It was the battle he was expecting but Fermanagh manager Jonny Garrity was just happy his side were able to get over the line.

Just like their first league game, there was very little between the sides, but Garrity knew that if his side got ahead near the end they would hold on.

“The game itself it turned into a real battle and we knew it was likely to go that way and there was very little to choose between the teams in terms of the overall team and the personnel in that,” explained Garrity.

“We really were matched and there was never likely to be much in it.

“And the way it played out whoever was going to manage to get their noses in front in the dying moments were the team who were going to snatch it and thankfully that was us.”

A good start and a strong finish are key in any game and for Fermanagh last Saturday they managed to do both. And Garrity was always confident his side would be there or thereabouts at the end even though they trailed for a significant period of time throughout the game.

“We have had a few of the league matches were we got off to good starts and we were really happy and this was another one.

“But they came back into it really well and they got the scores to take them ahead before half time and it stayed that way well into the second half.

“We had a good start and a good finish and I suppose that is the most important time to peak.

“We were always quite comfortable there was only a kick of the ball in it at any stage of the game.

“Even though we were behind for a prolonged spell we were still quite comfortable in that we knew we had a big finish in us and it was enough to get us over the line.”

The defensive work of his team pleased the manager although he knows there can still be a lot to improve on.

“Once we got a foothold in the game in the second half their scores dried up and they were working extremely hard to get anything from us. I felt once we got the late point from Eimear we defended so well that you just felt confident, even though it went down to the wire, we worked so hard we were more likely to nick it.”

Focus now turns to the Championship for Garrity and his charges and there will be a familiar opponent on June 8, Antrim.

The teams will know each other inside out but Garrity’s side have the confidence of two wins over the Saffrons which will stand them in good stead.

“It sets us up perfectly for championship and we are looking forward to that.

“Our attention has switched to that now and there is a lot of work in front of us again.

“But we do so from a position where we have achieved our primary objective for the first part of the season and we can move on to the next part safe in the knowledge we are very much on track

“We are confident and feeling great,” concluded the Fermanagh manager.