Armagh end unbeaten Fermanagh run to ensure safety

ARMAGH 1-9 FERMANAGH 0-6

ARMAGH succeeded in their bid to ‘out-Fermanagh Fermanagh’ and ensured they’ll be playing Division Two football next year while dealing the Erne men’s promotion hopes a major blow in Crossmaglen.

Ethan Rafferty squeezed home a near-post goal after 62 minutes to stave off Armagh’s relegation threat in what was a very disciplined, controlled performance.

“We controlled the game in all areas, we hit them on the break and to use Kieran (McGeeney)’s term we ‘out-Fermanaghed Fermanagh,’” said Armagh assistant manager Jim McCorry.

“If we went out and played our open, attacking football that we normally do, those are the games you get exposed. Today was about grinding out those two points because we needed them.

“We’re very pleased to guarantee our Division Two status. That is the best place for us to be next year because this is a young squad that is still developing.”

Armagh did a lot of the hard slog in the third quarter when they scored three points on the spin to turn a 0-5 to 0-4 interval lead into a handy fourpoint cushion. Fermanagh didn’t take advantage of the sin-binning of Greg McCabe in the first half with boss Rory Gallagher afterwards lamenting their conservatism.

Indeed the Ernemen finished with 14 players after Che Cullen picked up a late yellow card and was sent-off having been sin-binned earlier.

Aidan Forker and Jarly Og Burns set the tone with early points from play and in the second half especially Armagh were the dominant side.

All of Fermanagh’s points came from play, but Armagh didn’t give up any cheap points or concede any scoreable frees. Fermanagh’s average scoring return in the league up until Saturday was 10 points – but they came up well short this time in suffering a first league defeat.

“On our second half display we didn’t deserve to get over the line,” said Gallagher, “but it’s still all to play for when we go to Meath next week”.