Enniskillen 1-13 Kinawley 1-06

Enniskillen Gaels produced a dominant second half display as they saw off Kinawley to secure the Erne Cup One title for the first time since 2004 at Brewster Park on Sunday.

There was little between the sides in the opening half with Enniskillen leading by the minimum at the interval.

However, their strength of the bench was decisive as they were able to pull away to seal the victory.

Enniskillen joint manager Dara McManus was delighted to secure the title.

“It was a target that we set out at the start of the year, to win the league, so it was pleasing to achieve that.

“We believe that if the reserves are strong, the seniors will be strong as well, so it is a whole adult effort and that’s the way we have been looking at it for the last three or four years,” he said.

And McManus acknowledged that their strength in depth was telling in the second half.

“We had 34 there for the game and they all really wanted to play. It was good to have that quality to call on when we went to the bench,” he added.

The Gaels had started the brighter of the sides and by the eighth minute they had opened up a 0-03 to 0-01 advantage.

Paddy Reihill landed the first point of the game and although Tiernan McKenna levelled from a free for the Brian Borus, scores from Ben Kettyles and Michael Dooris put Enniskillen two points to the good.

Kinawley though began to grow into the contest and they hit the next 1-03 in a nine-minute spell to move into a four-point lead.

McKenna was punishing any fouls by the Gaels’ rearguard as he landed three successive frees, including two from distance, before the Borus struck for the first goal of the game.

A long ball was not dealt with by the Enniskillen defence and Gabriel McHugh was on hand to slot the ball home to make it 1-04 to 0-03 in his side’s favour.

Enniskillen responded to this with points from McAleer and a second from corner back Dooris but Kinawley very nearly added a second goal in the 22nd minute as a forceful run by Colman Corrigan saw him burst through the Enniskillen defence, but his shot came back off the frame of the goal.

However, instead of finding themselves five points clear, Kinawley were soon a point adrift as Enniskillen swept down the pitch after this and McAleer ushered Neil McDermott in on goal and he finished low to the net to make it 1-05 to 1-04.

A McAleer free then put Enniskillen two up although Kinawley had the last say of the half with their man McKenna firing over his fifth point – this one a fine effort from play, to leave it 1-06 to 1-05 at the break.

The second half was slow to get going but when Enniskillen started to freshen things up from the bench, they went on to take control.

Conall Quinn, who had a big impact on his introduction, tossed over a super point and this was quickly followed by a McAleer free and Ross Bogue and James O’Donnell scores from play to make it 1-10 to 1-05 by the end of the third quarter.

McAleer was then put through on goal by Ciaran Smith but he blazed over before Ethan Beresford knocked over a point to make it 1-12 to 1-05.

McKenna registered Kinawley’s first score of the half in the 53rd minute when he drilled over a 45 although Conall McCaffrey answered with a point for Enniskillen to leave seven in it.

Kinawley almost had a late consolation goal but Bernard McGovern’s shot came off the post in added on time and in the end Enniskillen ran out deserving winners.