Fermanagh lose shackles

All-Ireland SFC Qualifier Fermanagh 0-18 Cork  0-12 Fermanagh showed on Saturday at Croke Park their pedigree as a football county is genuine. The way they've come back this year is one of the stories of the summer.

Their manager, Charlie Mulgrew, was parachuted into the role last winter after Dominic Corrigan had had enough of one of the most difficult jobs around.

They have been living in the shadow of their more established Ulster neighbours for years, but for the second successive year they have displayed their worth in the qualifiers.

Last season when they were paired with Tyrone in the All-Ireland quarter-final a collective groan went up in the county.

Then - as if the earlier defection of Rory Gallagher weren't bad enough - they lost a second Gallagher, their captain Raymie, to the bright lights of Dublin, although Dublin manager Tommy Lyons never rolled out the red carpet.

Fermanagh's first ever victory at Croke Park and so many of their key names weren't at the party. Even Tom Brewster had to settle for a substitute's role.

The most interesting statistic though in the context of Saturday concerns playing populations. There are 259 clubs in Cork, 163 totally dedicated to football, while Fermanagh have 24. Yet to Mulgrew it is a simple game.

"There's no great plan. They are prepared to work hard and basically that's it. It's the fellas that are doing it. We're all just there to provide direction for them but they are doing it. They are honest with each other.

"We don't use outside factors to try and motivate us. All we do comes from within."

Cork collectively admitted they are at a low ebb. Their campaign will be remembered for two capitulations: that against Kerry in the Munster semi-final and that on Saturday, just like last year.

An arduous rebuilding process faces Billy Morgan. Some - including Colin Corkery - may have played their last match in the rebel red.

In defeat there was straight talking from management, with selector Colman Corrigan the bluntest of all.

"We didn't perform all over the field. We made some bad passing mistakes. But in the second half Fermanagh just blew us away.

"We're basically, to tell the truth, light years behind the northern teams at the moment. We're going to have to readdress the whole issue.

"I believe this statistic - one All-Ireland in 14 years, one All-Ireland - that speaks for itself."

And yet it looked for a time it might be Cork lying in wait for one of the defeated provincial finalists. The sides were level at 0-6 at the interval, Corkery eventually finding his range with two smart frees.

However, it was the dynamism of the Fermanagh half-forward line that caught the eye. Eamon Maguire kicked two smart scores, Stephen Maguire was a colossus and Mark Little was cutting holes at every opportunity.

After the interval Cork looked to have found the right formula. Brendan Jer O'Sullivan was introduced as Graham Canty went to centre back and Nicholas Murphy to midfield.

Conor McCarthy split the uprights before O'Sullivan tacked on two scores in a minute. Soon Corkery got his fourth point, making it 0-10 to 0-7.

But then the tide went with Fermanagh. James Sherry and Maguire kicked three points apiece and Mark Little finally got on the scoresheet to rubberstamp his man-of-the-match display. Brewster was in by then and he stretched the lead to four with 10 minutes to play.

Canty looked set to give Cork a lifeline when he burst through on goal but Niall Tinney earned his bread in the Fermanagh goal. O'Sullivan and Corkery kicked further wides as Fermanagh cantered home.

Disaster in Cork but the remarkable rise of Fermanagh is another example of what can happen to a county once they escape the shackles of tradition and history.

FERMANAGH: 1. N Tinney; 2. N Bogue, 3. B Owens, 29. R McCluskey; 5. R Johnston, 6. S McDermott (capt), 18. D O'Reilly (0-2); 8. M McGrath, 9. L McBarron; 10. E Maguire (0-2), 14. J Sherry (0-4), 12. M Little (0-2); 13. C O'Reilly, 11. S Maguire (0-6, 4f), 15. C Bradley (0-1). Subs: 28. T Brewster (0-1) for C O'Reilly (32 mins), 20. P Sherry for L McCarron (44 mins), 7. D Kelly for D O'Reilly (64 mins).

CORK: 1. K O'Dwyer; 2. S O'Brien, 3. D Kavanagh, 4. G Murphy; 5. E Sexton, 6. S Levis, 7. M Cronin; 8. M O'Sullivan, 9. G Canty (0-1); 10. N Murphy (0-1), 11. C O'Sullivan, 12. C McCarthy (0-2); 13. C Crowley (capt), 14. C Corkery (0-6, 3f), 15. A Cronin. Subs: 29. C Brosnan for S O'Brien (29 mins), 20. B O'Sullivan (0-2) for S Levis (half-time), 28. F Murray for C O'Sullivan (57 mins), 17. K O'Connor for E Sexton (60 mins), 21. M Ó Cróinín for C Crowley (64 mins).