Every single one of the eight sides that will play for the right to be crowned Fermanagh IFC champions for 2015 will be entertaining realistic ambitions of lifting the title. Also with the restructuring of the Championship grades in the county there are some excellent teams competing in the competition.
The most eye-catching tie of this grade is without doubt the tie of Teemore v Lisnaskea. Teemore surpassed everyone’s expectations last season in going the whole way to the SFC final, while Lisnaskea will have the added bonus of playing division 1 football and with both having former managers in Sean Donnelly and Peter Clarke back at the helm it adds to a real spectacle. The two sides remarkably lead the overall roll of honour in the SFC grade but this will be the first clash of the duo in this writers mind for a very long time. Teemore in 2012 and Lisnaskea in 2010 show that both sides know how to go all the way at this grade.
Belcoo face up with newly promoted Maguiresbridge who have lost the last two IFC finals, 2013 v Enniskillen, 2014 v Derrylin. 2015 will represent another much needed chance for either side to claim championship bragging rights and the winner of this tie will have made a huge statement to the other pretenders of the crown.
Intermediate 2013 champions Enniskillen Gaels will find themselves in division 2 of league football once again in 2015 and the meeting with Kinawley represents a clash of two quality sides at this level. Kinawley have plenty of Senior championship experience and should have beaten Teemore in last year’s first round in Lisnaskea. The Brian Borus last won the IFC crown in 2009 and will be eager to change that record this season.
The last game sees a repeat of the 2014 first round encounter in which Newtownbutler were to defeat Irvinestown. Both sides will have to do it all over again and will know that a semi-final appearance will not be easy made.
Belcoo v Maguiresbridge
Teemore v Lisnaskea
Enniskillen v Kinawley
Irvinestown v Newtownbutler
By Tom Mon 23rd Feb
