There is a sense among the Fermanagh support that bonus territory has already been reached for 2018. Promotion to division two and a championship victory over Armagh were the markers for success at the start of the year. But for the Fermanagh panel there was another game lurking away in the background, as Paul McCusker explained;
“Monaghan beat us in 2015 in the semi-final and we thought we let that one get away from us so we know that we are good enough to compete. The target this year was to get promotion and there was obviously a lot of focus on Armagh and the championship but we have always said too, that once we got over Armagh that we would have two weeks to get ready for Tyrone or Monaghan so this has been in the back of our minds all year.”
It is familiar foes Monaghan who will be the opposition after the Farney men confidently dispatched of Tyrone in Healy Park. So, it will be a repeat of that 2015 semi-final and also last year’s preliminary round contest. Malachy O’Rourke’s men emerged victorious on both occasions and if anything they are a better team in 2018, with McCusker revealing that their clash with Tyrone demonstrates that they are operating at a very high level; 
“It was a very good game and what you would expect from two of the top six teams in the country. Monaghan were very impressive and even their last league game against Dublin, they were excellent too so we know it is a massive test and step up,” he said before drawing particular attention to their attacking threat coming off the bench;
“Malachy always seems to be able to keep a number of very good forwards on the bench who then make a big impact when they come on. Conor McCarthy and Eoin Duffy both came on and did really well. Duffy came on against us last year and I think he got man of the match in about 25 minutes so we know all about him.”
There is no doubt that O’Rourke has assembled a serious panel of talent but Rory Gallagher has managed to do likewise with Fermanagh and while the scoring return for the Fermanagh attack has not matched Monaghan’s as of yet there is no doubt that the potential is there;
“It is the strongest Fermanagh panel I have ever been involved with. Against Armagh Danny Teague and Ciaran Corrigan came on and Eamon Maguire too. Ruairi and Tomas Corrigan were not used so that shows you the sort of options that there was in attack. There is a lot more strength and depth in the squad this year,” McCusker said. 
With that strength and depth has come an almost cutthroat atmosphere in training. It is dog eat dog with each man knowing that a dip in form during the week could see a loss of a starting place come match day;
“You can’t let up in training at all. He (Rory Gallagher) will pick boys who are in form, and we have learned that from the league. It is the way he does it and I think it is the right way too,” McCusker stated. 
The experienced wing forward doesn’t shy away from where he and his team-mates need to make the most improvement in their game with 12 scores against Armagh not good enough according to the Ederney ace;
“I think we should have pushed on and scored a lot more against Armagh. We should have been hitting 15 or 16 points at least. That is what the top teams are getting to, with maybe a goal in there as well. We are just going to have to improve in that area,” he said before adding;
“We have the players to do it but it just a question of getting in the right areas and getting the right players on the ball. It won’t be easy against Monaghan because Malachy will know where to target. So, we are going to need halfbacks, half forwards and midfielders getting on the end of moves and asking questions of Monaghan.”
The blueprint for success is clear for this Fermanagh team. They need to manufacture more scores if they are to cause a shock and defeat Monaghan. McCusker and co are ready to take up the challenge.