BY DAMIAN CAMPBELL

FERMANAGH ........................... 1-11

DERRY ................................... 1-9

Could this be the year?

Over a century seeking the Holy Grail.

A hundred years and counting.

Twenty six summers since we last stood on the threshold.

But could this be the year?

There are games which will always be stamped in the memory.

A raindrenched night in Markievicz Park when Mayo were bustled out.

A sunsplashed afternoon in Croke Park as we put Cork to the sword.

A triumph over Tyrone in Breiffni Park back over a quarter of a century ago.

A fairy tale in the All Ireland quarters to dispatch Armagh.

And now to add to the list, last Saturday's historic achievement under the grey sky in windswept Healy Park.

Just a privilege to be there.

But we've won nothing yet. Back in 2004 we overcame Meath, Cork, Donegal and Armagh.

And we ended up with?

Well we ended up with memories and warm plaudits from all around the country. But no silverware to show for our effort.

So could this be the year when at last we lay hands on the Anglo-Celt.

It didn't look good over the opening 15 minutes, in fact it was something akin to a disaster scenario.

The pre match script with Fermanagh as usual the underdogs, had it that the Erne side needed a snappy and encouraging opening..

Instead it was a confident Derry who dominated and as they foraged their way through a scattered Fermanagh defence the floodgates threatened to be prised wide open.

Derry homed in for three points and more ominously they also raided for a smashing individual goal from corner forward Eoin Bradley.

Fermanagh were on the ropes and when a penalty was conceded the side was on the brink of total collapse. Had Derry hit the net for the second time a massive deficit would have yawned.

The prospect of recovering would have been farfetched. But Derry didn't convert the kick, goalkeeper Ronan Gallagher pulling off a simply stupendous save at the expense of a 45.

That 45 was to be steered over by Conleth Gilligan and though it was meagre return, Derry appeared to have the contest totally in their grasp. They were now six points clear and playing with verve and purpose.

Incredibly the penalty stop was to be the game's pivotal moment for from there onwards the tide turned in Fermanagh's favour.

They doggedly clawed their way back with a resolute team effort that had every player contributing to the full. Defensively the holes were plugged, Derry dangerman Paddy Bradley more or less snuffed out.

In the middle of the park, Fermanagh were to begin to control matters, Martin McGrath and Mark Murphy steadily increasing their ascendancy.

And up front the attack played to it's strengths. Pace and movement, livewire approach work had the Derry rearguard on edge.

So many top notch performers in this Fermanagh display with the revival ignited by two terrific points from advancing wing half backs, Tommy McElroy and Damian Kelly.

Tenacity from full forward Liam McBarron brought a third point and his pressure on full back Kevin McCloy earned a close in free which was routinely tapped over by Ryan Keenan.

From a position of some desperation Fermanagh were to reach the interval in a vastly improved situation. They had faced into a stiff breeze, had hauled themselves back to two points and the interval team talk must have been hugely upbeat from the management.

In the Derry dressing home it would surely have been a much gloomier affair. They were on the slide and were heading into an exceptionally difficult closing thirty five minutes.

Those thirty five minutes were to be dominated by Fermanagh with just the occasional Derry response.

There was to be anxiety however for some ten to fifteen minutes, for Fermanagh had not been able to translate their attacking play into scores. Just one point added and when Derry answered with a score from a Paddy Bradley placed kick, Fermanagh were still chasing the game.

And then came the breakthrough, and what a breakthrough.

Barry Owens arrived on the park to thunderous applause and with his first touch of the ball he glided home the goal which had Derry reeling.

From there to the end it was Fermanagh who had every appearance of being the winners. They were mopping up practically all of the possession around the middle of the park. The elusive running of Mark Little, Ryan Keenan, Shane McCabe and Eamon Maguire had the Derry back division in deep trouble and with ten minutes to go a lead of four points had been established.

Enough to win the day but there was to be no comfortable run in. Derry made a huge effort to rescue the match and there were to be some frantic moments in what became a crowded goal area.

Once again goalkeeper Ronan Gallagher pulled off a superb save deflecting powerfully away and heroic last ditch blocking from Shane Goan.

It was nerve shredding stuff, the lead trimmed to the always perilous two points mark.

It would have been a travesty had Derry plundered the goal but there have been sporting travesties before and no doubt there will be again.

But not on this occasion.

Fermanagh stubbornly defended their lead and in the end they has scored a totally merited triumph.

From fifteen minutes onward they had clearly been the superior side.

Superior in virtually every aspect of the game with a will to win that was not to be denied.

A colossal team performance, laced with superb individual contributions.

No wonder there was pandemonium at the end as delirious supporters raced onto the pitch to congratulate the heroes in green.

Every man a hero on an evening when the county took a massive step towards the prize which we have sought for so long.

Could this really be the year?