Straight from the outset Tyrone were the superior side and Fermanagh struggled to get going at any stage as a flowing Tyrone side launched wave after wave of attack upon the defence.

    Fermanagh had no answer to Tyrone’s speed and movement with Tyrone never under the cosh at any time during the encounter.

    Tyrone came out of the blocks quickly and by the 20th minute the game was more or less over as a contest with Tyrone having already built up an eight point lead by this stage, 1-6 to 0-1.

    There was to be no lapse in concentration by Tyrone who learnt from last years defeat against Sligo and by half time had built up a 1-11 to 0-2 advantage.

    The punishement continued in the second half as Tyrone added on scores at will.

    Fermanagh fans travelled to Dublin in large numbers optimistic that their side would put up a good challenge to Tyrone following impressive displays in defeating both Meath and Mayo.

    During these games Fermanagh showed great battling qualities and character to get the victories and it was thought that this would stand them in good stead for the challenge against Tyrone, but for the second time this year at Croke Park, Tyrone proved too strong for Dom Corrigan’s side.

    Fermanagh had the first attack of the game and set up Kieran Donnelly for a shot, but his attempt went wide with Tyrone then launching into attack. Ger. Cavlan shot wide before Peter Canavan opened the scoring in the second minute with a free following a foul on the hard working Brian Dooher.

    Canavan did not exert his usual influence on the proceedings with Ryan McCluskey marshalling him effectively but it does show that Tyrone are about more than Canavan.

    By the eighth minute Tyrone had moved into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead.

    Eoin Mulligan, who had a good battle with Barry Owens throughout, put Tyrone 0-2 to 0-0 up when he knocked over a good score following a fine pass from Kevin Hughes.

    Enda McGinley registered Tyrone’s third point from close range and the fourth came from Gerard Cavlan.

    Fermanagh gained their first score of the encounter when Ciaran O’Reilly fisted over after Stephen Maguire’s shot was blocked.

    Fermanagh manager Dom Corrigan would have hoped that this score would have settled his side but it was Tyrone who continued to push forward.

    Sean Cavanagh was causing a lot of difficulties breaking forward from midfield and he set up Brian Dooher for Tyrone’s fifth point.

    Cavanagh then followed this with the killer blow as far as Fermanagh were concerned. Eoin Mulligan rounded Barry Owens before laying the ball off to Cavanagh and the Moy clubman made no mistake from close in, coolly slotting the ball past Ronan Gallagher in the Fermanagh goals.

    Despite the best efforts of midfielder Paul Brewster, who battled away throughout, Fermanagh continued to struggle especially in atttack and Eoin Mulligan increased the Tyrone lead to eight points after good work from Peter Canavan and Dermot Carlin.

    Tom Brewster clipped over Fermanagh’s score of the game when he pointed well after a good run from Kieran Donnelly, but instead of Fermanagh going on to add a few more scores before the interval, it was Tyrone who piled on more scores.

    In a seven minute spell between the 25th and 32nd minute, Tyrone went on to tag on five points. The excellent Cavanagh, Mulligan, Cavanagh again, Enda McGinley and Brian McGuigan were the point scorers during this period as Tyrone went in at the break with a 1-11 to 0-2 lead.

    Fermanagh replaced midfielder Martin McGrath just before the break with James Sherry and at half time introduced Shaun Doherty and Colm Bradley for Ryan Keenan and Ciaran O’Reilly.

    Both Doherty and Bradley were involved in the opening minute of the second half to set Tom Brewster up for his second point of the game.

    The second half, though, was again to be a one sided affair with Tyrone once again seizing control of the contest.

    By half time Tyrone had seven players who had registered on the scoreboard and by the finish ten players in all had taken scores for them.

    Peter Canavan quickly added two points from play and this was followed by points from Cavlan, who fisted over, Kevin Hughes and Canavan from a free.

    Kieran Donnelly knocked over Fermanagh’s fourth point from a close in free after Colm Bradley was fouled but Tyrone replied with a point from centre half back Ciaran Gormley after fifty minutes.

    Tyrone’s passing and movement in the forward line was highly impressive while their defence was solid with Cormac McAnallen, Philip Jordan and Ciaran Gormley impressing.

    Conor Gormley burst forward to add a further score.

    Tyrone introduced a number of substitutions following this score but still they pushed forward and Gerard Cavlan and Eoin Mulligan added further points.

    Shaun Doherty, who did well when introduced, tagged on another Fermanagh point but Kevin Hughes replied with the final score of the game to leave it 1-21 to 0-5.

    Two trips to Croke Park have been Fermanagh’s reward for reaching the National League semi final and the All Ireland quarter final, but these days have had bad memories for them as Tyrone have twice dished out defeats to their neighbours.