Fermanagh are one step away from the Lory Meagher Cup final following victory over Monaghan on Saturday which set up a semi-final showdown against Longford this weekend.

And manager Joe Baldwin says they will be doing everything in their power to get through to the decider which will be played in Croke Park as the curtain raiser to one of the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals.

“It is a semi-final and semi-finals are for one thing, and one thing only, and that is winning.

“So by hook or by crook we are really going out to try and win this game,” said Baldwin.

Longford are a division above Fermanagh in the league but Monaghan were too and Baldwin says that they will draw great belief from that win over the Farney last weekend.

“There is massive performances inside the players and sometimes it is that wee bit of self belief that the players need and they will have taken that from the win over Monaghan.

“It was though just one step of the ladder and we have to try and get on to that next step of the ladder this week,” he added.

Fermanagh started their Lory Meagher campaign with defeat to Cavan but having clinched the win on Saturday they will go into the Longford game with momentum.

“There is belief and momentum now and we said after the Cavan game that if we can regroup that the team that was going to come out of the Monaghan quarter final was going to have momentum going forward and we have that now.”

And he anticipates a tight encounter against Longford who narrowly defeated Monaghan in the group stages.

“We seen that game and there was very little between them and Monaghan maybe should have beaten them.

“I think it is a 50/50 game, there will be a puck of the ball in it and I think that we are going to have to be at our best for 73 or 74 minutes,” said the Erne boss who is hoping to be at full strength for the game.

“JP McGarry and Thomas Cleary are back in this week and we have a really strong squad for the game.

“We have a lot of options which is what you need and we are just relishing the chance to go there and contest an All Ireland semi-final.”

The death of Monaghan U20 football captain Brendan Óg Duffy overshadowed last weekend’s GAA action. Duffy had led his side to victory over Donegal at Brewster Park on Friday evening but tragically died in a two-car collision that night. Baldwin offered his condolences to the family.

“I arrived to the ground on Saturday to hear that news and it was really heartbreaking and we offer our condolences to the family and friends of Brendan Óg Duffy. It must have been very tough for the Monaghan players then to play on Saturday at Brewster Park,” he said.

The key to the win for Baldwin on the day was his side’s discipline, something he has preached about throughout the season.

“Funnily, although we gave away two penalties, I thought our discipline was good.

“We conceded eight frees in the entire game and that is very pleasing because free taking is such a big part of the modern game.”

And there was praise for a number of players.

“I was very pleased for Sean Corrigan,” said Baldwin.

“We moved him out to the three quarter line and we took him off free duties so to score 2-04 from play was first class.

“I also thought Danny Teague showed his class and Aidan Flanagan never gave Niall Clerkin a puck of the ball.

“We got stronger as the game went on and the bench really played a part. The heat on the pitch was phenomenal so we needed to utilise the squad and they all played their part,” he said.

Baldwin now wants his players to grasp the prize that is on offer on Saturday.

“There is a huge prize there for the winner with the final to be played as the curtain raiser for an All Ireland semi-final and that it where we want to be. An opportunity to go to Croke Park is massive,” he stated.