Galway 0-15 Fermanagh 0-15
Declan McCusker was the hero for Fermanagh as his injury-time point earned his side a well-deserved 0-15 to 0-15 draw against Galway in their Allianz Football League Division 2 clash at Tuam Stadium.
Galway led 0-07 to 0-06 at the break and when Niall Cassidy was shown a red card in the 41st minute, it looked like the hosts would kick on to victory.
Galway had a two-point advantage in injury-time thanks to Patrick Sweeney’s point but a free from Tomás Corrigan and McCusker’s point ensured the spoils were shared in an entertaining game.
Corrigan opened the scoring for Fermanagh with a second-minute free but Damien Comer responded instantly with a point from play.
Galway could have had a goal in the eighth minute but Adrian Varley’s driven shot went over the bar. Two more scores from the home side saw them lead 0-4 to 0-1 after 14 minutes.
Sean Quigley drove the ball between the uprights from outside the ’45’ to register Fermanagh’s second point before an excellent score from Ryan Lyons after twenty minutes got a big cheer from the large travelling support.
Shane Walsh responded with a well-taken point from the right wing before a 25th-minute Gary Sice free re-established the home side’s three-point advantage.
Quigley kicked his second point from a long-range free and Corrigan scored from play after 31 minutes following great defensive work from Pete McGrath’s men.
Walsh scored his second point in the 32nd minute, this time off his left side after good build up by the home forwards.
Ryan Jones’ wind-assisted kick two minutes before half time sneaked in off the post to leave just a point between the teams at the interval.
Galway kicked two points in the first minute and a half of the second half with Comer and Sice raising white flags.
Wing-back Johnny Heaney was taken out by Cassidy and the corner-back was given his marching orders by referee Jerome Henry. Eddie Hoare scored from the resulting free to put Galway three in front.
The visitors responded with Corrigan scoring from play before a Quigley free bounced over the crossbar to leave the Ulster side trailing by a point with 25 minutes to play.
Galway introduced Patrick Sweeney and Eamon Brannigan in the second half and they both scored impressive points either side of a Comer score. With ten minutes to go, Brannigan’s point gave Galway the narrowest of leads.
The wind made things difficult for both teams and with Fermanagh looking to fight back, Corrigan was wayward with two frees in the space of three minutes.
Sweeney looked to have sealed Galway’s first home win of the league campaign but Corrigan was accurate with his late free before McCusker’s excellent score meant the Ulster side went home with a point.
Galway: M Breathnach; C Sweeney, D Kyne, D Wynne; L Silke, G O’Donnell, J Heaney; F Ó Curraoin, P Conroy; G Sice (0-03, 0-02 frees), S Walsh (0-02), T Flynn; D Comer (0-04, 0-01 free), A Varley (0-01), E Hoare (0-01, free).
Subs: D Cummins (0-01) for Walsh (h-t), P Sweeney (0-02) for Varley (46 mins), E Brannigan (0-01) for Hoare (55 mins), G Bradhsaw for Heaney (59 mins), S Denvir for Ó Curraion (59 mins).
Fermanagh: C Snow; N Cassidy, C Cullen, M Jones; A Breen, R McCluskey, J McMahon; E Donnelly, D Kelly; B Mulrone, R Lyons (0-02), R Jones (0-02); T Corrigan (0-07, 0-05 frees), S Quigley (0-03, 0-02 frees), R Corrigan.
Subs: M O’Brien for Breen (34 mins, BC), C Flaherty for M Jones (h-t), D McCusker (0-01) for McMahon (49 mins), P McClusker for R Corrigan (49 mins), C Jones for Lyons (65 mins), K Connor for Donnelly (70 mins, BC).
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)
