With 26 minutes played last Sunday, Fermanagh appeared to be cruising to the points over Longford. Pete McGrath’s side had built up a nine point advantage, 2-05 to 0-02, and were in complete control of matters only to allow Jack Sheedy’s men back into the game before half time and they never came out of the blocks in the second half as Longford claimed a one point victory.

“It was extremely hard to take,” was the view of experienced defender Tommy McElroy.

McElroy, who was starting his first NFL game for Fermanagh this year and who will play his club football in the capital this year after transferring to Parnells, impressed at wing half back but was left disappointed at the final whistle.

“It’s hugely disappointing to throw away a nine point lead and to lose the game. We seem to have froze after the long stoppage in the game (for an injury to Longford’s Michael Brady) and from that moment Longford seemed to have been galvanised and we just never got going from that stoppage.” He continued, “It’s hard to put your finger on exactly what went wrong, it was just one of those days that Longford seemed to have the bit between their teeth to push on for the two points. We will learn from this defeat though and Pete spoke after the game with regards regrouping and focusing now solely on Roscommon. We will learn and are eager to put in a performance against Roscommon.” Fermanagh now face a Roscommon side that have won three from three so far, and McElroy acknowledges the threat Roscommon will pose. “We all know Roscommon have started the season brilliantly with three wins from three and they are going to be a formidable hurdle for us to overcome on Sunday. They seem to be flying at the moment and have form players in the likes of Cathal Gregg, Donie Shine and Senan Kilbride. It’s a big game for us, we want to make Brewster Park into a fortress that teams won’t be looking forward to coming to play us and I feel we owe a performance to our supporters after the Longford game.” Another defeat for Fermanagh this Sunday before the long trek to Limerick would leave the Erne side looking over their shoulders at the relegation battle instead of the fight for promotion.

McElroy insists though that they will take it one game at a time.

“To be honest, relegation hasn’t really came into our minds at all. We still have a lot of games to play and thankfully three of the four games are at Brewster Park. There are still a lot of points to be won and we need to put the Longford performance to one side now and focus solely on Roscommon. They are the highest scorers in the league and we know it’s not going to be easy on Sunday.” McElroy has also made the big decision to transfer clubs this year, leaving his home club Brookeboro to join Dublin outfit Parnells. After years of travelling home to play for Brookeboro, the 29 year old Dublin based accountant who married last year, explains that the travelling has become too much for him although he admits it was a tough decision to make.

“It was a huge decision to make and one that I thought long and hard about. I’m based in Dublin and the travelling just got too much for me. Parnells is a well run club and they have made me very welcome. Leaving Brookeborough is really tough as I have been with the club since I can remember but Parnells is a new chapter for me now.” McElroy will now be playing with the likes of Stephen Cluxton, Colm Begley, Andreas Doyle and Conor Mortimer to name just a few.

With Parnells boasting three floodlit playing fields, a fully equipped gym, a sports therapy centre and a brand new clubhouse it’s easy to see why McElroy opted for the club when he decided to move.

The Brookeborough native, who now is in his ninth season playing inter-county football for Fermanagh, stresses though that for now all eyes will solely be focused on Roscommon.

“We will get the necessary details on them, but we all know they are a formidable side and won’t make things easy. It’s going to be a test for us but these are the games you want to be involved in.”