Down made it five wins from five in Division 3 of the Allianz Football League and are set for an immediate return to the second tier while leaving their opponents Fermanagh on the brink of relegation.
The Mourne men went into the game knowing that a win would secure promotion to Division 2 and their six-point lead at the break suggested that was still on course.
However, with Fermanagh fighting for survival, the second half was always going to be a battle and so it proved.
Played in Newry's Pairc Esler on Saturday night, it was the hosts that set their stall out early on with some sharp shooting from talisman Pat Havern, which was backed up with superb fetches from goal-scorer Odhran Murdock.
With 15 minutes gone, Down led 0-07 to 0-02, a brace from Havern, followed up by a point by the lively Adam Crimmins, was answered by points from Fermanagh’s Ronan McCaffrey and Darragh McGurn.
However, Down created chances, with their quick passing and overlapping runs and Havern, Ceilum Doherty and Kilcoo club-mate Callum Rogers tagged on scores before Havern’s fourth of the evening.
Cian O’Brien’s converted free was welcome relief for the Erne men, but it was only temporary as Murdock fired into the Fermanagh net. Keeper Sean McNally did brilliantly to keep Miceal Rooney’s effort out but he had no chance when the big midfielder followed up to blast home.
He tagged on a further point and while McGurn and Conor Love hit back for Fermanagh, Down restored order with Havern and Crimmins adding to their tally, but Declan Bonner’s side would have taken confidence into the changing room at the break with Declan McCusker and Garvan Jones (free) grabbing the last two scores of the half.
The visitors reduced the deficit to three points, twice, but that was as good as got for the Erne side Down were content to keep their opponents at arms length without shooting any lights out.
Murdock, Eamonn Brown, Crimmins and Havern kept the scoreboard ticking over but impressive shooting from Fermanagh including McGurn’s stunning two-pointer kept Fermanagh in the contest even though they never looked capable of wrestling control.
Erne boss Declan Bonner picked up a yellow card, which resulted in Havern grabbing his sixth of the night from a 20-metre free. The game entered the final ten minutes with Down leading six points, not something insurmountable in today’s game but it felt like a bigger lead with Pearse Laverty playing a starring role as the Mourne defence stayed disciplined and held firm.
It was obvious that Fermanagh would be dicing with relegation and their woes continued as McGurn picked up black card in the last five minutes.
However, Ronan McCaffrey’s goal on the hour, with five additional minutes still to play, left it nervy for the Down support, but it was the Mourne men who did enough to secure promotion with two games to spare.
Down: Ronan Burns, Peter Fegan, Pierce Laverty, Callum Rogers (0-02), Shane Annett, Ryan Magill, Daniel Guinness, Odhran Murdock (1-02), Ryan McEvoy, Adam Crimmins (0-04), Ceilum Doherty (0-01), Miceal Rooney, Tom Close, Pat Havern (0-07, 0-3 frees), John McGeough.
Subs: Eamonn Brown (0-01m) for M Rooney (29’), Liam Kerr (0-01, free) for J McGeough (51’), Ruairi O’Hare for P Havern (67’),
Fermanagh: Sean McNally, Jonathan Cassidy, Oisin Smyth, Luke Flanagan (0-01), Shane McGullion, Ronan McCaffrey (1-01), Josh Largo Elis, Brandon Horan, Darragh McGurn (0-05, 1tp), Joe McDade, Shaun McCarron, Aogan Kelm, Cian O’Brien(0-01) , Garvan Jones (0-02, 0-2f), Conor Love (0-02).
Subs: Declan McCusker (0-01) for S McCarron (21’), Ciaran Corrigan (0-01) for A Kelm (34’), Mattie McDermott (0-01) for Breen (46’), Connor McGee for B Horan (54’), Conor O’Hanlon for C Love (67’)
Referee: Sean Lonergan.
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