Ulster SFC: Fermanagh devastated regardless of ‘one in all our greatest performances in a very long time’

“It is gutting however I suppose it is sport.”

That was the evaluation of dejected Fermanagh supervisor Kieran Donnelly after his crew misplaced a sport they need to have received at Brewster Park.

After bossing the second half, Fermanagh’s seven-year look forward to an Ulster Championship win appeared a close to certainty after they led by seven factors with seven minutes to go.

However two late targets by Daniel Guinness and Ryan McEvoy snatched a dramatic 2-19 to 0-23 win for Down.

“I stated to the boys in there – they usually’re devastated – that collectively I am simply pleased with them, they did every little thing we requested of them,” stated Donnelly.

“That is the best way the sport has been swinging all 12 months when it comes to momentum and whenever you lose it as we did for these final 5 minutes…it was top-of-the-line Fermanagh performances in a very long time so we really feel now we have to take the positives out of it.”

Fermanagh’s utter despair was in stark distinction to the large aid felt by Down however each camps have been in settlement about one factor – that the higher crew had misplaced.

“As somebody says, a minimum of Dick Turpin wore a masks,” stated Down selector Mickey Donnelly, referencing the notorious 18th century highwayman.

“I am certain Fermanagh are devastated and rightly so. They deserved to win the sport.”

Down will play Monaghan or Donegal within the Ulster SFC semi-final on Sunday 27 April.