Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnelly is just glad to now have an opponent to focus on following Monday morning’s draw for the inaugural Tailteann Cup.

Fermanagh will face a trip to Pearse Park to take on Longford on Saturday May 28 (5.30pm) and while concerns had been raised over the last week or so about the format of the competition and in particular the regional aspect to it but Donnelly says now that the draw has been made they are looking forward to getting going.

“It is just good to have a focus for it, this last two weeks you have been training away not knowing who we would play and what the format would be. We now have a format and an opponent and at least we can now plan ahead and we are looking forward to it,” he said.

Fermanagh have already played Longford in Pearse Park this season, defeating them 3-11 to 1-10 in the league back in February although Longford did have a man sent off in the first half of that game.

Donnelly admits that it is a ground that is never an easy place for Fermanagh to play.

“Ideally every team would have wanted a home draw and Longford is never an easy place to go, and the history books have proven that with us against them in the past, so it is going to be a tough.

“But, it is a team that we know from the league so we have that bank of information on them but then they will have it on us too,” said Donnelly.

In terms of the competition as a whole, Donnelly feels that it is one that could greatly benefit his players.

“From our point of view, if we can get a run in the competition the more it will improve us.

“We have players who need to experience championship games and that’s how we have to look at it and it will be a plus for us.

“I think it is going to be very competitive. There is not going to be any easy games, especially between those top five or six teams,” he added.

Fermanagh made their exit from Ulster with defeat to Tyrone in Brewster Park but Fermanagh gave the Red Hands problems that day and Donnelly believes that while they were beaten, the players can take confidence from elements of their performance that day.

“There are things that we obviously need to improve on but the fact that we cut Tyrone open at times has given the boys confidence in the style of football that we want to play and that they can play that sort of football and get at teams. That has been a plus and there has been an added bounce from that but we are all very aware though that we have to tidy up in other key areas if we are to go on and win games,” he said.

The manager has also had no problem in convincing his players to give the Tailteann Cup their best shot and he states that preparations have gone well with the three U20 players - Diarmaid King, Fionan O’Brien and Justy McDade - who have been added having brought a freshness to the squad.

“Preparations have gone well, in that the boys have trained away and there has been no real dip from them. They have all seemed to kick on and adding a few U20s to it has brought a freshness to it as well and a keenness from them.

“The three lads are all very disciplined and are athletic and mobile players and they have added that extra dimension to the training,” said the Fermanagh boss.

And he is delighted to have Ultan Kelm back on board as he works his way back from injury.

“Ultan coming back is a positive. He has trained well and is building himself up so he is gradually getting there. We can’t overload him but he is starting to show glimpses of what he can do.”