Fermanagh GAA have announced that they have suspended all training and games at both club and county level within the county until further notice due to a spike in Covid-19 cases - with a number of the Fermanagh senior football panel having returned positive tests.

They say that they are following advice from the Public Health Agency on dealing with the matter.

Fermanagh are due to be back in league action next Sunday, October 18, when they face Clare in Ennis before they conclude their Division Two relegation battle against Laois at Brewster Park on Saturday October 24.

They then host Down in the Ulster Championship on Sunday November 8.

At this stage, there would have to be a doubt over Fermanagh’s participation in the remainder of the league.

A spike in cases within clubs became evident last weekend as a number of clubs opted to suspend all club activities because of positive Covid-19 cases in the community and within clubs.

Enniskillen Gaels and Tempo Maguires said on Sunday that they had suspended activities with immediate effect due to positive cases within their clubs while Belcoo and Belnaleck suspended things due to positive tests in the community.

Derrygonnelly say that they took the decision to suspend all club activities at Canon Maguire Park for 48 hours as a precautionary measure.

These decisions were then taken out of the hands of the clubs by the GAA’s Management Committee who on Monday endorsed a decision to suspend on a national level all GAA Club games ​at all levels with immediate effect ​and until further notice.

While that decision ended club games it did not affect the inter-county scene which is due to restart.

However, Fermanagh GAA have decided that not only will all club competitions, with the exception of the Junior Football Championship, not be completed as a result of the current public health circumstances, but that “all collective activities involving the county’s Senior Football, Senior Hurling and Minor Football panel are suspended until further notice.”

A spokesperson for Fermanagh GAA said:

“At a meeting of An Coiste Bainistí yesterday evening via tele-conference, it was agreed that all competitions under the auspices of Coiste Chontae Fhear Manach, along with all training at club and county level, are to be suspended until further notice.

“Furthermore, it was decided that all competitions, with the exception of the Junior Football Championship, will not be completed as a result of the current public health circumstances. This includes all adult and underage competitions.

“The outstanding Junior Championship Final between Coa O’Dwyers and Derrylin O’Connells will be played as early as possible in 2021 to allow the winner to participate in next year’s Intermediate Football Championship. The details of this will be worked out by the Competitions Control Committee in due course.

“The GAA, at a national level, has suspended all club games at this stage and Coiste Chontae Fhear Manach are asking all clubs to go one step further and to suspend all training at this time given the growing number of cases on Covid-19 in Fermanagh.

“We recognise the efforts and commitments made by so many players and members across all clubs over the course of this shortened season. 2020 has been a tough year for all of us and the limited amount of club activity that has taken place over the last four months provided a much-needed lift for so many people in our community.

“The GAA in Fermanagh, through its clubs and its members, has played a crucial role in supporting members of our community during the most difficult days of the pandemic.

“We commend the pro-active role played by the clubs of those affected by Covid-19 in recent days and the prompt steps they have taken to protect their members and the wider community by immediately suspending all activity.

“Going forward, we appeal for all members of the Association to comply with the public health guidance to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”

In relation to inter-county activity, the spokesperson said:

“A number of players within the Fermanagh Senior Football Panel have returned positive tests for Covid 19. At this stage, we are following advice from the Public Health Agency on dealing with this matter.

“In order to prevent any further spread of this virus, and to protect the health of all those involved and the wider community, all collective activities involving the county’s Senior Football, Senior Hurling and Minor Football panel are suspended until further notice.

“Our primary concern throughout this public health emergency has always been the health of our players, members and the wider community and it will remain so in the time ahead.”

Fermanagh hurlers are due to commence their Lory Meagher Cup campaign away to Louth on Saturday October 24.

The Fermanagh Minors meanwhile have been preparing for an Ulster Championship encounter against Down at Brewster Park over the same weekend.