Friday night’s meeting of Newtownbutler and Maguiresbridge at Brewster Park should be a real championship encounter but instead of silverware for the winner, it is all about survival.

With the stakes high, expect this game to be an intense and tight affair as both sides battle to save themselves from a drop down in championship.

At the start of this season both Newtown and Maguiresbridge would have had their sights set on taking part in the senior championship in 2016 but the reality now is that the loser on Friday night will take their place in the junior championship next year which is a step neither side want to take.

Newtown will feel that they should have won their semi-final clash against Enniskillen last Friday night in Garrison but they wasted far too many chances and at the end they were made to pay sorely for this by the Gaels as Paul Gunn swooped for a goal at the very death to leave the First Fermanaghs in last chance saloon.

“It was disappointing and a game we should have won but we can’t dwell on it,” said Newtown manager Declan McKiernan. “I suppose if we can play the same way we did last Friday night and then improve our conversion rate we will have a great chance.” And McKiernan is well aware of the importance of the game at Brewster Park this Friday night.

“It’s a winner takes all situation and there no longer is the comfort of a safety net. I think it will be a tight game with very little in it and goals are going to be very big scores,” he added.

Maguiresbridge lost out in their derby clash with Lisnaskea at Brewster Park last Friday night to leave them one defeat away from dropping to Junior and Bridge manager Niall Jackman believes that this week’s game is going to be a tense contest.

“It’s a huge game for us with a lot at stake and in many ways it will be more intense than a championship final. I think it will be blood and thunder from the start because simply neither side wants to drop to junior so both will be scrapping for their lives. We beat them in last year’s Intermediate semi-final so they will be keen to put one back over us and I would expect that there is going to be little between the sides,” he stated.

Friday, October 9 Intermediate Football Championship Relegation Final 7.00pm at Brewster Park Newtownbutler First Fermanaghs v Maguiresbridge St Mary’s