GLIST: Fermanagh’s unwanted run in Ulster

Will Fermanagh end their losing streak in Ulster this Saturday against Armagh? Niall Gartland looks back at their losing run since reaching the 2018 final

2025: Fermanagh 0-23 Down 2-19

A TOUGH one to take – a really tough one to take. Fermanagh looked virtually home and hosed at Brewster Park this time last year but their hearts were broken by two late Down goals. Inspired by a powerhouse performance by man of the match Conor Love, Fermanagh surged into a 0-21 to 0-14 lead with just eight minutes remaining, but Down had the final say with a two-pointer from Daniel Guinness followed by goals from both Guinness and Ryan McEvoy. To say Fermanagh were left shell-shocked would be putting it lightly.

2024: Fermanagh 0-9 Armagh 3-11

WELL, Armagh did end the year as All-Ireland champions. The Orchard County rocked Fermanagh with a first-half blitz, goals from Conor Turbitt, Jarly Óg Burns and Stefan Campbell opening up a 3-4 to 0-2 lead at the break. To be fair, Fermanagh battled hard in the second half and matched Armagh’s tally of seven points. Still it was very much a case of too little, too late.

2023: Fermanagh 2-8 Derry 3-17

ANOTHER bad day at the office, again at Brewster Park. Derry were in their pomp having won their first Ulster Championship in a generation the year previous, and they were in no mood to slip through this one in third gear. A 12th-minute goal from Shane McGuigan opened the floodgates and another major, this time from Paul Cassidy, opened up a 2-9 to 0-5 lead at the break. Fermanagh battled hard with two goals from Che Cullen threatening to make a real game of it, but it proved to be a false dawn with Brendan Rogers, Ethan Doherty, young full-back Eoin McEvoy, Paul Cassidy and McGuigan all in outstanding form for the Oak Leafers.

2022: Fermanagh 2-10 Tyrone 2-17

TYRONE were All-Ireland champions and expected to cruise past Fermanagh in comfort in the first round of Ulster in 2022, but that’s not really how it turned out in front of nearly eight thousand spectators. The Red Hands were lethargic but a fine individual goal from Conor Meyler nudged the big hitters into a narrow lead at the interval. Fermanagh had looked lively and competitive early on, unsettling the favourites for long stretches, but their grip on the contest loosened after the restart as Tyrone gradually took control. Perhaps the biggest talking point when all was said and done was a red card handed out to former Tyrone star Conor McKenna.

2021: Monaghan 1-21 Fermanagh 0-14

THE beginning and end of the year for Fermanagh in another knock-out championship. The Farney were far too strong for their opponents at Clones, racing into an eight-point lead at the break, their tally including a palmed goal from Jack McCarron. The second half was basically a formality. At no stage did the final outcome look in doubt in what turned out to be the final championship outing for Erne County stalwart Eoin Donnelly.

2020: Fermanagh 0-11 Down 1-15

PLAYED behind closed doors during a season overshadowed by the Covid-19 pandemic, an inexperienced Fermanagh side opted for a very defensive set-up and it worked fairly well in the first half, trailing by only 0-7 to 0-6 at the break. However, Down upped their game after the break and with more options in their forward line, gradually pulled away to record a merited seven-point victory.

2019: Fermanagh 0-9 Donegal 0-15

FERMANAGH fell short against Donegal on a sunny day in Clones in the 2018 Ulster final, and they didn’t have long to wait for a repeat meeting. Rory Gallagher’s side flooded men behind the ball and trailed by only a point at the break, but Donegal emerged a more potent outfit on the resumption and started to piece together scores. A dogged Fermanagh team didn’t go away, however, coming back into it for a spell, but Donegal bossed the final quarter to prevail.