Fermanagh’s run to the last 12 of the All Ireland has certainly grabbed the headlines over the last couple of week’s but this weekend it is two former Fermanagh players who will be going head to head as they look to get their hands on the Anglo Celt Cup.

Donegal manager Rory Gallagher and Monaghan boss Malachy O’Rourke were team-mates for a short period when their playing days with Fermanagh over-lapped, O’Rourke coming to the end of his inter-county career when Gallagher was starting out while Gallagher also played for year under then manager O’Rourke for Fermanagh in 2008.

“I always would have known Rory over the years and would have found him knowledgeable about football and he always had a big interest in football. I think Rory was playing for Portadown at the time and he was maybe studying in the Tech in Enniskillen and I used to give him a left to or from Ballygawley,” said O’Rourke.

He added: “Then in my last year managing Fermanagh Rory was there and any time you would have asked for his opinion, you would have always valued his opinion and he has a good knowledge of football, there’s no doubt about that.” And Gallagher had nothing but good things to say about his former team-mate and manager.

“When I came first into the Fermanagh squad around 1995 Malachy was one of the key players then and myself and the cousin Raymond would have had a bit of craic with Malachy, there was always a very funny side to him.

“Since he has gone into management he had great success at club level and he did very well with Fermanagh and with Monaghan he’s now had a very, very fruitful couple of years,” the Donegal manager told the BBC.

O’Rourke has not been surprised with how Gallagher has taken to inter-county management and he feels that it helped the Belleek native that he worked previously with Donegal, Gallagher having served three years alongside Jim McGuinness, including 2012 when they won Sam Maguire.

“I think that helped him as coming in after Jim McGuinness would have been a big ask after the success he had and with the players so used to the way he worked so I think the fact that Rory had been there for a couple of years beforehand definitely was a big factor and the boys also had big time for him. In fairness to him it seems to have been a seemless transition and the boys have carried on and if anything have improved their performance levels. He’s done a great job but hopefully that’s where it will end on Sunday!” laughed the Farney boss.

Both Fermanagh men are expecting a tough test on Sunday with little to divide the sides.

“I don’t need me to tell you the record that Donegal have had in recent years, this is their fifth Ulster final in a row and they are going for their fourth victory,” commented O’Rourke. “They have been in two out of the last three All Ireland finals and won one so they are obviously one of the top two or three teams in the country and no-one can argue with that. We know, going into the game, that it is going to take a massive performance to try and beat them. We have to perform to a really high level to give ourselves a chance of winning but that’s the intention and that’s what we hope to do. If we do that, we give ourselves a chance to win, if we don’t it will be very difficult.” And Gallagher feels the game is very much in the balance.

“I think it’s a 50/50 game and I can’t see there being much in it. Monaghan brought a greater level of intensity to the occasion in 2013 and Donegal probably brought a greater level last year. Whoever brings the greater level of intensity, and discipline as well as both teams have serious free takers, that will be a big part of it,” he said.