A DOZEN seasons since he made his senior debut for Fermanagh, Declan McCusker is still going strong. He plays because he loves the game but, when he finally hangs up his well-worn boots, he’d like to have a day in the sun to remember.
Small in number - Fermanagh has fewer registered senior players than any other county in the country - they may be but the Ernemen have big plans for the Tailteann Cup.
A Division Two side next year, Kieran Donnelly’s men are among the favourites for the competition which they begin against Wexford at Brewster Park on Sunday (1pm).
With a potent blend of experienced campaigners like McCusker, the young legs of the stars from the St Michael’s, Enniskillen Hogan Cup-winning team, the free-taking ability of Sean Quigley and the top-drawer pace and power of Ultan Kelm in their ranks, the Erne county has the tools to give every side in the competition trouble.
And McCusker, a veteran with over 100 senior appearances behind him, says “the time is now” for the Ernemen.
“We do have a young team but there's a lot of them who are 23/24-plus,” said the Ederney clubman.
“Those boys are young, yes, I wish I was that age, but I don't think you need to be waiting about anymore.
“The time is now to do something - you can't always look to next year. Obviously next year we're in Division Two and we'll have to improve for that and hopefully with the age-profile of the team we should be improving next year. I still think you have to look at the now and the time that you're in and there's no reason we can't go and give this Tailteann Cup a rattle. Why not?”
Fermanagh haven't won a trophy since the 1997 McKenna Cup but the county have enjoyed some special days in the quarter-of-a-century since. There was the All-Ireland semi-final in 2004, a quarter-final in 2015 and Ulster final appearances in 2008 and 2018. No silverware but there is confidence that they can challenge the best.
“We obviously don't have a history of winning things so to win any trophy with Fermanagh, to lift a trophy in Croke Park, would be brilliant,” says McCusker.
“To actually go and win a trophy would be massive. That's the plan, that's what we're hoping to do.”
The target in the League was promotion and Fermanagh achieved that but they were brought back down to earth by Derry in their Ulster quarter-final at Brewster Park. The Oak Leafers sent their hosts’ heads in a spin as they swarmed into their half from the throw-in and Fermanagh couldn’t get to grips with their all-out attacking system until the game was over as a contest.
However, as the saying goes, you either win or you learn, and Fermanagh learned plenty from that game.
“One of the biggest shocks was the way they pushed 15 forward, including the goalkeeper,” said McCusker.
“We had a fair idea they would probably push up but I didn't think they'd go that far. Maybe players on the pitch didn't respond to it quick enough and maybe we marked too many men out wide.
“They weren't giving us a sweeper, you weren't going to get a sweeper the way they were playing, but I think we still could have played smarter and maybe changed one or two things on the pitch.
“The players will learn from that. We'll know in the Tailteann Cup that maybe some teams will come with the unexpected and maybe other teams will try to copy Derry's system and things. That would be one thing (we’ve learned).
“And early on I think we had a couple of stupid shots. Especially when you're the underdog you need to try to control the ball better and make sure that your shot is an 80 per cent shot in general play. “Especially when you're playing those bigger teams you can't afford to take pot-shots. There's lots of learnings we'll take from it.”
One of the plus points for the Ernemen in that defeat was the poise and pace of Kelm. The Erne Gaels half-forward scored three points and caused the Derry defence every time he went on the attack. He could be one of the stars of this Tailteann competition.
“I think he's gone to a new level this year, in terms of his football ability,” said McCusker.
“Physically he's always been a freak and that's one of the reasons it looked like he was going to Australia. Maybe that will happen for him down the line, but at the minute the longer he stays in Ireland the better it is for Fermanagh.”
The top-scorer for Fermanagh in their Ulster appearance was Che Cullen who blasted home two fine goals in the second half. However, McCusker says it’s at the other end of the pitch where Che, and his brother Lee, will make their imposing presence felt in the Tailteann series.
“Having the two Cullens back is absolutely massive,” said McCusker.
“When you're going to play a team and you're trying to match up physically, that's something we struggled with last year big-time. We had good-enough man-markers, but they were maybe 5' 8'', 5' 9'', whereas now you have those two lads who are 6' 3'' and 14 stone.
“They're fit to match physically with anyone in the country and they're also brilliant man-markers so the boost they've given us is just unbelievable.
“Even just the way they play they'd nearly motivate you. You see them putting in tackles and hits and turnovers and it just sort of galvanises the rest of the team whenever you're playing with them. They've been a massive boost.”
McCusker made his debut for Fermanagh against London back in 2011. His emergence was one of the few positives for his county on that disappointing day – a six-point defeat. A dozen years’ on, his passion for the game still burns bright.
“I suppose you grow,” he says.
“You start out as one of the young boys and you're looking up to boys around you and then you get to the stage where you're trying to help the younger boys in the panel and maybe have a wee word with them here and there and try to give them a wee bit of advice when you can.
“I just love playing, I love being involved. It's easy for me. I live in Ederney and I work (as a teacher) 20 minutes from home and I've no reason not to do it.
“Physically I feel like I'm still good enough so, aye, I just love doing it and still think that I've got something to offer. I think you're long enough retired so if you're fit to do it you might as well keep at it.”
Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnelly (and Derry manager Rory Gallagher) were among the stars of the Erne County side that won the All-Ireland B Championship in 1996. The confidence that win brought inspired Fermanagh to that McKenna Cup title the following year and promotion to Division 1B in the National League.
Winning the Tailteann Cup this summer could have the same effect. It would mean so much to a county that continues to dream big and is in the process of developing a centre of excellence at Lissan that will rival the best in the country.
“That success in 1996 was huge and it keeps boys at it,” said McCusker.
“It would be a massive thing for us to win this.”
