National Football League Division Two: Galway 0-15 Fermanagh 0-15
FERMANAGH manager Pete McGrath praised his men for the manner in which they secured a deserved draw in the difficult wind and rain at Tuam Stadium.
The point gleaned by substitute Declan McCusker’s injury-time equaliser is the first they have ever achieved against Galway in eight League meetings. But much more notably, that point could be invaluable in their quest to stay in Division Two, ensuring that Sunday’s clash with promoted Tyrone at Brewster Park will have a lot hanging on it.
“It’ll depend on other results as well,” said McGrath.
“You can’t sit back and predict other results that might favour you. You have to go out and do the business, your team on the day. In this league, to get anything away from home is always a good result, so to dig out a point against a very good Galway team, I think we have to be pleased.”
Fermanagh played almost half the game with 14 men after corner-back Niall Cassidy was sent-off for a challenge on Galway wing-back Johnny Heaney. McGrath, though, has instilled good fighting spirit in this Fermanagh side and they never gave up and the point won in the wet and blustery conditions at Tuam Stadium could prove decisive. Tomas Corrigan, Sean Quigley and Ryan Jones were to the fore in the second half as Fermanagh kept in touch and they got back into contention before drawing level in the final quarter.
Galway pulled away with efforts from subs Danny Cummins and Patrick Sweeney but Fermanagh battled to the end and after Corrigan pointed a free to cut the gap to the minimum. Galway had a couple of chances to win it but it was sub McCusker who rescued Fermanagh and he leveled in the third minute of injury-time.
“He did well and he actually had an opportunity earlier quite close to that point and he just maybe didn’t attack the space and get the right connection,” said McGrath.
“But when he got that opportunity, under severe pressure, not an easy kick, into the breeze, right footed on the right wing, he struck it beautifully. He deserves great credit. We got no more than we deserved today.”
Galway, who also drew their last two games against Meath and Armagh, will now head to Cavan needing to win to end their five-year exile from the top flight, with the winners of that clash going up and also meeting Tyrone in the Division Two final.
“It’s a winner takes all in Breffni next Sunday. It’s not a bad position to be. Even before today, relegation was gone out the window. Over the years that has been an issue for Galway heading into the last game,” said Tribe manager Kevin Walsh.
“It’s a nice place to be, albeit the performance really has to be upped. I suppose we’d have taken it at the start of the year but we know we need to improve, there needs to be more consistency."
Shane Walsh, Sice and Comer were the primary figures in Galway getting on top in the opening half but Fermanagh rallied in the second quarter and got it back to 0-7 to 0-6 at the break. They never let Galway out of sight and, while Corrigan sent a couple of late frees wide, he cut the gap to the minimum in stoppage time before McCusker stepped forward and snatched the merited draw.
MATCH STATS
Galway: M Breathnach; C Sweeney, D Kyne, D Wynne; L Silke, G O’Donnell, J Heaney; F Ó Curraoin, P Conroy; G Sice (0-3, 0-2 frees), S Walsh (0-2), T Flynn; D Comer (0-4, 0-1 free), A Varley (0-1), E Hoare (0-1, free); Subs: D Cummins (0-1) for Walsh (h-t), P Sweeney (0-2) for Varley (46), E Brannigan (0-1) for Hoare (55), G Bradshaw for Heaney (59), S Denvir for Ó Curraoin (59).
Fermanagh: C Snow; N Cassidy, C Cullen, M Jones; A Breen, R McCluskey, J McMahon; E Donnelly, D Kelly; B Mulrone, R Lyons (0-2), R Jones (0-2); T Corrigan (0-7, 0-5 frees), S Quigley (0-3, 0-2 frees), R Corrigan; Subs: M O’Brien for Breen (34), C Flaherty for M Jones (h-t), D McCusker (0-1) for McMahon (49), P McCusker for R Corrigan (49), C Jones for Lyons (65); Black cards: A Breen, replaced by M O’Brien (33), E Donnelly, replaced by K Connor (70).
Referee: J Henry (Mayo)
