Too close to call for Down and Fermanagh

ULSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL

FERMANAGH V DOWN

Saturday, Brewster Park, 4pm

By Shaun Casey

DOWN and Fermanagh are never that far from each other. While meetings over the past few years have been here and there, there’s always only a couple of league places that separate the two counties.

Take this year for example. Sure, Down were operating at the higher level of Division Two while Fermanagh slugged it out in Division Three, but in terms of the final placings and league rankings via the tables, Fermanagh were just five spots behind Down.

Last year, it was Kieran Donnelly’s men that put in a few decent performances but struggled to pick up points in Division Two, while Down finally climbed out of Division Three, topping the table but losing the league final to Westmeath.

In 2026, they’ll begin the season on an even footing. Both teams will ply their trade in Division Three. But that’s next year’s concern and for the moment, the only thing that matters is the upcoming battle at Brewster Park.

The 2020 season was the last championship clash between the two counties, also at the Enniskillen venue, and Down emerged victorious that afternoon with eight points to spare, thanks mostly to a haul of 1-4 from Donal O’Hare.

Taking a glance at the line-outs, there’s a huge turnover of players from then. O’Hare, Barry O’Hagan and Jerome Johnston were Down’s top scorers just two years ago. None of the three will be on the field this weekend. Gerard Collins and Kevin McKernan have both retired.

Tomás Corrigan claimed over half of Fermanagh’s final tally, kicking 0-6 of 0-11, but has since stepped away, as has the likes of Aidan Breen and Eoin Donnelly. Ryan Jones came off the bench too. Of course, there still are players there linking the last meeting and they’re the names that could decide the result this weekend. Declan McCusker is still key for Fermanagh. Pierce Laverty is the rock at the back for Down.

The one man that will concern the home side most on Saturday is Pat Havern. Despite Down suffering relegation, the Saval clubman was one of the standout players throughout the entire National League.

Havern is born for the two-point arc. The top scorer for Conor Laverty’s side this season, Havern accumulated 0-60 in seven league games, 0-24 of that has come from play while 0-14 has been from two-pointers.

He isn’t the only scoring threat up front for Down, but he’s the main one. Really, this Down team can hurt you from anywhere. Their runners from deep burst forward at breakneck speed and are all extremely comfortable on the ball and in front of the posts.

Danny Magill is the perfect example. He’s their second top scorer with 1-11 but his work rate, energy and versatility makes him a player that is difficult to tie down. Odhran Murdock’s the same. Ryan McEvoy. Ryan Magill.

They can all score at will and yet, it wasn’t enough for them to secure their status in Division Two. Despite beating Cork, Westmeath and eventual league champions Monaghan, Down dropped through the trap door that leads to relegation.

So Fermanagh certainly won’t fear them. The Erne County have beaten Down in three out of the last five times the teams have crossed paths and while they missed out on promotion, they put in a number of solid showings.

Fermanagh’s home form was a pleasing aspect of the league and something that Kieran Donnelly and his management team will definitely hone in on this week. They haven’t lost on home turf all season.

Whether that be at St Joseph’s Park, Ederney or in Brewster Park, Fermanagh are on an unbeaten streak at home. They overcame both Antrim and Offaly by the minimum of margins, drew with Sligo, and beat Laois on the final day as well.

Not only that, Fermanagh rattled the net six times throughout the course of the league campaign, with four of those three-pointers coming at home. The 0-19 apiece draw with Sligo was Fermanagh’s only goalless home encounter.

While they haven’t been scoring as freely or as regularly as their opponents, Fermanagh still have forwards they can rely on. The likes of Garvan Jones is a real handful and he top scored with 1-28 in the league.

McCusker and Fionan O’Brien, who was named on the Sigerson Cup Team of the Year for his displays with Ulster University, attack from deep while Darragh McGurn regularly pops up with a point or two from midfield.

Josh Largo Elis was a Sigerson winner last year with UU, on a team that Down defender Magill captained. Of course, goalkeeper Sean McNally is no stranger to the scoresheet, as he demonstrated against Sligo when he clipped over the equalising score.

So, when all is said and done, this one should go right down to the wire. Down may just have that wee bit more experience which could get them over the line, but Fermanagh’s home comforts could prove a stumbling block.

This week’s Gaelic Lives pod looks ahead to this weekend’s Ulster SFC games. Our guests are Kieran Hughes and Shane King.