Fermanagh 0-09 Donegal 0-15

Fermanagh’s Ulster title ambitions were ended at the first hurdle today as reigning champions Donegal left Brewster Park with a six point victory over Rory Gallagher’s charges.

The home side had been competitive for the majority of the contest but it was Donegal’s greater quality in the final third of the pitch that ultimately proved decisive as they progressed to a semi-final meeting with Tyrone.

There was little between the sides in the first half with Fermanagh beginning brightly as Ultan Kelm fisted over when he could maybe have gone for goal before Sean Quigley clipped over a free.

Donegal took 17 minutes to get off the mark with Jamie Brennan landing the point and with Paddy McBrearty converting two frees and Leo McLoone notching a point from play it moved the away side into a 0-04 to 0-02 lead.

Back though came Fermanagh and Ryan Jones and Ciaran Corrigan hit scores to level up proceedings but it was Donegal who accounted for the final score of the half as Jason McGee slotted over to leave it 0-05 to 0-04 at the interval.

With the breeze in their favour in the second half Donegal rattled over two fine points from play in the early stages through Brennan and Michael Murphy before Kelm and Brennan traded points to leave it 0-05 to 0-08.

Fermanagh though continued to hang in and Mulrone drilled over a terrific point to make it a two point game.

McBrearty put three in it again with a super point but Conall Jones and Ciaran Corrigan closed Fermanagh back to within one by the midway stage of the half.

However, McBrearty grabbed his fourth of the day when he punched over after a high ball was allowed to bounce by the home defence while Jones then dropped a very scoreable free short.

And it was Donegal who were to finish the stronger as Thompson and Langan stretched the gap to four.

A Jones free did keep Fermanagh in touch while Danny Teague had a glimpse of goal but his effort was blocked by Langan but as things opened up in the latter stages Donegal went on to land the final three points through McBrearty, Murphy and Brennan to seal a six point win