Tailteann Cup: Fermanagh reach quarter-finals

Tailteann Cup Group Four

Fermanagh 0-25 Wexford 1-17

By Gareth Cauldwell at Croke Park

Conor Love landed nine points as Fermanagh produced a strong second half to defeat Wexford and secure top spot in Tailteann Cup Group 4.

Love was too hot to handle for the Wexford rearguard in Croke Park, especially in the second half when he contributed 0-7, six of which came from play.

Wexford, who led by six points at one stage in the first half, saw that cut back to two by the interval, and Fermanagh went on to have the better of the exchanges after the break to deservedly clinch the win.

Fermanagh had started the brighter of the sides with points from a Fionan O’Brien free and Joe McDade, but Wexford sprang to life as they hit back with 1-5 on the trot.

Pairic Hughes opened their account with a two-pointer in the 11th minute before Sean Nolan finished soccer style to the net moments later.

Michael Furlong extended the advantage to four before a Mark Rossiter two-pointer made it 1-5 to 0-2 after 18 minutes.

Fermanagh settled back to the task after this, and they rattled off the next four points with further scores from O’Brien and McDade before Love and Garvan Jones tagged on scores to leave two in it.

Wexford answered with a Niall Hughes two-pointer, their third of the half, and a point from Hughes to stretch the gap to five, but Fermanagh pushed hard in the closing stages of the half with Ryan Lyons, Love and Josh Largo Elis knocking over points to leave it 1-8 to 0-9 at half time.

Glen Malone notched the first score of the second half for Wexford, but Fermanagh began to get a grip on proceedings after this, with Darragh McGurn an increasingly influential figure.

McGurn and Love registered two points apiece while Shane McGullion had a shot clip the crossbar on the way over to put the Ernemen two ahead, 0-14 to 1-9.

It was tit for tat over the next period as Jack Higgins and Pairic Hughes slotted over for Wexford and Love and McGurn answered for Fermanagh.

However, when Malone and Nolan tagged on points, it left the sides level at 0-16 to 1-13 with 16 minutes to go.

Kieran Donnelly’s Fermanagh, though, regained the upper hand as Love and Jonathan Cassidy lofted over points before Nolan brought it back to one.

Fermanagh were not to be denied, though, and Love added to his tally before Jones popped over a free and rattled over a two-pointer to put five between the sides.

A Gavin Sheehan two-pointer and a Nolan free kept Wexford in touch, but with Love firing over another two points and Ronan McCaffrey also registering, Fermanagh ran out deserving 0-25 to 1-17 winners.

And with Longford beating Carlow in the other game in the group, it meant that Fermanagh sealed top spot and a place in the quarter-finals, while Wexford will face a home preliminary quarter-final.

Scorers for Fermanagh: Conor Love 0-9 (1f), Garvan Jones 0-4 (1 2p), Darragh McGurn 0-3, Joe McDade 0-2, Fionan O’Brien 0-2 (2f), Ryan Lyons 0-1, Josh Largo Elis 0-1, Jonathan Cassidy 0-1, Ronan McCaffrey 0-1, Shane McGullion 0-1

Scorers for Wexford: Sean Nolan 1-3 (2f), Pairic Hughes 0-4 ( 1 2p), Mark Rossiter 0-2 (2p), Niall Hughes 0-2 (2p), Gavin Sheehan 0-2 (2p), Glen Malone 0-2, Michael Furlong 0-1, Jack Higgins 0-1

Fermanagh: Sean McNally; Luke Flanagan, Lee Cullen, Oisin Smyth; Shane McGullion, Declan McCusker, Fionan O'Brien; Joe McDade, Darragh McGurn; Conor McGee, Ryan Lyons, Ronan McCaffrey; Josh Largo Ellis, Garvan Jones, Conor Love.–

Subs: Jonathan Cassidy for Smyth (ht), Aogan Kelm for McGee (60), Sean Cassidy for Jones (63), Jack Largo Elis for McCusker (64)

Wexford: Darragh Brooks; Michael Furlong, Martin O'Connor, Liam O'Connor; Eoin Porter, Eoghan Nolan, Pairic Hughes; Liam Coleman, Niall Hughes; Gavin Sheehan, Tom Byrne, Mark Rossiter; Kevin O'Grady, Glen Malone, Sean Nolan.

Subs: Jack Higgins for Eoghan Nolan (22), Robbie Brooks for O’Grady (58), Conor Carthy for Malone (63), Ben Brosnan for Nolan (68)