Allianz Football League: Fermanagh edge Down in thriller as leaders Cavan beat Longford
- Published
Watch: Fermanagh edge Down by a point in thriller
Fermanagh left it late to condemn Down to their first league defeat of the Division Three season as they triumphed 2-14 to 3-10 in a thrilling Ulster derby at Ederney.
The Ernemen, who suffered a last gasp loss to Offaly in their previous fixture, snatched a narrow victory courtesy of goals from substitute Conor McGee and Sean Quigley, who scored the winner in injury time.
In Sunday's other Division Three game, Cavan beat Longford 1-19 to 0-11 to secure their third successive win.
Late late show from Fermanagh
Having left it late to defeat Antrim by a single point in their last game, Conor Laverty's men almost repeated the trick at St Joseph's after a pulsating contest, particularly in the second period.
Fermanagh started the game impressively and led 0-10 to 0-04 at the break with man-of-the-match Darragh McGurn having scored 0-3.
Despite their dominance, Kieran Donnelly's side were grateful to their goalkeeper Sean McNally, who made a crucial save to deny Liam Kerr from close range and keep the Ernemen's lead intact heading into the interval.
Laverty's half-time team talk had the desired effect for the Mournemen, who came out a side transformed in the second period, with a spirited performance that saw them wipe out a six-point deficit at one stage.
After an early score from Pat Havern, Down really got back into the game when they pounced on a mistake from McNally, who was robbed of possession when venturing forward by Andrew Gilmour.
The ball then swiftly found its way to Havern, who drove forward before seeing his effort blocked on the line.
Yet, just when it seemed that Down had squandered the opportunity, Luke Flannagan gave away a penalty for a challenge on Havern, and Odhran Murdock stepped up to slide home to make it 1-05 for the away team.
The two sides then began to trade points as the pace of the game increased, before Pearce Laverty fisted home to finish off a free-flowing move and make it 2-07 to 0-13 to Down on 55 minutes.
This put them ahead for the first time in the game, but their lead would not last long as, against the run of play, Conor McGee blasted into the roof of the net for Fermanagh's first goal of the day.
Down had a good chance to regain the advantage when Anthony Morgan's goal-bound effort was deflected away from goal.
At the other end, Garvan Jones' effort was palmed away by an instinctive save from stopper Niall Kane as both sides frantically pushed for the winner.
The Mourne County thought they had found it when Conor Francis reacted quickest to slam home after an earlier effort had crashed off the crossbar.
But, in a dramatic finale to a rollercoaster game, it would be Fermanagh who would come away with all three points as Quigley turned the ball home in injury time after Kane had touched a shot onto the crossbar.
The result blows open the race for promotion in Division Three, with three sides already level on four points behind leaders Cavan.
Cavan continue good start
Cavan further enhanced their promotion hopes with a comfortable victory against bottom side Longford at Breffni, which saw 10 different scorers.
Cian Madden and Dara McVeety had given them an early after just four minutes, which they didn't once relinquish in the contest.
With the score at 0-6 to 0-2 after 25 minutes, Oisin Brady, who had already kicked two points, found the back of the net with the only goal of the game to further extend their advantage.
A flurry of scores then saw them take a commanding 1-9 to 0-5 lead in at the break against a Longford side who had lost their opening two games.
Their cause was aided in the second period by the dismissal of Longford's Joe Hagan just six minutes after the restart.
They added a further 10 points in the second half, with Conor Madden kicking 0-4, to continue their good start to the season that has seen them also secure wins against Tipperary and Westmeath.