McGrath and Fermanagh show Down no mercy

DOWN, without a win in 2016, started the new year in familiar style, crashing to a nine-point home defeat to Fermanagh.

Mourne legend Pete McGrath and his Erne side never looked like losing once Eoin McManus cracked home the only goal on 53 minutes, while Tomas Corrigan weighed in with eight points.

Fermanagh’s direct approach saw them run at a nervous defence in the opening stages, winning the frees from which Corrigan shot them into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes.

But Down came out of their shell midway through the half, and Conaill McGovern, Shay Millar and Davidson all split the posts for a narrow lead.

Fermanagh went 23 minutes without a score, before Sean Quigley, who had been well held by Gerard McGovern, steered over a gem, and Corrigan’s fourth free sent Fermanagh in with a 0-6 to 0-5 interval lead.

The Erne men went seven clear with McManus’s strike midway through the second half and there was no way back for Down.