Fermanagh manager Jonny Garrity is hoping that the hard work that his squad have put in will come to fruition on Saturday evening against Wicklow and that his side can land an All Ireland title.

Garrity reports that preparations have gone well since their semi-final win over Limerick.

“We have had a really good run in between the semi-final and final. For us it was a case of trying to use the limited sessions to try improve and increase our understanding of the game plan and we certainly feel that we have achieved both of those things although the proof will be in the pudding on Saturday,” he said.

Garrity has seen his team show improvement throughout the competition and he hopes to continue that at Parnell Park.

“The hope is that we can improve that one more time leading into the big one. Everyday that we have been out it has been a case of evaluating that performance, rectifying the things we can fix and replicating the things that are good and I think we have managed to do that really effectively. The hope and expectation is that we can do it again this time out,” he added.

Fermanagh began their competition with defeat to Saturday’s opponent’s, Wicklow, but Garrity stresses that this is a new game.

“We probably learnt more about them than they learnt about us that day but at the same time it is a new game and it is very much a case of treating it as a one off.

“While we know their strengths and where their danger comes from we also know that we want to impose ourselves more on the match and it is more about us than it is about them within our camp,” he said.

The Erne side didn’t really get going as an attacking unit in that first game and Garrity acknowledges that they will have to pose more of a threat on Saturday while maintaining their defensive stability.

“We were excellent defensively that day but didn’t offer much going forward so it is a case of trying to marry up that performance defensively with some of the good attacking displays which we had recently.”

In terms of injuries, captain Courteney Murphy remains a big doubt having missed the last two games but Garrity will give her every chance to make the game.

“Courteney is the big worry at this point. I think we have usually been missing two or three in any given game since lockdown but at the moment we are looking good apart from Courteney who we will give every chance to be fit and play a part,” said the Erne boss.

Fermanagh experienced what it was like to lose a final last year when they were beaten by Louth and Garrity says that they have taken a lot of learning from that day.

“It is a new year and a new match but there are lessons that we have learnt from that and taken with us throughout the year and those lessons will be extremely important on the day itself and on the run in to the day.

“For a fair chunk of the squad and the management we hadn’t been involved in an All Ireland final before and I suppose there are elements of it that are new to you and you don’t know those elements exist until you experience them so at least this time around we are going in with our eyes open and we know what the day entails,” he explained.

The two teams comfortably came through their respective semi-finals and a close game is expected in the decider with Garrity feeling it is two well matched sides.

“On paper the two teams are pretty well matched and we have a lot of respect for Wicklow, they are a very talented team. In recent years they have been playing in Intermediate and in Division Three in the National League so they are accustomed to playing at a higher level but we are on an upward trend and I think that we can look at the match ups and there won’t be a whole lot in it on paper but it just depends on the day,” he commented.

So, what will be key for Fermanagh if they are to win?

“I think it is going to be a matter of handling the situation and implementing our game plan, but not just implementing our gameplan in isolation, implementing it with an intensity that is just higher than we have ever reached before.

“I think that if we get that balance right between nailing our tactical side of things along with a huge effort then we are going to maximise our chances and that’s the aim.

“We can’t predict whether we are going to win or lose but we can determine the hard work that we can give on the day and we are concentrating on that side of things that we can control and we would feel fairly confident that if we can do that really well we are going to be very hard to beat.”