Fermanagh’s Shane McCabe comes under pressure from Antrim’s Niall Delargy in Saturday night’s NFL game at casement park
Antrim 2-9
Fermanagh 1-12
At the threequarter mark at Casement Park on Saturday night, Fermanagh had foraged out into a four point lead and were playing with a tigerish endeavour that threatened to sweep a faltering home side aside.
But after some 20 hectic closing minutes, Fermanagh had to make do with a point from a league tie which had a frantic climax.
Failure to really nail down the result with the ordinarily assured Shane McCabe not beating Antrim keeper Chris Kerr in a one on one situation,Kerr’s sprawled leg deflecting away McCabe’s low shot, gave Antrim a huge reprieve.
The home side responded and in an electric answering burst they turned that four point deficit into a one point advantage, two points and then a goal from midfielder Sean McVeigh had the game transformed.
Ten minutes plus still on the clock and the way was paved for a humdinger of a finale as both side furiously set about the business of securing the win.
Points traded at both ends and it all became a shade fractious as tempers frayed. Nothing too extreme however though Antrim did lose a player on a second yellow.
In the end it was Fermanagh who notched the game’s final point to level the sides and the Erne side did have one final glimpse of snatching the winner but substitute Conor Quigley on a marauding run couldn’t squeeze through the final gap and Antrim turned over possession.
Coming up the road, Fermanagh travelled in the knowledge that this Antrim test was going to be a stern examination of their worth and in the end this is what it proved to be.
On an overall analysis the team could/ should have collected both points, certainly there was that mid second half spell that seemed to have the result secured.
But in the end the side had to settle for a draw and this was also an acceptable enough result in what was always going to be a demanding environment.
And given the fact that Fermanagh lined out without a clutch of players who had featured in the excellent previous fixture against Roscommon there was added reason to be generally satisfied.
Absence from the outset, were midfield duo Ryan Jones and James Sherry with defender Damian Kelly also out of contention and with longer term absentees Barry Owens and Ryan McCluskey still out of action, resources were getting stretched.
Given that drain on manpower, chiselling out a draw in Casement Park was a fine achievement and ensures that the morale of the camp remains on a high.
The game was to have a barnstorming finish especially over the final quarter but it did take a long time to get up and running and the first half was a contest of only moderate intensity.
The scoring rate for both sides over these opening thirty five minutes was also sluggish, the interval scoreline reading 0-5 to 1-2, Antrim the side who collected the goal.
Both sets of forwards had been inaccurate, a stream of wides from both, Antrim off target on eight occasions, Fermanagh hard on their heels with seven.
Antrim had been guilty of the worst miss when neat, precise close play carved out a clear goaling chance for Michael McCann but the midfielder blasted his close in shot into the side netting.
A distinct let off for Fermanagh at that juncture for in the opening quarter Antrim had been slightly the more promising side.
Part of Fermanagh’s attacking problems was the lack of decisive action once they reached shooting range and a paltry five points tally over the half indicated that lack of a cutting edge.
First point had been tossed over by the nimble footed Paul Ward who darted in but Antrim had begun the brighter and they levelled with Conor Murray scoring from the wing.
Further Antrim pressure saw a diligent Fermanagh defence smother one particularly dangerous raid, the visitors then fortunate to see McCann’s shot zip wide but they were undone on fifteen minutes as Antrim got the goal they had been threatening.
Wing half forward Conor Murray made progress up the left wing, placed Kevin Niblock and the centre forward rapped a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Prior to the goal, Fermanagh had temporarily taken the lead with a 45 floated over by Sean Quigley but the game was indifferent overall and after the Niblock goal there was to be a ten minute barren spell, Antrim the side more spendthrift.
In the run up to the break matters began to pick up, Tommy McElroy pointing in what was a relatively rare Fermanagh raid, Tomás McCann answered for Antrim but it was Fermanagh who finished the half on the stronger beat.
Wing half back Marty O’Brien advanced far upfield to fist a score and McElroy had the team on parity with a point from mid distance on the stroke of the whistle.
Given the somewhat limp performance Fermanagh were fortunate enough to be level but from the resumption onwards there was a decided extra pep in their step.
They made a snappy restart, a Paul Ward goal ruled out for an infringement but back they came with a legitimate goal. A ball launched deep into the Antrim goalmouth and the challenging Daryl Keenan got the touch to fist home.
Kevin Niblock did respond with an Antrim point but Fermanagh were upping the intensity of their game and they embarked on what was their most promising spell of the tussle.
Playing with new found vigour and purpose they had the home side increasingly on the back foot and eventually eased their way out into a four point lead.
Points from Paul Ward, Sean Quigley, Tommy McElroy and Eoin Donnelly were all knocked over but critically there had been the goal miss. A second goal at that stage would have punctured Antrim’s already fading resolve.
The home side then battled back into contention with two points from placed kicks from Ryan Murray and they then set the game alight with their second goal. Midfielder Sean McVeigh escaped attention in the right pocket and drove in on goal, perhaps going for a point but his shot smacked into the roof of the net.
Antrim a point to the good and now they were full of running.
Fermanagh were to show admirable tenacity in not allowing this sudden turnaround to unhinge them and they put in a stirring final spell to fully deserve the draw at the finish.
It was edge of the seat stuff however as the exchanges heated up.
Sean Quigley pointed to immediately answer Antrim’s goal and Quigley then drilled a forty metre free straight as a die to give the side the lead.
But Antrim had been rejuvenated by their comeback and they hit back with two points from Ryan Murray to regain the lead and the game was rollicking to a thundering climax.
Fermanagh clawed level again with Paul Ward slipping over a close in free awarded for a foul on himself , this coming on seventy minutes.
Two minutes of added on time signalled, one last Fermanagh raid featuring a strong run from Conor Quigley that was eventually held up.
Some minor scuffles and referee McNally judiciously called it a day and two sides for whom defeat would have been a shade ill deserved ,had to settle for a share of the spoils.