Down booked an Ulster Championship final place against Tyrone following a dramatic and incident-packed victory over Fermanagh in Clones.

Down skipper Sean Ward led his side to victory over Fermanagh Down 2-10 G McCartan 1-4 J McCartan 1-0 Murtagh 0-1 McCrickard 0-1 Doyle 0-3 Coulter 0-1 Fermanagh 0-11 R Gallagher 0-4 Keenan 0-2 McCabe 0-3 Bradley 0-1 Maguire 0-1

Fermanagh looked to be heading for victory after they had clawed back a six-point deficit midway through the first half to take the lead against the Mournemen who had been reduced to 14 men.

They lost Brian Burns four minutes after the resumption following a second yellow card.

By that time Fermanagh had come out from the dressing room for the second half with an extra step in their stride after trailing 1-07 to 0-06.

But Down never gave up and when James McCartan rattled in the second goal in the 56th minute, the Mournemen surged back and never allowed the Ernemen to trouble the scoreboard again.

Fermanagh had promised so much in the opening 10 minutes of the game when they surged ahead with a couple of Gallagher points.

But strangely leading three points to two after 13 minutes they allowed Down to dominate in the midfield and the whole face of the game changed.

When McCartan slotted over an equaliser in the 17th minute, Down took off and opened up a six-point lead helped by that 27th minute goal by the midfielder.

McCartan was in fact at the start and finish of the little piece of drama that led to the penalty.

His long ball found David Gordon who despite being pulled to the ground by Bay Owens saw the ball trickle into the net.

However, referee Michael Monaghan awarded a penalty, and although Fermanagh goalkeeper Ronan Gallagher got a hand to McCartan's spot kick, the ball spun into the net.

At least two late first-half points by Gallagher and Ronan McCabe gave some hope for Fermanagh in the second half.

Magnificent

Two McCabe frees and another point by the twisting and turning Stephen Maguire brought Fermanagh right back into contention, particularly after Burns received his second yellow.

Gallagher rifled over a magnificent point in the 47th minute to level the game with Down struggling to get back into the game.

It was all of 20 minutes before Down finally registered in the second half with McCartan chipping over a free to level.

Then incredibly Down went ahead a minute later when replacement McCartan took a pass from Shane King to rattle the back of the net.

There was worse for Fermanagh when Ryan McCluskey received his marching orders for his second yellow after pulling on King's jersey.

Down in the end coasted through to the final on 13 July at the same venue and their 26th Ulster final.

Ulster Minor Championship:
Fermanagh 2-03 Down 0-08

All-Ireland Hurling qualifier:
Derry 1-16 2-15 Kerry