Derry 3-13 Fermanagh 1-10

 

Fermanagh lost their opening game Division Two game as a strong second half fromm Derry secured a nine point win for the Oak Leaf county in Celtic Park today.

Pete McGrath's Fermanagh side had been the better team in the first half and should possibly have been further ahead than the one point margin that divided the sides at the break.

However, Derry took over after the break and an unanswered 1-07 in a 20 minute spell for Damian Barton's side ended any hopes for Fermanagh.

The Ernemen though were bright in the first half as they looked solid defensively while they also picked holes in the Derry defence as they carved out a couple of good goal chances.

Sean Quigley opened the scoring with a well struck point from play and Ruairi Corrigan added to the advantage, firing over after he was put through on goal by brother Tomas.

By the ninth minute Fermanagh had moved into a four point lead, 1-02 to 0-01 as Ruairi Corrigan bagged a goal. A good move resulted in Paul McCusker feeding Corrigan and he sidestepped the goalkeeper before placing a shot into the corner.

Derry hit back with points from Ryan Bell and James Kielt and when Benny Heron blasted to the roof of the net in the 26th minute it put Barton's side ahead for the first time, 1-04 to 1-03.

Fermanagh though finished the half strongly as they registered three of the last four points, Quigley, Tomas Corrigan and a super point from Aidan Breen leaving it 1-06 to 1-05 in Fermanagh favour at half time.

Tomas Corrigan then extended the lead to two with the first point of the second half but that was as good as it got as Derry took complete control, rattling off 1-07 without reply to turn a two point deficit into an eight point lead.

The goal arrived from Cailean O'Boyle who punched home from a long ball while Mark Lynch, Kielt and Bell were all among the points as Derry moved into a 2-12 to 1-07 lead.

Quigley knocked over Fermanagh's first point in 24 minutes but Derry quickly countered this with their third goal as another long ball ended with Lynch fisting to the net.

Tomas Corrigan and Ryan Hanna did have late scores for the away side but these were only consolations as Derry finished up convincing victors.

Fermanagh face Meath next Sunday at Brewster Park and McGrath will be hoping to take soemthing out of that game going into the break.