Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG

Football

football

Allianz FL D3: Fermanagh promoted, Derry relegated

Seamus Quigley celebrates at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Seamus Quigley celebrates at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Allianz Football League Division Three

FERMANAGH 1-10 LONGFORD 1-9

SLIGO 3-11 DERRY 2-12

OFFALY 1-20 WESTMEATH 1-14

WEXFORD 0-12 ARMAGH 1-8

By Declan Rooney

Sean Quigley converted the winning free from distance deep into injury time to give **Fermanagh **promotion to Division Two and deny **Longford **with a 1-10 to 1-9 win.

Longford looked certain winners when they led by two points after Robbie Smyth converted a free with time running out, but Quigley kicked the last three points of the game in stoppage time to deny the home side.

Quigley also converted a key second-half penalty for Fermanagh as Rory Gallagher’s side edged a tight tussle at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Before this game both teams were tied on nine points each in the standings and at half-time there was little to separate them with Longford 0-7 to 0-6 in the ascendency. Two points each for Aidan Breen and Quigley had Fermanagh in front midway through the first-half, but four in a row from Longford including two from Robbie Smyth saw them one point up at the break.

Fermanagh took a big step towards promotion when Quigley slotted the penalty moments after the restart, but Longford reclaimed the lead in the 44th minute when Smyth fisted to the net after good work from Rian Brady in the build up.

But Quigley carried Fermanagh to the win with his three late points, which shattered Longford’s promotion hopes.

Ahead of this final round Wexford had already been relegated, and joining them in Division Four next season will be **Derry **after the Ulster men fell to to a 3-11 to 2-12 defeat to Sligo.

Derry were 1-4 to 0-5 ahead at the interval in Markievicz Park thanks to Conor McAtamney’s goal, but Liam Gaughan’s effort early in the second-half resurrected Sligo’s hopes of survival, while Aidan Devaney and Niall Murphy also pointed to put Sligo three ahead.

The game swung back in Derry’s favour though when Shane McGuigan hit the net 14 minutes from time, but another two goals from the home side through Kevin McDonnell and Patrick O’Connor gave Sligo a 3-9 to 2-11 lead, while Adrian Marren and Sean Carabine points wrapped up the win.

Needing a victory to stay in Division Three **Offaly **knew they needed a big performance against **Westmeath **in Mullingar and despite a goal before the break from Luke Loughlin, Offaly were 1-8 to 1-6 ahead as Peter Cunningham also found the net.

Westmeath’s slim hopes of promotion nosedived when Cillian Daly was sent off a minute after the restart, while points from Cian Donoghue and Nigel Dunne saw Offaly open out a six-point lead midway through the half.

Loughlin and John Connellan pointed for Westmeath to trim the Offaly lead, but after Boidu Sayeh was sent off for a second yellow card ten minutes from time Offaly kicked on to a 1-20 to 1-14 win.

Despite losing by 0-12 to 1-8 away to **Wexford **in the early throw in, **Armagh **were already guaranteed their place in the Division Three final, and Kieran McGeeney’s side will meet Fermanagh in next weekend’s decider now.

Amazingly Armagh did not score at all until the 42nd minute of this game when Aidan Forker split the posts, which meant Wexford’s lead was 0-11 to 0-1. Wexford were utterly dominant at that stage and they led 0-9 it no score at the interval.

Paul Curtis and Donal Shanley were to the fore for Wexford before the break, while Daithi Watters and James Stafford also scored for the home side as their utter dominance was reflected in three early substitutions from McGeeney.

After Forker’s opener Oisín Mac Íomhair and Andrew Murnin added to the tally, but despite a goal from Murnin and a rally from the Orchard County, Wexford held on for a first win of the competition.