Fermanagh flourish in Cavan but still suffer relegation from Division 2

For the second year in succession, Fermanagh came away from Kingspan Breffni with both points but this time it wasn't enough to save their Division 2 status.

A superb performance from full-forward Garvan Jones, who finished with 1-08 (1-07 from play), was key as the away side picked up their second victory of the campaign by a 2-14 to 1-13 margin – but it was all in vain as Louth’s win over Kildare condemned Kieran Donnelly’s men to relegation.

Fermanagh, despite kicking seven wides, went in holding a 1-06 to 0-04 lead and they were value for it.

With captain Declan McCusker causing problems and full-forward Garvan Jones landing four good points from play, the Erne men – scrapping for their lives – were dominant.

From early on, the tone was set. Before a small and muted home crowd, Fermanagh were out-working a Cavan side who came into the game with nothing to play for only pride and avoiding the prospect of going into the championship against Monaghan in two weeks without a win in three matches.

Jones opened the scoring with a well-taken free before adding one from play following good work from St Pat’s MacRory Cup-winning joint-captain Cian McManus.

Cavan, who had only hit the net in one of the previous six matches in the campaign, struggled to break down a well-organised Fermanagh attack and, on kick-outs, found it difficult to win primary possession.

While Paddy Lynch levelled matters with a free and a mark, quality scores from McCusker and Jones doubled the visitors’ advantage. Lynch pointed a free after clubmate Dara McVeety was fouled pulling the trigger but Jones again fired over and then, five minutes before the break, found Sean Cassidy with a perfect pass and the corner-forward blasted to the roof of the net.

Conor