Football

Roslea pedigree can prevail in rearranged Fermanagh decider

Roslea Shamrocks forward Sean Quigley has hit 1-19 in this championship campaign
Roslea Shamrocks forward Sean Quigley has hit 1-19 in this championship campaign Roslea Shamrocks forward Sean Quigley has hit 1-19 in this championship campaign

Fermanagh Senior Football Championship final: Derrygonnelly v Roslea (tomorrow, Brewster Park, 3.30pm)

THE Fermanagh final, postponed by a week because of the tragic death of Derrygonnelly clubman Damian McGovern in a work accident, goes ahead tomorrow.

Roslea have dominated the Erne scene in recent years but Derrygonnelly have got the better of them in both recent championship meetings.

The Shamrocks have won four of the last five senior titles (2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014) but that run would have been even more spectacular had it not been for Derrygonnelly’s final win in 2009 and their quarter-final victory in 2012.

The Harps failed to build on that win though – Tempo beat them in the semi-final and went on to take the title – and they will need to improve on patchy form if they are to add to their tally of three county crowns tomorrow.

In this campaign they beat Ederney, after a replay, and then saw off Devenish in a west-Fermanagh derby to make the decider.

Meanwhile, Sean Bradley’s Shamrocks had too much for last year’s intermediate champions Derrylin at the quarter-final stage and won 1-11 to 0-5, but they needed a grandstand finish to salvage a draw against Erne Gaels in the semi-final.

With four minutes to go in that game they trailed 1-11 to 0-8 but came back from the dead with 1-3 in the closing stages to force a replay. The Gaels had four men sent off when the sides met again and Roslea cantered into the final.

All the talk during the week is that Seamus Quigley may not be fit for tomorrow’s Brewster Park clash.

Quigley was carried off while playing for soccer outfit Enniskillen Santos in the Fermanagh Western Division One but it is understood that he trained this week and should line out beside his Allstar-nominated brother Sean in attack.

Seamus has hit 2-4 in three championship games this term while Sean has weighed in with 1-19 and looks certain to top the scoring charts this year – he was the leading scorer in 2013 while Seamus took the accolade last year.

Both Quigleys are quality finishers and are also useful around midfield where the Shamrocks field a new pairing these days. In the absence of regular duo Kevin Cosgrove (emigrated to England) and James Sherry (transferred to Dublin’s Castleknock) Niall Cosgrove and Danny Mohan have stepped up with James McMahon lending a hand.

In opposition they’ll face Maurice Cassidy (who has been passed fit to play) and Fermanagh star Ryan Jones who is a proven performer at centrefield in a Derrygonnelly side backboned by four others who featured in the Erne county’s run to the 2015 All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Full-back Tiarnan Daly, corner-back Michael Jones, Eamon McHugh and Ryan Jones’ brother Conall were all part of Pete McGrath’s panel.

Up front Paul Ward is the Harps’ top marksman with 1-10 and the Harps have scores from throughout the team including defence – Garvan McGinley has hit 1-3 with driving runs from the half-back line.

Under the management of former Fermanagh star and club stalwart Martin Greene Derrygonnelly haven’t found consistent form this year, but they have done enough to get result.

Greene is in his first year at the helm after taking over from his brother Paul and if his side can produce the form they showed in their replay win over Ederney and the second half of their semi-final against Devenish they will certainly fancy their chances.

Roslea will too of course (particularly if Seamus Quigley is fit to start) and they have experience all over the field in the likes of centre half-back Peter Sherry and Peter Lynch (half-forward) and Fermanagh defender Niall Cassidy who captains the side. Meanwhile, Shane Lynch has emerged as a talented corner-forward and Ruairi McGuinness has supported the Quigley brothers with 1-3.

All-in-all there’s not a lot to choose between these sides. Roslea have the winning pedigree and though Derrygonnelly have stood up well against them in recent meetings, that means they start as favourites tomorrow.

Paths to the final

Roslea

Semi-final replay: Roslea Shamrocks 2-12 Erne Gaels Belleek 0-8

Semi-final: Roslea Shamrocks 1-11 Erne Gaels Belleek 1-11

Quarter-final: Roslea Shamrocks 1-10 Derrylin O’Connell’s 0-6

Derrygonnelly Harps

Semi-final: Derrygonnelly Harps 1-14 Devenish St Mary’s 0-9

Quarter-final replay: Derrygonnelly Harps 1-14 St Joseph’s Ederney 1-5

Quarter-final: Derrygonnelly Harps 0-12 St Joseph’s Ederney 1-9