USFC: Fermanagh v Down: Brewster Park: 3/6/12

[PAULD123]

Paul, where did u hear that about Danny?  It was in the local papers this wk that he was back in full training and was just not match sharp.  But given what they are like I wouldnt have much faith in the local papers.  If ur right then arguably r 3 best players are all out.  This has turned from a tricky assignment into a very dangerous assignment especially considering our record down there wouldnt be fantastic.

I heard it from a family member (his not mine!). Now I have to admit I was evesdropping but his exact statement in answer to the question "How's the Danny boy getting on?" was "Well he's injured at the moment". Then when asked if he had not been training recently the response was that while he probably did bits and pieces of training he wouldn't be doing much as he couldn't really run properly.

Of course given the level of fitness these guys retain it only needs the muscle to be fully healed for them to go straight back into a match situation. They don't need a period of regaining fitness. The comparison is Doyler who, having been out so long, had lost his retained fitness and had a long period of training to get back to county standard. So Danny has two more weeks of healing which is 25% more healing time since the injury occurred. So it is possible he will take part.

[supersub]

Just to clear up the McComiskey situation. McComiskey wasn't dropped by Wee James, as he was never part of the NFL squad. The news story that the Irish News carried a few months ago that McComiskey was returning to the squad was totally fabricated and without foundation.

McComiskey has opted out of squad for the season, end of.

[FermGael]

McCluskey is out.  Huge loss for Fermanagh.

http://fermanaghherald.com/2012/05/21/mccluskey-out-for-championship/

McCluskey out for Championship
May 21, 2012 at 7:25 pm

Ger Treacy, the Fermanagh senior football team liaison officer, has confirmed that Ryan McCluskey, the Fermanagh captain, won't be fit for the Championship clash with Down on June 3. McCluskey picked up a facial injury at training at the weekend with the initial diagnosis indicating a fracture of the sinus cavity.
"In lay-man's term that is the eyebrow region,"  Treacy explained to the Fermanagh Herald on Monday.
"There is no hope of him making June 3rd," Treacy continued.

McCluskey was to stay in the Erne Hospital over night on Monday with a further assessment in Altnagelvin on Tuesday.
"Obviously it is terrible news for the whole squad," Treacy revealed, "but it just awful for Ryan in particular. He has completely dedicated himself to the squad this season and he has bought into everything. He is a tremendous captain and I know he was looking forward to getting back out on the field in the Ulster Championship."

[Leo]

Just to clear up the McComiskey situation. McComiskey wasn't dropped by Wee James, as he was never part of the NFL squad. The news story that the Irish News carried a few months ago that McComiskey was returning to the squad was totally fabricated and without foundation.

McComiskey has opted out of squad for the season, end of.

Don't think we are so strong that James wouldn''t have been moving heaven and earth to get him back.
Then again he couldn't get him off quick enough when he was playing - including that bizarre and losing move against Cork in Croker 2010.

[Keane]

McCluskey is a loss for Fermanagh, probably tempers the news about Down's injuries somewhat. News on Danny Hughes in the last couple of days seems to be more positive as well.

[supersub]

Hughes played v Armagh the other day aye

[seafoid]

Fermanagh got to the ulster final a few years ago and the AISF in 2004. 
Where did it go wrong afterwards?

[NP 76]

Heard last night Niall Mc Parland to miss out as he broke his hand in training out for 6 weeks

[southdown]

Anyone suggest a bar in Berlin where I can watch this? 

[waitingforsam]

IS this match live anywhere? tv3? rte?

Typical BBC deferred nonsense - why dont they just park the bus on their GAA coverage.

Absolute joke.

[ExiledGael]

Is this definitely deferred?
Load of shite, but it's the GAA's fault. They insist on only a certain number of games being shown live, an attempt to increase attendances.
Not much BBC can do about it.

[PAULD123]

Well thank goodness I was wrong about Danny Hughes. I know I heard right but it can only lead me to conclude that the conversation I overheard was Danny's family member bluffing the guy he was speaking to. Either that or perhaps he was waiting on physio permission to run full speed and, so at that time, genuinely was still considered injured.

At any rate looks like we have him back and Doyler too. Great timing with Doyler regaining fitness as we have just lost McParland. That means that most likely Doyler will play CHB with McKernan and Garvey. I would have preferred to see McKernan at half-forward. He is strong, fast, fit and skilful in that position but in defence he is often a liability.

I see some players were released among them Rooney and G McCartan. I wonder if it is to help them gain match practice or does it mean that they are not being considered to start. I see McCardle wasn't released so can we presume he is in line for the No.3 jersey?

[snoopdog]

I Believe Aidan Burns of Castlewellan has been called up to the Down squad for the Championship.  A bit of height on the edge of the Square???
Can anyone confirm this??

[Captain Obvious]

Fermanagh got to the ulster final a few years ago and the AISF in 2004. 
Where did it go wrong afterwards?

It called punching above one's weight.

[PAULD123]

Any predictions for the team on Sunday I think it may be like this:

1. B.McVeigh, 2. D.McCartan, 3. C.Garvey, 4. A.Brannigan, 5. K.McKernan, 6. L.Doyle, 7. D.Rooney, 8. A.Rodgers, 9. K.King, 10. D.Hughes, 11. M.Poland, 12. A.Carr, 13. C.Maginn, 14. E.McCartan, 15. C.Laverty

If Rooney not fit enough then Garvey to No.7 and McCardle to No.3.

Personally I would rather see McCardle at FB, Rooney and Garvey at Wing-back and McKernan lined out instead of Maginn. That makes us much stronger defensively and allows us to make use of McKernan's athleticism in getting forward. If we are going to play a 2-man forward line then I would rather be honest about it, instead of playing a forward (Maginn) as a defender.