Cill Dara v Fear Manach

[Rossfan]

Any guesses on likely attendance?

Holiday time and a Bank Holiday weekend  will result in about 22,000 on Saturday and maybe 33,000 at the max on Sunday.

[sammymaguire]

Rough guestimate would be 25,000 on Saturday and 40,000 on Sunday... (mostly northern fans for both days, probably as much as 60-65%)

[armawman]

Sammymaguire said:

problem is orangeman, we should've beaten Armagh too!! 

How did you come to this conclusion? Fermanagh played Armagh twice and failed to beat them on either occasion. Armagh threw away an eight point lead in the first game and won the second by six points. They were thoroughly deserving winners. Armagh have only lost three times in the Ulster Championship in the last ten years. A lot of teams may claim that they should've  beaten them, but very few actually do. 

[sammymaguire]

Sammymaguire said:

problem is orangeman, we should've beaten Armagh too!! 

How did you come to this conclusion? Fermanagh played Armagh twice and failed to beat them on either occasion. Armagh threw away an eight point lead in the first game and won the second by six points. They were thoroughly deserving winners. Armagh have only lost three times in the Ulster Championship in the last ten years. A lot of teams may claim that they should've  beaten them, but very few actually do. 

how many pundits and people on here would agree that Fermanagh had the beating of Armagh on both occasions yet couldn't pull the trigger when the barrel was pointed right at the heart of Armagh football? I'm afraid to say, we just bottled it, your boys have bags of ability (not enough to win Sam in 2008) and the key to beating Fermanagh's energy and enthusiasm was the know-how and pedigree that comes with 6 Ulster titles out of 9 and now 7 out of 10...

[sammymaguire]

this should be on the 1st page ALL week! This match could be the platform to much greater things following last weeks harrowing affair following which I am still having nightmares 

[dodgyrightfoot]

From a fermanagh point of view I feel that the team could do with a bit of freshening up for Sunday, any thoughts?
Pat Cadden was the top scorer in the league and hits frees for St.Pats so surely he deserves a chance. Also I think Mattie Keenan deserves another go at it because although the frees didnt go well for him I thought he involved himself in play quite well and has the ability to take people on. This is how I would line them out;

1. Chrissy Breen            (Always have rated him higher than Gallagher..he just doesnt concede goals!)
2. Shane Goan             
3. A.N. Other               (McDermott gave Clarke acres of room last day. Shane Lyons possibly, but its a problem position!)
4. Peter Sherry
5. Damien Kelly
6. Clucker
7. Tommy Mc
8. Marty
9. Womble
10. Ciaran McElroy
11. Tom Brew               (Need a bit of experience up in the forwards, hes been there and done it)
12. Mark Little               (Maybe wouldnt drop him back as much..see if Kildare can put up with him going forward)
13. Pat Cadden             (Why not? Deserves a chance after a good league campaign)
14. Eamon Maguire        (Not a towering full forward but can jump with the best of them and wud giv any full bak an awful handful)
15. Mattie Keenan         

Would like to see what other people are thinking.

[sammymaguire]

I think Malachy will probably only be tempted to make 1 or 2 changes to give last week's players the opportunity to atone and it will be those who were involved with more too prove than the rest although I think a few changes would be beneficial to give McGeeney something to think about:

1.   R Gallagher (has done nothing wrong in campaign so far)
2.   S Goan (in line for an All Star nomination, would look after danger man John Doyle this Sunday)
3.   S Lyons (better man marker than McDermott who gives opponent too much room)
4.   P Sherry
5.   D O'Reilly (Kelly looked like he needed a rest last Sunday)
6.   R McCluskey (another potential All Star nominee)
7.   T McElroy (great attacking half back)
8.   M McGrath
9.   M Murphy
10.   C McElroy (would rather gave McCabe another start if eligible)
11.   T Brewster
12.   S Doherty (would like to see what he could offer with more time on the pitch)
13.   E Maguire
14.   L McBarron
15.   M Little

This still leaves Ryan Keenan, Damien Kelly, Shane McDermott, James Sherry, Matty Keenan amongst others to come in to the fray to mix things up if required.

[dodgyrightfoot]

i know the focal point and confusion that mcbarron creates or is supposed to create but its just not working! i feel a small nippy full forward with nice direct balls in could cause more trouble for the kildare backs.

havent seen anything of kildare yet this year, have they any outstanding defenders that will try and hook themselves onto maguire?
still fancy our midfield against anyone so lets hope marty and womble are back to their best by sunday!

[sammymaguire]

you could be right dodgy although I don't think Maguire is full forward material, maybe Matty Keenan in this key position to bolster the confidence although let Brew stick with the frees for left footer 

[inisceithleann]

Shane Lyons and Tom Brew are definite starters on Sunday. Don't be surprised if Paul Ward gets on at some stage. He's probably been one of the most consistent forwards in the club scene in the last 2 years. What would be give for Stevie Maguire or Rory Gallagher this weekend?

[Dinny Breen]

On Newstalk Tommy Carr tipped Fermanagh to win because Kildare are a bad side and were lucky to win against Limerick, I game he didn't even see and he wonders why he couldn't get a managerial job anymore, clown 

John Maughan came out and said he hoped Fermanagh win as they contributed greatly to his pension fund and was very fond of his time there but he made all the right noises about momentum and recovery before tipping a draw 

So there you have it 20 min discussing the other 3 games and 1 min discussing the Kildare game, a national broadcaster me bollix....

[wanderer]

Haven't a clue how this match will go myself. Would have been supremely confident a week ago, but unsure how Sunday will affect the team either physically or mentally.

Personally I would make one, possibly two changes for this game and agree with Inis Ceithleann. Brewster in at FF, and its a reluctant change as his style of play doesn't really suit the system Fermanagh play at the minute. Personally I think he is to static and dwell's to long on the ball at times. But as shown on Sunday, if you don't kick the thing between the posts, the rest is only so much use.
The other change that I could possibly see, although it would be harsh is Lyons coming in at FB. For all McDermotts critics, he kept one of the form forwards in the country at low figures. Granted he made mistakes, but so did a lot of others.
The rest I would give another day. It could possibly be counter productive to make a load of changes, with players even more afraid to shoot etc if they think there place is in jeopardy if they miss. And this set of lads have done us proud at the end of the day

Can't get back for the game unfortunately but I hope there is a sizeable Fermanagh support

[sammymaguire]

FERMANAGH team to play Kildare in the All-Ireland Senior Football Qualifier on Sunday at 2pm in Croke Park:

Ronan Gallagher,
Shane Goan, Shane McDermott, Peter Sherry,
Damien Kelly, Ryan McCluskey, Tommy McElroy,
Martin McGrath, Mark Murphy,
Ciaran McElroy, Matthew Keenan, Ryan Keenan
Eamon Maguire, Liam McBarron, Mark Little

SURPRISED NOT TO SEE A COUPLE MORE CHANGES

[Fermanaghandsam]

That team will not start, I would suspect the defence to remain unchanged, but maybe two changes in the forwards. With maybe Pat
Cadden and Doc coming in for M.Keenan and big Liam. I would be extremely surprised it M.Keenan starts.

[lynchbhoy]

The petrol stations and car parks will be doubling their prices as the cash rich and football poor Lily white/flourbag horsey brigade come 4x4ing into town for the game!

Kildares victory will have given great encouragement, but Fermanaghs battle hardened troops should win this as long as they start to hit over at least 30% of their scoring opportunities.

Kildare 'could' cause an upset, but its a season too early yet imo

Enjoy it Dinny - though you will prob be on Nappy duty (hope all are well)