Fermanagh knock Roscommon out of the Football Championship

Fermanagh 1-14 Roscommon 0-16

By Declan Rooney

Sean Quigley and Tomas Corrigan combined to save the day for Fermanagh as they came back from the dead to snatch an unlikely victory over Roscommon at Brewster Park.

For most of the game the Rossies were in charge and they even held a 0-16 to 1-8 lead with just five minutes on the clock but Fermanagh never gave up hope.

Ryan Jones began the comeback with Corrigan, Quigley and Damien Kelly on hand to pull off the incredible.

They now advance to the final 12 of this year’s All-Ireland SFC while John Evan’s men are left to lick their wounds – they won’t play again competitively until the FBD League comes back around.

For Pete McGrath he must have thought the worst when his side played second best for the first-half and trailed 0-9 to 0-4 at the break.

Quigley’s penalty goal would prove crucial in the second-half but in the first 35 minutes he looked more of a liability with ball in hand.

The championship’s top marksman did send over a free but with that he was responsible for six wides.

Ultan Harney gave Roscommon and Cathal Cregg added to it, Niall Cassidy hit back for Fermanagh but the Rossies showed why they were so dangerous then.

It was 0-8 to 0-1 when Donie Shine sent over his third free in the 28th minute and Cassidy eventually stopped the rot.

Cathal Cregg was also a menace, he shot three points in the same period while Tomas Corrigan kicked Fermanagh’s remaining score in the half – Kevin Higgins added Roscommon’s ninth.

They led 0-9 to 0-4 at half-time but Fermanagh switched it up at the break and both Corrigan and Quigley were more in the game after the interval.

Barry Mulrone shot a warning from the northerners, Ciaran Murtagh did hit back and added his second and third frees but he was taken off.

Meanwhile Corrigan kept Fermanagh competitive but when they trailed 0-14 to 0-8 it looked all over.

However Quigley slotted a controversial penalty in the 56th minute – they still trailed by 0-16 to 1-8 with just five minutes left but they somehow pulled out a win.

Scorers

Fermanagh: S Quigley 1-3 (1-0 pen, 1f, 1'45), T Corrigan 0-5 (2f, 1sl), N Cassidy 0-2, B Mulrone 0-1, R Corrigan 0-1, R Jones 0-1, D Kelly 0-1.

Roscommon: D Shine 0-5 (4f), C Cregg 0-4, C Murtagh 0-3 (3f), U Harney 0-3, K Higgins 0-1

Fermanagh: T Treacy; M Jones, T Daly (C Cullen 46), N Cassidy (D Kelly 61 BC); M O'Brien, R McCluskey, J McMahon; E Donnelly, R O'Callaghan; D McCusker (R Corrigan HT), P McCusker (C Jones 52), B Mulrone; T Corrigan, S Quigley, R Jones.

Roscommon: D O'Malley; S McDermott, N Collins, D Murray; N Daly, D Keenan, C Cafferky (B Murtagh 67); D Shine, K Higgins; R Daly (N Carty 46), I Kilbride (R Stack HT), C Cregg; U Harney (M Finneran 71), E Smith (C Connolly 65), C Murtagh (D Smith 59).

Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath)