Although finishing two-point winners, Fermanagh’s fate will be ultimately decided with next weekend's trip to Cork, whilst Longford, who have now lost four on the trot and are second-from-bottom on points difference, visit Dublin looking for full points.

In what proved to be a poor first half, the hosts ended it in front 0-06 to 0-05. Padraic Davis hit over a free in the third minute to get Longford going before Mark Little doubled their lead.

Stephen Maguire, who was to hit over the clinching points for Fermanagh late on, bent over two frees on 11 and 14 minutes to open his account.

Davis replied soon after as the 20-minute mark saw Longford 0-03 to 0-02 in front. Maguire (0-3 in the first half) hit his first from play to keep Fermanagh in touch – their only score from play in the first half. But Longford rallied to the lead again with a David Barden free kick in stoppage time.

Twelve minutes after the restart, the sides were level. Fermanagh’s Ciaran McElroy traded points with Liam Keenan before a brace of frees from Maguire, his fourth and fifth points, cancelled out a Davis effort from the touch line for a 0-08 to 0-08 score line.

Five minutes later David Barden managed to punch to the Fermanagh net after Keenan’s launch forward had been superbly fielded and passed on by Niall Sheridan to give the home side some hope at 1-08 to 0-10.

But three late scores from Fermanagh, two from Maguire and a last kick from midfielder Shane McDermott, secured the Erne win.

Longford’s Liam Keenan was also sent off late on for a second bookable offence.