Irate Erne Gaels manager Declan Bonner hit out at the decision to give him a red card as tempers frayed towards the end of Sunday’s gripping thriller that ended in a draw on a score of Belleek 0-08 Enniskillen Gaels 0-08.

Referee Nigel Sweeney flashed a red card at the Donegal native after consulting with a linesman.

But Bonner strongly disputed the decision in a post-match interview and described the decision to send him off as “total nonsense."

“I have had this with officials here all year and I was shouting at one of our players for kicking the ball away and told him that we can’t afford to be doing that," he said.

“All of a sudden, I was sent off as it was thought I was shouting at the linesman and I did not even see the linesman and I am experiencing this a lot in Fermanagh.

“I am dealing with this long enough, but I thought it was a real championship match with real intensity.

Bonner added: “We came in here today as underdogs, but I think we proved today that we were a match for Enniskillen and there is no doubt about that.

“But as I said to the lads, we had opportunities, and we will get ready for the replay next Saturday and that is the next challenge.”

But there was also quite an amount, of excellent scores from play in a most entertaining affair.

“We were probing and creating chances, and we had a goal chance that we did not take in the first half but both teams had their chances," he added.

“We will take encouragement from today and there is great belief in this squad, and we really earned that other chance and we will be ready to go again.

“We will go again, this club has been waiting 43 years to get over the line in county finals and there is great resolve.”

When suggested that Belleek finished the stronger side, Bonner paid tribute to their work rate and fitness.

“These lads have been working really hard since we took over in January and we are not perfect by any means, but a lot of men stood up there and it was a real championship match and both teams went at it as best as they could, and a draw was probably a fair result.”

When asked about the late free that was dropped short, Bonner said he was not indulging in a blame game.

“It is not about blaming anyone, we are a team and it is all about refocusing for next week.

“I am telling the lads to embrace the challenge.”

But Bonner praise his charges for the manner in which they came back after Enniskillen hit them with three points on the spin on the restart to go into a 0-07 to 0-05 lead.

But Ultan Kelm spurred a comeback, and they led by 0-08 to 0-07 eight minutes from time.

“Yes, we showed good spirit and we are looking forward to the challenge next Saturday night.”

Enniskillen Gaels manager Simon Bradley believes his side have some improving to do after the favourites were held to a draw in miserable conditions.

Bradley added that “greasy conditions always lead to this type of a game.

“I thought referee Nigel Sweeney did a very good job in difficult conditions and there were understandably a few contentious decisions given those conditions.

“And fair play to him as he got most of them rights.”

But the Enniskillen boss admitted that they were disappointed with their display and referencing their last gasp chance of victory, he said: “Callum Jones has been known to convert those chances in the past.

“And equally Shane Rooney had a free and Seamie Ryder had a chance so who is more disappointed, I don’t know.

“Neither team will worry about it as we have it all to do again next week.”

So, will Enniskillen fancy their chances after this initial jolt?

“It is another game, and we will have to play a lot better than we did.

“I don’t think we got away with anything today as a draw was a fair result.

Bradley added: “Johnny Cassidy and Ultan Kelm had a good tight tussle and I suppose the conditions did not suit both lads but the conditions were poor.

“But we had a good start to the second half, but they came back strongly at us and a draw was a fair result.”