Fermanagh joint manager, Seamus McCusker, expressed his pride in the Erne squad despite the side’s third defeat on the spin in the Nicky Rackard Cup. 
Facing injuries and a ‘crazy schedule’ Fermanagh’s players ‘gave it absolutely everything’ according to McCusker.
With a sizeable portion of the Fermanagh squad dual players many of the senior hurlers will play five games in 14 days between club football and senior inter county hurling;
“I take my hat off to them. Their commitment is unbelievable and I am very proud of the whole team. The game was a lot closer than the scoreboard might suggest and I felt when everything is taken into account those fellas deserve huge credit for what they are doing for Fermanagh hurling.”
Fermanagh fell to a 15 point defeat but McCusker argues with conviction that the scoreline was not a fair reflection on how the game went although the Fermanagh boss admitted that falling behind in the first half was not ideal;
“We were eight or nine behind at one stage in that first half and obviously we did not want that but we battled back and at the break there was only four in it and we felt that we had a real good chance in the second half;” McCusker explained, going on to add;
“And we got a good start and mid way through the second half it was 1-11 to 1-12 and nothing in it but they kicked on and got the scores and that can happen in hurling, 2-04 or 2-05 can go in very quickly but we had some very good spells of hurling in that game.”
It was been a similar tale to Fermanagh’s other games in the Nicky Rackard Cup this season. A defeat to Roscommon at home in Brewster Park was followed by defeat away to Donegal but on both occasions the Erne men showed real promise. The defeat to Tyrone at the weekend means that they must await the winners of the Lory Meagher Cup final where Louth and Sligo will cross hurls.
The winners of that final will play Fermanagh with the losers of that game consigned to the Lory Meagher Cup next season. Fermanagh of course won the Lory Meagher Cup last season defeating Sligo in that final before going on to defeat Louth in the play off to assure themselves a place in the Nicky Rackard Cup this season.
“We know all about Louth and Sligo and have played them a lot over the past number of seasons. It is going to be a close game whoever it is but we will be doing everything we can to make sure we win the game, the boys really want to continue to hurl at this level,” McCusker revealed before he returned to the theme of hurling in Fermanagh and the small numbers he and his management team have to pick from;
“We are picking from one club and that is the reality at the minute. That has to change and hopefully that will change in the future but we are working hard and I can’t fault any one of those players, they are a credit to the county with the commitment that they show.”