Fermanagh Super Cup Junior manager Ally Irwin believes that hard work will be the key to a successful tournament. 
The county team have been handed a tough draw, but their manager has been hammering home one message in the build up to the tournament.
“Hard work. All the players are sick of hearing it from me,” he admitted. 
“I have been preaching hard work in training and hard work in matches. The teams we are playing have been together a lot longer than we have and have trained more often than we do. 
“They should be well organised, so we will have to outwork every team that we play. That is the only way we are going to get results.”
The pre-tournament warm ups have produced some pleasing performances including a victory over Bournemouth’s Northern Ireland Academy, and although some performances have failed to scale those heights, Ally is happy with the squad he has assembled. 
“At times we have been brilliant but at times I think we have let the sense of occasion get to us,” he acknowledged. 
“I already knew what I had in the squad because there was a fair percentage of the players I knew from Ballinamallard, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the lads that have come from Enniskillen Athletic and Fivemiletown United. 
“It is always nice to have players you didn’t know too much about come in and surprise you. Training has been intense at times but the players are always enjoying what they are doing and happy to be there. They are a typical Fermanagh side. 
“They can play some quality football when they get the ball down and play. Each one of them in a good footballer, but like any Fermanagh side that has ever gone anywhere, they can be too nice. 
“I would like to see them get stick in a bit more at times but the potential is there.”
The squad has a mix of Super Cup debutants and three players who are a year younger than the rest, but Ally is hoping the trio of squad members with Super Cup experience can help guide the rest through the tournament. 
“Jamal Tavares and Nathan Copeland both played for Fermanagh last year and Reece Byrne was with Club NI, and that experience is massively important,” he said. 
“Peter Armstrong is my captain but Nathan is the vice-captain and his experience alongside Jamal and Reece, will be massive up there. 
“They maybe didn’t get as much game time last year but they will be important for us this year. Jamal and Reece have such potential and creativity, it’s just getting it out of them at times, and Nathan Copeland is about as solid a keeper as you will see in this county. We have three lads a year young as well but in my opinion if they are good enough they are going, and I’m delighted to have them all.”
Fermanagh have been handed a varied draw against sides from England, Northern Ireland and Mexico. The campaign will start with a match against Plymouth Argyle. County Antrim will provide a more familiar test on day two, with a game against Chivas on Wednesday. 
“Outside of Group A we probably got drawn in the most difficult group,” reckons Ally. 
“Plymouth are going to be a typical English academy. They are going to be organised, strong and they are going to come over here with a lot of experience of playing together, but we are eyeing them as a team that we are going to have to go at hammer and tongs to get something out of the game because the next two games are tough. 
“The County Antrim team is almost a Northern Ireland team with about 75 percent of the National team coming from the one county. Chivas are the Mexican champions. With Antrim we know what to expect having played against the players at club level, but with Chives and Plymouth we have no idea of what is coming. Chivas are the Mexican champions. 
“They are the top team in Mexico and you would expect the youth team to match it.”
The results in the group games will decide which competition Fermanagh enter for Thursday and Friday’s fixtures, but Ally is hoping they can get a good early result under their belts. 
“It’s very hard to set targets in terms of points,” he said. 
“We would like to get at least one win out of the first three anyway, but what we have focussed on all along is the performance. This is about bringing a group of lads up there and showcasing the best Fermanagh has and being able to show that we can mix it with the big boys. 
“If we can pick up a win or two that would be nice but I am more focused on getting the absolute most out of every player. If we can get the players giving everything then we will be happy. No matter what happens up there, they are a group that I am immensely proud to be the manager of. No matter what happens, as long as they work their hardest I will be able to say with no regrets that I am proud of the team and the way they have performed.”