A FIGHTING final quarter display by Sligo earned them a share of the points at Irvinestown. In a bruising encounter in which Fermanagh defender Justin Gilheaney sustained a broken collarbone in an off-the-ball challenge, Sligo did well to make up ground after going 0-8 to 0-5 behind in the 44th minute.
Although out-played in the opening half, Sligo jumped into an early two-point lead before Fermanagh drew level and then hit the front with an excellent Tom Brewster point. Sligo's chances in the half were few, although Trevor McGuinn and Dessie Sloyane had shots blocked.
At half-time the sides were level at 0-5 each. With Gilheaney's departure early in the second half, Fermanagh upped their game and raised them to a 0-8 to 0-5 lead by the 44th minute, with points from Brewster (2) and Rory Gallagher from long distance. They seemed to be on a winning roll, but the Sligo mentors made a number of positional changes that yielded reward. Led by Paul Taylor, they began to eat into Fermanagh's lead. There was a point between the teams with seven minutes remaining. Then, with three minutes to go, David Durkin linked up with the attack from half-back to score the equaliser.
Fermanagh: C McAdam; P Courtney, P McGuinness, M Lilly; J Gilheaney, K Gallagher, R Johnston; P Brewster, D McGrath; L McBarron (0-1), R Gallagher (0-2), C Courtney; S King, C McManus, T Brewster (0-5). Sub: K Hegarty for Gilheaney (injured).
Sligo: P Walsh; J Joyce, N Clancy, P Doohan; D Durkin 0-1, M Cosgrove, T McGuinn; P Durcan, C O'Meara; E O'Hara, D Sloyane 0- 1, S Davey; G McGowan 0-2, P Taylor 0-4, E Cawley. Subs: R Keane for Doohan, B Walsh for O'Meara, K Killeen for Davey.
Referee: E Stenson (Leitrim).