Fermanagh senior football team manager Kieran Donnelly. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Tailteann Cup Group Four
Fermanagh 2-19 Longford 0-7
By Deniese O'Flaherty at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park
Fermanagh registered their first win in the Tailteann Cup with a facile win over Longford at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
Played in glorious sunshine, Fermanagh were relentless.
Ryan Lyons registered the opening score of the game inside the first minute. Dylan Farrell levelled for Longford before the Erne County opened up a three point lead with points from Fionan O’Brien, Declan McCusker and Lyons.
Longford had chances, but went for two pointers and kicked four wides in a row. Josh Largo Ellis put five between the sides in the 23rd minute. Fermanagh dictated play and opened up Longford on a number of occasions.
Dessie Reynolds marked his 100th appearance for Longford with a two pointer in the 25th minute; their first score in 24 minutes of play.
O’Brien and Conor Love replied with points for Fermanagh before a point from Dylan Farrell in stoppage time saw the lead cut to five points - 0-9 to 0-4.
Fermanagh were clinical in the opening exchanges of the second half. Garvan Jones kicked over a two pointer to extend the lead to seven in the 37th minute. Luke Flanagan then forced Longford keeper Paddy Collum into making a save.
The lead was 10 points in the 41st minute with Jones (free), Darragh McGurn and Joe McDade all hitting over points.
After 11 minutes without a score and being overrun, Longford got a point in the 47th minute when Jayson Matthews kicked over a fine score and Aaron Farrell followed that up with another point for the Midlanders. Substitute Oran Kenny hit the upright with his effort in the 50th minute.
Fermanagh had been probing and they got a goal in the 55th minute; McGurn passed to Love and he palmed the ball to the net. Minutes later Collum brought off a fine save to deny Lyons.
Substitute Aogan Kelm got on the scoresheet in the 61st minute and minutes later the Longford netminder pulled off a superb save from Lyons.
Josh Largo-Ellis fired over a point in stoppage time before Kelm sealed the win with a goal right at the end.
Scorers for Fermanagh: Conor Love 1-2, Garvan Jones 0-4 (1tp, 1f), Aogan Kelm 1-1, Fionan O’Brien, Ryan Lyons 0-3 each, Josh Largo-Ellis 0-2, Declan McCusker, Darragh McGurn Joe McDade, Conor McGee 0-1 each.
Scorers for Longford: Dylan Farrell 0-3, Dessie Reynolds 0-2 (1tp), Jayson Matthews, Aaron Farrell 0-1 each
Fermanagh: Sean McNally; Che Cullen, Lee Cullen, Oisin Smyth; Shane McGullion, Declan McCusker, Fionan O’Brien; Joe McDade, Darren McGurn; Conor McGee, Ryan Lyons, Luke Flanagan; Josh Largo-Ellis, Garvan Jones, Conor Love.
Subs: Ronan McCaffrey for McGee (46), Diarmuid Owens for Love (58), Aogan Kelm for McGullion (60), Oisin Murphy for McGurn and Jack Largo-Ellis for McCusker (65),
Longford: Paddy Collum; Patrick Fox, Oisin O’Toole, Bryan Masterson; Iarla O’Sullivan, James Moran, Cian Brady; Dessie Reynolds, Daire Duggan; Jayson Matthews, Matthew Carey, Dylan Farrell; Aaron Farrell, Keelin McGann, Caolan Lynch.
Subs: Oran Kenny for McGann (47), Ryan Moffett for Brady (50), Paddy Moran for Lynch (53), Darragh Finlass for Masterson (60), Jamie Brady-Hynes for A Farrell (65).
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).
