They created yet another shock with an extra-time defeat of Donegal in a Clones thriller.

Fifteen yellow and two red cards, this was no game for Gaelic football's purists, but how the Fermanagh folk among the 16,351-striong crowd loved it.

Courage, grit, bucket-loads of determination and a a steely belief that they could do it carried this Erne side through, even when they looked at times as if they were about to go under.

It was a dismal day for Donegal, and particularly for attacker Brendan Devenney, who could be facing a hefty ban after manhandling referee Joe McQuillan.

Devenney was sent off on a second booking 12 minutes from the end of normal time, but pushed the Cavan official in the chest three times.

And coming just days after the GAA launched a get-tough policy on those who abuse referees, he is likely to face stiff sanction.

The sides were deadlocked on 0-11 to 1-8 at the end of an incident-packed 70 minutes which produced 11 yellow cards and one red.

That Fermanagh were still in the hunt at that stage owed much to their remarkable spirit and work ethic, for they were on the back foot for long periods.

But Donegal, who shot 13 wides during normal time, will reflect on some woeful shooting, particularly from Devenney, who converted a couple of vital frees, but missed a litany of glorious opportunities

Donegal's much publicised pre-match injury woes proved to have much substance, with Kevin Cassidy's eagerly anticipated return put on hold, and Damien Diver and Christy Toye both withdrawn from the starting line-up.

Noel McGinley came in at corner back, with Paul McGonagle drafted in to the half forward line.

Fermanagh, on the other hand, despite concerns over a number of players, fielded the same 15 that started against Cork.

But it was Brian McEniff's side which burst into life right from the outset, Brendan Devenney and Adrian Sweeney both firing over points, before Michael Hegarty made it three points to nil.

Donegal were dominating the central region, with Gildea, Barry Monaghan and Hegarty, assisted by McGonagle, forming an effective central diamond.

But once Charlie Mulgrew ordered centre forward James Sherry to drop back and give his defence added protection and the Erne midfield extra ball-winning capacity, things started to happen for the Erne men.

After Colm Bradley had punched their opening point in the 13th minute, they stunned their opponents with a superb goal. The move was started deep by full back Barry Owens, carried forward by the strong-running Raymond Johnston, before Tom Brewster, making a crucial intervention as a temporary blood sub, sent Eamon Maguire clear to beat Paul Durcan with a sweet finish.

Suddenly Fermanagh were level, and were beginning to display the kind of self-belief which saw them score a sensational victory over Cork a week ago.

The pacey, elusive Bradley was causing countless problems to an unsettled Donegal defence, and he extended the advantage with a neat point.

Donegal did manage to regain some of their early control, but the normally accurate Brendan Devenney shot four bad wides, while at the other end, Stephen Maguire steered two frees between the posts.

Devenney regained his composure to convert a free, and an injury-time point from Gildea narrowed the gap to a single point at the break, Fermanagh ahead by 1-4 to 0-6.

Christy Toye injected some pace into the Donegal attack when introduced at half-time, and moments after earning himself a booking, levelled the scores with a sweetly taken point.

Earlier, Martin McGrath and Stephen Maguire had swapped scores with Devenney and Brian Roper, but there were growing signs that Tir Chonaill had the measure of the Lakelanders, particularly when Sweeney thumped over an inspirational score to ease them back in front.

Owens and Shane McDermott were performing heroics to hold the Fermanagh defence together, but Toye was as creative as he was accurate, setting up Roper's second score.

And Fermanagh needed a superb save from Niall Tinney to deny substitute Stephen McDermott.

A miserable afternoon for Devenney ended 12 minutes from the end when he was sent off following a second booking, and he could be facing a hefty ban after jostling referee Joe McQuillan.

Fermanagh hit back with their first score in almost 20 minutes, centre back McDermott blasting over to narrow the gap to a single point.

Mulgrew's fearless men were now moving with more purpose, and after Mark Little missed a chance to bring the sides level ,they did tie it up two minutes from the end through midfielder McGrath.

Deadlocked at 0-11 to 1-8, the game went into extra-time. Donegal were able to restore their side to the full complement of 15, but that lasted just three minutes, substitute McDermott picking up his second yellow and the mandatory red.

Fermanagh, with frees from Maguire and Brewster, led by 1-10 to 0-12 midway through added time.

Another dreadful miss by Sweeney added to Donegal's frustration, but Durcan kept them in it with a stunning save from Mark Little.

The final 10 minutes failed to produce a score, but Fermanagh's bravehearts did it, another famous victory, and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Donegal: P Durcan, N McCready, R Sweeney, N McGinley, K Lacey, B Monaghan, S Carr, J Gildea (0-1), B Boyle, P McGonagle, M Hegarty (0-2), B Roper (0-2), C McFadden, A Sweeney (0-2), B Devenney (0-3, 1f).

Subs: C Toye for McFadden (0-1, 1f), S McDermott for McGonagle, B Dunnion for McGinley, S Cassidy for Toye,Rory Kavanagh, K Cassidy for Gildea, McFadden for S Cassidy, J Haran for Roper

Fermanagh: N Tinney, N Bogue, B Owens, R McCluskey, R Johnston, S McDermott (0-1), D O'Reilly, M McGrath (0-2), L McBarron, E Maguire (1-0), S Maguire (0-4, 4f), M Little, C O'Reilly, J Sherry, C Bradley (0-2).

Subs: D Kelly for O'Reilly, P Sherry for Bogue, T Brewster (0-1, 1f) for O'Reilly, H Brady for McBarron, S Goan for McCluskey, M Murphy for J Sherry, McCluskey for Brewster, D McGrath for S Maguire

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan)