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[Oisins v Lawrences.]

Anybody got any predictions for the matches tonight,

Oisins v Lawrences.

Will be tight one here. We haven't won in a while so need the win. We are missing a few of our regulars so it could go either way. I'll go for Oisins by 5. (you couldn't predict against yourself could ya??)

Brendans v Mitchels.

Only a fool would go for anything less than a JM win. But the score all depends on what travels across from Liverpool for the game. I'll go for JM by 10.

Annes V Peters.

If Annes even field I will be surprised. Lets say there is a game I will go for Peters by 6. Could be more but i'll stick with 6.

I could be a million miles off on the predictions but I doubt it. Tightest game of the night will be ourselves v Lawences.

Was there a mix up with the fixtures tonight? Our game against St. Anne's and Mitchel's against St. Brendan's are both off.

Ferm Pundit,

Do you reckon any of the Devenish boys will be ready for the county panel next season ?

How are the two O'Brien lads coming along? Any other good young players coming through for possible u21s or seniors with fermanagh?

The two O'Briens, from what I hear are great prospects, as is Barry Mulrone. I've seen him play a few times and have always been impressed. At u-21 level Fermanagh have been fairly poor the last number of seasons, which doesn't bode well for the future senior teams.

I was suprised to hear Peter's drew with Lawrences, I was expecting a comfortable victory from Peter's, was told their perfromance was well below the previous weeks.

Our game was very scrappy in the first half, we went 1-1 up in the first 10 minutes but didn't score again until the 2nd half. Half time score 1-1 to 0-3, we took control in the second half and went 7 points clear going into the final 5 minutes before Ann's got a late goal.

Still think Oisins will come good, along with Mitchell's and Peter's they'll make the semi's. Expect our game with Lawrences to be crucial.

But who knows there's been a few suprises already this year, all the Manchester teams are well capable of beating each other.

Peter's should have won the game, especially when you consider that Lawrence's only had 4 scores in the whole game. Oisins should improve, but they'd need to start doing it soon. It's certainly a very competitive championship this season. I think your right about youu game with Lawrences being crucial, but bar Mithchel's no is dominating, so it's all to play for.

The second round of the Senior Championship took place this afternoon. The Peter's V Lawrence's game was a poor enough affair. Peter's missed a lot of frees in the first half, but Lawrence's kept competing and to be honest could have scored more than the three goals they did get. In the other two games, Brendan's bounced back well against Ann's, which they deserve a lot of credit for given the hammering they took last weekend. Down in Liverpool, Mitchel's had a fairly easy victory against Oisin's. They remain the team to beat. As for Oisins, they'll have to start picking up some points to make sure they are competing in the latter stages of the competition.

SFL Division 1

Derrygonnelly 1-14 2-6 Belcoo
Enniskillen 0-9 6-16 Devenish
Newtown 0-11 1-10 Roslea
St. Joseph's 0-10 0-6 St. Patrick's
Teemore 1-10 0-8 Tempo

SFL Division 2

Erne Gaels 1-9 0-11 Kinawley
Brookeboro 0-13 3-10 Coa
Irvinestown 1-8 1-10 Derrylin

What in God's name happended the Gaels this afternoon, that must be up there with one of the biggest defeats ever for the senior team?

ExiledGael what do mean by the Co.Board must have cleared Quigley for action down south?  Is he barred from entering the free state or something??!!

That rumour has been doing the rounds, not sure of the validity of it and as we should always state on a public forum it is mere speculation.

Interesting.
Never heard Johnston was leaving but presumably that's just a case of him being fed up waiting on a chance. We're quite well covered in that area but Quigley is the really interesting one. Hope to God they can get him settled and committed. The most talented forward in the county by some distance. It's a long shot, but him Blobby and Eamon would be a top class forward line. This must mean the county board have cleared Quigley for action down south, hope he repays them in kind. Cosgrove will be a good option too, probably the best midfielder in county Championship last year on St Pat's run to title. Hopefully he can bulk up a bit for the senior county level.

Three good additions to the squad, but Quigley is definitely the one we've be crying out for. Fierce amount of pressure for a young fella though, who amazingly has been on the club scene for years given his age. I can see him starting against Wicklow, probably at CHF of FF. The other two lads will be on the bench.

I'll be there anyway.
Sure we do nothing when we're odds on either! Any word of any call-ups to the county panel? Impartial reckoned two would be called up last week and mentioned Tom Brewster and Seamie Quigley.

I'd definitely call up both of those two. We need to desperately find a few scoring forwards, and I hope that Malachy just lets them go out and play football, even I am getting a bit tired of the negative brand of football we play.

I wouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater here. No matter how we performed in Breffni the last few years have given Fermanagh fans their greatest ever days. I think if O'Rourke thought he could send a team out to win doing that he would.
We had a serious amount of chances there and with the possession and attacks in the last quarter we should have squeezed past Cavan. If Tommy McElroy, Daryl Keenan or Eamon Maguire had scored even one of their chances each Fermanagh would be facing Antrim for a spot in the final and O'Rourke would be up on a pedastal with Mickey Harte. We weren't/aren't far away and I hope the players believe that and look for that extra couple of percent.

Agreed, sure we have to do what it takes to win games I suppose, but the fellas need to have a bit more confidence at least to shoot.

I'll be there anyway.
Sure we do nothing when we're odds on either! Any word of any call-ups to the county panel? Impartial reckoned two would be called up last week and mentioned Tom Brewster and Seamie Quigley.

I'd definitely call up both of those two. We need to desperately find a few scoring forwards, and I hope that Malachy just lets them go out and play football, even I am getting a bit tired of the negative brand of football we play.

I'm very happy with my position, even though it pains me to know that i'm heavily reliant on Tyrone doing well

It has been brought to my attention that a number of members of the Fermanagh team read the Gaaboard.  I am therefore concerned that my gushing praise and optimism prior to the Cavan match may have led to a certain degree of arrogance amongst the players that ultimately resulted a reduced workrate and a dergree of ineptidue that resulted in our defeat to the Breffni men.

I have already cost us this year's Ulster Championship and cannot sleep at night with the guilt (although it sould be the two cans of Red Rull I drink in the evenings...). I will not be responsible for our downfall to Wicklow and therefore I have highlighted the reasons why Wicklow are clearly favourites for this game.

A twisted logic Caid, but I see your angle of thinking! Sure most Ulster inter county players read the board!

Cavan

Lads keep the faith, if we took that attitude, we'd have stopped supporting the Ernemen years ago!

[Why Wicklow will beat Fermanagh]

Why Wicklow will beat Fermanagh
1. They focus entirely on the Championship (Micko brought on a sub-goalie at FF in the penultimate/crucial league game against Carlow) and this is their first chance to prove themselves in the Qualifier Series. They have shown in the past that they took the Tommy Murphy seriously - so there is a fair chance they will be more motivated for Qualifier Round 1 than a Fermanagh team who were putting their all in for another crack at Ulster.  Wicklow are probably similar to where Fermanagh were about 10 years ago and will look at a good qualifier run as a chance to prove to the country that Wicklow are a force.  Fermanagh have done that now and their new goal is singular - an Ulster title - and gone for this year
2. Mick O'Dwyer (his 120th Championship game as a manager).  Whatever Tyrone fans may think - Micko is still the greatest
3. Out of 14 contests in the Championship and Tommy Murphy Cup over the last three years they have won seven, drew three (twice with Louth in 08) and lost four times (once after extra time).  They are not that easy to beat
4. In last years Championship they had a four point winning margin over a Kildare team that went on to beat Fermanagh comfortably.  They also should have beaten Laois the next day out
5. Due to the old rules they never got to play in the qualifiers.  Hence they went straight into the Tommy Murphy Cup where they won five out of their six games in the last two years beating Antrim, Leitrim, Offaly etc - this shows their bounce-back-ability
6. They took a Division 1/2 team, Westmeath, to extra time a few weeks ago (and should have won the game only for a missed penalty in normal time)
7. Unlike Fermanagh they are not dependent on frees for scores with 84% of their scores in the League and Championship this year coming from play
8. They do, however, have capable free takers when called upon in Tony Hannon (although he missed some frees and a penalty against Westmeath) and Seanie Furlong - something Fermanagh badly lack
9. They have several forwards who can score freely from play with Seanie Furlong (6-17), Dean Odlum (4-21), Tony Hannon (1-11), Paul Earls (2-7), Leighton Glynn (0-17) scoring the equivalent of 112 points from play between them in the 10 league and championship games this year (albeit eight of those games were in Division 4 and large scorelines were clocked up against Kilkenny and London)
10. They score goals regularly (18 in the ten NFL / LSFC matches albeit 7 were against Kilkenny) although they don't seem to be too hot on penalties (Earls missed against Antrim in the league as well). Fermanagh also score plenty of goals.  Get your money on there being more than 1.5 goals in this game
11. They have a strong midfield in Stafford (who returned from Australia half way through the League) and Walsh (ex-Carlow, plays rugby with Tullow)
12. They have one of the most underrated keepers in Ireland in Mervyn Travers
13. Both teams have had a number of players missing for league and Championship but Wicklow have more of their big names back than Fermanagh
14. Fortress Aughrim: The four Tommy Murphy matches in the last two years that were in Aughrim resulted in a Wicklow win.  Three out of four NFL 2009 matches at home were won (the last day's meaningless game against Sligo was lost)

How Wicklow will beat Fermanagh
1. Counter the sweeper system.  The two ways to play it are to play your own sweeper or half your half back track the half forward.  Cavan successfully played their own sweeper.  However, I think Micko will play to Wicklow's strengths and go man for man.  Whilst Wicklow wouldn't have the best backs in Ireland, Fermanagh don't have the best forwards (although Owens/Carson FF line would be a handful).  Therefore, Wicklow are likely to play to a system that will best suit their forwards.  The full forward line is capable of winning their own ball and scoring points and goals.
2. Fermanagh are usually good at not giving away silly, scoreable, frees.  But Wicklow don't rely on frees for scores. Seanie Johnston
showed that if you can score decent points from play it can help to beat Fermanagh.  Whilst all the talk wil be about Leighton Glynn before the match, I think the main man will be Furlong at full forward. Fermanagh need to get a settled full back line and Goan needs to come back in
3. Wicklow are often a "second half team" (one newspaper in the League stated "The footballers got their expected win over Clare but it did take all of Micko's great persuasive powers to get the team going. The half-time pep-talk, I'm told, should have been recorded for posterity.") and so if they can focus from the start they will have a great chance

Predictions
1. Scoreline: Wicklow 1-09 Fermanagh 1-08
2. Man of the match: Mervyn Travers

Caid, what has happened your confidence??

So its a 7pm start in Aughrim on the Saturday evening. I think most Fermanagh fans will be happy with the throw in time.

I'd love to be getting a road trip down to Wicklow but unfortunately football commitments this side of the water means it'll be no more than listening to it on the wireless for me. Hopefully we'll get a good result and kick on from here. Sure we love the Qualifiers!

Some surprises in the Lancashire championship yesterday. Oísin's defeat at the hands of St Ann's was a big shock, maybe St. Ann's aren't as bad as everyone thought. St Peter's cruised past an understrength St Brendan's side which was surprising given their success this season so far. John Mitchel's seem to be doing just about enough in their games, bit they're still winning and will probably get motoring from here on in.