Sport

Fermanagh condemned to drop

Cork 1-10; Fermanagh 0-8: Fermanagh surrendered their place in the top flight after first losing at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday…

Mon Apr 05 2004 - 01:00

Cork 1-10; Fermanagh 0-8: Fermanagh surrendered their place in the top flight after first losing at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night and then results elsewhere condemned them to Division Two football next season.

An inferior points difference relegated Fermanagh, who had plenty of chances to cause an upset against a Cork side who played as if this was a meaningless end-of-season challenge. Faulty shooting helped Fermanagh's wides' tally reach 16 by the finish.

Cork played with the wind in the first-half and led by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break. The goal came after 11 minutes, when Philip Clifford's speculative shot dropped on the fringe of the square where Fionan Murray reacted quickest to fist the ball past Ronan Gallagher.

That sparked Cork's best spell. Clifford and captain Colin Crowley added points but Fermanagh responded well. Stephen Maguire's accuracy from frees led to two more points before the full forward kicked his side's first score from play after 24 minutes to cut the margin to 1-3 to 0-5.

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It took Cork 17 minutes to register their next point, a fine effort from Murray three minutes from half-time and Clifford curled over a beauty from a free in added time.

Fermanagh almost provided a sensational start to the second half, when Mark Little's attempt for a point clipped the underside of the crossbar and rebounded to safety.

That escape spurred Cork into life as Alan Cronin and Alan O'Regan, with two points, made it 1-8 to 0-5 after 46 minutes. Eamon Maguire grabbed Fermanagh's opening score of the half moments later and the sides shared four points in a tame finish.

CORK: K O'Dwyer; S O'Brien, D Kavanagh, N O'Donovan; S Levis, G Canty, M Cronin; D Hurley, N Murphy; M McCarthy, A O'Regan (0-3), A Cronin (0-2); P Clifford (0-2, one free), F Murray (1-2 one '45), C Crowley (0-1, capt). Subs: C Brosnan for Cronin (62 mins); J O'Donoghue for M McCarthy (65); K O'Sullivan for Murray ; J O'Connell for O'Regan (both 68).

FERMANAGH: R Gallagher; N Bogue, S Goan, P Sherry; R Johnston, M McGrath, D Campbell; L McBarron, S McDermott (0-1); E Maguire (0-1), C McElroy, K Boyle; C O'Reilly, S Maguire (0-6, five frees), M Little. Subs: H Brady for Sherry (16 mins); D O'Reilly for Campbell (23); R Keenan for C O'Reilly (29); S Curry for Keenan (31).

Referee: S Doyle (Wexford)