McGrath demands better after Erne men sink Model
Fermanagh manager Pete McGrath during their GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 1B match with Wexford. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
Fermanagh boss Pete McGrath has called for a repeat of the second-half performance after his side pulled away from their hosts at Wexford Park.
After a sloppy first half, at the end of which they led by a single point having had wind assisted Fermanagh delivered a splendid last 25 minutes.
Barry Mulrone of Fermanagh in action against Eoghan Nolan of Wexford. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
They stepped up their intensity, with Tomas Corrigan and Sean Quigley dismantling the home full-back line and Ryan Jones dominating midfield following his switch from centre-forward after the 45th-minute black carding of Richard O'Callaghan.
But McGrath warned: 'We need improvement. Our first half display was indifferent to say the least but once we upped the tempo of the game in the closing 25 minutes, we dominated.
"Now we have to go on, improve on that."
Wexford counterpart David Power admitted: "We certainly improved on our league form but it was still not good enough.
Aidan Breen of Fermanagh in action against Kevin O'Grady of Wexford. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
"We gave ourselves every chance, only a point behind at the break, turning over with the wind, going a point ahead early in the second half, but we failed to push on. We are a young side and our lack of experience was quite evident."
Fermanagh raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead inside the opening eight minutes, sparked by Sean Quigley's booming 50-metre free. Quigley also hit the crossbar with a fierce shot, with Corrigan pointing the rebound.
Wexford stayed in contention thanks to the dead-ball accuracy of Donal Shanley - it was not until the 20th minute that they scored from play, through John Tubritt.
Four minutes later the game was turned on its head, when Simon Donohoe fired in a goal. That put the Model men 1-5 to 0-6 lead, but Fermanagh rallied to lead 0-10 to 1-6 at the interval.
Wexford went two points clear with efforts from Tubritt and Brosnan within five minutes of the restart; however, Fermanagh still carried a threat, and Jones smashed a shot against the bar before Corrigan's free restored parity in the 41st minute.
Then Fermanagh took control. Tomas Corrigan kicking some wonderful points both from play and frees, the Ulster side stormed into a 0-17 to 1-9 lead with eight minutes remaining.
Although Wexford managed to reduce the deficit with points from Tubritt and sub Shane Roche, Fermanagh were not to be denied, sealing the result with points from Corrigan and Richard Breen.
Scorers - Fermanagh: T Corrigan 0-9 (5fs), S Quigley 0-4 (2fs), A Breen, E Donnelly 0-2 each, B Mulrone, R Corrigan 0-1 each. Wexford: S Donohoe 1-0, D Shanley 0-4fs, J Tubritt 0-3, B Brosnan 0-2, K O'Grady, S Roche 0-1 each.
Wexford - A Masterson 7; J Rossiter 6, N Rossiter 6, J Wadding 6; B Malone 7, S Byrne 7, S Donohoe 8; C Kehoe 7, D Waters 7; K O'Grady 6, A Flynn 6, E Nolan 6; D Shanley 6, B Brosnan 7, J Tubritt 7. Subs: P J Banville 6 for Byrne (46); K Butler 7 for Flynn (50); S Roche 6 for Shanley (58); R Tierney 6 for O'Grady (62); P Murphy 6 for Masterson (inj). (62).
Fermanagh - C Snow 7; M Jones 6, C Cullen 7, M O'Brien 7; D McCusker 7, J McMahon 7, A Breen 8; E Donnelly 8, R O'Callaghan 6; B Mulrone 7, R Jones 9, P McCusker 7; R Corrigan 7, S Quigley 8, T Corrigan 8. Subs: C McManus 7 for Jones (ht); C Flaherty 6 for O'Callaghan (B.C. 45); J Duffy 6 for McCusker (58); D Kelly for D McCusker (72).
Ref - E Kinsella (Laois).
