Derrygonnelly 1-12 Devenish 2-09

Devenish left it late but, after trailing by four points going into injury time, a goal from Stephen O’Brien and a point from Fionan O’Brien grabbed a dramatic draw with Senior Championship holders Derrygonnelly on their own turf.

Devenish trailed by six points at one stage in the second half and it took 18 minutes for them to register their first score in the half, however, that didn’t dampen their belief as they finished strong to pick up a huge point on the road.

Derrygonnelly who are still without Ryan, Conall and Garvan Jones began on top with Gary McKenna converting an early free. Terry O’Flanagan would respond quickly at the other end as he put over a mark.

Brothers Aidan and Gary McKenna would then put the Harps into a two-point lead and although Devenish looked threatening with pace on the counter, their eagerness to get forward would be to their detriment as Stephen McGullion dispossessed Malachy O’Flanagan in the middle of the park and he sent a ball into Shane McGullion who turned quickly and bore down on goal before finishing to the bottom left corner of the net, 1-03 to 0-01.

The Garrison side hit the next three scores to bring themselves back into the contest as Fionan O’Brien sent over two well-struck frees alongside a point from JJ O’Brien.

Gary McKenna tagged on another Harps free and Aaron Jones' shot was deemed to have gone between the posts.

Devenish hit the final two scores of the first-half, through a Fionan O’Brien free and a kick from Cian O’Brien, to leave the halftime score at 1-05 to 0-06.

Derrygonnelly built up a six-point lead just before the midway stage of the second half, Stephen and Shane McGullion’s points were followed by accurate efforts from Gary McKenna and Rory-Joe Duffy.

Devenish eventually got going through a left-footed kick from key man Fionan O’Brien and when it seemed the home side may be heading towards another routine win at Canon Maguire Park, Jamie Flanagan caused concern with just under 10 minutes to go as he rounded Jack Kelly and stuck the ball in the net, 1-09 to 1-07.

Derrygonnelly responded well to the goal, Fionan O’Brien scored a free in between three Harps points from Niall Maguire, Gary McKenna and Shane McGullion to put them four ahead heading into added time.

A high, hopeful ball, from O’Brien, was sent in towards the square, in the second minute of the added time, and it was fisted across goal by corner-back Christopher McGowan for Stephen O’Brien to follow in and palm into the net to send hearts racing, 1-12 to 2-08.

Devenish came forward for one more attack with seconds to go and their big chance came to the man they wanted in Fionan O’Brien, as he sent a shot high into the sky and it dropped just over the bar to the roar of the Garrison dugout to share an opening day point between the sides.