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A slow Down team eventually went overboard to record an impressive victory over a weakened Fermanagh team that missed nine regulars from last year’s campaign.
The hosts managed to stay with the winners until the beginning of the second half, but there was no doubt about the visitor’s superiority in the last 25 minutes.
But a superbly brilliant goal created by Down’s inspiring captain Caolan Mooney was the crucial marker in this cat and mouse affair on a mild November day surely stolen from the summer at Brewster Park.
Caolan Mooney, who recovered from a serious assault last year, ripped through Erne’s defense in a 50-meter solo run and fueled up enthusiastic Daniel Guinness.
Erne’s defense was skewered, and Guinness could have scored himself, but he selflessly transferred the ball to forward Donal O’Hare, who sent the ball into an empty net.
This happened in the 42nd minute and the impressive O’Hare had already reached 1-04 at that stage and was quickly rewarded for the odd decision to eliminate him.
He was uninjured and Down might have suffered against more formidable opponents, but the entire fight had passed Erne’s side with little force that delivered the championship debuts to diminutive goalkeeper Sean McNally, Luke Flanagan and the impressive Josh Largo Ellis.
O’Hare’s goal put the winners 1-08-0-08 after leading 0-07-0-06 at halftime.
Barry O’Hare put them up two points with great effort from the wing, but Corrigan hit back with two spikey free kicks to level things out at 0-08 apiece before that killer hit the goal.
Down totally dominated the rest of the game as points flowed from O’Hare, Jerome Johnston, Mooney, backups Ryan Johnston and Corey Johnston.
Fermanagh failed to score for another 25 minutes with symbolic touchdowns from Paul McCusker, Conall Jones and Daniel Teague.
But the winners were never in danger as they headed home to an Ulster semi-final with Cavan next Sunday.
Fermanagh managed to stay in the game until O’Hare’s goal, but couldn’t offer any more resistance as Down’s quick forwards rampaged in the fourth quarter.
Fermanagh settled in quickly and imposing center forward Darragh McGurn passed over a good spot after just two minutes.
Down responded in kind and when midfielder Conor Poland was fouled mid-air, forward Donal O’Hare coldly converted the free result.
That set the pattern for a cat and mouse opening half that also saw some good individual scores from both sides.
And both forwards, Tomas Corrigan of Fermanagh and Donal O’Hare of Down, had a bit of a shootout going into the middle.
Fermanagh took the lead through a good spot from beaver wing Ciaran Corrigan, but Down responded with another free throw from O’Hare after team captain Caolan Mooney was fouled at the first breakwater.
Mooney was fouled at the restart after a fumble from Down. and O’Hare signaled to put Morne’s men in front.
Fermanagh forward Tomas Corrigan took a smart mark off a Corrigan pass and signaled only for O’Hare to attack again, this time from the game.
But Corrigan was giving the Down defense major headaches and scored two points in quick succession, one from a free kick and the second a magnificent effort after shrugging off four tackles and confidently hitting the bar to put Fermanagh ahead by 0-06 to 0-05 with eight minutes left.
That was to be the hosts’ last point though, and Down finished the half stronger with two brilliant long-range efforts from Mooney and Barry O’Hagan to put them into a 0-07 lead to 0-06 at the break. .
It was almost deserved, but four of his scores come from soft turnovers Erne’s men coughed up.
But they were simply overwhelmed by a rampant side, which has forwards like the O’Hagans and Johnstons who can cause trouble on either side.
Fermanagh: S McNally; J Cassidy, K Connor, L Flanagan; J Largo Ellis, J McMahon, C McManus; R. O’Callaghan, E Donnelly; C Corrigan (0-1) D McGurn (0-1) A Breen; S McGullion, T Corrigan (0-65f) D McCusker.
Subs: D Teague (0-1) by A Breen, S Cassidy by R O’Callaghan (time h), K McDonnell by C McManus (51) R Jones by J McMahon (57), C Jones (0-1) by C Corrigan , P McCusker (0-1) by D McCusker by P McCusker (66).
Black card: T Corrigan (70)
Down: R Burns; P Fegan, P Murdock, P Laverty; G Collins, K McKernan, D Guinness; C Mooney (0-2) J Flynn; B O’Hagan (0-4) P Devlin, C Poland; J Johnston (0-2), D O’Hare (1-43f) C Doherty.
Subs: L Kerr for P Devlin (45), C Quinn (0-1) for D O’Hagan (43), R Johnston (0-2) for C Poland (55), J Guinness for B O’Hagan, C McCartan for K McKernan (66 years)
Black card: C Poland (60)
Referee: B Cassidy (Derry)
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