Fermanagh Ladies Managher Paula Cunningham
Paula Cunningham, the Fermanagh manager, did not hide her displeasure at the choice of venue for her teams All Ireland semi final on Saturday.
The Fermanagh girls must travel to Thurles in Tipperary to take on Tipperary as part of a double header with Cork and Kerry meeting in the senior semi final.
“It is a joke. In fact when I first heard it that’s what I thought it was, somebody having a laugh with me. It is incredible on so many levels. Obviously there is the fact that an All Ireland semi final is not being played at a neutral venue but even leaving that aside to drag Fermanagh all that distance for a 2:15 throw in on a Saturday is a disgrace, we are raging about it to be honest” Cunningham said.
The Monaghan native said she was on to those who set the fixtures as soon as she heard where the game was being played but that no-body wanted to ‘think about Fermanagh.’
“They said they had to take things into consideration and consider all the teams. I said that obviously no-body was thinking of Fermanagh. They said that Cavan had to do something similar a few years ago but sure that is crazy, two wrongs don’t make a right. This is all down to not wanting to bring Cork and Kerry too far down the country but they don’t mind bringing Fermanagh all the way to Thurles.”
It has meant that those on the administration side of things Fermanagh are scrambling to book accommodation while for the players there is the extra headaches of trying to get off work on Friday afternoon.
“It is not ideal for the girls. All they should have to worry about is the game but they will have to try and get off work now and some won’t be able to so they will have to make their own way down and won’t be arriving until late Friday night,” Cunningham revealed.
But the venue and timing of the game could well have some positivity for the Fermanagh camp.
“We don’t need any extra motivation to reach a final but all this might just take the nerves out of the girls. I know they can’t wait to get the game started and we have told them that we have to try and use this to our advantage and we have told the girls that all they just need to concentrate on the game and on what they have to do.”
Nerves were a problem the last day out against Roscommon as was the five weeks of inactivity since their Ulster final and the Erne boss is hoping that there will be no such problems this time round;
“Training has been good and intense and I really could not ask for any more from the girls, they are giving everything. And hopefully the fact that this game comes just two weeks after the quarter final will mean there is no rustiness and no nerves.”
Tipperary will pose a significant threat to a Fermanagh team hoping to return to Croke Park for another All Ireland final and Cunningham knows that her girls will have to be at their best;
“We have seen Tipperary play twice and they are a very fast team with good forwards who play a very open game and obviously they will have the benefit of playing in their own back yard but we are going to win the game and looking to reach another All Ireland final and we know if we play to our best that we have every chance.”