Down 1-15

Fermanagh 0-11

Donal O'Hare's 42nd minute goal proved decisive as Down overcame an understrength Fermanagh side at Brewster Park to set up an Ulster SFC semi-final clash with Cavan next Sunday.

Despite missing more than half of last year's championship team, including Ryan Jones who was a late withdrawal, the hosts battled bravely to trail by just a point, 0-6 to 0-7, at the interval and had regained parity before O'Hare's major turned the tide in Down's favour. Captain Caolan Mooney and Daniel Guinness combined to set up the goal for O'Hare, who was surprisingly replaced a minute later after scoring 1-4.

The Ernemen opened the scoring through Darragh McGurn, only for O'Hare to cancel it out from a free. It was nip-and-tuck for the remainder of the half with respective full forwards Tomas Corrigan and O'Hare trading points. Corrigan edged Fermanagh into a 0-6 to 0-5 lead after 27 minutes, but Down finished the half with long-range points from Mooney and Barry O'Hagan to lead at the break.

Fermanagh's Luke Flanagan shakes hands with Down's Ceilum Doherty. ©INPHO/John McVitty.

O'Hagan doubled the Mournemen's advantage after the restart before a brace of Corrigan frees tied up the scoring at 0-8 each. 

But the visitors never looked back after O'Hare found the net, pulling away for a comfortable win thanks to a flurry of scores from Jerome Johnston, Mooney and substitutes Ryan Johnston and Corey Quinn down the home straight.

Down - R Burns; P Fegan, P Murdock, P Laverty; G Collins, K McKernan, D Guinness; C Mooney (0-2), J Flynn; B O'Hagan (0-4), P Devlin, C Poland; J Johnston (0-2), D O'Hare (1-4, 0-3f), C Doherty. Subs: L Kerr for P Devlin, C Quinn (0-1) for D O'Hare, R Johnston (0-2) for C Poland, J Guinness for B O'Hagan, C McCartan for K McKernan, C Poland (BC).

Fermanagh - S McNally; J Cassidy, K Connor, L Flanagan; J Largo Ellis, J McMahon, C McManus; R O'Callaghan, E Donnelly; C Corrigan (0-1), D McGurn (0-1), A Breen; S McGullion, T Corrigan (0-6, 4f, 1m), D McCusker. Subs: D Teague (0-1) for A Breen, S Cassidy for R O'Callaghan, K McDonnell for C McManus, R Jones for J McMahon, C Jones (0-1) for C Corrigan, P McCusker (0-1) for D McCusker, T Corrigan (BC).

Referee - B Cassidy.

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