Fermanagh 1-23 Lancashire 0-20

A superb goal from Fermanagh full-forward Brian Teehan was the crucial score in sweltering conditions in Brewster Park.

The Enniskillen-based doctor took a ball out on the left wing, outpaced the Lancashire defence and smashed a great shot to the roof of the visitor's net in the 43rd minute to put the home side into a 1-17 to 0-18 lead, a lead they never lost.

It was just rewards for Teehan as a few minutes previously he had the ball in the Lancashire net but was harshly blown for overcarrying.

And the winners added on six more points as well as 14 wides but they held their opponents to a meagre two points in the second half as the visitors visibly ran out of steam.

It was the home side’s greater fitness and especially the ability of veteran Sean Corrigan and Danann McKeogh’s free-taking that sealed victory over a team that dwarfed the home side in the physical stakes.

But they visibly tired in the second half where Fermanagh’s greater fitness told as the game went on.

Despite this win, the Ernesiders need a draw or a win over Longford to get to the Lory Meagher Cup final. Longford shocked Cavan in the other Lory Meagher Cup tie.  

The brilliant Eoghan Clifford got Lancashire off the mark after a minute, but this was negated by a superb Luca McCusker score.

That set the pattern for an extraordinary first half that yielded an incredible 32 points.

Clifford, Christopher Convery and Finn Henry edged the visitors into a 0-04 to 0-01 lead and Fermanagh’s best forward Corrigan made it 0-04 to 0-02 after seven minutes.

Jason Patton and McKeogh swapped points and Shane Parsons made it 0-06 to 0-04.

John Duffy and Corrigan levelled matters at 0-06 each after 13 minutes but a poor Fermanagh clearance allowed an easy point for the predatory Clifford but Corrigan levelled as McCusker gave the home side the lead for the first time at 0-08 to 0-07.

Clifford, Peter Boylan and McKeogh swapped points as the second quarter beckoned as Lancashire edged in front by 0-10 to 0-09.

Corrigan levelled matters at 0-10 each but Lancashire had a burst of scoring from Clifford, Shane Nugent and Christopher Convery with Corrigan, McKeogh and John Duffy on target for Fermanagh to leave the visitors leading by 0-18 to 0-14 at the half.

The scoring rate dropped dramatically as Lancashire could only manage two more points in the second half as Fermanagh asserted themselves and outscored the visitors by 1-08 to 0-02 which is a telling statistic.

Lancashire were restricted to sporadic raids but the Erne defence stood firm and they always looked dangerous when they broke at pace.

And Corrigan, McKeogh and McCusker got the final scores as Lancashire replied per Shane Nugent and David Lynch.

Both sides ran the benches as Fermanagh emerged deserving winners after a stern examination of their credentials, especially in the first half.

Fermanagh: C McKernan; S McKendry, R Porteous, D Bannon; Ciaran Duffy, R Bogue, O Johnston; J Tormey, Caolan Duffy; T Keenan, J Duffy (0-01), L McCusker (0-04); S Corrigan (0-08), B Teehan (1-02), D McKeogh (0-08,6f)

Subs: A Flanagan for J Duffy (41), D Teague for Ciaran Duffy (56), C McManus for Keenan (64), B Corrigan for Tormey (70), T Burns for McCusker (73). 

Lancashire: J Doyle; S Leonard, A Morgan, A Gallagher; E Kelly, S Nugent (0-01), F Henry; C Convery (0-03), E Clifford (0-10,3f); P Boylan (0-02), C Kenny, D Lynch (0-02); S Parsons (0-01), B Donnellan, J Patton (0-01)

Subs: D Furlong for Parsons (39), E Costello for Donnellan (47), B Slattery for Leonard (51), J Treacy for Convery (60), S Parsons for Andrew Morgan (66).

Referee: Michael Connolly (Sligo)