Longford 1-9 Fermanagh 1-10
FERMANAGH boss Rory Gallagher applauded his players after they snatched a dramatic win against Longford to gain promotion back to Division Two.
Three frees from Seamus Quigley in stoppage time saw the Ernemen turn a two-point deficit into a one-point win. Gallagher said: “We did the business in extratime and coming down it was trying to do the business. We haven’t been behind often in the league and today was tit-for-tat.
Longford probably edged it after us having a good start.” It was a somewhat disputed free that won the game for Fermanagh. Longford players and supporters vented their anger at Down official Paul Faloon after the harsh free and the fact that Quigley took the kick yards away from where it was awarded.
Longford boss Denis Connerton was dejected and heartbroken in the manner in which his side lost the game: “I’m bitterly disappointed but all we can say is congratulations to Fermanagh; they fought until the very end. We thought we had done enough but it wasn’t to be on the day. I won’t talk about a referee. I have spoken in the past. I prefer just to leave it there. Congratulate Fermanagh on their promotion to Division Two.”
Entering stoppage time Longford were ahead by two points and felt they should have had a free when first Connor Berry and then Rian Brady were fouled. Fermanagh went up the field and were awarded a free which saw Donie McElligott black carded. Quigley fired the ball over the bar. Quigley was to be on target twice again from frees as the Ernemen came from behind to claim the win. Gallagher thought Fermanagh had let the opportunity pass when Longford went ahead by two in the 65th minute:
“When they stretched it out to two you probably thought they were home and hosed and we defended really well at times. We dominated the middle of the field the last seven or eight minutes.”
With so much at stake for both sides the opening half was quite cagey. Fermanagh took an early two-point lead but Longford replied with a fantastic point from a sideline ball by Robbie Smyth and a fine point from a tight angle by Darren Gallagher.
The Ernemen went ahead by two again on two different occasions again. Longford began to get into their stride and drew them level in the 29th minute. A pointed free from Smyth gave them the lead for the first time in the 30th minute and another free put them ahead by two minutes later.
Just before the break Quigley pointed a free to leave Fermanagh trailing by one; 0-7 to 0-6. Quigley was to be on target one minute into the second half when his side were awarded a penalty. Longford were back in front in the 43rd minute when a good move involving Daniel Mimnagh and Brady saw Smyth palm the ball to the back of the net.
The sides were level again in the 49th minute but Longford had gone ahead by two by the 65th minute and looked to have done enough until Quigley’s dramatic intervention
