National Football League Division One A/ Fermanagh 2-9 Monaghan 0-10: A hungrier and more purposeful Fermanagh deservedly took points in this keenly-contested if at times scrappy encounter in Clontibret yesterday. Fermanagh dominated play for almost the entire game with good sound defensive work and a very effective counter-attacking strategy.
They got off to the best possible start with a goal by Jonathan McGurn within a minute of the throw-in and thereafter they were never headed. Mark Murphy and Fergal O'Reilly gave Fermanagh a firm foothold in midfield but even though Monaghan enjoyed a fair degree of possession they lacked penetration and 13 wides in all tells its own story. Fermanagh led at half-time by 1-6 to 0-5, Ryan Keenan accounting for three points.
Within four minutes of the restart Fermanagh got their second goal when Damien Kelly lobbed goalkeeper Shane Duffy and they could afford the luxury of opting for a point from a penalty after 12 minutes when Damien Kelly was brought down.
Monaghan never gave up the struggle but too often good approach work was not matched by good finishing. The Fermanagh defence also made life difficult with Barry Owens having a particularly strong game at full back in the second half.
FERMANAGH: C Breen; N Bogue, B Owens, S Goan; R Johnston, S McDermott, P Sherry; M Murphy, F O'Reilly; D Kelly (1-0), J Sherry, T Brewster (0-2); C Bradley, J McGurn (1-2), R Keenan (0-4, one pen). Subs: C O'Reilly (0-1, one free) for C Bradley (12 mins), P Johnston for N Bogue (56 mins), S Doherty for J McGurn (59 mins), E Ferris for F O'Reilly (65 mins).
MONAGHAN: S Duffy; P McGuigan (0-1), C Flanagan, D Morgan; D Freeman (0-1), V Corey, D McArdle (0-1); E Lennon, D Clerkin (0-1); S Gollogly (0-1), P Finlay (0-3), S McManus; T Freeman (0-1), R Woods (0-1, free), S Smyth. Subs: E Duffy for S McManus (18 mins), B Mckenna for D Clerkin (31 mins), K Tavey for S Smyth (55 mins), F Duffy for S Gollogly (57 mins), H McElroy for P Finlay (71 mins).
Referee: C Broderick (Down).
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