FERMANAGH BATTLE TO THE TOP

RORY Gallagher’s Fermanagh made it three wins from three after a hard-fought defeat of Sligo at a wet Markievicz Park. Fermanagh wingbacks Barry Mulrone and Declan McCusker hit five points between them as the Erne men joined Armagh at the top of the table. However, they had to recover from a poor start that saw Sligo hit the opening three points. Neil Ewing, Stephen Coen and Pat Hughes all hit the target, but the visitors outscored their hosts by eight points to one for the rest of the half. Fermanagh’s first score came from a McCusker goal effort that was brilliantly deflected over the bar by Sligo defender Eddie McGuinness. Points from Seamus Quigley, Mulrone, Conall Jones and Paul McCusker took Fermanagh clear. Sligo started well but Eamonn Maguire and Sean Quigley came off the Erne bench to add insurance points. Sligo finished the game with 13 men as Cian Breheny was shown a second yellow card, and Ewing was black-carded. FERMANAGH: P Cadden; M Jones, C Cullen, C McManus (K Connor 66); B Mulrone, L Cullen, D McCusker; E Donnelly (E Courtney 70+4), R Jones; P McCusker (R Corrigan 45), C Corrigan (R Lyons 59), A Breen; D Teague (E Maguire 50), C Jones, Seamus Quigley (Sean Quigley 68). Scorers: Seamus Quigley (2f), D McCusker 0-3, B Mulrone, C Jones 0-2, Sean Quigley, E Maguire, P McCusker 0-1. SLIGO: A Devaney; R Donovan, L Nicholson, E McGuinness; E McHugh (C Harrison 51), A McIntyre (J Clarke 66), N Ewing; P O’Connor, D Cummins; F Cawley (C Breheny h-t), P Hughes (L Gaughan 53), S Carrabine (K McDonnell 45); S Coen (Kyle Cawley 53), N Murphy, A Marren. Scorers: S Coen 0-2 (1f), L Gaughan (1f), A Marren, N Murphy, P Hughes, A McIntyre, N Ewing 0-1. REFEREE: J Hickey (Carlow).