Mannok Fermanagh SFC final: Derrygonnelly v Belleek (Sunday, Brewster Park, 3.30pm)
THE usual suspects go it again in the Erne County decider. The Gaels are chasing their fifth senior title and a first-ever three in-a-row after completing a first-ever two in-a-row last season.
Meanwhile, the Harps, who won seven titles (including a five in-a-row) between 2015 and 2023, will be determined to regain the New York Cup in what is a repeat of last season’s dramatic finale.
A year ago these teams fought out a draw in their first meeting. Derrygonnelly played almost 50 minutes of that game a man down after Rian McGovern was sent off but they looked to be on the way to victory when they led by five with five minutes to play.
However, Paul Ward’s goal set up a grandstand finish and a pair of injury-time frees meant the final went to a replay.
Snatching a draw would have felt like claiming a victory for the Gaels and they made the most of their reprieve. The Kelm brothers Oisin and Ultan hit 1-6 between them and the Belleek side won the second meeting by three points.
That drama was noticeably absent when the rivals met in the group stage four weeks’ ago. Both clubs had won their first two games meaning they were guaranteed progression to the knockout stages.
So the meeting was something of a phoney war and Erne Gaels ran riot on the day with a salvo of two-pointers sending them into a commanding 1-12 to 0-2 lead at the interval. Derrygonnelly improved in the second half of a niggly affair but the defending champions’ lead was never in real danger and they ran out 10-point winners.
The defeat meant Derrygonnelly went to the quarter-final and they needed to come from five points behind to overhaul Enniskillen Gaels and secure a last four duel with Belnaleck. Again they were pushed all the way by the stubborn Art McMurrough’s who rallied from five down with a couple of minutes left before time ran out on them.
Meanwhile, their commanding victory in the group stage meant Erne Gaels, under the management of Armagh U20 boss Barry O’Hagan after two successful seasons with Declan Bonner, progressed straight to the semi-final stage and crossed swords with a determined Ederney outfit marshalled by the evergreen Marty McGrath, an Allstar in 2004.
Two goals in two minutes from Shay Deazley and Paul McCusker turned the game on its head, and perhaps raised questions about the Gaels’ defence, but they regained the initiative and ran out six-point winners.
A look at the form lines of both finalists would lead observers to agree with the pundits who see the defending champions as clear favourites on Sunday. They have kicked on from last year’s win and the pace and quality of the Kelm brothers - Ultan, Oisin and Aogan – gives them punching power few clubs can match.
But Sean Flanagan’s Harps, Ulster finalists in 2021, have pedigree, experience and quality in their ranks and Erne manager O’Hagan sees nothing between the finalists.
“Our lads know that despite what the bookmakers say or whatever, we know this is a 50-50 game,” he said.
“We know that despite having beat them in the group stages, that was shadow boxing, this is proper championship football.”
