Wexford 3-15 Fermanagh 0-20

Matty Forde was the scorer-in-chief as Wexford claimed the NFL Division 3 title - their first senior football success since 1945 – by outfighting Fermanagh after extra-time.

In this tension-filled Parnell Park final, Forde finished with a 1-07 personal tally that included four crucial points during the second half of extra-time.

Having conceded early goals to Forde and Adrian Flynn, Fermanagh battled well and forced extra-time with Ryan Keenan's fifth point tying the sides at 0-16 to 2-10.

Tom Brewster and Mark Little then edged the Ernesiders ahead but Paddy Colfer's 78th-minute goal and Forde's clinical finishing, with the Ulster side tiring, saw Wexford home.

Something had to give in this mouth-watering meeting between the only two teams in the country that went through the league's group phase unbeaten.

Neither county had won a league final before with Wexford beaten by Armagh in the Division 1 decider three years ago.

Now with Waterford man Jason Ryan at the helm, the Model County will be hoping to push on after ending their long wait for silverware at senior level.

Wexford lined out with the same team that had accounted for Louth last weekend.

Fermanagh manager Malachy O'Rourke made two late changes to his side – bringing Matthew Keenan and Mark Murphy into the full-forward line in place of Jonathan McGurn and Liam McBarron.

The Erne men, with their confidence high after last weekend's win over Down, suffered two massive blows in the opening seven minutes.

With their defence looking sluggish, Fermanagh leaked two early goals with former All Star Forde scoring one and helping to set up the other.

Ciaran Lyng got out on front of Declan O'Reilly to pop over a first-minute point for Wexford before Forde dropped a subsequent point attempt into the arms of Fermanagh goalkeeper Fergal Murphy.

Redmond Barry saw yellow soon after for a frontal charge on O'Reilly and that card was to come back to haunt the Wexford centre-forward as he was dismissed late on in the second half.

At the other end, the busy Ciaran McElroy won a free that Ryan Keenan dispatched for Fermanagh's opening point. But the sides were not level for long as Wexford broke through for two goals in as many minutes.

A quickly-taken free put Lyng into space on the right and his well-timed pass into the centre sent the onrushing Forde through for a neat right-footed finish past Murphy.

Wexford moved 2-01 to 0-01 ahead when Flynn knocked a deflected shot to the Fermanagh net.

Forde had lobbed a free in towards the square, Shane McDermott looked to have claimed the dropping ball but Flynn dislodged it from his grasp and snuck his shot past Murphy.

O'Rourke's men looked momentarily shell-shocked but in a game peppered with fast-breaking attacks, they soon found their rhythm with Murphy and the Keenans, Ryan and Matthew, part of a lively forward unit.

Murphy fisted over two points, the second of which saw him improvise after a McElroy effort had dropped short of the posts. In between, Flynn continued his good start by right-footing over after being set up by Forde.

By the midpoint of the half, Wexford were 2-03 to 0-04 to the good with Forde pinging over a point off his left, in reply to a point on the run from Fermanagh captain Martin McGrath.

McGrath and company began to make serious inroads over the next 15 minutes as they conceded just one more point before half-time.

With their defence shoring up, two quick pointed frees from Ryan Keenan cut the gap to three points. Both sides were guilty of some poor misses with Shane Roche, Lyng and Forde particularly guilty.

Tommy McElroy and Mark Murphy also failed to follow up on their own good work with points but after Barry bisected the posts in the 29th-minute, with Eric Bradley supplying the assist, Fermanagh took control up to the break.

McGrath broke through to win a free, which Matthew Keenan pointed and then McElroy landed an inspirational score as he beat Wexford skipper Colm Morris on a 20-metre burst before rifling over the crossbar.

McGrath got on the ball again, on the stroke of half-time, to set up an Eamon Maguire point that left just the minimum between the sides at 2-04 to 0-09.

O'Rourke moved Mark Murphy into midfield at the start of the second half and the switch paid dividends.

The 25-year-old Derrylin clubman won the ball at the throw-in and burst clear before smacking over his third point from play, which levelled the sides for the second time.

However, Wexford were quick to reply and within five minutes they had opened up a two-point gap again.

Forde took a quick free and grabbed the return ball before pointing and he tagged on a free after Barry had been fouled. Sandwiched in between was an excellent block by Wexford substitute David Walsh on Matthew Keenan.

Fermanagh's response was a strong one. Murphy notched an excellent point off his right and McGrath landed a morale-boosting 47th-minute score from the right sideline, although it looked like the midfielder was trying to find a team-mate instead of knocking it over off the outside of his right boot.

With the sides tied up again, drama followed four minutes later when Fermanagh goalkeeper Murphy was caught taking too many steps as he tried to clear the ball out of his square.

Forde stepped up to take the penalty but Murphy managed to save to his left and the Ernesiders were left off the hook when Lyng could only point on the rebound.

A series of wides followed – Barry, James Sherry and McGrath were all off target – as the tension grew.

Wexford again moved two points ahead when a powerful run forward by Brian Malone led to PJ Banville registering a score.

The game was in danger of slipping away from Fermanagh when Wexford substitute Paddy Colfer fisted over after a Forde shot had bounced back off the post.

Now 2-12 to 2-09 behind and with time running out, O’Rourke’s charges gritted their teeth and launched a stirring comeback.

Substitute Tom Brewster landed a free and then, with 67 minutes on the clock, Barry was sent-off for his second bookable offence – he put in a heavy challenge on Mark Murphy and also prevented the same player from taking a quick free.

Two well-executed points from Ryan Keenan and Murphy followed as Fermanagh got back on terms with just a minute of normal time remaining.

Banville then held his nerve as he got onto a breaking ball and swept over his second point, punching the air with delight as the score moved Wexford 2-10 to 0-15 ahead.

Nevertheless, there was still time for Ryan Keenan to produce a lovely catch and point off his right and send this end-to-end tussle into extra-time.

Although Wexford were restored to 15 men, they took their time to settle in the first period of extra-time.

Brewster, pointing after receiving a pass from Maguire, and another substitute Mark Little, who scored after a Murphy assist, sent Fermanagh into a brief lead.

The game swung back in Wexford's favour, just before half-time. A high ball in from the right from Lyng was misjudged by Fergal Murphy and Colfer was on hand to fist home to the empty net.

It was another cruel blow for Fermanagh and that strike evidently took the wind out of their sails as second half points from Lyng and Forde (0-04) saw Wexford canter ahead.

Little (free) and Ryan Keenan kept the Erne men interested but a much-needed goal never materialised for them, leaving Wexford to celebrate their maiden league title win.

Speaking afterwards, Wexford boss Jason Ryan said: 'It was a great game, very competitive, very clean. There was very little between the teams. We were lucky to get the goals and they were the difference between the teams.

'I thought our work rate was great. We put on seven substitutes and that shows the strength of this panel.

'This win has great value for Wexford football. We're delighted with today and are looking forward to meeting the winners of Carlow and Meath in the championship.

'This is the boost that was needed. It's just reward for the amount of effort and hours put in by all of the players and staff.'

Scorers –

Wexford: M Forde 1-07 (0-04f), A Flynn, P Colfer 1-01 each, C Lyng 0-03, PJ Banville 0-02, R Barry 0-01

Fermanagh: R Keenan 0-06 (0-03f), M Murphy 0-05, M McGrath (0-01 sl), T Brewster (0-01f), M Little (0-01f) 0-02 each, M Keenan (0-01f), C McElroy, E Maguire 0-01 each

WEXFORD: A Masterson; C Morris (capt), P Wallace, B Malone; A Morrissey, D Murphy, N Murphy; B Doyle, E Bradley; S Roche, R Barry, A Flynn; C Lyng, PJ Banville, M Forde.

Subs used: D Walsh for Morrissey (39 mins), C Byrne for Roche (49), T Howlin for Bradley (51), P Colfer for Flynn (57); N O'Sullivan for D Murphy, B Brosnan for Barry (both 1, extra-time), R Stafford for Doyle (8, extra-time)

FERMANAGH: F Murphy; P Sherry, H Brady, D O'Reilly; D Kelly, R McCluskey, T McElroy; M McGrath (capt), S McDermott; R Keenan, J Sherry, C McElroy; M Keenan, M Murphy, E Maguire.

Subs used: N Bogue for O'Reilly (31 mins), T Brewster for M Keenan (43), L McBarron for McElroy (54), S Lyons for Brady (56); M Little for Brewster (6, extra-time), S Doherty for McDermott (14, extra-time)

Referee: Pat Fox (Westmeath)