Devenish 0-09 Erne Gaels 0-12

County championship hopefuls Erne Gaels safely got over a potential banana skin by outpointing gritty neighbours Devenish before a big crowd at a blustery Garrison. 

Their reward is a final tie with Derrygonnelly Harps to determine who gets through to the county semi-finals in a weekend when the Harps easily defeated Ederney by 3-12 to 0-08.

On balance the Belleek side deserved their win but were never quite able to shake off a characteristically spirited Devenish challenge.

The Gaels laid the foundations for victory as they led by 0-05 to 0-04 playing into a fairly stiffish breeze.

They settled swiftly and had five points on the board in the opening quarter to a solitary point from the hosts who had a somewhat sluggish start.

Veteran Brian Mullin opened the scoring for the visitors with a well struck effort into the breeze after a good move.

The influential Fionan O’Brien levelled for Devenish but Erne Gaels were moving the ball at pace and added another point from the lively Shane Rooney on four minutes.

Mullin repeated the dose in the eighth minute and Barry McCann converted a '45 to put the Gaels into a 0-04 to 0-01 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Two minutes later Aogan Kelm split the posts but that was to be their last score of the half as Devenish launched a comeback in the second quarter.

Fionan O’Brien led the Devenish comeback and he and Terry O’Flanagan notched some fine points but the Blues missed a few scorable points as well which they needed as Erne Gaels led by the minimum 0-05 to 0-04 at half time.

Fermanagh star Ultan Kelm was making an impression on proceedings and he clipped over the first point of the second-half.

This was quickly added to by the in-form Rooney as Belleek eased into a 0-07 to 0-04 lead before Devenish responded from a monster free from keeper Thomas Treacy to leave just two points between the sides.

And while Devenish put everything into staying with their local rivals the Belleek men were able to hold on to their albeit slim lead.

The Kelm brothers Ultan and Aogan hit further points with the ultra-accurate Rooney hitting points on double.

Points from an O’Brien free and Jamie Flanagan left Erne Gaels leading by 0-09 to 0-07 midway through the half.

O’Brien finished the scoring for Devenish in injury time as the trailed by 0-11 to 0-09.

But the pacey Aogan Kelm had the last say with a point to seal victory.

This was a deserved victory for the Belleek side who were up to the pace of the game much quicker than wind-assisted Devenish in the opening half. Devenish did not really get over their indifferent start even though they battled well into the breeze in the second-half.