a good score from midfielder Gregory McGloin but the key score of the half went the way of Belnaleck in the 28th minute. Owens’ attempt at a point from the right dropped short and Dermot Lewsley was on hand to palm to the net to gave the visitors a 1-03 to 0-03 lead.

Erne Gaels did have a chance of their own late in the half but Mullin shot wide after good work from Ultan Kelm as the goal separated the sides at half time.

The home outfit made a good start to the second half as Ultan Kelm slotted over a free and Oisin Kelm landed a fine point from the right to cut the gap back to the minimum.

However, Belnaleck seemed to be getting a grip on proceedings as Kane Connor fired over and this was followed by a point from full back Garrett Cavanagh after Connor had turned over possession.

And it looked to be a long way back for Erne Gaels as they lost Mullin to a Red Card following an off the ball clash.

Belnaleck had the chance to put four between the sides when Garvan Quigley raced through, but he shot wide and instead Erne Gaels regrouped to finish the game strongly.

Rooney converted two frees to bring them back to within one and Ultan Kelm then produced a fine catch and the ball was worked to Lyons, who slotted over the equaliser.

Both sides then went looking for a winner, but with neither able to find one they had to be content with a draw.