Fermanagh manager Pete McGrath expects to have Barry Mulrone and Ruairi Corrigan available for the start off their NFL Division Two campaign while he also hopes that Daryl Keenan will also be able to play a part in the league programme.
Mulrone recently underwent minor knee surgery while Corrigan suffered a bad shoulder injury during Kinawley’s victory over Tempo in the Intermediate Football Championship final.
“Barry should be back on the pitch in a fortnight,” said McGrath. 
“He is doing gym work at the moment and I don’t expect him to miss any of the season. The McKenna Cup is a strong possibility for him and certainly the National League shouldn’t be an issue.
“I also think that Ruairi Corrigan should be a possibility to be back for the start of the league.”
While Keenan is not expected to be available for the opening games in the league, McGrath is hopeful that he will come into the reckoning after the break following the first two games and he is a player that the Fermanagh manager is keen to see in action. Keenan has been hindered by a back problem over the last couple of seasons but he is progressing well, according to McGrath.
“Daryl is coming on well. It might be a bit slow but I think we are getting there and I think Daryl could be National League possibility. Maybe not the first or second game but certainly the third game. I’m looking forward to seeing Daryl come through.”
Former Down All Ireland winning boss McGrath will return to the Mournes for the opening game of the league campaign when he takes his Fermanagh side to Newry.
“The fixtures are there Down’s the first game in Newry on a Saturday night so it should be a good atmosphere. It will cause a lot of buzz around Down closer to the time,” he added.
This is one of four away games for Fermanagh in the league but McGrath doesn’t feel that is a disadvantage for his side. 
“Not really. We’ve got Cork away which is an overnight and Kildare which is an overnight and sometimes the overnights are very good in getting everybody focussed. 
“The away games only become a problem if you let them become a problem in your mind.”
And although another tough campaign awaits, McGrath has already set his sights on being involved in the promotion shake up.
“At the end of the day Division Two is going to again be a tough league and you have to go into every game doing your best to get something out of it and there is no reason why we can’t set our sights on promotion,” he said.
For now though it is all about getting ready for that opening game and McGrath says he is pleased with how things are going at this early stage.
“I’m very happy with the mindset of everybody, there is a positive productive attitude and the players are working hard. 
“We are trying to measure it in such a way that they are not doing too much but just doing enough to get them in reasonably good shape and then we’ll push them on after Christmas and make sure that for the first game in the National League we are ready to role,” commented the Down man.