Erne Gaels begin their title defence

By Mark McGoldrick

ERNE Gaels are bidding for a historic three-in-a-row, but manager Barry O’Hagan insists there’s no talk of past achievements in the Belleek dressing room as they prepare to begin their championship bid.

The Belleek men have been the dominant force in Fermanagh club football over the past two seasons, retaining the New York Cup last year, after ending a 43-year wait for senior championship glory in 2024.

Now, under Armagh man O’Hagan, they begin the latest defence against Irvinestown on Sunday, with the boss keen to ensure his players remain focused on the immediate task at hand.

“The last couple of weeks have been about trying to get bodies back on the pitch,” said O’Hagan.

“We lost a good few bodies throughout the league. We have a couple of long-term guys on the way back and hopefully in five or six weeks they’ll be making their way back into it.

“We’d like to have got everyone out, but a good block of training is what it is.”

The league campaign was stop-start for the champions, with O’Hagan taking charge in May after his appointment as Declan Bonner’s replacement had been confirmed.

“Lads had been doing bits and pieces and we got a bit of work and a block of training done,” he explained.

“With the home-and-away format and the pile of time in between, it was a bit stop-start, but the last two or three weeks we’ve really got a good bit of work done.

“We played Enniskillen the week before, so we’re trying to get ourselves ready.”

Erne Gaels’ first test will come against an Irvinestown side O’Hagan knows will provide a stern examination.

“We’re no further forward than the first game against Irvinestown,” he said.

“They’re a very good outfit. We’re at home and we’re going to have to present ourselves well.”

Erne Gaels’ pursuit of a third successive title would be a remarkable achievement, but O’Hagan says the players are deliberately avoiding discussion of what went before.

“There’s no talk of three in a row in the dressing room,” he said.

“What went on before was brilliant. They were a very player-led group and fantastic in what they have done, but the players are very clear that it’s not about three in a row or the championship.”

With a competitive Group A also containing Lisnaskea and old foes, O’Hagan knows there is little room for error.

“You look at both groups and there are tough games for all the teams,” he said.

“We’re not thinking about Lisnaskea or Derrygonnelly. The only thing we’re thinking about is Irvinestown.

“They’re coming off the back of a few league losses, but our sole focus is getting ready for that game.”