If heartbreak had a colour it would have to be in the green jerseys of the Fermanagh players after a sickening 0-16 to 1-14 loss to a physically powerful Cork side before a big crowd in Ederney.

For Kieran Donnelly’s young side led the Rebel County until the 72nd minute and were ahead by 0-14 to 0-11-just five minutes from the end of normal time.

But they just could not cope with the savage physical power of a Cork side who were fighting for their lives.

The Rebels hauled themselves back from the brink of relegation thanks to an injury-time goal to edge out Fermanagh in a high-scoring affair.

The home side were holding on to a wafer-thin 0-14 to 0-13 lead when a surging Cork attack saw Ruairi Deane fist the ball across the Erne goal for substitute Maurice Shanley to tap the ball to the net in the 72nd minute.

And even though Garvan Jones and Shane McGullion of Fermanagh hit two late points, time ran out for the home side, who were gutted to be pipped at the post after seven minutes of injury time.

They had a chance to seal the deal when centre-back McGullion had a goal chance saved in the 69th minute but his shot was brilliantly saved by Cork keeper Christopher Kelly as the Ernesiders were leading by 0-14 to 0-13.

Fermanagh began briskly with loads of movement and corner forward Sean Cassidy finished a flowing move with a fine point after one minute.

Impressive full-forward Garvan Jones doubled their tally with a fine move two minutes later.

And Erne centre-back McGullion had a great chance of a goal but Cork keeper Kelly pulled off a brilliant save for the Rebels.

The Ernesiders had all of the ball but dropped two scorable efforts into the hands of the Cork keeper.

Cork finally got off the mark with a pointed free in the 13th minute from Brian Hurley as Erne keeper Sean McNally landed a 45 to put the slick-moving home side into a 0-04 to 0-02 lead.

It was all Fermanagh at this stage as Jones hoofed over another point from before the hard-working Hurley narrowed the margin to two points with a fine point in the 19th minute.

Jones increased the home side's lead but the inevitable Hurley replied with a pointed free.

Fermanagh captain Declan McCusker converted a mark to leave the home side leading by 0-07 to 0-03.

Cork midfielder Colm O’Callaghan was beginning to assert himself as the Rebels were growing into the game as Hurley made it 0-07 to 0-04.

But Cork could have tied matters in the 32nd minute when the Fermanagh defence let Cork midfielder Ian Maguire through on goal.

But his bullet-like drive was superbly saved by Erne keeper McNally who touched the ball more than any other player on the field as he spent most of the half playing a ‘quarter-back role’.

McCusker and Conor Corbett swapped points as Fermanagh led by 0-08 to 0-06 at the break.

Cork emerged as a sharper outfit on the resumption and put on Luke Fahy and Ruairi Deane for Darragh Cashman and Mark Cronin.

Hurley and Chris Óg Jones levelled matters for Cork.

They also missed two great goal chances as Fermanagh keeper McNally made two superb saves from the towering Colm O’Callaghan and Conor Corbett.

McNally retired injured which was a blow to the home side as McCusker and McGullion put them into a 0-10 to 0-08 lead.

Hurley exchanged points with Últan Kelm to make it 0-11 to 0-09 after a neat one-two with McGullion.

Hurley kept Cork in touch but it looked like the home side would prevail when two quickfire points from Jones put Fermanagh into a 0-14 to 0-11 lead five minutes from the end of normal time.

But Cork were winning everything around the middle and Fermanagh wilted before that immense physical power in those seven pulsating minutes in extra time as Steven Sherlock converted a mark before Shanley's palmed goal proved to be the difference between the sides.

Fermanagh: S McNally (0-01,45), L Cullen, C Cullen, O Smyth, D McCusker (0-03,1m) S McGullion (0-02), J Largo-Elis, B Horan, J McDade; C McGee, R McCaffrey, C McShea, U Kelm (0-01), G Jones (0-07,3f), S Cassidy (0-02)

Subs: D King for Cassidy (54), C Jones for McGee (59), J McMahon for McCusker (73), J Reihill for Kelm (75).

Cork: C Kelly, K Flahive, D O’Mahoney, T Walsh, D Cashman, R Maguire, M Taylor (0-01), I Maguire (0-01), C O’Callaghan, E McSweeney, C Corbett (0-02,1m), B O’Driscoll, M Cronin, B Hurley (0-08,7f) C Óg Jones (0-01)

Subs: L Fahy for Cashman and R Deane for M Cronin (h/t), S Powter for McSweeney (50); M Shanley (1-00) for T Walsh (62); S Sherlock (0-01,1m) for Jones (65)

Referee Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)