Fermanagh made it two wins out of two in the Division Three with another excellent effort at Brewster Park on Saturday night.
The six point win was no more than Fermanagh deserved and having led by eight points early in the second half, the game looked to be right in the melting pot when Roscommon plundered a quick goal and two point and looked to be in the ascendancy.
However, the home team reasserted and six unanswered points at this crucial allowed Fermanagh to win easily with only a late Roscommon goal with the last kick of the game stopping a double score win.
Goals in each half from Daryl Keenan and Paul Ward formed the basis of this win but equally important was the superb free taking of Sean Quigley who landed five frees and a sideline ball from all angles while Shane McCabe superbly pulled the strings from centre forward.
However, the overall team performance was excellent with the work rate, tackling and breaking at pace superb.
Fermanagh have made a great start to the league and Peter Canavan will be looking to build further in the two week break before the trip to Casement Park to take on Antrim.
After a quiet opening, Fermanagh had the better of the first half and moved the ball pretty wall.
It took nine minutes for the opening point when Sean Quigley gave an indication of things to come with a superb free from wide on the left after a foul on Paul Ward.
Roscommon did level the game when Fermanagh, not for the first time, were punished for back chat and the ball was brought into range for Donie Smith to convert and leave it 0-01 to 0-01 after 13 minutes.
The crucial score of the half came soon after when a free flowing Fermanagh move ended with Daryl Keenan rounding Geoffrey Claffey to slot the ball to the net for a goal. Indeed, Keenan was involved at the start of the move taking the ball from Tommy McElroy and passing to Ward who laid it off to McCabe whose sublime popped pass over the top found Keenan who had continued his run and he easily rifled home to make 1-01 to 0-01.
Quigley then converted a superb strike from a 48 metre free and while Fermanagh also kicked a few wides and hit the upright twice, Eoin Donnelly burst through to tap over and and after 25 minutes, Fermanagh deservedly led 1-03 to 0-01.
Both teams were employing sweepers from midfield James Sherry lying deep for the home team and Michael Finneran doing likewise for Roscommon but the game did open up in the final ten minutes of the half.
More direct play produced a point for Fintan Cregg but Quigley again converted from beyond the 45 metre line to make it 1-04 to 0-02.
Colin Compton and Quigley exchanged points before the break as Fermanagh took a healthy 1-05 to 0-03 lead into the interval.
Fermanagh made the perfect start to the second half when a direct ball to Quigley fell to Ward who cleverly slotted the ball low into the net to make it 2-05 to 0-03.
However, Roscommon hit back with a goal and two points to wrestle the initiative.
Donie Smith slotted home soccer style after the ball came back off the post and two points from Cathal Cregg made it 2-05 to 1-05.
The game was right in the balance but Fermanagh were not prepared to undo all their good work.
Three points in two minutes all from play put the home team back in the driving seat.
Keenan, Quigley and McCabe all finished off excellent moves and Fermanagh led 2-08 to 1-05 with 22 minutes remaining.
A Quigley free, a point from play from the industrious Declan McCusker and another from Tommy McElroy made the points safe entering the final ten minutes.
Ryan Jones got his marching orders for a second yellow card before a Smith free was cancelled out by an imperious sideline ball from Quigley, his seventh point of the game and then Michael Finneran hit a goal with the last kick of the game.
This made the final score 2-12 to 2-06, four points in the bag and heartening start from Fermanagh to what is a highly competitive Division Three.
Fermanagh
C. Snow; D. Kelly, S. Lyons, J. Woods; M. O’Brien, B. Cox, D. McCusker (0-01); J. Sherry, R. Jones; T. McElroy (0-01), S. McCabe (0-01), E. Donnelly (0-01); P. Ward (1-00), D. Keenan (1-01), S. Quigley (0-07 5f, 1 sideline).
Marty McGrath for Sherry, Tomas Corrigan for Ward, Anthony McGuinness for O’Brien, Kane Connor for Keenan, Barry Owens for Cox
Roscommon
G. Claffey; S. McDermott, N. Carty, C. Daly; P. Brogan, N. Daly, N. Collins; M. Finneran (1-00), K. Higgins; D. Keenan, F. Cregg (0-01), D. O’Gara; D. Smith (1-02, 2f), C. Compton (0-01), C. Cregg (0-02).
Subs: Donal Keane for O’Gara, Conor Devaney for C Cregg, Scott Oates for Keenan, Cathal Dinneen for Compton, James McCabe for F. Cregg.
By admin Sun 10th Feb
