Cavan 1-13 Fermanagh 2-14

As Louth got their expected win over Kildare, Fermanagh are back down in Division Three for next season.

And, while this is disappointing, Kieran Donnelly’s men went down fighting after this redemptive display that saw them deservedly defeat Cavan in a turgid affair that exploded into a real contest in the second half.

But, while this was a much better display than the torrid performance against Louth a week previously, this game will always be remembered for the sheer brilliance of full-forward Garvan Jones.

The languid full-forward hit 1-08 but was at the heart of all that was good about the Erne outfit and he repeatedly got the vital scores to knock back a spirited Cavan second-half revival.

Fionan O’Brien was another to catch the eye while Declan McCusker was a steady captain as Fermanagh now look forward to an Ulster Championship tilt with Armagh in three weeks.

But this display has gone some way to banish the Ardee blues and that was vitally important for morale in the county after a generally solid league campaign.

Fermanagh were first off the mark as Cavan corner-back Luke Fortune needlessly pushed Erne corner forward Sean Cassidy in the back and marksman Jones tapped over the resultant free.

Jones was again on target this time from play after a smart six-man move ended with the full-forward arrowing over a fine point to put the visitors into a 0-02 to 0-00 lead by the sixth minute.

Cavan responded but hit three bad wides in four minutes.

Ronan McCaffrey won a dangerous ball deep in his own defence but gave the ball away and Paddy Lynch opened Cavan's account.

Fermanagh had plenty of possession but were giving the ball away while Shane McGullion made a great run through the centre of the Breffni defence but hit a bad wide from 14 metres out.

And that miss was a two-point turnaround as Lynch ended a barren spell with a pointed free for the hosts in the 12th minute.

A previously quiet Ultan Kelm then did what he does best when his raw pace and power opened up the Cavan defence as he fed the lively Jones who found Declan McCusker who struck a sweet trademark point with the outside of the boot to put Fermanagh into a 0-03 to 0-02 lead.

Cavan’s James Smith was yellow-carded for a clumsy challenge on Conor McGee as both sides were guilty of some poor shooting.

Jones had two reasonable chances but was just off-target for the Erne side.

But he made up for those errors by stroking over a superb point after a much more lively nine-man move.

Cavan responded with Lynch’s third pointed free to leave Fermanagh deservedly leading by 0-05 to 0-03.

McCusker hit another wide before Fermanagh struck for a decisive goal as man of the match Jones hit a long ball into Cassidy with the Breffni defence marked absent and the corner forward rocketed the ball to the net.

McCaffrey then burst through and could possibly have had a goal but elected to punch over as the Ernesiders led by 1-06 to 0-04 at the break.

Cavan threw on Cian Madden, Tiarnan Madden and Conor Brady on the resumption, but it was Fermanagh who went further in front from Cassidy and McCusker with Lynch replying through a free for Cavan.

It was then Fermanagh struck for their second goal in the 42nd minute when a Lee Cullen soccer-style cross was fired to the net by Jones and another point from the impressive Fionan O’Brien put the visitors into a 2-09 to 0-06 lead.

Nine points looked like a pretty massive cushion but Cavan stormed back into the match over the next 15 minutes as their subs made a real impact.

Madden pointed and Lynch goaled to give the previously dormant home crowd something to shout about as the inevitable Jones replied for Fermanagh who led by 2-10 to 1-08 by the 56th minute.

O’Brien hit two points to bring the margin back to eight points.

A soft free for Cavan ended with Lynch narrowing the gap to 2-11 to 1-09 as suddenly a real contest erupted in a previously most placid affair.

James Smith and Cormac O’Reilly left just a goal between the sides as Fermanagh’s lead was whittled down to 2-11 to 1-11.

It was real helter-skelter stuff in the final moments as Smith and Lynch traded scores with Jones as the visitors deservedly won by 2-14 to 1-13 to round off their league campaign.

Cavan: G O’Rourke; C Reilly, B O’Connell, L Fortune; C Brady, C Reihill (0-01), N Carolan; J Smith (0-02), K Clarke; D McVeety, O Brady, O Kernan; R O’Neill, P Lynch (1-07,6f), C O’ Reilly.

Subs; C O’Reilly (0-01) for O’Neill (17), T Madden for Kiernan, C Madden (0-01) for O’Reilly, C Brady (0-01) for Clarke (h/t), P Meade for Fortune (67)

Fermanagh: R Bogue; L Cullen, C Cullen, O Smyth; D McCusker (0-02), S McGullion, C McManus; F O’Brien (0-02), J McDade; C McGee, C McShea, R McCaffrey (0-01); U Kelm, G Jones (1-08,3f), S Cassidy (1-01) 

J Largo-Elis for McCaffrey (46), D King for Cassidy (63), O Murphy for McCusker (66)

Referee: Ciaran Anetta (Tyrone)