Irvinestown Wanderers legend Paul Cassidy selects the best Fermanagh and Western XI that he has played against

I started playing Fermanagh and Western football in the mid-seventies and in that time have played against quite a number of players.

I could fill each position four times over and could easily justify each player for each position. I have opted to select players I have played against, none from my own club and none that I have played with, which excludes a lot of very talented footballers, you know who you are, so forgive me for your omission.

Local football now bears no resemblance to what it was back in the 70s/80s. It was much more aggressive game back then, with agricultural fields acting as pitches, but was every bit as enjoyable.

As a teenager I remember going to Omagh to face a central pairing of Gerry Raflewski and Norman “Redman” Loughlin which was a scary experience.

Comparing players from different eras is of course extremely subjective but I have tried to balance my selection from back in the day and the current crop.

I have opted for a 4-4-2 formation and selected an old fashioned sweeper, showing my age. I have tried to pick a balanced team, with players complimenting each other, solid in defence, dangerous in attack.

My defence is a mix of past and present but all wonderful footballers.

Goalkeeper

Kenny Maguire

There’s a common belief that most keepers need to be a little insane and I have come across a large number of keepers who fit the bill. Kenny Maguire however, was quite a calm individual but was the complete keeper, great shot stopper, good under a cross and extremely agile. You knew it would always take something special to beat him as errors were very rare.

Other great keepers from the era include Paul McGread, Sammy McFrederick to name a few.

Right Back

Joe Keenan

Like myself, Joe can be identified as playing in numerous positions, adapting as the years caught up. A supreme athlete, Joe could always score goals whatever position he played in.

Strong in the tackle, good in the air, Joe has proven over the years what an all-round footballer he was.

Back in the same period Adrian Lecky from Dergview was a wonderful right back.

Sweeper

John Craig

As a teenager I remember my early games against Enniskillen Rangers and notably this man at the back who always seemed to be in the right position at the right time, always had time on the ball and marshalled a defence impeccably.

John influenced and coached many other great footballers around him over the years and I had the pleasure of playing for him.

Again back then, Glynn Nixon, Nigel Birney, Dominic Baxter are other wonderful talents from that era.

Centre Half

Nicky Dunbar

I saw Nicky in his early years and it was apparent that he was a quality footballer. Deceptively quick over the ground, good in the tackle and always picked the right time to push forward. No secret he should have played at a higher standard but always plays with a smile on his face.

Currently Benny Boyle, James McKenna, Richie Johnston are outstanding defenders.

Left Back

Michael Kerr

Ideally full backs need to be aggressive, strong in the tackle and quick. Michael has all these attributes in abundance and perhaps one of the best strikers of a football the Fermanagh and Western has seen.

My midfield all are from bygone days but would grace any football field in any era.

Right Midfield

Tommy Nethery

I remember vividly Tommy breaking on to the scene for Killen. He had a low centre of gravity, quick, eye for goal and game with it. Tommy always mixed it up, taking defenders on down the outside or cutting in and gave numerous Fermanagh and Western defenders nightmares down through the years.

Centre Midfield

Liam Donnelly

Back in the day, you knew the individual battles you faced when you played against certain clubs and you looked forward to these challenges, difficult central midfield opponents included, Tabs McClintock, Paul Keenan, Davy Harpur, Gordon Lee, Ian McFrederick, Victor Dougherty to name a few but Liam was always a great challenge.

Skilful, aggressive and an eye for goal, he was an integral part of a great Shelbourne team.

Centre Midfield

Paul McAnea

Small in stature but simply the best player I ever saw playing football in the Fermanagh and Western. Skill to burn and extremely quick, never really seen any teams contain him.

Left Midfield

Harry McConkey

My own club has been blessed with naturally gifted left sided players and I therefore always appreciated how brilliant Harry was from the day I first saw him play for Lisbellaw back in the 70s.

I was present in 1978 when he won his Junior Cup medal for Lisbellaw and it was always apparent how gifted he was, possessing a wonderful left foot and was an extremely intelligent player, so no surprise really, the success he has had as a manager

Up front I am combining two strikers from different eras who always deliver.

Striker

Adrian Hopkins

You could never describe Hoppy as the most orthodox footballer but he scored goals for fun wherever he went. Knew how to look after himself, I felt his elbows in my mush a few times, he was deceptively good in the air and read a game so well as all good finishers do.

Back in the day Trevor Donnelly, Junior Deery, Eamon McPartland were centre forwards who always delivered.

Striker

Mark Jones

I don’t feel I need to explain Mark’s selection, the most consistent striker over the past 20 years and while the years are clocking up, he is still a prolific goal scorer. His first three yards are blistering and just a natural finisher.

The Fermanagh and Western has a host of excellent strikers on show at this time with Frank Wallace, Aidy McCaffrey and Seamie Quigley springing to mind.

No two people will ever agree on the same 11 but if this 11 togged out against any local team and all of them at their prime, I think there would be only one outcome.

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