First-half dominance seals Lory Meagher Cup for Fermanagh

A strong first-half proved pivotal as Fermanagh overcame Longford by five points in their entertaining Lory Meagher Cup Final at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon.

A Brian Teehan goal at the end of the first quarter helped prompt a deserved eight-point interval advantage and Fermanagh did enough to repel a strong final quarter from Longford to claim a deserved success.

In doing so, they followed in the footsteps of 2023 winners Monaghan, and now join Louth as the county with the most success at this level with both teams having secured three Lory Meagher titles since the tournament's inception in 2009.

There was a bright start from both sides with Fermanagh opening the scoring through Brian Teehan within forty seconds after an intervention from Hawkeye while Evan Tully responded for Longford in the 3rd minute.

The Ulster side regained their lead thanks to Aidan Flanagan soon after and doubled their lead through Luca McCusker in the 4th minute.

They should have been awarded a goal two minutes later as Teehan swept home after Seán Corrigan’s shot had rebounded off the upright but referee James Judge disallowed the effort following a consultation with his umpires.

Fermanagh didn’t seem too despondent as a result of that decision as they continued to dominate through points by John Duffy and Tom Keenan with Joe Rabbitt replying at the opposite end for a struggling Longford.

Ciarán Duffy and Danaan McKeogh added to their lead while their opponents offered their supporters some cause for encouragement with points in quick succession by Cian Darcy and Cathal Mullane.

However, the momentum from those two points was quickly dispelled as Teehan got the goal he deserved in the 17th minute, sweeping home from ten yards across Pat Burke in the