INJURIES are always a factor during a packed Championship schedule – and Fermanagh’s “old Achilles heel” flared up again last weekend, according to manager Kieran Donnelly.
That didn’t affect a particular player, rather a reference to the Ernemen’s overall lack of scoring power in a game they dominated, but Wexford game back to snatch a draw late on, 1-13 apiece, thanks to a 45 with the last kick from visiting goalkeeper Darragh Brooks.
“It was a sucker punch. Could have been worse, but we’ll have to dust ourselves down,” said the Brookeboro man.
“The problem was our old Achilles heel - we’re not clinical enough at times. Scoring forwards are hard to come by, and we’re down Darragh McGurn and Sean Quigley is struggling a bit; hopefully he’ll be fit for this weekend.
“We can take a bit of heart that we’re creating chances, that we have the extra runner and the overlaps, but we need to start putting them away. That’s definitely an area we need to improve on.”
Indeed only four starting Fermanagh forwards scored from play, and only a point each, with the goal coming from corner-back Luke Flanagan, who converted a penalty after a foul on Conor McShea.
There’s hardly time to look around you but Donnelly knows they must focus on the positives despite that disappointing draw before setting their sights on this weekend’s tricky trip to Leitrim.
The Ernemen now travel to Carrick-on-Shannon to take on opponents even more desperate for Tailteann Cup points. Andy Moran’s men lost against the other Ulster team in Group 4, Antrim, by 3-18 to 2-12 in Corrigan Park, Belfast, so another defeat would be very damaging to their chances of progressing to the last 12.
Donnelly acknowledged that Fermanagh really should be heading west with two points to their name, not just one, but Wexford came back from six points behind and levelled matters again in added time to force three draw.
With Darragh McGurn likely to be out again due to a niggly injury, Quigley – who looked like he had won the game in Brewster Park with a fine score – is probably only fit enough to come off the bench again.
“Darragh’s been struggling with a hip problem since the Down game [in the League], so he’s a massive loss. He definitely won’t feature this weekend.”
Attack is understandably the concern for Donnelly – both Fermanagh’s and that of this weekend’s hosts, as he explained:
“It was a frustrating one. You never think you have game won but we were so dominant but just never got past a six- or seven-point lead.
“We had a palmed ‘goal’ disallowed, which would have put us nine up, and they went the full length of the pitch and got a penalty.”
To make matter worse, goalkeeper Sean McNally was sin-binned for conceding the penalty and although his stand-in Jack Kelly parried the initial spot-kick, Ben Brosnan sent the rebound to the net. A six-point swing.
Leitrim were well-beaten in the end by Antrim, but Donnelly still feels they pose a threat, especially on home turf: “One thing Leitrim have is forwards. Antrim were excellent in the second half, loads of pace, but with [Keith] Bearne and Paul Keaney, who was on last year’s Sigerson Allstar Team, they have good forwards – and size as well.
“They caused Antrim bother in the first half, had a few goal chances themselves, but didn’t take them.”
“They’ve always been hard enough to beat there, it’s going to be a tough enough assignment.
“They had a good Division Four campaign, were unlucky not to go up, and you can see that element of progress with them”
Defeat would not necessarily end Fermanagh’s hopes of getting to the knock-out stages of this competition, but Donnelly insisted: “It is a ‘must-win’…They have ambition but have been unlucky – going to New York [in the Connacht Championship] was a difficult assignment with the travel.”
Fermanagh don’t have that far to go – but they’ll have to sharpen their shooting if they are to return home with any points.
