Rebels crash out to rampant Fermanagh

Fermanagh 0-18 Cork 0-11

Little Fermanagh sent shockwaves through the GAA world with their greatest ever triumph, knocking Cork out of the All-Ireland Football Championship.

A giant-killing win over Cork at Croke Park, not so long ago a graveyard for Erne footballers, propelled Charlie Mulgrew's side into the fourth round of the Qualifiers.

Cork's season lies in ruins, but no team will want to find themselves paired with Fermanagh when the draw for the next round is made this afternoon.

Having suffered two heavy defeats to Ulster neighbours Tyrone at headquarters last season, there were fears that an Erne side that has lost up to nine first choice players in the interim would struggle once again.

But what character they showed in a rousing second half, running confidently at the Munster men and picking off marvellous scores.

This was a display laced with all the style and panache that GAA followers associate with the Kerrys, Tyrones and Armaghs of this world, but an added ingredient, the romance of the underdog, which was the most succulent of all.

Colin Corkery promised much with his opening point in the fourth minute, but failed to escape the clutches of the excellent Barry Owens thereafter.

And it was Fermanagh who looked the more potent attacking force throughout the first half, although they failed to take advantage of the creative efforts of Eamon Maguire and Mark Little.

Stephen Maguire tapped over a couple of 20 metre frees, and when Eamon Maguire clipped over a neat 12th minute effort, the Erne men led for the first time.

Conor McCarthy soon had the sides level to set the tone for a close, tense opening period, during which the sides were never separated by more than a point, and were level on six occasions.

Nicholas Murphy was drifting into the midfield area to add useful ball winning qualities, but when sent through by a wonderful Corkery pass and given the chance to cover himself in glory, Murphy blazed over the bar when he should have had a goal.

Fermanagh also missed a golden goal chance, Colm Bradley slicing wide with just goalkeeper Kevin O'Dwyer to beat. Bradley also failed to spot the unmarked Ciaran O'Reilly to his right.

Charlie Mulgrew's side led by a point at that stage, but two long range frees, one of them from 48 metres, were thumped cleanly between the posts by Corkery.

A disappointing first half ended on a high note, with Martin McGrath curling over a sublime stoppage time point from the shadow of the Hogan Stand to tie it up at 0-6 each

Stephen Maguire had a penalty call turned down in the early moments of the second half, and the game swung in Cork's favour, thanks to the introduction of Brendan Jer O'Sullivan, who kicked two neat points to open up a three points lead.

But Fermanagh had their own inspired substitution. Tom Brewster sprayed the delightful passes which finally unlocked the Rebels' defence, and five points on the spin had the Lakelanders back in front.

James Sherry brought his tally to four, his namesake tagged on two gems from play to add to his four converted frees, and Cork were in freefall.

Corkery did pull back a point, but missed the target with the sort of free he had been tapping over with ease prior to the break.

And as Fermanagh grew in confidence, the Cork defence became more uncertain and vulnerable.

Billy Morgan's side went 16 minutes without a score, before defender Anthony Lymch ended the drought, and their best chance of the spell fell to another defender, Canty, now playing at centre-back, who brought a superb save from Nialll Tinney.

This was Fermanagh as never seen before, fluent, cohesive, almost arrogant as they completed a spectacular shut-out and a historic victory with sweetly taken late points from Bradley and Little.

Cork: K O'Dwyer, S O'Brien, D Kavanagh, G Murphy, E Sexton, S Levis, M Cronin, M O'Sullivan, G Canty, N Murphy, C O'Sullivan, C McCarthy, C Crowley, C Corkery, A Cronin.

Subs: A Lynch for O'Brien, BJ O'Sullivan for Levis, F Murray for C O'Sullivan, K O'Connor for Sexton, M O Crionin for Crowley.

Fermanagh: N Tinney, N Bogue, B Owens, R McCluskey, R Johnston, S McDermott, D O'Reilly, M McGrath (0-2), L McBarron, E Maguire (0-2), S Maguire (0-6, 4f), M Little (0-2), C O'Reilly, J Sherry (0-4), C Bradley (0-1). Subs: T Brewster (0-1) for O'Reilly, P Sherry for McBarron, D Kelly for O'Reilly

Referee: M Deegan Laois.