Fermanagh’s hurlers will rue a host of missed chances at crucial times as they let a three-point lead slip away against Cavan in their opening Lory Meagher Cup fixture.

It was never as evident as in the 63rd minute when Sean Corrigan had the chance to push Fermanagh into a four-point lead with a relatively easy free. However, he shot high and wide.

Immediately, Cavan launched an attack from the puck out, and when Brian Fitzgerald floated a high ball into the danger zone, Sean Keating was on hand to rifle the sliotar past Mark Curry and into the Fermanagh net to level the game.

It is a result that will hurt Fermanagh because apart from the opening quarter they were very much on top, but they could never push on and put Cavan out of sight.

The home side came out of the blocks quickly in the opening exchanges and they raced into a 0-05 to 0-01 lead with 10 minutes played.

Anthony Sheridan, who was busy for Cavan early on, opened the scoring before a Brian Fitzgerald 65 and a Caoimhín Carney point put them three in front.

It took six minutes for Fermanagh to get their scoring under way as Sean Corrigan knocked over a free.

But Cavan responded with two points from Jack Barry and a Fitzgerald free to leave four in it.

Then, Fermanagh’s centre back, Barney McAuley, launched over a massive free but it was cancelled out by another Fitzgerald free.

The Erne hurlers were beginning to get on top and the move of J. P. McGarry from half-back to half-forward was starting to cause trouble for Cavan.

Fermanagh would hit the next three scores, a McGarry point, a wonderful score from Corrigan out on the left and Tom Keenan after McGarry made a nuisance of himself in the Cavan backline.

Fitzgerald would settle things for Cavan with a fine score from distance to leave it 0-07 to 0-05 at the water break.

The Cavan No.14 would push the lead out to three on the restart with a free.

McAuley hit his second free of the day and when Keenan pounced to claim the sliotar after Cavan failed to clear the sides, both sides were level for the first time in the game, at 0-08 apiece.

With 10 minutes to go the heavens opened and Fermanagh went in front.

Ryan Bogue found Dylan Bannon from a sideline cut and the cornerback made no mistake. But back came Cavan through another Fitzgerald free to level again.

McGarry hit a brilliant score to put Fermanagh in front again but the accurate Fitzgerald again popped up to leave it 0-10 each at half-time.

Upon the restart, Fermanagh almost had the ball in the back of the net.

A long ball into Corrigan saw him beat his marker but his shot flew across the face of the goal and wide. Luckily, the referee had waved advantage and the play was brought back for an earlier free which Corrigan tapped over.

Half-time sub John Duffy hit his first point when a lovely sidestep gave him the space to fire over.

And Fermanagh were three in front after 45 minutes with the best score of the game coming from Keenan, who got on the end of a flowing Fermanagh move, involving no less than four players, to point to make it 0-10 to 0-13.

Cavan would hit the next three scores from Fitzgerald (2) and Jack Barry to level the game, but Fermanagh will rue several missed chances during this period.

It was then Fermanagh’s turn to hit the next three-points from Conor McShea, McGarry and Corrigan.

But then came the turning point with Corrigan’s missed free being punished by Keating’s goal to level the game.

And while Duffy got his second point from a free for Fermanagh, frees from Fitzgerald (2) and Diarmaid Carney saw Cavan run out 1-16 to 0-17 winners.