DRIVEN by the memory of their recently deceased team-mate Shane Mulholland, Fermanagh hurling manager Séamus McCusker says his side are desperate to end their pursuit of the ‘Holy Grail’ at Croke Park on Saturday.
The 27-year-old Lisbellaw hurler was tragically killed in a car accident on the Lisnaskea Road on April 24, just one week before Fermanagh’s Lory Meagher opener against Warwickshire but with four wins from five games, the Erne County find themselves in yet another decider.
“After losing last year’s final, our main target was to get back to Croke Park again,” said McCusker.
“We’ve played in two finals and lost both. In 2012, we were beat by Tyrone in extra-time and in 2014, we were beat by two points by Longford.
“We’ve stood and watched other people lift the Cup, now it is time for us to be the winners.
“When Shane Mulholland was killed in a road accident, that gave us a renewed focus and that desire is burning in all the lads now.
“It was his month’s mind there recently and it is still very raw for everyone - as it would be for any group of players when something as tragic as that happens.
“It was Shane himself that named the competition the ‘Holy Grail’ and he kept saying 'Come on lads, Fermanagh need to win the Holy Grail’.
“Hopefully we are going to do it for that lad and his family come Saturday.”
While defeats in the previous deciders were hard to stomach for McCusker’s panel, the former Lisbellaw manager believes that heartache can be used as motivation this weekend.
“We’re hoping the lads won’t be star-struck looking around the stadium and we want them to focus on playing a game of hurling and winning a game of hurling.
“I think sometimes when you reach a final there can be a lot of nerves but there would be something wrong with lads if they didn’t feel that way – it’s an All-Ireland final at the end of the day. From our perspective, the goal is to win the game. The lads are determined not to feel that way again.”
The win against Warwickshire was Fermanagh’s first win of the season and McCusker insists he wasn’t too worried by five straight defeats in Division 3A of the Allianz National Hurling League.
“We didn’t always have a full panel to pick from throughout the League and that hindered us a bit,” said McCusker.
“Kevin McGarry was involved with Portaferry [in their run to the All-Ireland final] throughout all the League games bar one. We were relegated and that was unfortunate but we had always told the lads that Championship was our priority.”
The Ernemenhad already qualified for the final when they played Sligo at Tubbercurry last weekend. McCusker’s men were heavily defeated 5-16 to 0-12 but the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story.
“We were unbeaten in the Lory Meagher up until that point and the result was a mixture of us resting players for the final and Sligo being fired up for the game.
“They were at home and they were very good on the day.
“They were very aggressive on Saturday and I can’t see them playing any differently this weekend. We are going to have to perform to our best and we know that.”
