Now he is back in the starting 15, Declan McCusker is determined to keep his spot in the Fermanagh team.

Although he had featured in the first two games against Cavan and Longford he knows that getting a full game under the belt will do a lot for his match sharpness and fitness.

The 30 year old is one of the elder statesmen in a very young squad but he showed he still has plenty to offer and he hopes that he can continue showing that when the Erne side face Offaly on Saturday, June 12.

“It’s tough when you are not in the team and you are pushing hard at training. The first day I came on, it was more of a tactical change and against Derry, Eoin picked up a knock and I got on early enough to but it was great to get back into the starting team [against Longford],” said the Ederney clubman.

“I suppose to get 70 minutes under the belt it stands to you fitness-wise and hopefully I can stay in the team now.”

McCusker knows there is plenty of competition for a Fermanagh jersey and he hopes he will be on the pitch in Tullamore when the ball is thrown in and Fermanagh and Offaly fight it out for a place in Division Two next year.

McCusker admits that Offaly’s success in Division Three South was something of a surprise and knows a real battle awaits against the Faithful County.

“To be honest when you looked at the other side of the draw at the start of the year you were probably thinking that Tipperary would top the group but I suppose people looking at our group would have said Cavan would do the same because they were both provincial champions.

“They are going very well. I hear that they are very fit and can run all day and are well set up defensively.

“The three results they got, it is going to be a real tough game for us especially having to go down to Offaly.”

McCusker feels the influence of Offaly manager, John Maughan, is also clear adding: “I know a few of the boys who would have played under him with Fermanagh and they would have spoken fondly of him.

“He is a very experienced manager and he has got them going the right way.

“They will be well set up and they have a couple of really good forwards so we will have our work cut out.”

If Fermanagh are to reach the Division Three final and gain promotion, McCusker knows that there is plenty to improve on from their last game against Longford.

Defensively Fermanagh would not have been happy with conceding 18 points, with 10 of those coming from frees.

“There is loads to work on.

“I think Longford destroyed us on their kick out.

“We didn’t turn very many over and they got far too quickly up to our 45.

“We have a lot of work to do on our kick-outs and even on our defensive shape. We conceded 18 points and if Offaly kick 18 points against us I think they will beat us.

“It is much more than what you want to be conceding in an intercounty game.”

Keeping scoreable frees down to a minimum will also be a key task for Fermanagh on Saturday.

Remarking on the conceding 10 scores from frees McCusker said: “Looking at that stat on its own, it’s scary.

“Some of them were probably harsh on us I felt but at the same time there were some that were frees which were just stupid and ones we can’t be giving away.”

With the winners of Saturday’s game sealing promotion to Division Two, McCusker admits that the two teams playing are surprise contenders, with both Division Three sections hosting a provincial champion.

“Looking in everyone was probably thinking Cavan won Ulster they are probably going to push on so they’ll come out of the group and Derry with Rory [Gallagher] in his second year he would have them flying which he does. We just sort of took it one game at a time.

“But we only came down from Division Two so naturally your goal is to get straight back up and I think we have the players to do that and after the result the first day against Cavan we started to look at that.

“If you had said to us at the start of the year you had a playoff game against Offaly to go into Division Two you would have taken it.

“They are going well but it’s still a great opportunity and we will have to go down there and try and take it with both hands.”