McKenna Cup, Group B, Round 2
Fermanagh v St Marys
Brewster Park, Enniskillen
Sunday January 15th @ 2.00pm
Following on from their 1 point defeat last Sunday to Monaghan, Pete McGrath’s Fermanagh turn their attentions to the students of St Mary’s University Belfast on Sunday at Brewster Park.
The Erne County may have come up short last time out, but an encouraging performance was still shown on a wet Clones surface and plenty of positives will have been worked upon at training during the past week.
A first win of the season will be the first target as Fermanagh play their first home game of the season in front of an expectant Erne home support before Antrim come calling to Brewster Park on Wednesday evening to conclude the Group B phase of the McKenna Cup.
The likes of Tomas Corrigan, Barry Mulrone and Declan McCusker provided excellent leadership last Sunday to compliment the great work figures of Ryan Hyde, Cian McManus and Lee Cullen who will all become hugely important as the season progresses.
McGrath will use his panel more on Sunday with the likes of Patrick McGovern, Conor Murphy, Patrick Reihill and James Duffy getting the chance to impress the Down native.
St Marys however cannot and won’t be taken lightly especially after defeating Antrim last weekend, 3-12 to 2-16. Although they don’t have the high profile names as Queens and UUJ have, the determination, team work and team spirit that they displayed last weekend against Antrim means they will still prove to be a top side. They have the likes of Pearse McCrickard to call upon, Kevin McKernan who has been highly impressive for Down over the past few years, Crossmaglen starlet Oisin O’Neill who hit 1-6 last Sunday, while Omagh man Conor Meyler will most likely pull the strings from the centre half forward line and Augher attacker Darragh Kavanagh in the corner.
Fermanagh representation on the Ranch this year is zero with Ciaran Corrigan opting to fight for his place in the Fermanagh squad instead but the likes of Declan McCusker and James Duffy will be coming up against a number of former student mates and of course manager Paddy Tally once again.
Last season the same sides met at a wind-swept Garvaghey and it was an Eoin Donnelly inspired Fermanagh who came out the right side of a 1-13 to 0-14.
Odds
Fermanagh 1/2
Draw 8/1
St Marys 11/5
