Allianz National Football League Division Two: Fermanagh 0-10 Armagh 3-14
FERMANAGH boss Ryan McMenamin has bemoaned the lack of training facilities in the county and says only for the goodwill of clubs in neighbouring Tyrone the Ernemen wouldn’t be able to train.
Following Fermanagh’s depressing 13-point NFL Division Two defeat to Armagh on Saturday night that pushes them closer to relegation and Tier Two football this summer, McMenamin said his players were being moved from “pillar to post” in preparing for games.
“At the minute, Fermanagh are struggling badly for pitches and I spoke to the county board about it,” said McMenamin.
“Only for the good of some clubs in Tyrone, Fermanagh senior team wouldn't be training.”
Prior to Saturday night’s crucial clash with Armagh, midfielder Ryan Jones revealed in midweek the Fermanagh team had been forced to train on 4G pitches because no grass pitches were available in the county.
Fermanagh have availed of pitches in Clogher and McMenamin’s club Dromore this winter.
“At the moment you can see that in the performance but we are not shirking from it,” said the Fermanagh manager.
“We are being moved from pillar to post; we don’t have a base and it is affecting us in that we can’t do what we want to. That is the crux of the matter but that is not up to me. That is up to the county board to sort it.”
Meanwhile, McMenamin aimed a broadside at the AFL for what he terms as “poaching” GAA players in the middle of the season.
Erne Gaels ace Ultan Kelm is one of four GAA players selected to go to Australia next month for a two-week trial.
“In fairness, Ultan has been open with me from the very start. He told me he wants to go ahead and do it. He phoned me and told me it is happening in April and I can’t deny him his dream,” McMenamin said.
“He wants to go ahead and give it a go. Is it going to be a blow to Fermanagh? It is, but that is something the GAA is going to have to look at that players can be poached, asked onto combine teams in the middle of the season.”
