FERMANAGH'S Niall Cassidy has declared that it is "onwards and upwards" as the Ernemen look forward to their next League clash against Laois on Sunday.
Last Saturday night Cassidy and his team-mates fought out an often bitter and attritional match with Armagh at the Athletic Grounds.
It looked as though the spoils were going to be shared after an inspirational free-kick from Tomas Corrigan levelled matters late on.
But there was a late twist when Stefan Campbell claimed the points for the Orchard County with an equally brilliant score from distance.
It was tough on Fermanagh who showed commendable grit and heart throughout the contest.
Cassidy insists, however, that minds have been thankfully concentrated again very quickly by the visit of Laois, who lost out by three points to table-toppers Tyrone last time out.
"It's great that it didn't happen at the break in the League," he said. "I know it was disappointing and all with just the manner that we lost – the last kick of the game.
"But it has to be forgot about and Laois has to be the most important thing now. There are points up for grabs and with all the teams on two points at the minute the two points on Sunday are very vital.
"We have to put the Armagh game to the back of our heads and just think of the Laois game and getting ourselves ready for that because we need to beat the teams around us."
Before the start of the new NFL campaign, the general consensus was that Division Two would be ultra-competitive. A glance at the table bears that out.
Cassidy described Saturday night's game as typical "Ulster football" but doesn't expect that Sunday's game will be played in a similar vein.
"It was hard-hitting with a lot of 'off the ball', a lot of niggles. It was Ulster football, if you get me. You won't get that against Laois and I don't think you will get it against the likes of Galway and teams like that."
Not that if it does get physical that Fermanagh will be found wanting. This Fermanagh team has backbone and spirit and one can't help but feel that all five Ulster teams in the second tier are using the derby games as preparation for the hand-to-hand combat of the Ulster championship to come.
There are few more knowledgeable men around than manager Pete McGrath when it comes to the Ulster championship and the Roslea defender was effusive in his praise of the Down man.
"We're getting better and better under Pete and he's really putting his print on us at the minute," stressed Cassidy, who was encouraged to re-commit for 2016 by McGrath.
"And we're just putting in a lot of work in in the gym and a lot of work on the pitch to try and get stronger. You need to be stronger when you're playing the likes of the teams in Division Two.
"Pete just lives and breathes football, he knows everything about every team. When he has any free time he's going to watch football. Fermanagh hadn't had a great couple of years until he came in.
"It was doom and gloom down in Division Four, Division Three. But he has given it that bit of a lift. He has freshened the whole thing up and he has put a bit of belief in the players."
Something which Cassidy says has to be avoided at all costs is a quick return to Division Three. The fear of the veteran defender is that that would halt the clear upward trajectory being enjoyed at present.
"There is definitely progress being made but the one thing that we don't want to happen is that we don't want to go back down to Division Three football," he insisted. "Fermanagh needs to stay in Division Two if they want to move on and progress."
The Ernesiders have a terrific recent record at home, which Cassidy is hoping will stand to them on Sunday.
He is also optimistic that, although Laois will certainly provide a stern examination of Fermanagh's credentials, that they will have enough quality to register another win.
"Laois are no bad side," continued Cassidy. "They're a strong physical team too and they will put it up to us as well. Donie Kingston is a big player [but] they have plenty of [other] match winners too.
"So it will be a tough battle but the fact that we have them in Brewster Park [is a bonus]. With it being so tight at the bottom – you need to make the most of your home games.
"I think that we should have enough in our panel to beat them. We have a lot of boys coming back from injury and from holiday.
"All the boys are raring to go and going well. I know we got beat [last Saturday] but it's onwards and upwards now against Laois".
