Fermanagh defender James McMahon was delighted to see them achieve their main aim for the league in gaining promotion to Division Two.
Seamie Quigley’s point with the last kick of the game sealed a dramatic win over Longford on Sunday to seal promotion and McMahon, who was an impressive figure at the back for the Ernemen, feels it is an important step for the team.
“That was the big goal at the start of the year for the league, we needed to get back up playing Division Two football. We feel that and the level above that is where we should be at and for us to progress that’s where we need to be. We made promotion harder for ourselves than we probably should have but ultimately if you had offered us promotion anyway at that start of the league we would have taken it,” said the Roslea man.
It was a winner takes all encounter in Pearse Park and given what was at stake both sides displayed signs of nervousness during the game.
“It sort of had a championship feel about it, the fact that it was a must win for both sides, the crowd and even the weather and I think that added to the tension and mistakes from both sides were probably a result of that. It’s just very sweet to come out on the right side of a match like that,” added McMahon.
Longford played a very measured style of football and they owned the ball for long periods of the game and McMahon admitted that Fermanagh had to be patient.
“They had quality footballers and they are one of the better footballing sides that we have played this year and that asks different questions of us. It was frustrating at times because they were very good at keeping the ball , they are very patient but we just had to be patient as well and not make a rash tackle or have a rush of blood to the head and just match them that way.”
It did look though as if the home side were going to etch out the victory as they led by two points with the clock winding down.
“It never looks good but I thought that there was still time and we would still get a chance. We really squeezed up and went for it and we believed that we would engineer a chance or engineer a shot and it’s just a matter of taking them chances. We probably weren’t clinical throughout the game but then the last three or four minutes when we got the chances we really took them,” he said.
Having pushed up, Fermanagh seized control of the game, especially around the middle third, in the closing minutes. 
“We got on top around the middle, both Eoin and Jonesy were outrageous, and we have a couple of great break ball experts there too and I just thought that our hunger and desire shone through and that’s what breaking ball comes down to,” he said.
Having levelled up the game Fermanagh were then provided with the chance to win the game when they were awarded a free deep, deep into injury time. And although it was a difficult kick, McMahon had no doubt that club-mate Quigley would land the decisive blow.
“Listen, I’ve seen Seamie doing it for I don’t know how long now with the club and he just doesn’t feel pressure in the same way as other boys do. He is just so used to kicking them, he could kick them in his sleep, and once he had the chance I was very confident that he would sail it over the bar.”
With promotion secured, there is now the small matter of a league final to play for on Saturday in Croke Park and while the main goal has been gained, McMahon says that they will be looking to finish the league as Division Three winners.
“I would say that for us and Armagh promotion was the main goal and we then have to play each other again in the championship so it’s a strange one. It’s great though to be in a league final and it’s great to get to Croke Park and as Fermanagh players those chances don’t come around too often. 
“The chance to win silverware doesn’t come around too often either, there is very few players in that squad if any have any silverware with Fermanagh so it would be good  now to go on and win it,” he commented.
It is also another competitive game in preparation for the championship meeting against Armagh and McMahon says that the focus will then turn to that game.
“It’s another game with a championship feel and it is all about the preparation for May 19 then,” he concluded.