Fermanagh joint manager Raymond Johnston is expecting a huge test for his side on Saturday afternoon when they take on Down in the Ulster Minor Football Championship preliminary round at Brewster Park.

Neither side gained the results they desired from the league campaign but Johnston says that they expect to face a strong Mourne side on Saturday.

“Championship is a totally different ball game. If you look at Down’s results in the league, it hasn’t been where they would expect it to be but knowing Down they are traditionally a championship team.

“I expect them to be a typical Down team; they will be confident, they will be strong, physical, aggressive and it is about us getting our boys ready for that. Down know how to win games, particularly championship games and I expect this to be no different,” he said.

“Fermanagh lost all of their games in the league but Johnston felt that they learned plenty of lessons to take into Saturday’s clash.

“The first game against Donegal a lot of things didn’t go our way; we just didn’t get up to the pace of the game but that was our first game out.

“The Sligo and Cavan games were a lot closer but we made a lot of mistakes in those games and it was about learning from them and trying to progress the boys on for championship which is ultimately what we want to have these boys ready for,” he added.

Fermanagh have shown though great resolve in the league and did so again in their final game against Derry but Johnston would just like them to now push on and see what they could do if they get their noses on front.

“Against Derry, we were six down at half-time but we got a higher press on, we got turnovers and we got them back to three points. Then we got sloppy again, we gave the ball away coming out of defence and we were punished for that and good teams are going to do that to you. I would just like to see these boys kick on, get ahead of teams and move forward from that,” he said.

Overall, though he was happy with the league campaign and feels that Fermanagh are on the right track.

“In the games we have learned a lot about the players and the team as we prepare for Down.

“I think if you compare our run in the league this season to previous seasons; we are still getting beaten but not by excessively high margins which has happened in previous years so hopefully these boys are learning and we have them on the right road.”

Johnston knows he will need a big performance on Saturday if Fermanagh are to progress and he will look to the likes of Lanty Feely and Liam McEnri in defence, captain Cal McAnespy and Conor O’Hanlon in the middle of the park while Mattie McDermott, Cian O’Brien and Keelan Fitzpatrick are lively presences in attack.

The squad has also been boosted by the return of defender Kai McGoldrick with Johnston pleased with the competition for places.

“Kai McGoldrick is back in now and he offers another avenue for us in defence and maybe gives us the licence to free up somebody else who can move further out the pitch.

“The competition for places is strong and that’s what we want, the boys are pushing themselves on and know that they have to produce the goods every time they got out,” he commented.

And Johnston believes that if Fermanagh can limit Down at one end and make the most of their chances at the other then they can get that first win on the board when they take on the Mournemen.

“If we can keep the game close, stop Down from scoring and minimise our mistakes and then capitalise on the opportunities we create and get the productivity and scoring efficiency going I have no doubt that these boys can push on. These boys are hungry to get the result that they have been working towards since we started working at the start of the year,” he said.