Derrygonnelly midfielder Stephen McGullion is expecting a serious test of his side’s credentials when they put their title on the line against Ederney in Sunday’s decider at Brewster Park.

The Harps have their sights on a sixth title in a row but McGullion says they know that there is a massive examination awaiting on Sunday.

“Every year has been a test. I know we are going for six in a row but every year we have just looked at it as being one in a row, and every team that has come up against us each year has been a serious test.

“You had Roslea, Ederney, Belleek. It is going to be the same against Ederney this year – they will be another serious test, and no doubt they are going to be expecting the same from us,” he said.

The Harps have had to show all their championship know-how in this year’s competition to get past Roslea and Kinawley, and they will have to dig deep again if they are to retain the New York Cup.

“Roslea were very dogged; we knew it was going to be a dog fight, and our fitness maybe told in the last ten minutes and we were able to pull away.

“With Kinawley, I know the scoreline was probably not a reflection of the actual test, but we had done a serious bit of homework on them after losing to them in the league.

“Ederney is going to be tough. They have very strong runners, good forwards and they defend as a unit. They have strength all over the pitch, so it is going to be a massive test,” he said.

Given the Covid-19 situation, it has been a different year for club football, with a much shortened season, and McGullion is just glad to have the opportunity to be out playing.

“It is different but at the end of the day it’s just nice to get any sort of football as there was a period when we thought we weren’t going to get any sort of football.

“The club championship are games that you really look forward to each year and this year is no different,” he added.

McGullion, who has started to make his mark with Fermanagh this year, has grown into one of Derygonnelly’s key men over the past two years and his partnership with captain Ryan Jones is one of the strongest in Ulster.

He says that they have formed a great understanding in the middle of the park.

“I suppose I have been in midfield with Ryan this past three years, and he is a joy to play alongside.

“Whenever I was gaining a bit of experience of playing around the middle, he was constantly telling me where I should be and what I should do, and now it is just second nature.

“We both maybe bring different things to it; he likes to get on the ball a little more, whereas I’m happy to challenge for kick-outs.

“I think we complement each other well enough, and obviously it helps that we play together for club and county and train together.

“I would nearly know what he is going to do and he would know what I’m going to do,” said Stephen.

As already stated, a win for the Harps would mean a sixth successive crown and McGullion stated that each year he remembers back to a text he got from the late Damian McGovern when the player reached his first championship final back at the start of the run in 2015.

“Back in 2015, when I played in my first final I remember getting a text from the late Damian McGovern congratulating me on getting to the final, and he also said to make the most of it as it doesn’t come around too often for Derrygonnelly players.

“I look back on the text each year and you realise how lucky you are to have played in that showpiece each year because there are players across the county who never have that opportunity to play in a county final.

“ It can’t go on forever, so you just have to make the most of it whenever you are there. I’m extremely proud to be part of the club and to have had the opportunities to play in these finals alongside this group of boys,” he concluded.