Derrygonnelly Harps 0-15 Devenish 0-8
Derrygonnelly Harps had far too much power and panache as they easily disposed of Devenish to win their third Fermanagh title on the trot.
The hot favourites were rarely troubled by the underdogs apart from the first quarter when Devenish marksman Terry O’Flanagan put them into an early 0-2 to 0-0 lead by the eighth minute.
It took the Harps a while to settle, but they always looked very dangerous on the attack against a vulnerable looking Devenish full-back line.
Lively wing-forward Leigh Jones got the champions off the mark with a well struck effort in the seventh minute and corner-forward Gary McKenna levelled matters from a free.
Play was scrappy with plenty of frees as Devenish edged clear again through the inevitable O’Flanagan in the 14th minute.
It was score for score as Paul Ward levelled matters at 0-4 each in the 15th minute.
The Harps owned the second quarter and created two clear goal chances that were saved by Thomas Treacy and Martin Doherty (brilliantly) in the 17th and 20th minutes.
Meanwhile late starter Conal Jones was causing the Garrison men all sorts of problems in defence as the scores flowed from Jones', McKenna and Ward as the led by 0-8 to 0-4 by the 27th minute.
Devenish corner-forward Chris O’Brien then scored the point of the half when he danced through the centre of the Derrygonnelly Harps defence to hoist over a great point-and Devenish’s first score from play.
And 42-year-old Harps veteran Kevin Cassidy ended the half with a fine score to put the Harps ahead by 0-9 to 0-5 at the interval.
Devenish took off full-back Shane McAloon and switched Anthony McGuinness back to the edge of the square, but it did not significantly improve their efforts.
Ryan Jones lifts the New York Cup for a third consecutive year!! #CHAMPIONS #3INAROW 💜💛🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/jHGYti0rWU
— Derrygonnelly Harps (@DgonnellyHarps) October 1, 2017
The Harps continued to be the better team with Conal Jones continuing to have a significant impact on proceedings.
Devenish brought county star Barry Mulrone out to midfield but he was not able to curb the dominance of the towering Jones clan in and around the middle of the field.
The winners lost substitute Denis Greene to a late red card, but the match was well sealed by that stage.
Derrygonnelly Harps: Jack Kelly, Kevin Cassidy (0-1), Tiernan Daly, Michael Jones: Neil Gallagher, Eamon McHugh (0-1), Garvan McGinley; Ryan Jones (0-1) Garvan Jones (0-1); Leigh Jones (0-2), Paul Ward (0-21f), Declan Cassidy (0-2); Gary McKenna (0-3f) Conal Jones (0-2), Shane McGullion.
Subs: Denis Greene for Eamon McHugh (b-card 33), Lee Jones for Neil Gallagher (45) Stephen McGullion for Gary McKenna (54) Aidan Gallagher for Kevin Cassidy (57) Aaron Burke for Leigh Jones (60)
Devenish: Thomas Treacy, Conor McGowan, Shane McAloon, Vincent O’Brien; Ruairi Doherty, Anthony McGuinness, Martin Doherty; Marty O’Brien, Jason Love; John McNulty, Terry O’Flanagan (0-6f), Declan Rasdale; Gavin Gallagher, Barry Mulrone, Christopher O’Brien (0-2).
Subs: J J O’Brien for Shane McAloon, Ruairi Maguire for John McNulty (h-time) John O’Flanagan for Gavin Gallagher (40) Ciaran Mulrone for Ruairi Doherty (60) Stephen Jones for Declan Cassidy (62)
Referee: Gerard McLaughlin (Ederney)
