Fermanagh Ladies manager, Lisa Woods, remained positive despite six straight league defeats in a row. Woods has had to rebuild since taking over the reins from Paula Cunningham and it certainly hasn’t been easy. With only one game remaining in the league campaign, she admits their focus has turned to the championship which commences in nine weeks time.

“We’re focused on the championship now. The league is out of our reach. I think it is beneficial for us to drop down a division. Down are the only other Intermediate team in Division Two along with us, all the other teams are senior sides. So we’re content enough that we’ll be playing Division Three next year.” Fermanagh have been on the receiving end of some heavy defeats this year but they will put those aside, after Sunday’s final league match and turn their attention to their meeting with the Mourne ladies, in the Ulster Championship in nine weeks time. And Woods believes they can turn their season around: “I’m quietly confident we’ll have a good enough squad. We’ve had a few meetings and that’s what the girls want, the championship. We will be going in as big time underdogs but I still think we’ll be in an Ulster final.” In last Sunday’s match Woods give a number of players their first experience of inter-county football with Emma McCusker, Ciara Durnien, Aine McManus, Brenda Bannon, Shauna Murphy and Navine Daly, all getting game time. Her intention is to do the same again this weekend, against Meath.

“We’ll give everyone a run out and hopefully a bit more practise on the pitch will help them along. They (Meath) are a senior team though, so we can’t expect much in terms of a result to be honest.” Woods is still hopeful that some of the notable absentees from last year will make a return to county colours and when asked if contact had been made, she said: “They know they’re welcome back. They’ve commitments at the minute, so I’m keeping positive they’ll be back. We’ve been in contact, I think maybe now the league is over we’ll see a few more out.” However, she is keen to stress that the younger players have been showing well for the county too.

“We’ve seen what some of the inexperienced players are capable off. We’ve used games to try different things and new tactics. There is positives, the work rate the girls have shown has been good,” concluded Woods.