Fermanagh Football & Hurling

[ExiledGael]

Only getting on after yesterday's game now. Was certainly a quiet affair in Brewster but there was a few encouraging signs and it's always good to beat Monaghan.
Seen comments on the main McKenna Cup tread about Matty Keenan being the standout player but I must have been watching a different game. He did well at times but wasted a shocking amount of ball and looked at one stage like he was determined to get sent off. But for the half-time whistle I think he would have been.
He done well enough to get another few opportunities but missing two 21 yard frees after each other will do his confidence no good. Blobby assumed the frees from the left for the last ten minutes after that. (anyone ever seen a ref allowing a free to be retaken for the opposition clapping as freetaker runs up???)
I thought Blobby done well at full-forward, especially after Clerkin was sent off. Won a lot of ball and made a few classy picks ups and catches, but he should have finished the game with about 2-4. Opted to pass twice when one-on-one twice in first half when on his right foot and both chances slipped away. Good to see him being left at 14 anyhow.
(Clerkin deserved to go also I thought for a stupid and dangerous challenge)
Around him McCarron from Tyrone looked busy and took a good fisted score. Paul Ward got one point but didn't feature as much as he could have. Damien Kelly took a great score second half and Tommy McElroy was the pick of our half back line.
James Sherry at midfield was probably the best player on view and was taking frees on the right too. Hopefully he can build on a good year for Roslea and start to throw his weight around, he nearly got a goal from a backheel flick so his confidence looks good.
Cosgrove made a few good blocks alongside him but seemed to be knocked off making any clean catches among the crowd at midfield.
Chris O'Brien looked decent when he came on but wasted a few chances and Martin O'Brien in defence looked agressive and done well on Hanratty. Mulrone was quiet enough.
Was hard to tell some players positions and Ryan Keenan did get on the ball a lot but it was against a very shapeless Monaghan side for whom not one player played well.
McArdle, Clerkin and Hanratty were their only real first teamers.
Would expect almost a completely different 15 on Wednesday.

On a worrying note Clucker was stretchered off for Portadown at the weekend with a bad looking knee injury. Club said today that it's badly swollen and they will wait to that settles before sending him for a scan. Hope it's not serious.

[118cmal]

Excellent report Exiled.  Very bad news about Clucker indeed, was at the relegation playoff this year between Enniskillen and Derrygonnelly and he was head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch!

How did Burns do at Full Back?  Can you see him there long-term?  I rate him highly and he had an excellent club championship campaign but I don't see him holding down that role.  To be honest, I'd prefer Brady or Lyons in there ahead of him.

Good to hear Blobby did well, target man like him badly needed there.  Such a pity Seamus Quigley packed it in. 

Where do you people see Gallagher fitting in when he comes back?  For me the only positions for him are CHF or in the corner.  I don't think he has the workrate for WHF or the physicality for FF.  Personally I would love to see him at CHF because I think his distribution is top notch.

[tintin25]

Any word on the championship draws or league set-up for 2010?

[ExiledGael]

Excellent report Exiled.  Very bad news about Clucker indeed, was at the relegation playoff this year between Enniskillen and Derrygonnelly and he was head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch!

How did Burns do at Full Back?  Can you see him there long-term?  I rate him highly and he had an excellent club championship campaign but I don't see him holding down that role.  To be honest, I'd prefer Brady or Lyons in there ahead of him.

Good to hear Blobby did well, target man like him badly needed there.  Such a pity Seamus Quigley packed it in. 

Where do you people see Gallagher fitting in when he comes back?  For me the only positions for him are CHF or in the corner.  I don't think he has the workrate for WHF or the physicality for FF.  Personally I would love to see him at CHF because I think his distribution is top notch.

Burns didn't look out of place and both Hugh McElroy and Ciaran Hanratty were in the Monaghan full-forwardline so they were probably Monaghan's most established line. Thought there was a little indecisiveness at times but probably a little inexperience. Would imagine he'll get another chance in next game or two and he probably needs to be a little more aggressive. With the amount of defenders we have he'll do well to earn a squad place but he has a chance.
Agree on Rory Gallagher at centre half-forward, especially with Blobby at 14 jumping with the keeper under new rules. Matty Keenen acted as playmaker on Sunday but Gallagher has a much better range of passing and experience, plus he would would be a lot more reliable from frees.
James Sherry was taking frees from right on Sunday and he wouldn't even be free taker for Roslea with Quigley there.

[ExiledGael]

Fermanagh 8-5 up at the break. Scrappy game, Blobby away off injured, looks like a knee injury.

[unitedireland]

what is the team?
final score?

[FermPundit]

Fermanagh 1-13 1-12 UUJ.

Any word of Blobby's injury? I heard it was an ankle injury?

[unitedireland]

The Irish Times - Thursday, January 21, 2010Kelly's cameo crucial

Fermanagh 1-13 UUJ 1-12:

FERMANAGH DID enough to see off the late challenge of UUJ in this free-flowing McKenna Cup game at Brewster Park Enniskillen.

A second half goal from Damien Kelly for Fermanagh was cancelled out by Peter Hughes for the University men and it was a shoot-out for points which decided this game.

FERMANAGH: J McGrath; J Woods (0-2), S Lyons, M Jones; D Ward, R Foy, P Sherry; R Jones (0-2), J Sherry (0-1, free); D Keenan (0-3), M Keenan, C Flaherty; N Cunningham (0-1, free), R Carson (0-3, one free), P Gormley. Subs: D Kelly (1-1) for Carson (25 mins), C O'Brien for M Keenan (50 mins), P Cosgrove for J Sherry (61 mins), T O'Flanagan for Gormley (61mins), R Keenan for Sherry (65 mins)

UUJ: M McAlister, C Murray, S Mulligan, A Girvan, C Bayne, E Kenny, K Nolan, D McCann, C O'Boyle, T McCann (0-2, one free), M Gottche, D Mulholland (0-1), C McManus (0-3, one free), J McAnulla (0-3), D McNulty, Subs: C McGinley for Kenny (20 mins), S O'Hagan for Murray (ht), P Hughes (1-0) for Nolan (ht), J Clarke (0-3, one free) for McNulty (44 mins), D Hughes for McKenna (55 mins

[Gold]

Was anyone at the game on Wed night?

[inisceithleann]

Great result for the boys today, that's three wins on the trot, not bad, even if it's only the McKenna Cup.

Line up today was;

R Gallagher, Bogue, Lyons, M O'Brien, R Keenan, P Sherry, Mulrone, T McElroy, Jones, Kelly, O'Flaherty, Gormley, P Ward, C O'Brien, Connolly.

[ExiledGael]

Great result, especially with a very inexperienced forward line. Who done any of the scoring?
Is it Tyrone now in the semi-final?

Bad news on Clucker, knee ligament damage and out for two months anyway. Don't know if Portadown would have allowed him to play in the League anyway though.

[FermPundit]

Great result, especially with a very inexperienced forward line. Who done any of the scoring?
Is it Tyrone now in the semi-final?

Bad news on Clucker, knee ligament damage and out for two months anyway. Don't know if Portadown would have allowed him to play in the League anyway though.

Yeah, semi final this Wednesday night, not sure of venue, but Brewster Park was mentioned today.

Great result today, especially with such an experimental team. Really good performance by the defence today. Pete Sherry was as good as ever, but Martin O'Brien and Barry Mulrone were superb. I think we may have had the smallest full forward lines I have ever seen at inter county level today! Chris O'Brien for all his size wins a lot of ball though. Early signs are very positive for the young Devenish player.

Rory Gallagher played the whole second half but he didn't get much ball. Armagh dominated midfield, but they were very wasteful. Stevie McDonnell dragged them back into the game but overall Armagh were very poor against an inexperienced Fermanagh side.

So Tyrone up next on Wednesday. It should be a good game against our neighbours.

Three wins in the McKenna Cup is extremely pleasing. There is definitely a greater hunger in this Fermanagh side this year which was lacking last season. Things are looking good so far.

Ryan Jones got the goal. He took most of the frees as well. He must have finished with about 1-2 or 1-3

[FermPundit]

Ulster club under 21

Crossmaglen 5-22 0-3 Donagh

[Caid]

That's a terrible scoreline in the St Pats match!  Buy hey ho.

Heard James Sherry steadied the ship a bit today round the mddle when he came on.  Heard Rory wasn't great when he came on.

I'm amazed that Fermanagh have won all three games with the teams they sent out.

[FermPundit]

That's a terrible scoreline in the St Pats match!  Buy hey ho.

Heard James Sherry steadied the ship a bit today round the mddle when he came on.  Heard Rory wasn't great when he came on.

I'm amazed that Fermanagh have won all three games with the teams they sent out.

James Sherry wasn't on today. Ryan Carson came on and steadied the ship around midfield.