Fermanagh 5-12 Cavan 3-18 

A fabulous second-half comeback from Fermanagh deservedly earned them a share of the spoils in a cracking game of hurling at sunny Brewster Park in their second game of the Lory Meagher Cup.

It looked grim for Joe Baldwin’s boys as they trailed by a whopping 11 points 3-15 to 2-07 15 minutes into the second half.

A physically superior Cavan side, who were winning all the key battles, looked set for an easy victory.

But Fermanagh switched veteran John Duffy to the edge of the square and his response was two goals in the space of five minutes.

And sub Adam McShea added a fifth goal in the 67th minute to set up a frenetic finish.

The home side actually went a point up from classy veteran Sean Corrigan before Dillon Mulligan tied matters for the visitors in an enthralling finish.

Weakened Fermanagh were minus three top performers as Danny Teague and Dylan Bannon were hit with a one-match ban after picking up red cards in last week’s defeat of Leitrim in Carrick-On-Shannon.

It is understood that Fermanagh did appeal Teague’s card but did not succeed.

But they were also minus ace marksman Luca McCusker who was ruled out after sustaining a blow to the chest in that Leitrim match.

The home side had a dream start when Sean Corrigan gave Caolan Duffy a great cross-field pass deep inside the Cavan defence and the latter smashed the sliotar to the top corner of the net.

But Cavan hit back with a pointed free and one from play from Nicholas Kenny.

Danann McKeogh landed a free for the home side, but the Breffni men were growing into the game and Cuala star from Dublin, Cillian Sheanon narrowed the gap to a point.

A cleverly flicked goal from the wristy Sean Keating put Cavan into a 1-03 to 1-01 lead to which McKeogh responded with a monster free from almost 70 metres.

Kenny made it 1-04 to 1-03 for Cavan before Fermanagh struck for their second goal in the 13th minute.

This time it was Brian Teehan who provided the cross-field pass to McKeogh who controlled the ball on his stick before hammering to the net to put the Ernesiders ahead by 2-03 to 1-04.

Wasteful Cavan had hit five wides by this stage but Kenny again narrowed the gap from a free as the Fermanagh defence were struggling to cope with the inside power and pace of Cavan and conceded several scoreable frees.

Corrigan pointed for Fermanagh but Cavan finished the half strongest through points from Kenny (0-02) and the excellent Keating to lead at the break by 1-12 to 2-05.

Cavan steamed clear early in the second half with Jack Barry first timing the sliotar to the net and a point from elegant centre-back Liam O’Brien suddenly stretched their lead to 2-12 to 2-05 five minutes into the second half.

Cavan were rampant at this stage. Shell-shocked Fermanagh’s sole reply was a pointed free from McKeogh.

But that was swiftly negated as Cavan’s speedy forward Mark Moffett steamed through the Erne defence and slammed the sliotar to the net to put Cavan ahead by 3-15 to 2-07.

It looked like a canter for Cavan, who also hit eight wides over the hour until a long ball deep into the Breffni defence was flicked to the net by the excellent Duffy.

He repeated the dose five minutes later when he rounded a defender and netted with aplomb to cut the Cavan lead to 3-15 to 4-09 in the 60th minute.

Duffy then had to retire injured as Corrigan clipped over a point as did sub Jimmy Tormey.

Cavan were rattled but responded with points from Kenny to leave them, leading by 3-17 to 4-11.

But there was one more kick in Fermanagh as Adam McShea found the net to level matters with four minutes added time to be played.

It was a tense and torrid finish with Corrigan putting Fermanagh in front, but Dillon Mulligan levelled matters to bookend a remarkable tussle.

Fermanagh: C McKernan; S McKendry, R Porteous, C Duffy; A Flanagan, R Bogue (0-01), O Johnston; B Teehan, D McKeogh (1-05,4f); JP McGarry (0-01) Caolan Duffy (1-00), J Duffy (2-00); T Keenan, T Duane, S Corrigan (0-04)

Subs; B Corrigan for Flanagan (13), J Tormey (0-01) for McGarry (42), A McShea (1-00) for Duane (57), B McPhillips for J Duffy (62), L McCusker for Teehan (72)

Cavan: N Clerkin; S Briody, G Fitzpatrick, J Carney; D Carney, L O’Brien (0-01,1f) E Shalvey; D Mulligan (0-01), C Sheanon (0-03); T Leonard, J Barry (1-01), M Moffett (1-02); S Keating (1-02), M Hynes, N Kenny (0-08,6f)

Subs; J McGuinness for Leonard (59), L Óg Cooke for Hynes (65), D Crudden for Carney (70) 

Referee: Kevin Brady (Louth).