A straight red card for Conor McKenna in injury-time blighted an otherwise good opening night for All-Ireland champions Tyrone in Brewster Park.
In front of 7,839, goals in each half from Conor Meyler and Liam Rafferty helped the defending champions ease past Fermanagh and set up a first round clash against Derry in two weeks time.
Whether McKenna, who made a big impact when coming on for the second half, will be available remains to be seen.
Referee Joe McQuillan consulted with his linesmen and umpires before flashing the straight red at McKenna, who lost his jersey in the middle of a flare-up near in the end.
The hot favourites were down to 14 men in the first minute when Mickey O’Neill – in his first game since last year’s All-Ireland final – picked up a black card for tripping up James McMahon.
Tyrone outscored the home side by two points to one while he was off the field with Darragh Canavan and Niall Sludden scoring from play.
But Tyrone then went 14 minutes without a score with Fermanagh raiding forward for four points in a row.
A Quigley ‘45’ was followed by a Conall Jones point after Tyrone were cut open through the middle.
Ryan Lyons scored the first of two outstanding left-footed points from distance in the opening half, with Tyrone failing to get any pressure on the shooter.
The game lacked tempo and intensity and Tyrone were lacking urgency while Fermanagh picked off some nice scores.
Things changed when McCurry came more into the game 10 minutes before half time. He converted a free and it got him into the game because a mark and a point from play soon followed.
A big turning point came when Fermanagh turned down a great goal chance and seconds later, Tyrone scored a major of their own.
A slack pass to Kieran McGeary saw a Tyrone move break down and Fermanagh surged forward with Declan McCusker through on goal.
He could have carried it forward and tried to test Niall Morgan but instead flicked the ball to Quigley at the back post, who took the point.
From the kickout Tyrone were in control with Meyler running with purpose. He cut inside onto his right foot and his low finish ended up in the back of the Fermanagh net.
It left Tyrone 1-6 to 0-8 ahead. Fermanagh, who had made most of the running, most have been wondering how they were behind.
Darragh McGurn caused problems at the edge of the square and scored immediately after the restart after catching a high ball with his back to goal to draw Fermanagh level.
But it was a long second half for the Erne men, with Tyrone scoring the next 1-8 without reply.
Kieran McGeary, McCurry and Conn Kilpatrick scored from play before sub Liam Rafferty bundled home a second ball.
Conor McKenna made a big impact when coming on at half time and while he dragged his shot across goal, it hit the post and Rafferty did the rest.
Josh Largo Ellis scored a screamer of a goal for Fermanagh eight minutes from the end and Tyrone were caught sleeping again a few minutes later when Quigley hit a short free to Conall Jones who slammed the ball into the net for another consolation goal.
FERMANAGH: S McNally; L Flanagan, J Cassidy, A Breen; J McMahon (0-1), R O’Callaghan, D McCusker; R Jones, B Horan; R Lyons (0-3, 1f), C Jones (1-1), J Largo-Ellis (1-0); C Corrigan, D McGurn (0-1), S Quigley (0-3, 1f, one ‘45’)
Subs: O Kelm for O’Callaghan (52), G Jones (0-1, f) for Corrigan (54), J McDade for Breen (54)
TYRONE: N Morgan; M McKernan, R McNamee, P Hampsey; R Brennan, F Burns, C Meyler (1-0); C Kilpatrick (0-1), B Kennedy (0-1, m); K McGeary (0-1), M O’Neill, N Sludden (0-1); D McCurry (0-6, 2f, 2m), C McShane (0-3, 1f), D Canavan (0-1)
Subs: C McKenna (0-2) for O’Neill (HT), L Rafferty for McGeary (49), M Conroy (0-1) for McCurry (54), B McDonnell for Kennedy (58), C Shields for Canavan (65)
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
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