Fermanagh 2-8 Derry 3-17: Ulster holders earn dominant Enniskillen win

Holders Derry set up an Ulster SFC semi-final with Tyrone or Monaghan on 29 April by earning a dominant 3-17 to 2-8 win over Fermanagh at Enniskillen.

Shane McGuigan's 12th-minute goal put Derry 1-5 to 0-2 ahead and Paul Cassidy's major helped extend their lead to 2-9 to 0-5 by half-time.

Fermanagh produced brave resistance as full-back Che Cullen blasted two goals either side of a McGuigan penalty.

That cut Derry's lead to 3-10 to 2-6 but they then closed the game out.

After his side's complete first-half domination, Derry boss Rory Gallagher will not have been happy with his side's subsequent efforts as their failure to deal with a couple of long balls was punished by Cullen hammering past Odhran Lynch on both occasions.

But Derry were never in any danger of being caught after going for the jugular in the first half.

Brendan Rogers, Ethan Doherty, young full-back Eoin McEvoy, Paul Cassidy and McGuigan were all outstanding for the Oak Leafers.

Derry manager Rory Gallagher clearly wasn't entirely happy with his team's performance

McGuigan finished with 2-5 after he had tormented Fermanagh's goalscorer Cullen in the opening period.

Derry looked set to hand the Ernemen a fearful hammering when they led by 10 after a ruthless first-half display but their play became somewhat ragged thereafter as Fermanagh earned some rewarded for their endeavour.

The Oak Leafers' intentions to put the game to bed early were clear from the off as Fermanagh, who as expected were without the injured Sean Quigley, had no answer to their running game and power, with Rogers involved in setting up many of Derry's attacks.

Late inclusion McEvoy fisted the opening point in the first minute before dropping back to his more accustomed full-back role to impressively shackle one of Fermanagh's danger men Darragh McGurn.

With Padraig McGrogan, keeper Odhran Lynch and the superb Cassidy all on target, they were four up after six minutes and while points from Ryan Jones and Ryan Lyons cut Derry's lead to 0-5 to 0-2, the Oak Leafers were in total control as McGuigan superbly lashed in their opening goal in the 12th minute.

Ethan Doherty directed the pass into the Slaughtneil man but he still had a lot of work to brush off full-back Cullen's challenge before turning on his left foot to hammer past Shane McNally.

As Derry's total domination continued, Cassidy's goal put them 2-7 to 0-3 ahead after he won a 50-50 ball with Lee Cullen on the 45-metre line, ran 35 yards and then poked underneath the Fermanagh keeper after briefly appearing to have lost control of the ball.

Derry struggle again under the high ball

Fermanagh's main attacking hope Ultan Kelm did fire a fine point before the interval, as he broke away from Chrissy McKaigue, but McGuigan brought up his first-half tally to 1-3 as Derry moved 10 clear.

With Derry's win assured, it was perhaps not surprising that the quality of their play dropped off in the third quarter.

It may have been no coincidence that the let-up in Derry's standards came after midfielder Conor Glass' withdrawal in the 40th minute as Gallagher opted to play it safe with the All-Star midfielder following his recent injury troubles.

Cullen's first goal came in the 43rd minute after a long ball from Cian McManus had only been half-blocked which allowed the full-back to pick up and hammer past Lynch.

Initially, normal service appeared to have been resumed as McGuigan sent McNally the wrong way from the penalty spot after substitute Benny Heron had been fouled.

However, within 60 seconds Cullen had fired in his second goal after another high ball caused consternation in the Derry defence, in a repeat of what had happened in the recent Division Two League Final defeat by Dublin.

But Derry regrouped to take control again as a Conor McCluskey point started a run of five straight scores, which included a couple of Padraig Cassidy efforts from play.

The final 12-point margin was probably just about right and left Gallagher and his players with plenty to work on for a provincial semi-final in two weeks which should be a much more taxing occasion.

Fermanagh: S McNally (0-1); L Flanagan, C Cullen (2-0), C McManus; J Cassidy, Shane McGullion, L Cullen; R Jones (0-1), B Horan; A Breen (0-1), R Lyons (0-2), R McCaffrey; U Kelm (0-2); D McGurn, J Largo Ellis.

Subs: J Kelly, D McCusker (0-1) for Horan half-time, C McShea for Breen half-time, C Jones for McManus 47, G Jones for Lyons 60, C McGee, F O'Brien for Largo Ellis 70.

Not used: J Kelly, T McCaffrey, O Smyth, G Cavanagh, Stephen McGullion.

Derry: O Lynch (0-1); C McKaigue, E McEvoy (0-1), C McCluskey (0-1); C Doherty, G McKinless, Padraig Cassidy (0-2); C Glass (0-1), B Rogers (0-1); N Toner (0-1), Paul Cassidy (1-2), E Doherty (0-1); P McGrogan (0-1), S McGuigan (2-5), N Loughlin.

Subs: P McNeill for McEvoy 56, B Heron for Glass 40, B McCarron for McKaigue 62, L Murray for Loughlin 68, D Cassidy for Toner 71, C McGuckian, N O'Donnell.

Not used: R Scullion, S Downey, McFaul, McGuckian, O'Donnell.

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)