Louth leapfrogged Fermanagh in the Division 2 table with an emphatic 24-point win at home at Defy Páirc Mhuire on a miserable Saturday afternoon.
The basement battle promised to be a tense affair, but the hosts blew that to smithereens with some ruthless finishing.
Fermanagh, with a high press and rampaging goalkeeper, played the high-wire act and were left scrambling on six occasions as Louth took all their chances on the penultimate weekend of league action.
Despite the hugely significant victory, both sides' league status will still go down to the final weekend as neither are deemed safe as yet.
Sam Mulroy struck all of Louth's opening scores as they galloped to a terrific start.
After a few earlier scares Mulroy collected a wayward back pass and shot from distance into an empty net.
Kieran Donnelly’s side struggled from that point forward but before pressing the self-destruct button fully, they hit four points in a row.
Corner-back Peter Lynch scored the second and directly off their own kickout Mulroy landed his sides third.
Ger Brennan’s side were clever in how they soaked up Fermanagh’s attacks and intelligently countered.
Garvan Jones and Seán Cassidy drew some reprieve but Conor Grimes blasted before half-time to kill the contest to make it 4-06 to 0-06.
There would be no return from Fermanagh, they were already looking to the showdown with neighbours Cavan as Grimes struck two from play upon the resumption.
Then, in a tidy burst, Ciarán Downey capped a fine display and return from suspension to drill home.
From the resultant kick out, Fermanagh’s handling let them down coming out and allowed Tom Jackson to get in on the act on his home pitch in Ardee for Louth’s sixth.
Erne substitutes Diarmuid King and Fionan O’Brien found the range but Ciarán 'Kiki' Keenan and Downey were oozing with confidence as the Wee County now look to travel to Carlow next weekend to take on Kildare to secure safety once and for all.
Louth: Niall McDonnell; Donal McKenny, Dermot Campbell (0-01), Peter Lynch (1-01); Leonard Grey, Anthony Williams, Conall McKeever; Ciarán Downey (1-03), Tommy Durnin (0-01); Ciarán Murphy, Ciarán Keenan (0-03), Conor Grimes (1-02); Ryan Burns (0-01), Sam Mulroy (2-05, 0-02f), Tom Jackson (1-00).
Subs: Liam Jackson for T Jackson (51) Dan Corcoran for McKenny (51) Wayne Campbell for Murphy (59), Jay Hughes for Burns (63), Niall Sharkey for Grey (66)
Fermanagh: Ross Bogue; Lee Cullen, Ché Cullen, Oisín Smyth; Declan McCusker (0-01), Shane McGullion (0-01), Ronan McCaffrey; Brandon Horan, Joe McDade; Conor McGee, Conor McShea, Josh Largo Elis; Ultan Kelm (0-01), Garvan Jones (0-03, 0-03f), Seán Cassidy (0-03, 0-01f).
Subs: Fionan O’Brien (0-01) for Elis (ht), Diarmuid King (0-01) for McCaffrey (44), James McMahon for McCusker (51) Conor Love for Jones (51) Jonathan Cassidy for Smyth (68)
Referee: Seán Hurson (Tyrone)
