Football League Division 3: Wicklow 0-09 1-16 Fermanagh

Peter Canavan

Fermanagh opened their Division 3 Football League campaign by earning an impressive 10-point win over Wicklow.

Aughrim is traditionally a difficult venue for away teams but Fermanagh bossed the contest throughout.

Sean Quigley hit four first-half points with Paul Ward adding three as Fermanagh led 0-11 to 0-3 at half-time.

Shane McCabe's goal extended the Erne lead and while Wicklow improved after Austin O'Malley's sending-off, Fermanagh eased to victory.

Fermanagh made their first-half wind advantage count as two scores apiece from Paul Ward and Sean Quigley saw them take an early four-point advantage.

Wicklow hit three of the next four scores to cut Fermanagh's lead to two but the Ernemen responded with six unanswered points before the interval.

In addition to Ward and Quigley, Declan McCusker, outstanding midfielder Ryan Jones, Tommy McElroy and Daryl Keenan were also on target for Fermanagh in the first period.

McCabe's 46th-minute goal extended the Ulster county's advantage to 1-12 to 0-5 before Wicklow's O'Malley was sent off after getting his second yellow card.

Predictably, Fermanagh's level of performance dropped and Wicklow reduced the margin to seven.

But a comeback was never on and Fermanagh hit the last three points with Jones scoring the concluding point.