Sean Quigley feels there’s no reason why Fermanagh can’t challenge for promotion in the coming weeks after a “smash-and-grab” win over Antrim on Saturday.
The Roslea attacker plundered an injury-time goal for the second successive weekend with Conor McGee landing the winning point as Ernemen recovered from eight points down to stun the Saffrons with a dramatic 2-13 to 3-9 win at Corrigan Park.
His late winner against Down a week previous in Ederney could prove even more valuable in the coming weeks. If the Ulster sides finish level on points, Fermanagh would have the edge on the head-to-head ruling.
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With their place in Division Three all but secured for another season, Quigley says the current squad believe they can return to Division Two.
“We were disappointed going down to Offaly and losing that game. We didn’t control the game against Offaly and we lost it ourselves,” Quigley said of their only defeat in Division Three this season.
“In my opinion, we should be sitting on eight points.
“We’d start every year with great ambitions of being promoted - that never changes. We’re in a good position now, we’ve Tipp at home now next weekend and that will be another huge game.
“Tipperary are at the other end of the table and they are going to be fighting for their lives.
“It leaves us in a great position. If we were told at the start of the year, we’d have six points at this stage, we’d take the hand of you.”
Fermanagh were last in Division Two in 2020 after finishing the League campaign bottom of the table, but have come close to promotion in recent years.
Antrim also made a strong start to their League campaign last year, including a nine-point victory over Fermanagh in Brewster Park, but their challenge was ended by defeats to Westmeath and Louth.
The Saffrons, who also let a five-point lead slip against Down, now have a battle on their hands to retain their Division Three status.
Quigley said Antrim will be “seriously sick” after last Saturday’s loss and conceded that Andy McEntee’s side deserved to take something from a thrilling game.
“It was a complete smash-and-grab at the end,” stated Quigley.
“To be fair to Antrim, they’ll be seriously sick after that - they completely outplayed us for large periods, especially in the first half.
“They hit us with a couple of sucker punches, that’s the way it goes sometimes. We’ve been on the receiving end of that a number of times. We are just delighted to get over the line and get the two points.
“We would have been relatively happy with the first half playing against a fairly strong breeze. The goal before half-time was a big blow. You didn’t realise until you went out on to the pitch just how strong the breeze was.
“We responded really well and the subs who came on made a real difference - Garvan (Jones) came on and kicked a couple of great points.
“Ultan (Kelm) was just magnificent again - his goal really brought us back into the game. We got a bit of luck at the end which, on the scale of things, we didn’t deserve, but we’ll take it.”
Kieran Donnelly's men face Tipperary in round five on Sunday at Ederney with Brewster Park now unlikely to host any further inter-county games before Fermanagh's Ulster SFC quarter-final against holders Derry on Saturday, April 15.
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