Fermanagh fight back but fall to Armagh’s early blitz

Fermanagh 0-7 Armagh 1-10

A MUCH improved Fermanagh performance in the second half was just not enough against a physically powerful Armagh side at an icy Ederney on Saturday.

The Ernesiders went into the break trailing by the considerable margin of 1-8 to0-1 at the break with the crucial score for the visitors coming in the 22nd minute.

Armagh had the benefit of a big breeze and were putting a high press on the home side for much of the opening. And, it paid rich dividends for them in the 15th minute when a short kick out for Fermanagh was intercepted leaving the Orchard County’s full forward James Austin with a relatively simple tap in.

Austin’s goal pushed the winners into a 1- 7 to 0-1 which was increased to a 1-8 to 0-1 at the break with the hard working Shaun Mccarron getting the sole Erne score.

Tadhg Grimley opened the scoring for Armagh with a point after just 12 seconds.

Pierce Blessing added to the visitors advantage from a pointed free as the home side struggled to cope with the sheer physique of their opponents.

Barry O’hagan landed a free for the Orchard County boys after five minutes and the impressive Austin converted a mark.

Mccarron finally got the home side on the board from a pointed free in the 11th minute.

But there was no stopping a rampant Armagh as Emmett Magee from play and another O’hagan free pushed them into a 1-5 to 0-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Fergal Boylan pointed for the winners just a minute before Austin’s all important goal in the 22nd minute. There was a bit of a lull in the scoring before Fergal Boylan put the visitors ahead by 1-8 to 0-1 at the break.

Facing into a stiff breeze on the resumption, Armagh could only manage two more points as the home side mounted a serious comeback.

Still, it was another O’hagan that stretched the visitors lead to 1-9 to 0-1 before Caolan Brennan pointed for Fermanagh in the 38th minute.

The home side were getting a lot more on the ball and pressing their opponents and Mccarron hit another fine point in the 42nd minute.

Team captain Sean Conlon hit another point in the 45th minute and Damian Óg Kelly had hard luck for a goal effort that was smothered.

Fermanagh continued to find the target through Caolan Brennan, Mattie Fitzpatrick and Caolan Fitzpatrick before O’hagan closed out matters from an Armagh free.

A battling display from

Fermanagh but the first half goal left just that little bit too much to deal with-coupled with a near miss in the second half-meant that it was just not to be their day.

They now meet Donegal in the next round on Wednesday week in Ballybofey.