Leitrim 1-09 Fermanagh 0-19

Even though Fermanagh finished with 13 men they still managed to hold off a late Leitrim rally in a scrappy affair in blustery conditions at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-On-Shannon.

Impressive full forward Danny Teague was sent off mid-way through the first half in an off-the-ball incident after referee Michael Connolly consulted with his linesman.

They also lost midfielder Dylan Bannon to a late red card as Leitrim finished with 14 men after Michael O’Brien got a similar sentence.

But the home side, who played into the breeze were held scoreless at the break as a much fitter and focused Erne side were well worth their halftime lead of 0-09 to 0-00 at the break.

Leitrim did manage to get a goal from Stephen Goldrick which brought them within four points of their opponents but late points from Brian Teehan, JP McGarry and Danann McKeogh sealed the deal.

Teague opened the scoring for the winners with a fine effort from an acute angle after two minutes and he doubled that score when he converted a free after the lively Tom Keenan was fouled.

Aidan Flanagan and Teague made it 0-04 to 0-00 against a sluggish Leitrim side who were struggling to get to the pace of the game.

Teehan and the excellent Caolan Duffy made it 0-06 to 0-00 before Teague’s dismissal which had very little effect on the Ernesiders as they continued to tap over the points in the run-up to the break.

Points from veterans John Duffy and Sean Corrigan pushed Fermanagh to a 0-09 to 0-00 lead at the break.

Luca McCusker extended that lead on the restart but it took the now wind-assisted Leitrim until the 38th minute to open their scoring through Conor Hackett.

Over the next four minutes, Odhran Johnston and Tom Keenan pointed for Fermanagh while Joe Murray replied with a Leitrim point.

Two unanswered Joe Murray and Gavin O'Hagan Leitrim points reduced the home side's deficit with Fermanagh to eight points by the 57th minute.

After that, a Stephen Goldrick Leitrim goal plus a Joe Murray point reduced Fermanagh's advantage to four points with some eight minutes of normal time left.

However, in the closing minutes of the game, Fermanagh snuffed out Leitrim's fight back with two McGarry points as well as a point each by Caolan Duffy, Teehan and McKeogh.

Fermanagh's Dylan Bannon and Leitrim's Michael O'Brien received late straight red cards after two separate incidents.

A deserved win for Fermanagh who were the better side throughout and they came back well when Leitrim struck for a late goal.

And their superior fitness told in those final moments as they eased clear to a merited victory.

Leitrim: C Cunniffe; J Fitzgibbon, S Goldrick (1-00), P Kenny; P Lenehan, C Beirne, K Clerkin; J Murray (0-06,6f), G O'Brien; D McDermott, G O'Hagan (0-02,2f), M O'Brien; B Goldrick, S Markham, C Hackett (0-01)

Subs: D McGovern for Clerkin (HT); J McNabola for O'Brien (46); C McLoughlin for McDermott (69); N Crowe for Kenny (71).

Fermanagh: C McKiernan; S McKendry, R Porteous, C Duffy; A Flanagan (0-01), R Bogue (0-01,1f) O Johnson (0-01,1f), D Bannon, L McCusker (0-01), J Duffy (0-01), C Duffy (0-03), B Teehan (0-03); T Keenan (0-01); D Teague (0-03,1f), C McManus.

Subs: S Corrigan (0-01) for McManus (24); B Corrigan for Flanagan (43); JP McGarry (0-02) for J Duffy (53); D McKeogh (0-01) for Keenan (63).

Referee: Michael Connolly (Mayo)