Football

Fermanagh come back from the dead to slay sloppy Antrim

Fermanagh's Sean Quigley celebrates his late goal as they pip Antrim at the death Picture: Seamus Loughran
Fermanagh's Sean Quigley celebrates his late goal as they pip Antrim at the death Picture: Seamus Loughran Fermanagh's Sean Quigley celebrates his late goal as they pip Antrim at the death Picture: Seamus Loughran

Allianz National Football League Division Three round four: Antrim 3-9 Fermanagh 2-13

IN the dying seconds of Saturday’s nerve-shredding Division Three tie between Antrim and Fermanagh, super sub Sean Quigley rose like a salmon on the edge of the square and with a deft flick of his right hand, the ball flew into the home side’s net.

If the wind was blowing in a certain direction, the mercurial Roslea full-forward’s guttural roar probably travelled to the top of the Black Mountain.

The Fermanagh bench went wild.

Trailing by eight points after 50 minutes, the Ernemen had drawn level with seconds remaining – but with Quigley’s highly skilled finish and Antrim wobbling, Kieran Donnelly’s men sensed more points were up for grabs.

Even before Quigley’s dramatic three-pointer, any moments of composure Antrim had displayed during an entertaining afternoon had well and truly evaporated.

Still time for one more passage of play, Antrim goalkeeper Michael Byrne found himself stranded in possession before he fist-passed back into the danger area and into the grateful arms of Conor McGee – another Fermanagh super sub – and the Ederney man popped the ball over the bar to win it at the death for the visitors.

Fermanagh didn’t play well for large parts of Saturday’s tie, spilling too many easy possessions, but through pure grit and determination - and some fabulous leadership shown by Quigley and Ultan Kelm – they managed to turn a defeat-in-waiting into an inspiring victory that edges them closer to promotion and sees Antrim staring into the abyss and Division Four football.

Quigley and McGee conjured a goal apiece from the bench in last week’s last-gasp win over Down – and are fashioning a reputation for themselves as Fermanagh’s game-changers.

But they weren’t the only ones who made a positive impression from the Erne bench. Ciaran Corrigan came on and nabbed a crucial point as the comeback gathered momentum, while Garvan Jones is one brilliant striker of a football, hitting three points after his 46th minute introduction.

“The way the game is going now with GPS output, you do need those extra subs,” said a beaming Fermanagh boss Kieran Donnelly.

“We have grown a bench and if we’re going to play high octane football, we need to have straight swaps and we have two good players competing for each position, which is key for us going forward.”

Quigley has found himself pushed out of Fermanagh’s starting 15 in recent weeks, but his value to the county continues to be immeasurable.

“Sean has that wee bit of class and knowing where to be,” Donnelly said.

“It’s horses for courses, different games will suit certain players and not suit others. Sean is great about the team, a great character and he’s a natural leader when he speaks. I’m just delighted that he stepped up. Not many players have that – that flick is a skill in itself.”

Antrim manager Andy McEntee declined to be interviewed afterwards and was probably still grappling with his team’s dramatic second-half collapse.

Odhran Eastwood grabbed a goal from close-range in first-half stoppage-time that put the Saffrons 1-7 to 0-5 ahead at the interval.

And they picked further holes in the visiting defence through a well-worked Joe Finnegan goal in the 46th minute after good approach play from the hugely impressive Marc Jordan and Aghagallon’s Ruairi McCann.

Four minutes later they grabbed their third goal of the afternoon with Joe Finnegan assisting for Peter Healy’s clinical left-footed finish.

Even though they were 3-7 to 0-8 ahead, Antrim’s advantage never looked unassailable when it should have been.

Their fitness levels have undoubtedly improved in 2023, but this new-look Antrim team don't yet have the street smarts to see games out.

Their game-management in the final quarter was non-existent.

Fermanagh wing-forward Ultan Kelm, arguably the best player on view at Corrigan Park and a constant menace to Antrim, had oceans of space down the right flank and he found the bottom corner of the home side's net with a sublime hit in the 54th minute that really ignited the comeback.

“As much as patience, systems and possession are important, you need to be brave and because defences are so organised now, you need that wee bit of off-the-cuffness, and Ultan definitely has that,” said Donnelly.

Antrim manager Andy McEntee in deep discussion with assistant John McCloskey Picture: Seamus Loughran
Antrim manager Andy McEntee in deep discussion with assistant John McCloskey Picture: Seamus Loughran Antrim manager Andy McEntee in deep discussion with assistant John McCloskey Picture: Seamus Loughran

Antrim’s honest endeavour for large parts of Saturday’s clash was admirable, with Jordan, Healy, Conor Stewart and Colm McLarnon all impressing - and lady luck seemed to be smiling on them too when Byrne made an unbelievable save to deny Ultan Kelm in the 69th minute. Quigley couldn’t convert the rebound with Byrne and Eoghan McCabe throwing themselves at the ball, managing to preserve Antrim's three-point advantage.

But everyone in Corrigan Park just knew the five minutes of stoppage-time would be owned by the visitors, with Garvan Jones (free), Quigley’s major and McGee’s unopposed winner sending Fermanagh into dreamland – and Antrim into a state of depression with three games left to save themselves.

Antrim: M Byrne (0-1, ’45); E McCabe, O Lenehan, J McAuley; P Healy (1-0), J Finnegan (1-0), M Jordan (0-1); K Small, C Stewart (0-2); P Finnegan, Ruairi McCann (Creggan) (0-1), C McLarnon (0-1 mark); P Shivers (0-2, 0-1 free), Ruairi McCann (Aghagallon) (0-1 mark), O Eastwood (1-0) Subs: D McEnhill for O Eastwood (59), C Hynds for K Small (59), P McCormack for M Jordan (67 inj), C Duffin for C McLarnon (73)

Fermanagh: S McNally; L Flanagan, L Cullen (0-1), C McManus; R McCaffrey, J Cassidy, S McGullion (0-1); R Jones, B Horan; JL Ellis, R Lyons (0-1 free), U Kelm (1-2); C McShea, D McGurn, A Breen (0-3) Subs: S Quigley (1-0) for D McGurn (h/t), C McGee (0-1) for C McShea (43), G Jones (0-3, 0-1 free) for R Lyons (46), C Corrigan (0-1) for A Breen (56), E McManus for R McCaffrey (59), F O’Brien for C McManus (65 inj)

Referee: K Eannetta (Tyrone)