Errigal Ciaran defeat courageous Enniskillen - report

Errigal Ciaran 0-8 Enniskillen Gaels 1-3

Tyrone champions Errigal Ciaran lifted their second Ulster Club Football Championship title at Clones, where they held out against a courageous Enniskillen side in atrocious conditions.

The 14-man Gaels put up quite a struggle, but lacked firepower up front, and once again, it was Peter Canavan's priceless scores which inspired his side to victory.

Canavan, whose tussle with Michael Lilly was always compelling, steered over an early free, but Tom Brewster had the sides level on seven minutes with a superbly struck free from the sideline.

Enniskillen, with the Brewster brothers gaining an edge in midfield, enjoyed long periods of pressure, but a tight marking defence, in which Emmet McGinley, David Harte and Damien Neill were outstanding, held fast.

Instead it was the Tyrone champions who opened up a moderately comfortable lead, going 0-4 to 0-1 ahead through Rory McCann, with the half's only score from play, and two more Canavan frees.

Another expertly struck free by Brewster narrowed the gap, Errigal ahead by 0-4 to 0-2 at the break.

Enniskillen were reduced to 14 men just three minutes into the second half when Neil Cox was sent off for an off the ball challenge on Pascal Canavan.

But they never gave up, and after McCann and Canavan had stretched Errigal's lead, the Fermanagh men drew level when full forward Rory Judge punched to the net from Niall Keenan's probing delivery.

Errigal needed a brilliant John Devine save to deny Ollie McShea, but they pulled away in the closing stages for man-of-the-match Paul Horisk to shoot the lead point, before Enda McGinley hit the clincher in injury-time.

Errigal Ciaran scorers: Peter Canavan 0-4, Rory McCann 0-2, Enda McGinley, Paul Horisk 0-1 each.

Enniskillen scorers: Rory Judge 1-0, Tom Brewster 0-3.

Errigal Ciaran: John Devine, Barry O'Donnell, Cormac McGinley, Damien Neill, Emmet McGinley, Paul Horisk, David Harte, Pascal Canavan, Peter Loughran, Enda McGinley, Mark Harte, Aidan McGinley, Rory McCann, Peter Canavan, Darragh Tierney. Subs: Seamus Mallon for D Harte, Eoin Gormley for A McGinley.

Enniskillen Gaels: Nigel O'Connor, Mark Millar, Kevin Gunn, Michael Lilly, Neil Cox, Michael Farry, Ryan McCloskey, Paul Brewster, Tom Brewster, Ollie McShea, Niall Keenan, Damien Shannon, Ronan McCabe, Rory Judge, Colm Bradley.

Subs: Pio Fitzpatrick for McShea, Raymond Curran for Shannon.

Referee: Michael Convery (Derry).