fonaCAB Ulster Minor Tournament 2017 at St Pauls GAC
Matthew McAleer fires the ball to the Ramor Utd goal during his team’s win in Saturday’s quarter final win at Woodlands. Pic by John McIlwaine
Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) 3-12 Ramor United (Cavan) 2-4 at Woodlands
A superb team display saw Enniskillen Gaels book a place in the last four of this year’s Ulster Minor Football Tournament at St Paul’s as they convincingly overcame the challenge of Cavan champions Ramor United at Woodlands.
The Fermanagh boys were in top form throughout and after dominating the opening half they led by six points at the break on a scoreline of 1-7 to 1-1, the goal a brilliant strike from right-half forward Matthew McAleer. Up until McAleer’s goal Ramor were very much in the game after falling behind early on they hit the front when their brilliant centre forward Sean Keoghan fired in his team’s opening goal at the end of the first quarters. However Enniskillen’s fast flowing game was causing the Ramor defence lots of problems and they were soon on terms when Johnny Cassidy fired over in the eighteenth minute. Soon afterwards Ronan Quinn edged them ahead with a well taken point and when quick scores from Conor Love and Matthew McAleer had the gap out to three when McAleer struck a superb goal in the 22nd minute to put his team in firm control.
Six point in arrears at the break the Cavan champions got themselves back into contention ten minutes after the restart when the brilliant Keogan cut through for his second goal of the game. Had they been able to maintain the pressure at this stage Ramor may well have got themselves back into the game but Enniskillen were able to respond through points from Love and McAleer to push their lead out to six points. Ramor came back with points from Sean Keogan and Liam Maguire to reduce the deficit to four yet again as the game entered the last ten minutes but when the Gaels got through for their second goal from Conor Love there was only one outcome. Any lingering hopes the Ramor boys had of staging a late comeback were soon dashed as the Fermanagh champions grabbed their third goal when Beattie lobbed the Ramor goalkeeper Cian O’Kelly for a sweet finish to seal his team’s semi-final place.
ENNISKILLEN GAELS: C Newman; O Agnew, P Cassidy, J O’Hare; G Greene, J Cassidy (0-1), R Quinn (0-1); E Beacom (0-1), B Horan (0-1); M McAleer (1-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 45), J Rehill (0-1), C Love (1-2, 0-1 free); R Beattie (1-1), M Dixon (0-2), F Quinn. Subs: R Swift for O AGnew (54), J Horan for J Rehill (57), E Butler for P Cassidy (58), L Hamill for C Love (60).
RAMOR UNITED: C O’Kelly; A O’Reilly, K Brady, A Farrelly; L Lynch, B Smith, S Kavanagh; B Quilty, L Maguire (0-1); S McEvoy, S Keogan (2-3, 0-1 free), R Kellet; R Patterson, G Mannion, N McWeeney. Subs: A Mannion for N McWeeney (HT), A Mockas for A O’Reilly (40), D Grant for S McEvoy (51).
REFEREE: Charlie Hemsworth (Antrim)
Pics by John McIlwaine