Fermanagh U20s enter championship fray against Armagh this Friday night, hoping to repeat the trick of the seniors who beat the Orchard county by five points last weekend in the Ulster senior championship. 
The game is set to get underway at 8pm at Brewster Park and should be a tight affair. 
The home side has certainly been putting the effort in this season under the scrutiny of joint managers Shane Goan and Shane McDermott. 
The pair played together for Fermanagh and have teamed up again in management and have been delighted with the commitment shown by the squad;
“We got together 14 or 15 weeks ago and we couldn’t have asked for more from the boys in the panel. They are a really good bunch and have knuckled down and worked hard and done everything that we have asked them to,” Goan explained to the Impartial earlier this week. 
And the former Ulster defender is gearing his side up for a tough encounter on Friday night. 
“You know what you are going to get with Armagh. 
“They will be physical and strong and we expect them to play direct and to be a good side overall. But we are looking forward to it,” he stated. 
Fermanagh have warmed up for this game with wins over Longford and Derry in recent challenge games and they have a number of players to call upon who have been present in the senior panel this season. 
In attack, Lorcan McStravick and Conor McGee have both seen game time for Rory Gallagher and the seniors, while highly regarded midfielder Eoin Beacom, defender Ultan Kelm and goalkeeper Gary Doherty are all part of the extended senior panel. 
Those five players will be key to Fermanagh’s chances this Friday as will Darragh McGurn who has been in free-scoring form for Belnaleck in the senior league. 
Goan has seen a real sharpening up in his players over the course of the month of April and puts it down to the number of games that they have been getting;
“We always wanted the players to play with their clubs and also to train with their clubs when they were not with ourselves and you can really see that the games have brought the players on in terms of sharpness and the good thing is that the vast majority of the squad are all playing senior league football for their clubs and that can only be a good thing.”
For Goan and McDermott the message has been clear all year; hard work, commitment and respect for each other and the former teammates cannot be accused of failing to prepare their team;
“Myself and Shane would feel that there is a way that things should be done and we wanted to make sure that the players knew how serious we were about the whole thing. 
“And to be fair they have bought into things,” he said before adding;
“I know Fermanagh might have a small pick but we don’t really think about that. 
“There is a great spirit there and the players really get on well and that is important too.”
Goan and McDermott saw plenty of success on the field for Fermanagh and they will be hoping that some of that rubs off on their young players on Friday night when the Orchard come calling at Brewster Park.