On Saturday evening Erne Gaels and Lisbellaw will battle it out for the 2021 Junior Hurling Championship title.

1987 was the last time that Erne Gaels competed in an adult hurling championship final and Belleek captain, Ultan O’Reilly, says the buzz in the club “is amazing” as they prepare to take on the ‘Law.

“It has been a long team coming,” said O’Reilly. “There is a few of the boys who were on the team then, that are in the management team now. They are helping us out and teaching us the ways. It is great to be back playing hurling again.”

Standing in Belleek’s way is championship favourites Lisbellaw, and O’Reilly is expecting a tough test from Nigel Moore’s side.

“Lisbellaw will be a savage challenge. It will be hard, considering that most of their players are part of the county senior panel. It will be a hard fight for boys who might not have ever lifted a hurl before in their life.”

Lisbellaw goalkeeper, Colm McPhillips, is quick to dismiss the favourites tag that his side have and he insists that they will be taking the Erne Gaels challenge very seriously on Saturday night.

“They [Erne Gaels] will be well up for it. Even in the first round, they held us right to the end. It was only in the last 10 minutes that we pulled away from them, so I am sure that they are well up for it.

“We are buzzing. It is great to have a championship back in hurling in the county again. I think everybody involved is buzzing for it.”
Lisbellaw manager, Nigel Moore, feels that Fermanagh hurling is in a good place in the county and he feels that this weekend’s battle will be a good spectacle for the neutral hurling fan.

“We are looking forward to it. It is great to see a championship final in Fermanagh and it is great to see other teams up and going.
“We expect a tough game from Erne Gaels. It should make for a good game.”