DERRY V FERMANAGH Healy Park Sat 21st June Throw in: 6pm

[inisceithleann]

Looking forward to this one as well, should be close to a full house in Omagh, but trying to get through the town on a Saturday will prove to be a nightmare. The team that wins, will be one that deploys the better tactics. Can we deal Bradley and stop the supply of ball into him, and can Derry cope with the small, nippy Fermanagh forwards. To be honest, I think this one is a tough one to call, and there'll defiently only be a few scores in it. On paper Derry are by far the better team but few teams out do Fermanagh in terms of hunger and determination. Screenexile is McElroy playing much club football at the minute? Did he only come on as a sub the other week?

[Uladh]

Doherty is a huge loss for this one. derry don't have anyone in his mould who'll get the graft done from midfield back. that said, i still think derry should have too much firepower

[gaagaa]

Doherty is a huge loss for this one.

after the galway debacle i have a bad feeling about this one
fermanagh could sneak ulster if they get past derry

[FermPundit]

I haven't heard a peep from the Fermanagh set up. I don't think I have ever seen a Fermanagh side as motivated as this one. Mal O'Rourke has instilled such a refreshing confidence and self belief in this squad. On paper Derry are red hot favourites but in championship football you just never know. I'm really looking forward to this game. I don't usually get nervous about football matches but I have to admit I'm as nervous as hell. I think it's just the excitment of knowing that we're only one game away from an Ulster final appearance. Tyrone and Armagh supporters would probably laugh at this but when you've never seen your own county in a provincial final semi finals mean a lot!

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Thats a good point, lets hope its this year. Good luck Fermanagh.

[screenexile]

Looking forward to this one as well, should be close to a full house in Omagh, but trying to get through the town on a Saturday will prove to be a nightmare. The team that wins, will be one that deploys the better tactics. Can we deal Bradley and stop the supply of ball into him, and can Derry cope with the small, nippy Fermanagh forwards. To be honest, I think this one is a tough one to call, and there'll defiently only be a few scores in it. On paper Derry are by far the better team but few teams out do Fermanagh in terms of hunger and determination. Screenexile is McElroy playing much club football at the minute? Did he only come on as a sub the other week?

Well he wasn't around for our first Championship game but he has shown up hen he can and was around the week before the Banagher game. He's only been availabl for a couple of matches and trainings and we haven't lost al year so it was prudent to stick with a winning team for the gam but when needed he came on and made a big difference for us and even grabbed a nice point.

The sooner Fermanagh are out of the championship and the qualifiers the better so we can get him back full time

[the green man]

The thing with Fermanagh is that they have a confidence and swagger about them, that their history shows they have no right to have. Almost Down-like if you will. I commented to a friend before the Omagh game that Down would be thinking that they would be favourites for the game and expect to come away victorious. Fermanagh seem to have that aswell.

Its this factor that sets a small fear in me for Derry. We're never ones to carry the weight of expectation very well. It would be no surprise to me if Derry fell flat on their faces on Saturday. I really hope they don't. No surprise of they do.

[FermPundit]

Looking forward to this one as well, should be close to a full house in Omagh, but trying to get through the town on a Saturday will prove to be a nightmare. The team that wins, will be one that deploys the better tactics. Can we deal Bradley and stop the supply of ball into him, and can Derry cope with the small, nippy Fermanagh forwards. To be honest, I think this one is a tough one to call, and there'll defiently only be a few scores in it. On paper Derry are by far the better team but few teams out do Fermanagh in terms of hunger and determination. Screenexile is McElroy playing much club football at the minute? Did he only come on as a sub the other week?

Well he wasn't around for our first Championship game but he has shown up hen he can and was around the week before the Banagher game. He's only been availabl for a couple of matches and trainings and we haven't lost al year so it was prudent to stick with a winning team for the gam but when needed he came on and made a big difference for us and even grabbed a nice point.

The sooner Fermanagh are out of the championship and the qualifiers the better so we can get him back full time

Ciaran McElroy is Fermanagh's most improved forward this year. He has had a few chances with previous managers but he has really taken his opportunity this year to show what he can do.

[Gold]

Doherty is a huge loss for this one.

after the galway debacle i have a bad feeling about this one
fermanagh could sneak ulster if they get past derry

sneak what, an Irish Dancin Title?!
would love to see it but Doire will swat them away like a fly in the same way Armagh did Cavan

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Doherty is a huge loss for this one.

after the galway debacle i have a bad feeling about this one
fermanagh could sneak ulster if they get past derry

sneak what, an Irish Dancin Title?!
would love to see it but Doire will swat them away like a fly in the same way Armagh did Cavan

I would say more like Fermanagh swatting away Armagh!!!

[haranguerer]

Jaysus theres a lot of cute derry hoors about.
I dont think yis are that nervous - well at least the team seem confident enough, they were checking out the possible final opposition the other day anyway (ps Sidebottom, well recognised, all is forgiven) 

[tonesfirstandlast]

There's no doubt, that our best 6 (bar dook) started yesterday, but the only man that's irreplaceable is still PB and no team has one of those on the bench. Derry, like it or not has 3 half forwards that will contribute no more than  4 points between them, on average, per game and the 2 corner forwards will generally contribute about 2 - 3 apiece

fermanagh will double team on paddy
whoever derry pick as the spare man will be vital
i would go for gerard okane - uses ball well and good coming forward

Come on Gerard, don't be looking the easy job, just because you can't mark

[Kentucky Blue]

Malachy O'Rourke's track record speaks volumes, he is a proven winner. Fermanagh will certainly not be lacking confidence.

Think McCloskey may track Paddy Bradley. If Gilligan plays deep for derry as usual then it invites a sweeper to sit in front of the derry full forward line and the roving wing forwards of Fermanagh may be left to pick up Gilligan when deep.

Will be a big game and test for Kevin McCloy. I am a big fan of Kevin and he will be the first to admit he has been below par this year. He would be well suited to McBarron but Murphy may cause more havoc at FF.

Think Michael McIvor should pick up Mark Lyttle, very comfortable out the field and can take a score.

Makes for a VERY interesting game, Derry to pull through by 2 - 3 points

[Uladh]

Will McIvor keep his place on the team?

[screenexile]

Good question Uladh. I would give him a reprieve on the last day. He isn't suited to marking the HF who is acting as an extra midfielder. A boy like Maguire or Little would suit him well imo so I would definitely give him another rattle. Horses for courses, you could saee McEldowney get another run out also!