FERMANAGH manager CJ McGourty was pleased with the character shown by his players as they produced a strong finish to secure an eight point victory over Wicklow in Donagh on Sunday.

The winning margin was maybe harsh on Wicklow who had led after 45 minutes but McGourty was in no doubt about his side deserving to win the game.

“Look, probably the scoreline didn’t reflect the way the game went, Wicklow put up a very big test for us and we expected nothing different given their two games in the league so far. They are a good team with good forwards, but I still think we were a little bit comfortable in terms of us being two, three, four up.

“But, I think the girls showed real character after they went two behind when Wicklow got a breakaway goal. The girls dug deep and rallied. You have to win games different ways, it wasn’t pretty today at times, the wind was difficult but the girls adapted well to it,” he said.

Injury and illness saw Fermanagh forced into changes. Ciara Clarke was ruled out, Molly McGloin was named on the bench after only returning late on Saturday night from a skiing holiday while key forward Blaithin Bogue was only fit for a half, coming on at half time.

McGourty is pleased with the strength in depth that his squad has shown to date over the three games.

“We have used about 25 or 26 players, alright some of them might have had only three or four minutes, but it is great to have used that many because they are all training hard and we have to try and blood the squad for the championship because if someone picks up an injury you have to have somebody to come in. If you don’t have a squad you will be in trouble.

“Our bench made a great impact today and that is good, we used girls who hadn’t played yet and they did well and that’s what you want. Caoimhe Gallagher got a chance and hit the post and then won a late free, Laura Grew trained well during the week and came in and did well and Aoife McCabe scored the goal. You need that impact from the bench,” he said.

There was also a return to the starting line up for Joanne Doonan who did an excellent job in a deeper, defensive role.

“We had Joanne back today in probably not her natural position but we were missing girls at the back and she slotted in well,” added McGourty.

And in attack Fermanagh had the constant threat of Eimear Smyth who finished the game with 1-12.

“Only the 1-12,” smiled McGourty. “I said to her there ‘you look sad, what’s wrong’ and she felt she didn’t really get going in the first half.

“I don’t need to tell Eimear how to play football, she is an outstanding forward but she doesn’t even realise how good those couple of frees were in the first half into the breeze that she nailed and those kept us ticking over. She’s a great talent and works so hard at her game. Even in the last five minutes she was tracking back so she has a work ethic too. She’s a class act.”

Fermanagh have no game this week and McGourty believes that the week’s break has come at a good time with players recuperating from sickness and injury. And then it is into the top of the table clash against Leitrim.

“We know Leitrim are going to be a tough ask. I think they have played three and won three and are probably the favourites for this division as they were in the final last year and Antrim beat them.

“We are at home here in Donagh and it will be a stiff test but it is just another game, that’s the way we are looking at it and we have seven games to get the most out of them.

“We’ll take the week’s break, it’s probably come at a good time and we’ll try and get a few players back from injury and illness and focus on Leitrim,” he concluded.