Fermanagh dump out Roscommon after superb late show
Sunday 12 July 2015 19:47, UK
Sean Quigley added 1-3 to his tally as the championship’s top scorer helped Fermanagh overcome Roscommon in a stirring comeback at Brewster Park.
The hosts now advance to the final 12 in this year’s All-Ireland SFC but they did it the hard way and kicked six points without reply in the final five minutes to seal an unlikely 1-14 to 0-16 win.
John Evans' men were shocked by Sligo in the Connacht semi-final and looked to have been back on form after their win over Cavan last week but couldn’t keep in front despite leading 0-16 to 1-8 with time running out.
Quigley was unusually inaccurate with the boot in the first-half, where he shot six wides, but his second-half penalty was the catalyst while Tomas Corrigan kicked five points in the first ever championship meeting between these sides.
Roscommon held a 0-9 to 0-4 lead at half-time and Donie Shine was their main contributor, scoring four points, three from placed balls.
Having lost Conor Daly due to a dead leg and Diarmuid Murtagh to a hamstring injury in the build up to the game, Roscommon's injury woes continued, but they got off to a great start as Ultan Harney and Cathal Cregg pointed in the first two minutes.
Both sides elected to get men behind the ball in defensive positions, but too often they struggled to transition from defence to attack as the small numbers up front meant the ball had to be moved through the hands rather than by the boot.
Fermanagh corner-back Niall Cassidy kicked their first point of the game in the eighth minute, but Quigley who shot 14 points last week, had a tough time of things today and only landed one free.
Cregg was the key man up front for Roscommon again and his point in the 15th minute made it 0-3 to 0-1, before Shine tagged on a free two minutes later for Roscommon.
Quigley found his range in the 20th minute to cut the Rossies' lead to two points, but the visitors kicked four points in successive – three from Shine including a booming 55-metre point from play to take control.
Pete McGrath’s side deserved a better return though and points form Cassidy again and Tomas Corrigan free before the break left it 0-9 to 0-4 at the interval.
The hosts maintained the ascendency after the break with some inspired substitutions but it was Corrigan that was the pivotal figure for them.
Barry Mulrone opened Fermanagh’s second-half account in the 37th minute but Ciarain Murtagh replied with three converted frees.
Corrigan made it four for the day to keep Fermanagh in it but when Harney kicked his second it was 0-14 to 0-8 in favour of the Rossies.
Nevertheless, in the 56th minute Fermanagh were awarded a controversial penalty and Quigley found the net.
Roscommon showed character with Shine and Harney on target but Corrigan and Quigley combined to seal a memorable win for the Erne siders.
Fermanagh: T Treacy; M Jones, T Daly, N Cassidy (0-2); M O'Brien, R McCluskey, J McMahon; E Donnelly, R O'Callaghan; D McCusker, P McCusker, B Mulrone (0-1); T Corrigan (0-5, 1f, 1 s/l), S Quigley (1-3, 1-0 pen, 1f, 1 ’45), R Jones (0-1).
Subs: Subs: R Corrigan (0-1) for D McCusker (ht), C Cullen for Daly (46), C Jones for P McCusker (52), D Kelly (0-1) for Cassidy (61, black card).
Roscommon: D O'Malley; S McDermott, N Collins, D Murray; N Daly, D Keenan, C Cafferky; D Shine (0-5, 4f), K Higgins (0-1); R Daly, I Kilbride, C Cregg (0-4); U Harney (0-3), E Smith, C Murtagh (0-3, 3f).
Subs: R Stack for Kilbride (ht), N Carty for R Daly (46), D Smith for Murtagh (59), D Smith for Murtagh (59), C Connolly for E Smith (65), B Murtagh for Cafferky (67), M Finneran for Harney (71).
Ref: C Reilly (Meath).
