Ryan McMenamin was ratified as the new Fermanagh manager at a county board meeting earlier this week and the Dromore native told the Impartial Reporter he is eager to “get on with the job”.

McMenamin, who was assistant to Rory Gallagher over the past two years, will bring Paul McIver and Joe McMahon in as part of his management team. McIver managed Kilcoo to three senior championships in Down and was also boss of Dromore with McMenamin as a player, winning a county championship.

McMahon meanwhile has been coaching in Tyrone since his retirement from inter county football and is currently in charge of Clogher.

The new Fermanagh boss also confirmed that Leon Carters will remain as part of the back-room team as will stats men Aidan McElroy and Stephen Jackson and it is understood Ronan Gallagher has also been approached to stay involved.

“I am looking forward to it. I have seen the progress that the boys have made over the past two seasons and I also have got to know them as individuals, and I know the character that they have too. I want to see what more progress can be made.”

McMenamin was keen to pay tribute to the work that Rory Gallagher did with the squad over the past two seasons and the Tyrone man wants to build on that foundation:

“I think a lot of credit has to be given to Rory for what he has done and for the good shape he has left things in and we want to carry on with that.”

Although the three time All Ireland winner was quick to establish that he will be very much his own man when it comes to managing the team.

“I think you have to be your own man. If I went in and tried to be Rory Gallagher or Mickey Harte, then the players would see right through that. It is important to be yourself.”

McMenamin has said he will be looking for fresh faces to add to the playing panel but that he will also be looking to get players back in the fold who have had county experience in the past:

“I will be looking to chat to all the players and with players who haven’t been available for the past number of years for one reason or another.

“And then you have players who have been in and maybe it hasn’t worked out for them, it is important for them to know that there is an opportunity there for them.

“We want the best players available to us,” he said, before adding:

“And of course, then you have players who haven’t played before and we will be watching the championship and league games that are left and seeing what talent is out there.

“It is important that we don’t miss anyone especially when you see what some of the younger players, like Ultan Kelm, has done for Fermanagh this year.”

McMenamin and his back-room team have been interested spectators at a number of championship matches over the past number of weeks as it became clearer that he was the man the players wanted.

“I think the players wanted a little bit of continuity as they feel they have made progress over the past two seasons, but they also hopefully will benefit from the bit of freshness that Joe and Paul will bring to things too.”

Turning his attention to the competitive action and specifically to the campaign in Division Two McMenamin knows that Fermanagh have a fight on their hands:

“I think Division Two is going to be a dogfight, it is every year and we have to be ready for it but there is a lot of work to be done before then.”

And although McMenamin is looking at the short-term aspirations of the county he says that he wants to make sure that Fermanagh are building for the future as well:

“Everyone knows that there is a good crop of young players coming up for Fermanagh, those young lads who won a Hogan Cup, who are the future.

“It is important that whoever comes in after me, is coming with more progress having been made,” he commented.