By Niall Gartland

FERMANAGH skipper Eoin Donnelly believes that would lift the spirits of the county overnight if they pull it out of the bag in Sunday’s Ulster Championship quarter-final against Down.

It’s been a tough few weeks for the intercounty team between an outbreak of Covid in the camp and subsequent relegation to Division Three after the GAA refused to postpone their penultimate league clash against Clare.

But they don’t have time to dwell on it and they’ll be quietly confident of springing an upset in their championship opener this weekend.

“Even before lockdown happened we knew relegation was on the cards. There’s no point beating around the bush, we were close in games but weren’t getting over the line. We were relegated and that’s gone now. Going into the championship the league is forgotten about and that’s the beauty of it. You could be relegated but if you do well in the championship suddenly it’s a brilliant season.

“That’s what we’re trying to get through to the players. This year you don’t have to spend six or eight weeks thinking about relegation.

“It’s parked and our next match is a very winnable game against Down at home in Brewster Park. It’s something the lads should be really confident going into.”

He continued: “This year it’s all or nothing so we don’t want to come out with could haves or should haves. We have to take our opportunities, and it’ll be interesting as there could be extra-time and penalties and all the rest.

“We’re not getting ahead of ourselves, we haven’t won an Ulster Championship in the 136 years of the association so the main aim is to get over the line against Down.”

The Clare saga (well-documented at this stage) left a bitter after-taste that may take some time to subside.

Training has become a get-in-and-out job, but the players are doing their level best in trying circumstances according to Donnelly, who is a respiratory physio at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald.

“It’s night and day to be honest. Even when we landed down to Clare to play that game, we were met with a man with a clipboard and a list of names and he’s checking you in.

“Usually when you go to training you have craic on the road, travelling with a few of the lads from Belfast or Carryduff.

“You don’t have any of that, you land at training and you’re straight out on the pitch and you’re trying to get your head around the fact that’s the only time you have around each other.

“You’re just taking it one day at a time and hoping that people stay safe and that you get your game played. You essentially can’t think too far ahead.”