LEITRIM ........................... 2-13

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

Photo:101369,left;

Fermanagh got off to a poor start in their Nickey Rackard Cup campaign with a defeat away to Leitrim.

The Connaught men did not win a game in the league but accounted for the visitors in a lively game of hurling. Leading by a point at half time having notched two goals Leitrim surged further ahead in the second half to win by five points in the end.

But things had started well for the Fermanagh men when Ryan Bogue scored their first point but Leitrim showed their intent to immediately equalise through Clement Cunniffe. Frees were exchanged between Bogue and Cunniffe before Leitrim started to exert more of an influence. Burns tapped over a point for the Leitrim men before Colm Hayes riffled to the net.

Young John Duffy scored two quick points to keep Fermanagh in touch. Leitrim moved ahead however and as half time approach had built up a six point lead with another goal from Liam Burns making it look rather easy for the home side.

Fermanagh battled on however and when Jason McManus doubled on a sideline cut from Ollie McShea to rattle the net Fermanagh were suddenly right back in the contest. Declan McGarry and Ryan Bogue scored to reduce the difference to a minimum.

It was expected that Fermanagh would build on this in the second half but instead it was Leitrim who held he whip hand.

FERMANAGH

Peter McEvoy, Michael Beagan, Fergus Bannon, Matthew Teague, David Slevin, Jason McManus, Francie McManus, Barry Smyth, Declan McGarry, Ollie McShea, Karl Kehoe, John Duffy, Dermott Curran, Mark Slevin, Ryan Bogue

SCORERS

Ryan Bogue 0-05, Jason McManus 1-00, John Duffy 0-02, Karl Kehoe 0-01, Dermott Curran 0-01, Ollie McShea 0-01, Declan McGarry 0-01

Cunniffe was in fine scoring form as in a rather subdued second half Leitrim outscored Fermanagh by seven points to three leaving them comfortable five point winners at the end.