All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round Three/Fermanagh 2-12 Wexford 0-11: The main talking point at Brewster Park on Saturday evening after Fermanagh's victory was not really the result but Matty Forde. His absence from the team due to suspension was duly noted.
A 12-week ban was meted out to the prolific forward on Saturday morning by the GAA's Central Disciplinary Committee after Forde was caught stamping on an opponent during the Leinster semi-final defeat to Offaly three weeks ago. According to team manager, Paul Bealin, Forde is the best player Wexford has ever produced and, on a day when his side kicked scorable frees wide, he proved was a huge loss.
Fermanagh began well and were three points up after 12 minutes. A notably high proportion of the game's scores came from free kicks, the trend of proceedings also reflected in the 12 yellow cards dished out by Tipperary referee Brian Tyrell.
Wexford's youthful captain Ciarán Deely who led his side back into the game with a point in the 12th minute. Diarmuid Kinsella converted a 45 and was then involved in the move that led to an equalising point from Shane Cullen.
Paddy Colfer's clean catch and score gave Wexford a short-lived lead in the 20th minute (0-5 to 0-4) before his corner back Brian Malone committed a foul that allowed Ciarán O'Reilly to convert from close range.
With six minutes of the half remaining, and the teams level at 0-6 each, the turning point in the match arrived when Fermanagh were awarded a penalty. Shaun Doherty's close-range shot appeared to rebound off a defender but the referee saw otherwise and yellow-carded full back Philip Wallace before awarding the penalty which O'Reilly confidently converted.
That gave Fermanagh a half-time lead of 1-6 to 0-6 and after the interval they added four points without reply as Wexford struggled to rediscover their earlier form. They responded with two points midway through the half but Fermanagh were packing their defence and they ensured three was no way back for Wexford.
Fermanagh's second goal proved the icing on the cake. Four minutes before the final whistle a quickly taken free was picked up by Eamonn Maguire who cooly lobbed home.
FERMANAGH: C Breen; R McCluskey, B Owens, S Goan; P Sherry, H Brady, R Johnston; M McGrath (0-1), M Murphy; M Little, T Brewster (0-5, four frees), E Maguire (1-0); A Little (0-1), S Doherty, C O'Reilly (1-3, one pen, three frees). Subs: J Sherry (0-2) for M Little (25 mins), N Bogue for P Sherry (half-time), D Kelly for Doherty (54 mins), F O'Reilly for McGrath (64 mins). Yellow Cards: R McCluskey (29 mins); T Brewster (42 mins); C O'Reilly (48 mins); M McGrath (61 mins); E Maguire (67 mins); S Goan (73 mins); R Johnston (75 mins).
WEXFORD: J Cooper; B Malone, P Wallace, N Murphy; C Morris, D Murphy, P Curtis; R Stafford, E Bradley (0-2, one 45); C Deely (0-1), D Kinsella (0-3, three frees), R Barry; S Cullen (0-3, two frees), P Colfer (0-1), J Hudson. Subs: D Fogarty for Kinsella (47 mins); PJ Banville for Hudson (48 mins); L Murphy (0-1 mins) for Curtis (50 mins). Yellow cards: P Wallace and N Murphy (36 mins), P Colfer (47 mins), C Deely (53 mins), D Murphy (68 mins).
Referee: B Tyrell (Tipperary).
