Fermanagh manager Pete McGrath (pictured) has expressed his satisfaction with how his players preparations for the new campaign have been coming along.

Fermanagh had a comfortable 1-14 to 1-06 win over Leitrim in Kinawley on Sunday while they also were due to play Monaghan last night (Wednesday), and McGrath feels that things are moving in the right direction.

“We played Leitrim in a friendly match on Sunday in Kinawley and we won the match prety comfortably. Conditions were pretty poor but it was a very useful workout and it was good that the players got a game because over the last number of weeks they have been knuckling down to good quality training. There is quite a strong spirit there at the minute and we are quite happy with the way the land lies at this time,” he commented. Sunday’s game saw Fermanagh on top throughout with Darren McQuade bagging the only goal of the game in the first half while Daniel Kille landed four first half points and Ryan Jones and Barry Mulrone also chipped in with scores.

Fermanagh continued to hold the upperhand in the second half with Sean Quigley, Jones, Marty O’Brien and Declan McCusker hitting points while there were good performances from Michael Jones and Tiarnan Daly in defence, Ryan Jones at midfield and Ciaran Flaherty and Daniel Kille in attack.

McGrath’s late appointment last season meant that Fermanagh were behind other counties in getting their preparations for the season underway but things are much further advanced this season.

“We were able to put things in place over the summer that needed to be put in place in terms of strengthening our management team; we brought Brian Treacy in and he is very good, Paul Murphy is in as a fitness consultant and doing fitness testing, we have a dietician working with the team and there is a very good strength and conditioning programme up and running as well. Plus, there is the fact that I had a lot of opportunities during the summer to watch a lot of club football and as a consequence of that we were able to hold a couple of trials and 13 players were invited in and came in. I would like to think that we are building for the season ahead and building for the future also,” said the former Down All Ireland winning manager.

Among the new faces in the squad are Roslea’s James McMahon, Erne Gaels trio Ryan Lyons, Tommy McCaffrey and Barry McCann, Derrygonnelly duo Michael Jones and Eamon McHugh, Eoin McManus from Teemore, Darren McQuade from Coa, Kinawley pair James Allen and Sean McManus while there is returns to the squad for Lisnaskea forward Daniel Kille and Roslea defender Conor Quigley.

“The Roslea players had a bit of a break after playing in Ulster but Sean Quigley played on Sunday while Niall Cassidy and Conor Quigley will rejoin the squad towards the end of this week. We have 35 or 36 people in at the moment and there is an edge to what we are doing,” he added.

And the Fermanagh boss is pleased with how both the new players have settled in and the more experienced players have committed to the cause.

“We would be positive about how the newer players are playing and also how the more experienced men are responding as well, which is very positively and very energetically. All the more experienced players had no bother in taking the decision to train right from the start of the campaign and there is a lot of positivity about at the moment.” McGrath also says that the squad are working hard on the defensive problems they encountered last year.

“We are developing game plans at the moment and trying certain things to ensure that the defensive frailities of last season are addressed and we are working towards that without taking too much away from the attacking game. It is about getting the balance right and with the proper attitude and patience, and with everyone having an input, hopefully we will get the style of play that we need,” he said.

Fermanagh will begin their McKenna Cup campaign with a home game against Queen’s on Sunday January 4 (2pm) and this will be followed by another home game the following Sunday against Derry (2pm) before they conclude the group stages with a trip to Ballybofey on Wednesday January 14 (7.30pm) to play Rory Gallagher’s Donegal.

“We will train up to the end of next week and then you have to take the mandatory break. We’ll then get three or four sessions in after Christmas in preparation for the McKenna Cup. We’ll be in a good place in terms of preparation,” stated McGrath.