Harps secured their senior championship status in Tubbercurry on Saturday evening. Played in a constant drizzle the conditions were very wet and quiet dark. This game was won in the last 10 minutes of the first half when Gaels went to sleep.

Gaels started well with Mark Quinn in commanding form and Alan McLoughlin getting everything kicked in. After 15 minutes McLoughlin had 2 points scored and Quinn another long range effort. Tony Taylor had Harps response. At this point Harps were getting a grip around midfield and Gaels were hit with John Kelly going off injured. Harps scored 5 points without reply before half time with Shane O'Grady, Martin Doherty , Barry Cryan, Tomás Taheny and Thomas Cryan. At halftime they lead 0-7 v 0-3. 

Harps left us all waiting as they took a good half time break but they were back to the pace of the game right away with an O'Grady pointed and Cryan fisting a mishit shot just over the bar. Quinn was trying his best to get his team going and scored his second long range point for gaels first score in 21 minutes. The next 15 minutes was very exciting football with both teams swapping scores and each team beginning to show nerves. Paddy McGowan got 2 good points from play but his opposite number Ross Donovan was conducting Harps going forward and won two frees that O'Grady pointed. 

With 10 to go Gaels got it down to 3 points with two Daragh Elliot points but he should have passed to McLoughlin for the first one when a goal was definitely on. Harps had an excellent chance to goal right after but managed to mangle a 3 on 1 situation and did not even get a shot off as Gaels full back Reid made an excellent interception, not his first in the game. Shane O'Grady scored a point on the run with 7 minutes to go that was the final nail in the coffin for Gaels who return back to intermediate for 2020

Scorers

Harps: Shane O'Grady 0-7 (5f), Martin Doherty, Thomas Cryan 0-2 each, Tony Taylor, Barry Cryan, Tomás Taheny 0-1 each

Gaels: Paddy McGowan, Alan McLoughlin 0-3 each, Mark Quinn 0-2, Darragh Elliot 0-2 each