Enniskillen and Clogher will go head to head in the All Ireland Junior Cup final at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday January 28, but before thoughts can turn top that, the sides are set to meet this Saturday at The Cran in the league.

And with Clogher pushing for the the league title and Skins aiming to get into the top four, there will be little time for shadow boxing as both sides go in search of league points.

“We are pushing for top four because if we don’t make it we won’t have the All Ireland to look forward to next year and obviously Clogher want to win the league so there will be no quarter given,” said Skins coach Stevie Welsh.

“We are not even focused on the cup final. It is just literally focus on this week and see how it goes. It is one of those things, we will just focus on the game as opposed to playing Clogher,” he added.

Skins followed up their All Ireland Junior Cup semi-final win with victory over Carrickfergus last Saturday at Mullaghmeen. And for Welsh it was all about the win.

“In years gone by we might have lost that one but the boys stuck to the task and got the four points. With the weather it was never going to be pretty so it was good to get the four points and move on.

“As I said last week, we have been pretty inconsistent in the league and we needed to start getting points on the board and obviously five would have been lovely but we’ll take the four,” he said.

He knows though with the derby aspect, this week is set to be a different test.

“It is always different to playing any other team, it will be tight and both teams lift their games. It will be tough and physical,” said Welsh, who is hoping for a full hand to select from for the game.

“Mark O’Shea took a bit of a knock but he should be alright. We rested Rooney last week and Jordan Hylton finished his concussion protocol so we are very much full strength which is good.”

‘Free shot’

Clogher Valley coach, Stephen Bothwell feels this weekend’s game is something of a “free shot” for Skins but he just wants his players to continue performing week in week out in the league as they chase a league title.

“You kind of feel Enniskillen have a free shot at us this week because they have nothing really to lose.

“We have to be really on the money and try and get a result,” said Bothwell who feels Skins will want to put down a good marker with the Junior Cup Final the following week: “They will be up for it to try and put down a good mark before the final but it’s the same week to week with the league for us.

“To try and get a performance and if we do that we will not be far away. Obviously, the snow and the weather will be a big bearing and make the ground very wet and stodgy. It’s going to make it that bit harder to play rugby.”

Bothwell felt his side’s performance last week against Dromore showed his side can keep their focus on the task in hand, but knows Saturday will be another test.

“I was a bit worried they are lying fourth in the table and going well so we were delighted to go down there on Saturday and perform well and get a good result so that’s what its all about again just trying to play it minute by minute and get the right result again and work hard.

“We know there is that wee bit more appetite with Enniskillen with the cup the following week.”

But while he does not know what way Enniskillen will approach the game on Saturday, for Bothwell and Clogher the league is still of huge importance and as they battle it out with Ballyclare for honours: “I don’t know what way Enniskillen will approach it. I don’t know if they will go as hard as they can or will they try and rest players for the following week which will be interesting.

“As far as we are concerned the league a big priority for us so we have to try and get results in it first and play it week by week and game by game.”

 

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