It was December 12th 2015 when Derrygonnelly defeated St Joseph’s Ederney in the 2015 SFL Division 1 Final, a league season which sadly lasted 35 weeks.
Plenty of changes have been approved in Board meetings since that final and we all hope for a much lesser 35 week season for the club player in 2016.
Anticipation of supporters up and down Fermanagh will finally get to see their teams in action this weekend, when the 2016 season gets underway.
While no medals are handed out in April time, it’s considered important to get off to a fast start and with such a competitive division 1 and division 2 no team will want to be playing catch up early on.
Derrygonnelly Harps will open their Division 1 League title defence against Erne Gaels at Pairc na hEirne, while Irvinestown’s first Division 1 fixture since 2008 will see them travel to Roslea Shamrocks
Teemore’s first game will be at St Marys Park, with Maguiresbridge the visitors, and Belcoo will begin their campaign at home to Tempo – a similar opening day fixture in 2015.
There is a derby, with Malachy Cullen’s first game as Devenish boss at home against Ederney, a side that has former Tyrone goalkeeper Finbar McConnell as manager.
Into Division 2 and the stand out fixture is without a doubt the tie between St Patrick’s Donagh and Derrylin were Derrylin manager Mickey Cadden will go up against his sons who play for the Donagh side on Friday night.
Enniskillen Gaels welcome Aghadrumsee to Brewster Park, while Newtownbutler under the stewardship of former Fermanagh U21 manager Vinny Connolly (pictured) start their season with a home clash with Coa.
Belnaleck and Kinawley will see a local derby unfold with plenty at stake and bragging rights, while lastly its Lisnaskea who take on Brookeboro who both go into the game with the same managers from 2015 in Peter Clarke and Darren Boyle respectively.
Good luck to all teams, managements, players and supporters in 2016.
Senior Football League Division 1
Fri 8 April @ 8.00pm
St Patrick’s Donagh v Derrylin Ref Dermott Love
Senior Football League Division 1
Sun, 10 April @ 3.30pm
Belcoo O’Rahilly’s V Tempo Maguires Ref: Ferghal Cleary
Roslea Shamrocks V Irvinestown St Molaises Ref: Seamus Breen
Erne Gaels Belleek V Derrygonnelly Harps Ref: Noel Davis
Devenish St Mary’s V St Joseph’s Ederney Ref: James Lewis
Senior Football League Division 2
Sun, 10 April @ 3.30pm
Enniskillen V Aghadrumsee Ref: Eugene Mc Donagh
Newtownbutler V Coa Ref: Joseph Corcoran
Belnaleck V Kinawley Ref: Martin Higgins
Brookeboro v Lisnaskea Ref: Gerard Mc Laughlin
Senior Football League Division 1
Thursday April 14th @ 7.00pm
Teemore v Maguiresbridge Ref Niall Cullen
