Late Lyons burst gets Fermanagh over the line as Kildare stumble

THERE would have been few in Fermanagh who believed eight points would beat highly-fancied Kildare. But that is exactly what happened at Brewster Park on Saturday night.

For all Fermanagh’s dominance, the game was tied at 0-06 apiece with 12 minutes left to play. Up stepped Ryan Lyons (above) to be the hero. He first kept his nerve on a two man break away against a stretched Kildare defence before he clipped over with his left foot after a patient Fermanagh build up.

Kildare never looked capable of breaking Fermanagh down. At half time the home side led by two points. Kildare kept in touch with an Adam Tyrrell pointed free and a fine effort from Fergal Conway before Niall Flynn landing two points from placed balls to tie things up.

Fermanagh though were not to be denied and they were more purposeful with their counter attacking swift and incisive and only let down by poor shooting at times. Next up is an away trip to Donegal. Scorers: Fermanagh: S Quigley 0-03f, R Lyons 0-02, E Donnelly 0-01, R Jones 0-01, C Jones 0-01. Kildare: N Flynn 0-02f, A Tyrrell 0-02f, F Conway 0-02 (1m). UNBEATEN Derry retained top spot, along with Leitrim, in Division Four after a hard-fought seven-point win at Waterford.

Damian McErlain’s side withstood the loss of both Jason Rocks and Conor McAtamney to second half red cards, with goals from Shane McGuigan (right) and Paul McNeill assuring the Oakleaf County their third consecutive win.

There was nothing to separate the two sides at the break, with the reading 1-5 apiece.

Sean Barrett ghosted in for