Down 1-11 Fermanagh 0-7: On a weekend when Ulster football showed some of its worst tendencies, Down and Fermanagh conspired to collect five red cards before the former advanced to the next round of the qualifiers after a foul-ridden game at Newry on Saturday.
The winners paid a heavy price for victory, finishing with 12 men. The loss of Dan Gordan, in particular, could come back to haunt them.
Gordan had excelled in his midfield partnership with Alan Molloy before his dismissal by a straight red card midway through the second half. Fermanagh's Ryan McCluskey walked at the same time.
Down were in control from early in the game and led 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time, but by then they were down to 14 men, Paul Murphy having been sent off after 21 minutes.
Fermanagh put Shane McCabe on Benny Coulter and, with the extra man, came more into the game.
But soon after the dismissals of Gordan and McCluskey, Down more or less ensured victory with a splendid goal from substitute Ronan Sexton.
The game continued to deteriorate in terms of niggles and fouls, providing poor-enough fare for the 12,000-odd spectators. In fact there were only seven scores in the 35 minutes.
Eventually, shortly before the finish, referee Mick McGrath saw fit to send Down's Liam Doyle and Fermanagh's Stephen Maguire to the line, capping an unhappy day for the losers and a bad weekend for the image of Ulster football.
DOWN: M McVeigh; M Cole (0-1), A Scullion, D McCartan; P Murphy (0-1), A O'Prey (0-1), D Rafferty; A Molloy, D Gordan (0-1); C Laverty, A Rodgers, D Hughes; L Doyle (0-2), B Coulter (0-4), S Ward (0-1). Subs: A Rice for McCartan, R Murtagh for Laverty, R Sexton (1-0) for Ward, J Doran for Scullion.
FERMANAGH: C Breen; M Lily, B Owens, R McCluskey; R Johnston, S McDermott, S McCabe; M McGrath, M Murphy; T Brewster (0-2), J Sherry, M Little; E Maguire (0-1), R Gallagher (0-1), C Bradley (0-2). Subs: D Kelly (0-1) for Lily, J McGurn for Murphy, S Maguire for Gallagher, R Gallagher for Brewster, N Bogue for McGrath.
Referee: M McGrath (Donegal).
