Fermanagh manager Ryan McMenamin acknowledges that they have been handed a tough league grouping in the new regionalised format but he says that the goal for them - along with all the other sides in the group - will be to claim a top two finish and a league semi-final spot.

Fermanagh have been grouped with neighbours Cavan, Derry and Longford in Division Three North and after they sides play each other once the top two will progress through to the semi-finals while the bottom two will play a relegation semi-final.

“There is nothing we can do, that’s the format we have to go with, and as much as you would like to play the seven games you are not going to get it and we just have to deal with it.

“It is a tough format and we are probably in the tougher side with Derry, Longford and Cavan but hopefully we can be on the right side of the results,” said McMenamin.

The Fermanagh manager is in no doubt that his side are in the tougher group but he is hoping that his players will be in good condition for the start of the campaign and can hit the ground running.

“The target for all the teams will be to finish in the top two in the group.

“We know Cavan and Derry are going to be tough games and Longford are another tough one - if you were looking at the division, those three teams along with Tipperary would be looked on as the top teams.

“But I know the boys are doing a lot of work by themselves at the minute and hopefully they will be in good shape whenever it does happen.”

The meeting with Derry will see Fermanagh come up against former manager Rory Gallagher with McMenamin revealing that he is regularly in touch with him having served as his assistant in Gallagher’s two years at the helm.

“I would be chatting him every other week, he keeps in regular contact to see how things are going, and I’m sure Rory is looking forward to getting a re-acquaintance with the fellas. It will be an interesting game whenever it comes about,” he said.

The 2021 season is going to be another different one due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation but McMenamin is glad that there is now a timetable in place to work from.

“You have a timetable now, with the last lockdown you didn’t know what was going to happen. Now there is a definite timetable and that’s what you want, something to work towards and it just makes it a lot easier for the players. There is a date they can go back training and a date they can go back playing and it makes all that work on their own a lot easier,” he said.