Fermanagh 1-16 Wicklow 0-09:Midfielder Ryan Jones had a huge game for Fermanagh as they shattered the reputation of fortress Aughrim yesterday with a 10-point win.
With the wind behind them in the first half, the Ulster side started at a blistering pace.
They took a 0-4 lead in the first seven minutes with the scores shared by Paul Ward and Seán Quigley and, while Wicklow did succeed in reducing the margin to 0-3 to 0-5 at one stage, Fermanagh went on to extend their lead to eight, 0-11 to 0-3, at half-time.
Free taker John McGrath responded for Wicklow with two unanswered points but then the home side were hit by a goal when Fermanagh’s Tommy McElroy poked the ball over the line from close range.
Wicklow were in deeper trouble minutes later when reduced to 14 men after corner-forward Austin O’Malley was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.
FERMANAGH: C Snow; R McCluskey, S Lyons, J Woods; M O’Brien, B Cox, D McCusker (0-1); J Sherry, R Jones (0-2); T McElroy (1-1), S McCabe, E Donnelly; P Ward (0-4, one free), D Keenan (0-2), S Quigley (0-6, three frees, one 45). Subs: M McGrath for Sherry (57 mins), T Corrigan for Quigley (66 mins), N Bogue for O’Brien (70 mins), K Connor for McCabe (70 mins). WICKLOW: J Flynn; C Hyland, D Power, A Byrne (0-2); P McWalter (0-1), M McLoughlin, P McLoughlin; J Stafford, A McLoughlin; D Hayden, R Finn (0-1), D Healy; J McGrath (0-4, frees), P Earls, A O’Malley. Subs: P Dalton for P McLoughlin (half-time), D O’Sullivan for Finn (52 mins), B McCrea (0-1) for Earls (52 mins). J Sheerin for M McLoughlin (64 mins), L Benson for McWalter (70 mins). Referee: D Brazil (Offaly).
