Fermanagh fight back to claim opening win

Gareth Cauldwell • Published 12 Feb 2012 18:00

Fermanagh 0-11; Clare 0-08

Peter Canavan saw his Fermanagh side come from four points down to pick up the points from their opening Allianz NFL Division Two encounter against Clare at Brewster Park today.

Clare were much the sharper of the sides in the first half as they claimed a 0-05 to 0-02 half time advantage.

And within eight minutes of the second period they had moved into a 0-07 to 0-03 lead with the Fermanagh attack struggling to make any sort of impact on proceedings.

However, the introduction of Shane McCabe at the interval was to have a big bearing on the contest, McCabe pulling the strings from centre half forward where he begin to bring Paul Ward and Seamie Quigley in the full forward line into the game.

The Ernemen turned the game around as they landed eight unanswered scores to turn a four point deficit into a four point advantage and they survived a late scare that saw Clare full forward David Tubridy force Chris Snow in the Fermanagh goals into a save to hold on for the victory.

The away side showed their intent right from the off as Shane McGrath and Alan Clohessy slotted over scores.

Fermanagh were seeing plenty of the ball but the final pass into their inside forwards was far too laboured while Clare looked threatening when they got the ball into their attack.

Tubridy kicked over a free to extend the lead to three before Fermanagh finally got off the mark in the 19th minute with a point half back Barry Mulrone.

Tubridy and David Russell fired over points to push Clare four ahead but Quigley converted a free late in the half to leave it 0-05 to 0-02 at half time.

Canavan wasted no time in ringing the changes at the break with McCabe, Kane Connor and Daniel Kille all coming into the side for Mark Little, Brian Og Maguire and Sean Quigley.

Clare did tag on two Tubridy points, sandwiching a Ward effort for Fermanagh, but it was the home side who were beginning to get on top.

James Sherry was a growing influence on the game at midfield while McCabe's ability to pick out a pass was seeing Fermanagh look a lot more dangerous.

With Quigley showing unerring accuracy from frees and Ward chipping in with scores from play Fermanagh began to eat into the deficit, and with ten to go Quigley tapped over a free to put Fermanagh ahead for the first time.

Quigley, Ward and a rare Shane Lyons points put Fermanagh four ahead before Tubridy clipped over a free for Clare's first score in 25 minutes to leave it 0-11 to 0-08.

The visitors were to have a chance to snatch a draw when Tubridy worked a shooting chance in added on time but Snow was equal to the challenge as Fermanagh claimed the points on offer.

Fermanagh

C. Snow; N. Bogue, B. Owens, J. Woods; C. Quigley, R. McCluskey, B. Mulrone (0-1); E. Donnelly, J. Sherry; S. Lyons (0-1), B. Og Maguire, M. Little; P. Ward (0-3), Seamus Quigley (0-6, 5f, 1 '45), Sean Quigley.

Subs - S. McCabe for Little, K. Connor for Maguire, D. Kille for Sean Quigley, E. Maguire for Connor.

Clare

Joe Hayes; B. Hartnett, S. McNelis, L. Healy; M. McMahon, G. Kelly, John Hayes; G. Brennan, G. Quinlan; N. Browne, S. McGrath (0-1), S. Brennan; R. Donnelly, D. Tubridy (0-5, 4f), A. Clohessy (0-1).

Subs - D. Russell (0-1) for Quinlan, J. Dowling for Clohessy.

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This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 12 Feb 12

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