Fermanagh are stepping into the unknown when they clash with Down in the Ulster Intermediate semi-final this weekend. Throw in for the game is down for 5:00pm in Healy Park Omagh this Saturday and it will be the first of a double header with Donegal and Monaghan meeting in the Ulster Senior Championship semi-final at 7:00pm. 
With three teams in the Ulster Intermediate Championship Tyrone have already booked their place in the final with a thumping victory over Down. The Red Hand girls emerged winners on a scoreline of 7-22 to 0-05. 38 points the difference between the sides and it demonstrates some of the anomalies in the ladies’ game. Teams cannot move up a grade until they win the All Ireland so Tyrone, who clearly belong at senior level, are going for their third Ulster Intermediate title in a row due to the fact that they have failed to win an All-Ireland, losing in the final last year. 
For Fermanagh, however, they are firmly focused on the task at hand with a wounded Down side sure to want to bounce back from that harrowing defeat to Tyrone. 
Erne boss, Emmet Curry, was a spectator at that encounter but admitted that he learned very little about the Mourne girls;
“To be honest it is difficult when it is so one sided. Tyrone are a serious side and it was hard to get anything from the game in terms of Down’s strengths and weaknesses because Tyrone were so much better,” he explained. 
Jess Fox at centre half forward for Down and is an excellent performer and the Erne rear-guard will have to be on their toes to keep her in check. In that sector Fermanagh are well served by Courtney Murphy who is an accomplished full back and the experienced Shauna Hamilton who will likely operate at centre half back while Aisling Maguire is a very capable performer at wing half back. 
At midfield Dani Maguire is a strong presence for the Fermanagh team while in attack Blaithin Bogue is a nimble wing half forward with Dani McManus a force on the other wing. In the full forward line Eimer Smyth has a real eye for a score and can be a match winner on her day.
Fermanagh have seen a big turn over in personnel since they won the Junior All Ireland last year with 14 of the panel not available in 2018 but that hasn’t deterred them from aiming high. 
“We are looking to go out and win the game. It is a massive step up in class but this is where we want to be. We want to be competing at the highest level so we will be up for the challenge,” Curry revealed. 
Fermanagh had a mixed season in division four of the league, winning four and losing threeand just failing to qualify for the league semi final. But there is no doubt that the new players to the squad picked up an awful lot of experience in those games and that will stand to them when they clash with Down on Saturday evening.