Antrim booked their place straight into the Tailteann Cup quarter finals with a seven-point victory over Fermanagh in the top of the table Group Four clash at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh today.
Fermanagh came into the game knowing that they needed to win to snatch that top place and the game was right in the balance heading into added on time with only a point dividing the sides.
But Antrim hit goals as the death from Oisin Doherty and Ruairi McCann (St Mary's) to put the game beyond doubt and send Fermanagh into a preliminary quarter final next weekend.
Fermanagh had looked the livelier side in the early stages as Ultan Kelm, Sean Quigley and Tommy McCaffrey helped them into a 0-04 to 0-01 lead by the 16th minute.
Antrim though began to settle to the task after this and they accounted for the next five points of the game as Dominic McEnhill, Adam Loughran and Ruairi McCann (Creggan) all chipped in with points to put them into a 0-06 to 0-04 lead.
Quigley landed a good point from distance for the Ernemen but Antrim rounded off the half with a fine point from Peter Healy to leave them two points to the good at half time, 0-07 to 0-05.
Fermanagh though came flying out of the traps at the start of the second half, hitting 1-03 in five minutes to move into a three-point advantage.
Kelm and Ryan Jones slotted over points to level the game before Ryan Lyons fired to the net after an incisive Erne move.
When Kelm rifled over another point it but Fermanagh into a 1-08 to 0-07 lead.
However, Antrim regrouped and McEnhill knocked over a point from a free, and Patrick McCormick landed an excellent point before the Saffrons bagged their first goal.
The impressive Loughran was sent through by Conhuir Johnston and he drilled to the corner to put Antrim a point up.
It remained a tight affair after that with Ronan McCaffrey, Garvan Jones and Quigley registering for Fermanagh while goalkeeper Michael Byrne, Loughran, McEnhill and McCann (Creggan) answered for Antrim to make it 1-13 to 1-12 two minutes into added on time.
However, a fortuitous goal by substitute Oisin Doherty - his attempt for a point dropped into the back of the net – ended the Fermanagh challenge and right at the death McCann (St Mary’s) tapped in from close range to leave it 3-13 to 1-12 at the final whistle.
Fermanagh: S McNally; L Flanagan, C Cullen, L Cullen; S McGullion, J Cassidy, C McManus; R Jones, B Horan; C McShea, R Lyons (1-00), R McCaffrey (0-01); U Kelm (0-03), T McCaffrey (0-01), S Quigley (0-04 (1f))
Subs: G Cavanagh for McManus (35), G Jones (0-02) for Lyons (46), C McGee for Horan (54), J Largo Elis for McGullion (64), D McGurn for Quigley (67)
Antrim: M Byrne (0-01(45); P McCormick (0-01), P Healy (0-01), E McCabe; D McAleese, C McGettigan, M Jordan; C Stewart, C Hynds; C McLarnon, A Loughran (1-03), R McCann (Creggan) (0-02); P McBride, R McCann (St Mary’s) (1-00), D McEnhill (0-05(5f))
Subs: C Johnston for McLarnon (46), D Lynch for McGettigan, R Boyle for McAleese (64), O Doherty (1-00) for R McCann (71)
Referee: L Devenney (Mayo)
