Down snatch dramatic Ulster SFC win over Fermanagh

Down came from 7 points down to snatch an improbable 2-19 to 0-23 triumph complete Fermanagh pinch 2 precocious goals from Daniel Guinness and Ryan McEvoy putting them done to nan Ulster SFC semi-finals.

Fermanagh looked to beryllium closing successful connected a first triumph successful nan provincial bid since 2018 erstwhile they led 0-22 to 0-15 pinch 7 minutes to spell successful Brewster Park.

After an evenly contested first half, which Down led 0-11 to 0-8 astatine nan break, Conor Love was connected occurrence pinch 5 second-half points for Fermanagh.

The Erne broadside deed 10 points successful nan 3rd 4th pinch Down subdued until a two-pointer from Daniel Guinness group up a chaotic finish.

Guinness fired location a 65th infinitesimal extremity pinch nan Mournemen hitting an unanswered 2-4 successful nan past 7 minutes.

The crippled looked to beryllium heading to other clip until McEvoy fired location a 2nd Down extremity successful nan past minute.

Down will play Monaghan aliases Donegal successful nan Ulster semi-final connected Sunday 27 April.

Fermanagh will person excessively agelong to ponder rather really they grounded to spot this 1 done earlier they effort to regroup for nan Tailteann Cup.

Their precocious property successful nan 2nd half forced Down to spell agelong and often it was Fermanagh who won possession and streamed guardant pinch Love's flurry of scores and a two-pointer from Che Cullen putting them successful complete control.

Yet for each their power aft nan break, they did deed a fewer bad wides which proved costly erstwhile Down came roaring backmost successful nan closing stages.

While nan first half lacked value astatine times, it was memorable for nan extremity chances and outstanding saves made by some goalkeepers Ronan Burns and Sean McNally, who besides nailed 4 '45s' betwixt them.

Down edged nan opening play and points from Danny Magill and Ceilum Doherty helped them lead 0-10 to 0-5 aft 24 minutes.

Pierce Laverty's achromatic paper for a manus travel gave Fermanagh a lifeline and they took it pinch 3 points earlier nan break to trim nan shortage to 3 points astatine nan interval.

Ryan Lyons, Jonny Cassidy, Garvan Jones and nan prima move Conor Love grew successful assurance and stature arsenic nan 3rd 4th wore on.

Hardly known arsenic a high-scoring team, this was turning into 1 of Fermanagh's champion performances for immoderate clip arsenic they piled connected nan points while looking collectively coagulated defensively.

When Love punched nan aerial aft his 4th and 5th points, it seemed Fermanagh believed a agelong overdue Ulster Championship triumph was to beryllium theirs.

Yet nan norm enhancements introduced this twelvemonth person contributed to galore momentum swings and this title was astir to lurch wildly towards nan reddish and achromatic corner.

While Shay Millar's constituent ended a 15-minute scoring drought for Down, Guinness' two-pointer was undoubtedly nan turning constituent pinch 7 minutes to go.

The Down fans successful nan 4,1576 crowd abruptly recovered their sound and location was a increasing consciousness location was still thing successful this crippled for them.

Two minutes later he darted through, almost untouched, for a Down extremity pinch 5 minutes to go.

Pat Havern's free and first constituent from play made it a level crippled pinch 90 seconds to go.

Fermanagh were rattled yet tried to equine an onslaught but turned nan shot complete aft a wasteful walk retired complete nan sideline.

Down weren't settling for other time. Even struggling Down sides ever person a capacity to people goals and aft getting one, they fancied getting another.

And contempt what looked for illustration a propulsion shot successful nan build-up, play was allowed to proceed and Kilcoo's Ryan McEvoy planted nan shot into nan Fermanagh nett pinch clip almost up.

When nan shot was floated into nan quadrate for 1 past Erne attack, Jonny Cassidy deed it complete nan barroom erstwhile a extremity was needed and suddenly, somehow, Fermanagh's winning position evaporated arsenic Down shrugged disconnected a below-par show to scramble their measurement into nan semi-finals.

Fermanagh: S McNally (0-3, each '45s'); C Cullen (0-2, tp), L Cullen, O Smyth; J Cassidy (0-2), D McCusker (0-1), F O'Brien (0-1, f); J McDade, D McGurn (0-2); C McGee, R Lyons (0-1), P Breen; J Largo Ellis (0-1), G Jones (0-4, 1f), C Love (0-5)

Subs: S McGullion for Breen (14), R McCaffrey (0-1) for Lyons (53), S Cassidy for McGee (58)

Down: R Burns (0-1, '45'); P McCarthy, P Fegan, C Doherty (0-1); R Magill, P Laverty, M Rooney; D Guinness (1-4, 1tp), R McEvoy (1-1); D Magill (0-2), O Murdock (0-2), E Branagan (0-2), J Guinness, P Havern (0-4, 3f), J McGeough (0-1)

Subs: A McClements for Rooney (47), S Millar (0-1) for D Magill (49), C Mooney for Branagan (51), C McCrickard for J Guinness (54), P Brooks for McGeough (62)

Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)