Two points the target for league opener
Published 2 Feb 2012 13:00
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Ryan Jones in action against London at Brewster Park in the league last year. Fermanagh will be hoping for a similar outcome having picked up the victory on that occasion.<<
Fermanagh will begin their quest for promotion on Sunday in the same venue as last season came to a disappointing end when they travel to London to play the Exiles in Ruislip.
John O'Neill's last game in charge of Fermanagh following a difficult year in the hot seat saw London send his side crashing out of the All Ireland Qualifiers - but his successor, Peter Canavan will be hoping for a more positive outcome when he brings the side to the London ground this weekend.
Canavan's appointment as manager has brought about a renewed sense of optimism in the county and the Tyrone legend has succeeded in getting the vast majority of the best players in the county to come on board for the forthcoming season.
Indeed, the squad was further boosted this week by the news that Shane McCabe has quit his Irish League commitments with Portadown to throw his lot in with Fermanagh.
The aim for Fermanagh this season will have to be to try and gain promotion to Division Three and performances during the McKenna Cup will have given hope that they can achieve that goal.
However, anybody who feels that promotion will be a stroll in the park for Fermanagh is mistaken. Division Four is a mine-field of sides attempting, like Fermanagh, to get out of the division, and the most of them will fancy their chances of being in the shake up for promotion when the league reaches the business end of matters in April.
Limerick and Waterford should be strong contenders having dropped down from Division Three while Wicklow are another side who will provide a stern test for Canavan's outfit.
Fermanagh under O'Neill were maybe unfortunate to have missed out on finishing in the top two in the division last time around with late scores in a couple of their early games proving costly in the end up.
Canavan will know that Division Four could well prove to be a very competitive division but if Fermanagh can get out of the blocks and pick up a win on Sunday against London it will do confidence no harm at all moving into the meeting with Clare at Brewster Park a week later before the side then have a three week break.
If Fermanagh can enter that break with two wins on the board then it will set them up well for the resumption of the campaign and an away game against Kilkenny.
This is then followed by Wicklow (home), Waterford (away), Limerick (home), Carlow (away) and Leitrim (home).
However, the management will not be looking any further ahead than the encounter with the Exiles on Sunday and the sole focus will be on returning home with the two points in the bag.
The result in the All Ireland Qualifiers last year will mean that there will be no chance of complacency on Fermanagh's part, while it should be a much more experienced Fermanagh side that takes to the field on Sunday then the one that made the exit from the chamopionship last summer.
Canavan will have selection decisions to make this week with a number of players having put themselves in the mix for starting slots following good showings in the McKenna Cup.
The goalkeeper is one decision that will have to be made. Canavan rotated the goalkeepers in the McKenna Cup with Chris Snow making two outings while Chris Breen and Ronan Gallagher started one game each.
The same full back line has featured in all four McKenna Cup games with Niall Bogue, Barry Owens and Johnny Woods appearing to be in the driving seat for starts in London while captain Ryan McCluskey will provide leadership and organise the defence from centre half back.
Conor Quigley looks nailed on to start on one side of McCluskey while Barry Mulrone could well be given the nod for the position in the defence as he looks to battle his way back to full fitness following reconstructive ankle surgery towards the end of last year.
The return to action of James Sherry is a big plus for Fermanagh as the Roslea man brings experience to the midfield sector. Newcomer Eoin Donnelly of Coa impressed during the McKenna Cup at midfield, starting all four games, while Ryan Jones returns from University duty to give Canavan further options around the middle third.
It is in attack that the management may have their biggest decisions to make. Seamus Quigley picked up a knock against Tyrone in the McKenna Cup semi-final but the big full forward should be fit for the visit to London and he is a key player for the side which his McKenna Cup performances demonstrated.
Quigley has shown that he has the ability to rack up scores from both play and deadballs but Canavan will be working on trying to get more players chipping in with scores to ease the scoring burden on the Roslea man.
Paul Ward has been among the scores in the opening games of the season while Daryl Keenan has put in a couple of impressive performances. Mark Little was very good when introduced against Antrim and Queens while a number of others will hope to force their way into the reckoning. Indeed, McCabe could come into the equation and his ability as a playmaker could well bring the best out of Quigley.
With the likes of Eamon Maguire, Daniel Kille and Brian Og Maguire also hoping to be in the picture for starting slots in Ruislip it gives the manager plenty of options in attack.
Barry Mulrone told the Impartial Reporter last week that revenge was not on the menu on Sunday - put simply, two points is the goal and a winning start to the league campaign.
Fermanagh squad:
Michael Jones, Ryan Jones, Paul Ward (Derrygonnelly), Shane Lyons (St. Oliver Plunketts), Ronan Gallagher (St. Gall's), Barry Owens (Teemore), James Sherry, Conor Quigley, Sean Quigley, Seamus Quigley (Roslea), Ryan McCluskey, Chris Breen (Enniskillen), Declan McCusker, Marty McGrath, Chris Snow (Ederney), Tommy McElroy (Brookeboro), Mark Little, Johnny Woods, Brian Og Maguire, Daniel Kille, Niall McElroy (Lisnaskea), Tomas Corrigan, Niall Bogue (Kinawley), Ryan Keenan, Daryl Keenan, Damian Kelly (Tempo), Paul Cosgrove, Pat Cadden, Eamon Maguire (St. Pat's), Kane Connor (Belnaleck), Eoin Donnelly (Coa), Shane McCabe, Niall McGovern, Brian Cox (Belcoo), Barry Mulrone (Devenish).
This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 02 Feb 12
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