Fermanagh edge Westmeath to keep promotion bid on track

A superbly-struck injury-time point from full-back Lee Cullen helped Fermanagh take a big step towards promotion in a thrilling affair at Ederney.

It was a deserved victory for the home side, but once again, they gave their fans palpitations by missing three great goal chances in the first half and conceded two goals in the space of 60 seconds with ten minutes to go.

Leading by 0-13 to 0-06, Fermanagh seemed to be cruising but two well-executed goals by Westmeath full-back Kevin Maguire and corner-forward David Lynch - who pounced on a ball that came off the post - made it a one-point game.

Westmeath had the momentum but, to their credit, Fermanagh hit back with the score of the match - a huge soaring point from the outstanding Ultan Kelm.

There were five agonising minutes of injury-time as Westmeath's Ronan Wallace replied to Cullen's clincher.

The Midlanders had one last chance but it went wide as Fermanagh held on for their third one-point victory.

The home side had a whirlwind start and Darragh McGurn swept over a soaring point after just ten seconds, but a physically powerful Westmeath hit back with a pointed free from marksman John Heslin.

Ronan Wallace put Westmeath in front before Ryan Lyon levelled from a pointed free in the fifth minute.

Despite playing into the breeze, Westmeath had most of the possession, but Fermanagh missed the first of three good goal chances in the 11th minute.

Speed machine Kelm tore through the Westmeath defence and could have gone for his own goal but squared the ball to McGurn, whose point-blank shot was somehow scrambled clear.

Three minutes later they opened the Westmeath defence again, but Josh Largo Ellis’s screaming shot cannoned off the crossbar and another let-off for Westmeath.

Fermanagh