A change of focus for Fermanagh

By Michael McMullan

FERMANAGH’S main focus for the season was promotion to Division Three but now their eyes flick to championship action.

The Erne County were All-Ireland Junior champions last season but it’s a step up this weekend as they lock horns with beaten intermediate finalists Tyrone.

Maeve O’Neill’s late, late goal for Carlow dashed their promotion hopes last season in the league semi-final. A knock-out blow.

“We had to prove that we were ready to step up to Division Three and thankfully this year we did get promotion and got to the league final,” said Erne ace Courteney Murphy.

While the league title was a bonus, Fermanagh controlled the final with Ulster rivals Antrim until a sin bin late on and Aoibhinn Monaghan’s goal, Antrim’s 40th of the campaign.

“We let Antrim take a hold of it but it’s just about parking that now and promotion definitely gives us that bit of momentum going into the championship,” added Murphy, a multiple championship winner with her club Kinawley.

She has been around enough footballing corners to know it’s about taking the rough with the smooth. Especially against Antrim. There’s scarcely been more than the kick of the ball between the teams in recent seasons. There are lessons to be picked up in defeat and it’s time to move on.

Fermanagh can also tap into the successful 2024. Winning breeds more success. With that comes confidence.

“Winning last year was massive,” Courteney added. “Winning in Croke Park too was a big thing for us, that we know we can perform on the big days and when pressure is on us, we can stand up.

“It was good last year to win in Croke Park and then to carry that into the league and get promotion. It’s a nice way to be now going into the intermediate championship which is a bit of a step up for us.”

There will be the All-Ireland series further down the tracks. First of all, it is Ulster and, while the competitions aren’t directly linked, provincial progress will count towards seedings in the All-Ireland groups.

“Tyrone were beaten by Leitrim last year in the intermediate final, so it will be a tough game,” Murphy said of the Red Hand challenge.

“They have been playing in Division One this year as well, so they’ll obviously have that experience from tough opposition.”

Fermanagh have that perfect blend of experience. There are a handful of players still on board from their 2017All-Ireland winning team, including Roisin Gleeson. Her input is “priceless” in terms of the entire squad.

in terms of what she brings to us. It’s amazing what experience can do and what that can bring for the youth that then step into the panel. Another help is the craic within the group.

“When you are heading out the door for training in the evenings,” Murphy points out, “you are looking forward to seeing the group.

“Then you are coming home from training in the evening a bit re-energised. We have that in the group that it’s really positive.

“It can be a bit of a cliche sometimes, about positivity in the group, but we definitely have it and are tight knit.

“There is a good group of girls there at different ages.

“There are new players that have come in this year and have integrated really well into the group which is a big thing for us as well. We want to bring those youth in for the years to come.”