Tyrone have been Fermanagh’s bogey team in recent years but this weekend the county’s hurlers will be hoping to change that, when they travel to the Carrickmore on Saturday evening, for their Nicky Rackard relegation play-off.
Fermanagh lost heavily to Monaghan in their first game of the Nicky Rackard competition on April 23. A week later they produced a fine performance to run Donegal close, losing by only four points that day. Two defeats means Fermanagh now find themselves fighting for survival in the competition.
Fermanagh Joint Manager, Sean Duffy says it’s a big game for them:
“It means a lot to the guys, they are determined to stay up. We don’t want to go back to the Lory Meagher. We’re definitely good enough to be in this competition and we showed that against Donegal.”
Only six weeks ago Tyrone beat Fermanagh after extra time, in the Division 3A relegation/promotion play-off. After that game, Duffy said:
“We felt we left the game behind. If anything we were the better team on the day but we couldn’t close the game out in normal time. That’s our biggest regret.”
Now it’s Fermanagh’s chance to right the wrongs of the league and put one over their near neighbours.
“Tyrone kept us down in Division 3B so it won’t be hard to motivate the lads. It won’t be easy either though because Tyrone and Fermanagh are two evenly matched teams.”
Six weeks ago, Tyrone’s Damien Casey ran riot on the Fermanagh rear-guard. He will be a marked man this Saturday:
“Damien Casey will have to be watched. We will definitely be doing something different with regards to watching him.”
Reflecting on their last day out, he says:
“We definitely learnt a lot from the last day. We will know it’s not over until it’s over. We were four points up going into injury time and let them back into it. It was a real sucker-punch. If you don’t learn something in defeat you won’t get better.”
Fermanagh have one major injury worry, John Duffy is doubtful with a thumb injury but they will be strengthened by the availability of Brian McLaughlin in attack. McLaughlin played half the Donegal and made a big impact. He didn’t play against Tyrone the last day out, so he will be a welcome boost to the Erne men.
Duffy will be hoping all his Maguiresbridge dual players come through this evening's league game against Tempo unscathed.
He is confident and determined they get the win on Saturday:
“We have got to win this game. It would be a step back to drop down. We need to win it and then look forward to our Championship match against Donegal, in June.”