By Michael McMullan

RONAN Gallagher says there has always been footballers in Fermanagh but his focus is on those who want to play for the county.

The u-20 boss was speaking after Wednesday’s 2-11 to 2-7 victory over Antrim.

Goals from senior panellist Mattie McDermott and Daire Chapman helped the Erne County to their first win of the Ulster Championship.

It was a result that came after being pipped by Donegal in their opening game, having led last year’s beaten finalists all the way to stoppage time.

Fermanagh travel to Derry on Saturday before finishing their campaign at home to Monaghan next month.

“With the 20s, the first thing we want is good people,” Gallagher said, when asked of the long-term prospects of the players under his watch.

From the current u-20 group, Mattie McDermott came on for the seniors against Down and Oisin Swift is also part of Declan Bonner’s squad.

Gallagher tips McDermott to see senior championship action this summer, hailing him as a ‘team player’.

“We’re trying to get good people, who want to play for Fermanagh, and, if they have a bit of talent, happy days,” Gallagher added.

“I said at the start of this (campaign), there’s always footballers in Fermanagh and there’s always people who want to play for Fermanagh. They’re the people we’re really, really interested in.”

Challenge

When the u-20 campaign comes to an end, Gallagher will continue to work with the group with the view of getting players ready for inter-county senior football.

“People love a challenge and those lads love the challenge of being better,” he said.

“So many of them are interested in football, they watch football and they love video work, that type of thing.

“The long-term thing is, of course, to develop people who are ready for senior.”

Another part of the current u-20 plan was to keep two players from last year’s u-20 group, Ederney duo Shay Deazley and Jack Keown, on board, despite being overage.

“They may never play for Fermanagh (seniors), I don’t know, but it’s about continuing that development post-20,” Gallagher added.

Deazley and Keown are now back with their club as they prepare for the new season under new manager Gary Wilson.

“Next year, for example, there’ll be four or five of these lads who we’ll offer to stay with us, if they don’t make the senior squad,” he added, looking ahead to the bigger picture.

“They’ll continue to train, do the athletic development, all of that under Leon (Carters) and Pete Trainor’s watch for another year.”

One of those players is Tempo’s Ben Warnock who will miss the rest of Fermanagh’s u-20 campaign with a knee injury.

Having being replaced with minutes to go against Donegal, his place was taken by clubmate Rian Bogue.

“He’s (Warnock) out for 12 weeks with a knee issue and it’s quite dangerous in the sense that if he did it again,” Gallagher pointed out.

“We’ll offer him to stay next year with us, it that is a development.”

How do you sell it to players? They have to want it.

“They’re the people we’re interested in,” Gallagher replied, “people who want to play for Fermanagh, people who care about that there (pointing to the county crest on his jacket) and want to do their absolute best.”

Senior pathway

The plan is about improving players to give them the best chance possible of stepping into a Fermanagh senior team.

If that’s not the case, they will return to club action in a better place for the extra taste of the county scene.

“The other thing for us is that it’s win-win because it makes our team better,” Gallagher added.

“Instead of taking somebody in who has two years left, we have fellas who are physically more developed, to make it better.

“The two lads they are away back to Ederney, having six months of training behind them. Jack and Shay, they didn’t miss a session.”

It has been something backed by Fermanagh County Board and their financial backers Club Eirne.

“That’s the long-term sort of thing,” Gallagher added.

The short term is Saturday’s visit to Find Insurance Celtic Park to face Derry.

The Oakleafers had a bye during the week, having beaten Monaghan in the opening game.

Gallagher references the he spent involved with Derry. As well as the time in the senior management team, under his brother Rory, he had previously coached in the county’s primary schools.

“I obviously know some of the boys from my time in Derry,” he added.

“Mackers (Damian McErlain) and Antoin (Moran), Gavin (McGeehan) and the backroom team, really good lads.

“I have an awful affiliation for Derry. I coached around primary schools years ago and I just love the way they do business.

“They’re a formidable outfit, without a doubt, they are one of the favourites for the All-Ireland.”

Having saw Eamon Young up close in action with Newbridge against the Madden team he coached, Gallagher knows what it coming on Saturday. He references, Conall and Michael Higgins, as well as Tommy Rogers.

“They just a quality all over the field, but we’ll be going with a certain level of intent for sure,” he said.

Derry will go in with their eyes open too, in the knowledge of how well Fermanagh played in their narrow defeat to Donegal.

“It was a monumental performance in Donegal, I have no problem saying that,” Gallagher said.

Whilst gutted, they parked the defeat, and looked ahead to what they needed to bring to the Antrim game. Getting their season back on track was all that mattered.

“We knew, coming here (to Tempo), that any Fermanagh team has to play with an edge to get over the line in any game,” he said.

“I’ve been knocking about Fermanagh nearly 30 years now. I told the boys, no matter what the perception is out there, no matter what team we’re playing, we have to make sure we’re on it and we have an edge.

“It was very much, in terms of this week, about getting a little bit of training done.

“A bit on shape, looking at a bit of Antrim and then just really focusing on what we wanted to do. That was the big thing.”