Eoin Donnelly leads his men around Brewster park prior to last year’s championship clash against Antrim.
Fermanagh look likely to field against Antrim this Sunday without captain Eoin Donnelly.
The Coa man has been struggling with a hand injury and the Fermanagh management team believe the Ulster championship opener will come a little to soon for the influential midfielder.
“He’s doubtful,” said Fermanagh boss Pete McGrath. “He’s been unfortunate. He’s our captain, he’s been having a marvellous season and we missed him in the league final, there’s no doubt about that. At this stage he’s very doubtful for the Antrim game.
“There’s still a glimmer of hope. He’s able to do all the running and all the training apart from physical contact, but he’s a major doubt and I wouldn’t want to say any more than that.”
With Donnelly out it is more important than ever that defensive midfield Richard O’Callaghan is fit for action. O’Callaghan has long-standing hip issues, but the Erne manager is happy he will ready for the fray on Sunday.
“Thankfully Richie O’Callaghan has come through the Armagh game very well,” said McGrath. “He missed a couple of league matches prior to that. Eoin would be the only major doubt at this stage. The rest, if everything goes according to plan between now and the next eight or ten days we should be picking from a full deck, Eoin being the only really serious doubt at this stage.”
Apart from the midfield issues, Fermanagh have a reasonably full hand to deal with. A number of soft tissue injuries to Ruairí Corrigan (hamstring) and Ryan McCluskey have cleared up and the pair are back in full training.
That will come as welcome news as Fermanagh aim to get revenge for last year’s shock defeat to Antrim in Brewster Park. McGrath acknowledges mistakes were made against Antrim last year, but believes the time since has been productively spent and a much improved performance is in prospect.
“There were mistakes made that day on the sideline,” admits McGrath. “There were mistakes made on the field of play. An awful lot of players on that day did not do themselves justice at all.
“But collectively we all had a responsibility for what happened or what didn’t happen that day. I think that 12 months on in my second year in the job we are in a much more stable and certain place. The lessons from that day and last year were factored in and a lot of work was done over the summer with players putting things in place.
“There were chats with players, soul-searching, establishing a good positive working environment for everyone. That has been done and I think we’re in a much more healthy position that we were 12 months ago,” said the Fermanagh boss.
Proof of the efficacy of that work came with a McKenna cup semi-final appearance and promotion at a canter from NFL Division 3.