So we head to Castlebar next Saturday and a meeting with Connacht kingpins Mayo in their own back yard.
The Round 2B clash is down as MacHale Park on Saturday July 9th but still no time has been confirmed. This is because TV companies are still deciding on what game to show live that day.
Fermanagh have got well use to the Qualifier road and we had a good victory over Wexford only last Saturday. For Mayo it’s a first step into Qualifier action for the 5 in a row Connacht champions since June 2010 when Longford shocked them 1-12 to 0-14.
It will also be Mayo’s first Qualifier game in Castlebar since they defeated Cavan way back in 2007, 1-19 to 3-7.
Fermanagh have not met Mayo in Championship football since way back in an unforgettable All Ireland Semi final in 2004. The first day seen us draw 0-9 apiece, while the replay seen Mayo run out 0-13 to 1-8 winners which booked them an All Ireland Final place with Kerry which resulted in Sam going to the Munster County again.
We also met Mayo in 2003 in a wet and blustery Markievicz Park and in an unforgettable game we defeated Mayo, 0-12 to 1-8, my own memory from that game was watching Ciaran O’Reilly and Stephen Maguire score some wonderful points while everyone in the crowd seemingly had an umbrella in their hand and of course THAT picture after the end of the game which had us going to Croke Park for an All Ireland Quarter Final against Tyrone.
Fermanagh have had some disappointing runs in the Qualifiers as well and we actually went from 2008 to 2014 with just one Qualifier win (2013 v Westmeath in Mullingar). Last season however we were the story of the Championship as once again we came back from the heartbreak of an Ulster Championship defeat to go on a winning run in the Qualifiers against Antrim, Roscommon and Westmeath before bowing out to Dublin in Croke Park in an All Ireland Quarter Final, 2-23 to 2-15.
League games have seen us meet in 2006 in Castlebar, Mayo 0-19 v Fermanagh 1-14, while another NFL game in Clones in 2007 (Brewster Park was being upgraded) seen Mayo run out 0-12 to 1-7 winners.
Fermanagh will go into next weekend’s clash as rank outsiders at 7/1. Bookmakers are very rarely wrong so it is quite clear we are going to be up against it. That said though, Pete McGrath is a smart manager and he will make sure this Fermanagh side are primed and ready for battle against a team currently ranked 4th favourites for the All Ireland Football title.
Galway showed the rest of Ireland how to defeat Mayo and if Fermanagh can go into the game with the correct frame of mind and the belief from 2015 then we will give it one hell of a go in MacHale Park.
After the Wexford victory last week, the entire Fermanagh squad have all spoken about how great the Fermanagh supporters are. Once again next weekend that Fermanagh support will need to be in full voice and in full spirit to cheer this side on.
Roll on Castlebar………
COYBIG
