Richard O’Callaghan of Fermanagh
Fermanagh 2-20
Wexford 3-8
Fermanagh were to have a sizzling start to this key league meeting at Brewster Park with a goal in their opening attack and that score laid the foundation for what was to be a very slick opening thirty five minutes.
Over that opening half Fermanagh dictated the exchanges and Wexford were made to look a very ordinary side indeed.
With the Fermanagh points tally steadily mounting and Wexford restricted to a mere three points in response, the game was effectively over by the interval.
An assured Fermanagh side had cruised into a twelve points lead and it was going to take an extraordinary collapse on their part if they were to lose this tie.
Not so impressive from Fermanagh after the changeover and in fact there was a period in the third quarter when they struggled to get the ball beyond the middle of the park.
As a consequence they found themselves with considerable defensive work on their hands. But Wexford despite a significant amount of pressure made only limited inroads into the twelve points deficit that they were faced with.
Some poor shooting on Wexford’s part, some ill luck also, one screaming shot cannoning back off the Fermanagh crossbar but there was also some excellent Fermanagh defensive play.
Eventually Wexford did grab a goal but Fermanagh by this stage had shown signs that they were edging themselves back into the picture and a couple of neat points killed off whatever ripples of concern there might have been bubbling under the surface.
In the end the home side were to cough up two more goals though these came far too late to cause concern though there will be concern that the scores were conceded.
Overall though this was an encouraging Fermanagh victory and there was no disputing the fact that they were well worth the win which hoists them clear of the relegation trapdoor.
Some significant personnel changes for the contest, Barry Owens making a highly welcome return to the inter county fray and he was an excellent target man at full forward, his presence established right from the throw in with his involvement with the rapid fire goal that set the ball rolling.
Pivotal hub Ryan McCluskey was out through injury with relative new boy Aiden Breen drafted in and there was a starting place for Eddie Courtney at corner forward so there was a tinge of anxiety there.
No need to worry however for Breen was solid in defence, actually got up field to land two points and Courtney was also a livewire figure, finishing with a tally of four, all from open play.
So it was a good day for the team, the caveats aside, as they delivered at least in the first half a breezy performance that had Wexford on the ropes.
Inevitable perhaps that so far in front it was hard to keep the momentum going but at the end of the seventy minutes a comprehensive victory had been chalked up.
The side was up and running inside the opening minute with a goal that ignited that sharp first half performance.
Declan McCusker speared in a centre from the wing, Barry Owens at the very least provided distraction to the Wexford keeper and the ball nestled in the net.
Ben Brosnan who was one of the few Wexford players to make and hint of an impact prior to the break answered with a point but Fermanagh had been galvanised by the snap goal and playing with assurance they raced through for a string of points that saw a six point advantage quickly established.
Tomás Corrigan and Eddie Courtney who between them were to contribute a hefty eleven points tally were causing major problems for the harassed Wexford defence though it was not quite all one way traffic.
A warning sign posted on ten minutes when the defence was all too easily carved open and keeper Chris Snow did exceptionally well to paw out a fisted effort from wing half forward Michael O’Regan.
Wexford did shoot a couple of points in mid half to leave a scoreline of 1-4 to 0-3 but from there to the interval there was only one side on the park.
Fermanagh, with their adventurous half back line moving up to support the attack steamed their way in for an unanswered eight points, Aiden Breen, Tommy McElroy and Declan McCusker all on the scoreboard and with Corrigan and Courtney also chipping scores it was a very handsome position to be in at the break.
But from there on it unravelled and the second half display was in truth disappointing given the quality etc that had been on offer over the initial thirty five minutes.
Wexford of course just couldn’t be as nondescript as they had been and they were bound to make every effort to at least salvage some pride.
A point each exchanged in the earl minutes of the half, Courtney angling over the Fermanagh score but for the next fifteen minutes it was essentially Wexford’s show.
The foundation was being laid in midfield where the Leinster side snapped up every bit of broken ball and Fermanagh were pinned down.
Wexford should have snatched a goal and had they done so at this stage it could have made for a much changed scenario.
But Fermanagh survived as a cracking shot smacked back off the crossbar and the ball was eventually scooped clear.
All Wexford at this juncture but they were being faced with some resolute Erne defensive work and scores were proving very hard to come by for the chasing side.
Another goal bound shot screamed across the face of goal as Fermanagh couldn’t lift the siege but eventually a breakout was achieved and in a quick counter raid Declan McCusker advanced to land a much needed point. Eddie Courtney popped another and the malaise appeared to have been cured.
But the final twenty minutes proved to a be a chastening run in for Fermanagh as they again showed ominous frailty in defence.
True they were never to be in any real danger of being overhauled, they added a goal and five points to keep themselves more than comfortably ahead but they were also coughing up a lot of scores at the other end.
Wexford landed seven points but more worryingly from a Fermanagh point of view there were also two goals conceded. It was easily Wexford’s best spell of the afternoon as they did indeed salvage something from the wreckage, the goals supplied by Graeme Cullen and Adrian Flynn.
Fermanagh were also to collect a goal, substitute Ruairi Corrigan showing determination to work his way inside to plant a low shot to the bottom corner of the net but the limp finish over the final quarter had taken the zip out of Fermanagh’s stride.
Wexford finished the day with fourteen, two black cards issued late on and with a full replacement panel used up, there was no substitute for defender Furlong’s black a few minutes from time.