Devenish will be the favourites to progress to the SFC final when they take on Tempo on Sunday at Brewster Park but Barry Mulrone stresses that they are expecting a massive challenge from the Division Two table toppers.

Tempo suffered a difficult 2016 that saw them relegated to Division Two but they have been a different proposition this year and with a winning mentality built up during the league campaign and having already taken one Division One scalp in beating Kinawley they will be quietly confident that they can go a step further on Sunday.

“In reality they are a Division One side, I think they have shown that this year, and we will definitely be expecting a tight game,” said Mulrone. “Tempo produced a great performance against Kinawley in the last round and they have quality players in the likes of Aidan Breen, Daryl Keenan and Damian Kelly to name a few.”

Both sides came through replays to book their places in the semi-final of the competition and Mulrone says Devenish will need to be at their best to progress.

“I think the extra game will have brought us on a bit but then Tempo I’m sure will says the same. I feel that we showed in the second half against Teemore last week what we are capable of but we now have to try and sustain that and bring that consistency to our performance,” he added.

It has been 19 years since the Garrison men have graced a senior championship final with a string of semi-final heartbreaks in between and Fermanagh star Mulrone is keen to end that hoodoo on Sunday.

“If any team have had lessons to learn from their semi-final experiences then it is us! Look, we’ve had our disappointments but everybody is just focused on this Sunday’s game and hopefully getting a performance which will take us into the final,” he said.

Tempo are the only side to have broken Roslea and Derrygonnelly’s recent domination of the championship when they won it in 2012 and they will be aiming to get back to another final this Sunday.

Full forward Ryan Bogue admits that Devenish enter the game as favourites.

“Devenish are a Division One side, in fact they are a top four side, and there is a big difference between that and Division Two, so they would have to be favourites. It is also their Centenary year which is an added incentive for them to get to the final,” he said.

However, dual player Bogue does feel that the Maguires are in a much better position than they have been this last couple of years.

“We got a few boys back and we’ve a few minors who have come in and done really well and that has helped. We’ve also been winning games in Division Two and got a bit of rhythm to our play which is good,” commented Bogue.

He stresses though that it is going to take a big display from his side if they are to seal their place in the October 1 showpiece final.

“We beat Kinawley but Devenish will be another step up and we are going to have to be at our best. At the end of the day, it is a big chance for both teams to reach the final and that will be our goal on Sunday,” he stated.