Teemore 2-11 Tempo 2-10

In the 1970, the era of the mullet hairstyle and various other crimes against fashion, the rivalry between Teemore and Tempo was pure box office.

It was the era of the Campbell’s of Tempo and the Reilly’s of Teemore, who regularly met in county finals. Fast forward and that latent rivalry surfaced in a most entertaining battle in Tempo that saw the visitors win by the narrowest of margins.

This win means that the Shamrocks are back in Division One for the first time in four years and you could see what it meant to this proud club in their post-match celebrations.

On balance, they just about shaded this encounter where both sides shrugged aside fear of losing in a good old shoot out with much more Gaelic football than the modern game called Gaelic handball.

A flicked goal from Teemore corner forward Colm McNally from a lob from the excellent Oisin Murphy in the 45th minute was the key score as it put the visitors in front by 2-08 to 2-07.

It came when Tempo had 14 men on the field after Ryan Breen was black-carded.

Tempo had been in front by 2-07 to 1-08 before this turnaround.

They also lost two of their deadliest strikers in Lorcan McStravick, who was stretchered off with a serious looking leg injury within five minutes and goal scorer Tiarnan Bogue who could not start the second-half.

Tempo also conceded a freakish goal when Matthew Jackson was badly caught off his line as Teemore were 1-02 to 0-00 up after just five minutes.

But despite these severe setbacks, they fought to the bitter end and two late points from Ben Warnock and the lion-hearted Aidan Breen left a point in it after four minutes of extra time.

McNally and Eoin McManus had their sides opening scores and then McManus benefited from a mistake in the Tempo defence and he cooly lobbed the stranded Brian Jackson to put his side 1-02 to 0-00.

Tempo’s full forward Oisin Murphy bulled his way through the Teemore defence and was dragged down in the square and Ryan Ingram rolled the penalty home and Ben Warnock and Breen added points to leave a point between the sides.

Aaron Lee, who lined outside his father Damian Lee (42) in the Teemore defence swapped points with Aidan Breen and Ryan Breen putting Tempo in front by 1-04 to 1-03 by the 18th minute.

Tempo keeper Jackson made amends for his earlier wandering by pulling off a point blank save from McManus to save a certain goal.

Cian McManus pointed to level matters for Teemore but this was quickly cancelled by Tiarnan Bogue who used his height to win a long ball to crash the ball to the net and the home side were suddenly a goal up.

Jason McCaffrey and Eoin Manus narrowed the gap for Teemore before Oisin Murphy gave Tempo a half time lead of 2-05 to 1-06 at the break in a frenetic opener.

Tempo were minus Bogue through injury on the restart as the scoring rate dropped but not the intensity.

Ronan McCaffrey and Erne senior keeper Sean McNally levelled matters on the resumption on a score of 2-05 to 1-08.

Aidan Breen hit a superb effort from the sideline and Warnock made it 2-07 to 1-08.

They then lost Ryan Breen to a black and Colm McNally added to their woes with that flicked goal.

Eoin McManus and Oisin Murphy made it 2-10 to 2-07 in Teemore's favour as the game drew to a close.

Warnock and Tempo’s Oisin Murphy left just a point in it before Ronan McCaffrey put Teemore into a 2-11 to 2-09 lead.

But Tempo kept fighting and Aidan Breen landed a final point but time had just run out in an epic encounter.

Delighted Teemore midfielder Ronan McCaffrey said it was great to get back into Division One.

“I have been waiting four long years for this one and played in all those years, so I am just so happy that we have got there at last.

“This is a big win for Teemore and there is no point in competing in the senior championship unless you are in the same division as the big teams.

“We made it tough for ourselves but Tempo were unlucky with those injuries to Lorcan McStravick and Tiarnan Bogue and they lost Ryan Breen to a black card and that was when we got our second goal.

“But they showed great fight as we knew they would as befits a great club.

“The second goal was a huge score for us and Oisin Murphy, who came on as a sub for us made a great impact.

“He was carrying an injury, and he has an abundance of talent.”

Teemore now meet Irvinestown in the Divison Two League final on August 18 which is another goal to be achieved.

Dejected Tempo gladiator Aidan Breen paid tribute to a heroic effort from his depleted team-mates.

“We knew that if we were going to win this game that we needed everyone on fire as we know what Teemore have.

“We lost three of our best players and that was very hard but I am just so proud of our lads for the way they coped with those losses.

“I am just gutted. We were 1-02 down and lost Lorcan McStravick and Tiarnan Bogue and then Ryan Breen in the second half.

“It was all set for us to lie down but we didn’t and kept fighting to the bitter end and we were also against the wind in the second half.

“But we just came up a bit short and never gave in and we have lost only three league games in three years and we are still in Division Two but we will go again in the Intermediate Championship.”