Kelm the returning hero as Fermanagh beat Longford

Fermanagh's Ultan Kelm had a dream return to action for his county as his goal in the 70th minute proved to be the difference between the sides in a tight and competitive Tailteann Cup first round clash.

A recurrent hip injury cost Kelm his planned season in the AFL, and also meant that he didn’t feature in any competitive Fermanagh games until today, when he was a late introduction to the starting team.

Kieran Donnelly’s faith in the Erne Gaels player was rewarded with a solid and purposeful attacking performance, but the cherry was placed on top of the cake when a typically incisive run in the last minute of normal time cut open the Longford defence, and set him up to slip a low finish underneath Paddy Collum to put his team four points up.

Ryan Jones followed Kelm’s goal with a towering point off the outside of the right boot, his fourth of the game, and while Longford narrowed the gap through a late Darren Gallagher free and a Fergal Sheridan score, they never looked like testing Seán McNally in the Fermanagh goal.

The story of the game was that of Fermanagh finding their way into the contest, all while Longford lost theirs.

In the opening minutes the home side looked to run the ball hard and direct through the middle of the Fermanagh defence, and the tactic bore fruit in the form of three points in the first seven minutes.

The impressive Keelin McGann clipped one over at the end of a good run and two Darren Gallagher frees were added, both created by powerful runs down the central channel that forced Fermanagh fouls.

Ciarán Corrigan settled the Erne men with a point in the ninth minute, and while Longford were still comfortable at 0-05 to 0-02 in front after 20 minutes, by now they had lost their attacking fluidity as both