Football

Top Tier Two players could be lured to America: Ryan Jones

Fermanagh's Ryan Jones has expressed reservations about the Tier Two
Fermanagh's Ryan Jones has expressed reservations about the Tier Two Fermanagh's Ryan Jones has expressed reservations about the Tier Two

FERMANAGH midfielder Ryan Jones fears that more top players could snub Tier Two football and head to America for the summer.

The experienced Derrygonnelly man is still hopeful the Ernemen can avoid the drop to the lower tier despite their precarious position at the foot of Division Two.

Ryan McMenamin's men face Armagh in their rearranged NFL game at Brewster Park on Saturday night in desperate need of a win, otherwise they’ll move closer to Tier Two, unless they reach a provincial decider to win the right to compete for the Sam Maguire.

The inaugural Tier Two Championship was finally given a name – the Tailteann Cup – at Congress last weekend.

“I think there is definitely that risk when you have a ‘B’ competition that some players won’t want to play in it,” said Jones.

“If a county is operating in Tier Two and some of their marquee players get big offers to go to the likes of America you can maybe understand why they’ll go – whether it be to help them through college or if they haven’t got a full-time job. They could get offered big bucks to go away for the summer.

“At the end of the day, it’s an amateur sport. So that’s the one thing I would worry about, that that scenario could happen more often. There haven’t been as many marquee players going to America over the past few years but that could creep back in again. As an Association, we need to be careful of that.”

Jones speculated the GAA’s top brass perhaps didn’t give the format of the new Tier Two enough consideration before drafting it into the 2020 calendar.

Fermanagh sit on just two points after four games – their only success a smash-and-grab win over Roscommon at Brewster– and have narrowly fallen in other games to Kildare (2-12 to 0-14), Westmeath (0-10 to 0-8) and Cavan (2-11 to 1-11).

Last Sunday’s clash with promotion chasers Armagh was rained off due to a waterlogged pitch at Brewster Park but has been re-fixed for Saturday night at the Enniskillen venue.

“We obviously want to stay in Tier One and that’s our focus,” added Jones. “Any game you play you go out to win. The fact that it’s in Brewster Park this Saturday night you would hope we can rise that extra few percent against Armagh.”

The Ernemen can still save themselves in their last two games against Clare (a) and Laois (h).

Ricey's men could probably count themselves unlucky they didn’t get something out of their games against Cavan and Westmeath, but more worryingly was their defensive openness in their three-point defeat to the Breffni men 12 days ago.

Afterwards, Shane McGullion insisted Fermanagh won’t be changing their expansive style, while Jones feels they may need to batten down the hatches against the Orchard men this weekend.

“Ricey’s tried to play more expansive,” Jones acknowledged. “Everyone knows how Rory [Gallagher, former boss] goes about setting his team up – to be solid and secure.

“But, look, we’ve conceded a number of goals in the League this year [four], so that’s probably something we’re going to have to look at.

“Even against Armagh on Saturday night we might have to revert back to getting men behind the ball. When you concede a couple of goals in a game it’s becomes a serious battle to win it.

“We’ve been cut open a wee bit too easily. Yes, you try and play a more expansive game but if you’re getting caught at the other end you need to address that. Armagh have serious forwards and play attacking football, so we’ll be trying to shut them out as much as possible.”