Donnelly embracing trip to Croker

By Jonathan Hogan

IT’S a capital showdown with more than a backdrop. Fermanagh head to Croke Park this Sunday to face Wexford, knowing a win could bring home advantage — or more — in the Tailteann Cup knockouts.

From the low against Carlow to the lift of Longford, Fermanagh’s Tailteann Cup campaign has steadied. Ten days on from that much-needed win, Kieran Donnelly now wants his side to make the most of an ‘unexpected’ Croke Park stage — and secure a home tie in the next round.

“It’s a brilliant opportunity for the players,” said manager Kieran Donnelly. “Everybody wants to play at Croke from a young age, so for us to get the unexpected chance this weekend, it’s been a bonus to us as a squad.

“Everybody’s looking forward to it. It’s an important game in its own right – the last group game – but the fact now we play in Dublin, it makes it more of an occasion.”

Fermanagh responded to their flat defeat against Carlow with a thumping 2-19 to 0-7 win in Longford. It has left Donnelly’s men on two points, behind Wexford and Carlow on three.

A win would secure second place and a home preliminary quarter-final — and leaves the door open for a direct route to the last eight, should Carlow fail to beat Longford at the same time.

“That is the goal,” said Donnelly. “I think every team going into it is looking for either a home quarter-final, or a home preliminary quarter-final, so that’s the objective and winning makes it clearer.

“We’re focused on that. We do know Wexford’s a good team… an up-and-coming team with quite a mix of youth and experience, so it’ll be a really good game.

“I was very proud of how the boys got back to task in the Longford game. We knew that it was a must-win game and with that bit of added pressure we coped with that well. We performed well down in Longford, which is always a tough place to go, so we take the positives from that and look to build into this weekend.”

Fermanagh and Wexford last met in the 2023 Tailteann Cup, a tense 1-13 apiece draw salvaged late by the Wexford goalkeeper.

Sunday’s game is part of a double-header at Croke Park, followed by Dublin v Armagh at 4pm, with both matches streamed live on GAA+.

One last group game – and Fermanagh will aim to make it a fruitful one on the big stage at HQ.