Late goal sees Fermanagh defeat Down to blow Division two promotion race wide open

Substitute Sean Quigley's last gasp finish earned the Erne men a crucial victory from a dramatic encounter.

MATCH WINNER: Sean Quigley of Fermanagh during the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship recently. PIC CREDIT: Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile

Fermanagh 2-14 Down 3-10

FOUR goals in the last twenty minutes of this rip-roaring encounter had the momentum swinging and shifting in every direction before substitute Sean Quigley punched home a loose ball to the net that secured both points for Fermanagh and blew the race for promotion to Division Two wide open.

With the benefit of a slight breeze in the first half, the Erne men jumped into a 0-10 to 0-4 lead by the break.

Ryan Lyons claimed the full range of points with one from play, a free and a mark. Darragh McGurn however provided the score of the half on twenty minutes when he caught goalkeeper Sean McNally’s long kickout, earned a mark and wasted little time before thumping over the bar from around 45 metres.

That sparked four consecutive points where Fermanagh stretched the scoreboard away from Down, all from the dead ball.

Altogether in the first-half the hosts had a huge appetite, forcing 13 turnovers to Down’s four, and Down manager Conor Laverty made two subs in that period, replacing Owen McCabe on 15 minutes and later withdrawing Niall Donnelly before the half hour mark.

Fermanagh left the Down side stewing on the pitch for a time before they joined them on the Ederney pitch for the second-half.

They took it out on the hosts when Odhran Murdock converted a penalty just five minutes into the half. They then drew level after a brilliantly worked goal with Pierce Laverty palming the ball to the net.

After going ahead for the first time in the 55th minute with an Andrew Gilmore free it appeared it was all Down. But Fermanagh’s Ultan Kelm picked out Conor McGee in front of goal for a smart finish to regain the lead.

Back came Down with a goal of their own with one minute of normal time left, Conor Francis finishing off a Conor McCrockard shot that came down off the crossbar. A Shay Millar point a minute into time added on had Down two up.

But then came that man Quigley with the fifth goal of the game to take it by a single point.

Scorers for Fermanagh: S Quigley, C McGee (1-0 each), D McGurn (0-3, 1m), R Lyons (0-3, 1f, 1m), U Kelm (0-2), R McCaffrey, S McGullion, R Jones, C McShea, A Breen (0-1 each).

Scorers for Down: P Laverty, C Francis (1-0 each), O Murdoch (1-0 Pen), P Havern (0-4, 3f), N Kane (0-1, ‘45’), R McEvoy (0-1f), L Kedrr (0-1f), A Gilmore (0-1f), S Annett, S Millar (0-1 each).  FERMANAGH: S McNally; L Flanagan, L Cullen, C McManus; R McCaffrey, J Cassidy, S McGullion; R Jones, B Horan; J Largo Ellis, R Lyons, U Kelm; C McShea, D McGurn, A Breen.

Subs: C McGee for Breen (46m), C Corrigan for McShea (58m), S Quigley for Horan (62m), G Jones for Lyons (62m), F O’Brien for McGullion (68m).

DOWN: N Kane; R Magill, R McEvoy, P Laverty; C Francis, N McParland, S Annett; N Donnelly, O Murdock; R McCormack, O McCabe, L Kerr; C Doherty, P Havern, C Poland.

Subs: S Millar for McCabe (15m), A Morgan for Donnelly (27m), C McCrickard for McParland, A Gilmore for Poland (both HT), P Branagan for Annett (56m), M Rooney for McCormack (60m).

Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan)