In the aftermath of the heartstopping finale to the corresponding match last year, Crossmaglen Rangers manager Joe Kernan was almost whimsical. "At this time of the year, a point is often good enough," he said in explanation of his team's narrowest of victories over Bellaghy.

This time of the year or any time of the year: yesterday's AIB Ulster club football final was only the latest entry in a catalogue of big matches which the Armagh and reigning All-Ireland champions have won by a single point.

Things haven't changed as a courageous and slightly unfortunate Enniskillen found out yesterday in Clones. After a gripping match had virtually ebbed away with the sides level, Crossmaglen painstakingly assembled a move down the left and up popped John McEntee to send over an acutely angled point to scoop the pot.

The winners now take a break before facing into the All-Ireland series as they zero in on a third national title in four years with - remarkably - only one significant addition to the team which won their first nearly three years ago.

Crossmaglen's tendency to belie their youth with performances of stunning composure has long since ceased to be a big surprise, but yesterday was taut stuff even by their standards. At half-time, they were a point and a man behind.

The sending-off occurred in the 28th minute when Gavin Cumiskey flattened Paul Brewster with a raised elbow right in front of the referee, who entertained no doubts about giving the big full forward the line.

More pressingly, the champions were facing opponents of high quality. Enniskillen pressed relentlessly from centrefield where the Brewster brothers - Tom and Paul - frequently got the run on their markers and supplied a lively forward unit which accounted for all the Fermanagh champions' scores. It's not hard to figure out where the disparity between the teams arose. As well as Crossmaglen's experience and imperviousness to panic there was the question of contrasting accuracy. Enniskillen kicked 13 wides as against only three by the champions (plus a few poorly-dispatched dead-ball kicks which dropped short).

Furthermore, their defence never looked entirely at ease with Crossmaglen's now familiar but unorthodox deployment of the two-man attack.

Corner back Mickey Lilley lived on the edge trying to mark Jim McConville and was frequently exposed by the veteran's guile and mobility. Although he scored only a single point, McConville was indirectly responsible for three others - a significant influence in a tight, low-scoring match.

Enniskillen began well. Two points in the first three minutes were a determined statement of intent. Territorially, they were dominant and chances were created as Crossmaglen's defence struggled to cope with former Louth and Leinster player John Donaldson strangely ill-at-ease on the left flank.

Yet there was constant counterattacking menace from Crossmaglen. Jim McConville's was obvious, but Cathal Short was again excellent getting on to ball and creating panic with his elusive running. He also managed three well-taken points from play.

Between the sixth and 12th minutes, the holders had turned around the early two-point deficit and led by 0-4 to 0-2. Much to Enniskillen's credit, they rolled with the punches and hit back with four unanswered points: neatly-taken kicks from Rory Judge, Pearse Fitzpatrick, Ollie McShea and Ronan McCabe. This sequence combined with Cumiskey's dismissal to leave Crossmaglen facing a serious challenge at the interval despite Oisin McConville's late free which cut the margin to one.

Crosmaglen needed a good start to the second half and got it with a point from Jim McConville. Enniskillen were using wing back Ryan McCloskey as the spare man, but the precision of the winners and their stamina never allowed this to develop into a telling advantage.

It was an enthralling half-hour's football for the official attendance of 8,619 (and indeed for the many others who appeared to be in the ground). There was only a minute when more than a point separated the sides, although Enniskillen were never led until decisively so in injury-time.

It was again to the Fermanagh side's credit that they maintained their composure as the match proceeded on this knife-edge. They must have known as well as anyone that these sort of matches are very comfortable terrain for Crossmaglen. Yet fatally they didn't take their chances.

McCabe nudged them in front for the last time in the 51st minute, but Oisin McConville kicked his fourth free to level the match five minutes later. As we drifted ever deeper into the Crossmaglen time zone, the champions' grip tightened.

Donal Murtagh at full back made three crucial interceptions and up front moves began to come together. The decisive one featured John McEntee, Short and corner back Martin Califfe teasing out the opening wide on the left for McEntee to win the match just as he did the All-Ireland last March.

Joe Kernan was quick to dismiss the talk of decline which had suggested his team would struggle to retain their trophies just as every club team has in this attritional championship (only two successful defences in 30 years).

"They say we're a team on a downward spiral. That's nonsense. There's no fatigue, just a very gutsy bunch of players. John and Tony McEntee, the amount of ground those two boys covered. John got man of the match, but Tony was absolutely brilliant as well. . "We lost possession up front a couple of times and tried to get through the centre, which was the one place we said not to go because that's where they had three or four men, and we lost the ball and then you had to go back to the full back line and start it all over again."

So he was glad he hadn't stepped down as had been his intention after last spring's All-Ireland success?

"It's very hard to leave home."

CROSSMAGLEN: P Hearty; M Califf, D Murtagh, G McShane; J Fitzpatrick (0-1, a free), F Bellew, J Donldson; J McEntee (0-1), A Cunningham capt; C Short (0-3), T McEntee, O McConville (0-4, all frees); J McConville (0-1), G Cumiskey, C O'Neill.

ENNISKILLEN: B Dooris capt; K Gunn, R Curran, M Lilly; N Cox, M Farry, R McCluskey; T Brewster, P Brewster; O McShea (0-2), S Bradley, R Judge (0-1); R McCabe (0-2), P Fitzpatrick (0- 2), C Bradley (0-2).

Referee: M McGrath (Donegal).

Booked: Crossmaglen - Cunningham (26 mins), Donaldson (39), O McConville (53); Enniskillen - McShea (37 mins), Cox (49).

Sent off: Crossmaglen - Cumiskey (29 mins).