Football

Fermanagh have all bases covered for Dr McKenna Cup campaign

Fermanagh Peter McGrath (right) is "very happy" with his 2017 squad
Fermanagh Peter McGrath (right) is "very happy" with his 2017 squad Fermanagh Peter McGrath (right) is "very happy" with his 2017 squad

Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup Section B: Monaghan v Fermanagh (tomorrow, Clones, 2pm)

IT shows how seriously the Dr McKenna Cup is viewed by Fermanagh boss Pete McGrath when he’s calling up his student players for the month of January.

Clearly, the veteran manager wants to hit the ground running ahead of their NFL Division Two campaign by calling up UUJ pair Eoin Donnelly and Tom Clarke as well as Ciaran Corrigan of St Mary’s.

The only university player unavailable to him this month is James McMahon who has been retained by Queen’s for the McKenna Cup.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s opener against Monaghan in Clones, McGrath said: “We’ve only four students: Eoin Donnelly, Tom Clarke (both UUJ), Ciaran Corrigan (St Mary’s) – they’re with us. The only other one was James McMahon. He’s playing for Queen’s. They threatened to withdraw his bursary if he played for us.

“At the end of the day, the McKenna Cup is our only opportunity to prepare for the League. We were hoping to get all our players available to us. It’s not as if we’ve 10 or 11 students and we’re robbing universities of large numbers of players. That wasn’t the case.

“Jordanstown had no problem releasing their two players; St Mary’s had no problem with Ciaran Corrigan.

“I said to James [McMahon]: ‘That’s okay, if that’s their attitude you play for them. I’m not going to jeopardise your academic or financial position.’”

Although McGrath wants every box ticked ahead of their Division Two opener with Down on Saturday February 4, he will give ample opportunities to players on the fringes of his squad.

Daniel Teague (Maguiresbridge) and Eddie Courtney (Aghadrumsee) are expected to feature in county colours this month while Tommy McCaffrey’s fine form in Erne Gaels’ run to last season's county final has earned him a place on the McKenna Cup squad.

Described as a “very promising player” by McGrath, Paddy Reihill of Enniskillen is back to stake a claim after a hamstring injury derailed his 2016 campaign at an early stage.

James Allen and Paddy McGovern were on the periphery last year and hope to play their way into McGrath’s plans.

Fermanagh have had to absorb several losses in the close season, including Richie O’Callaghan, Conall Jones (both travelling), Marty O’Brien and Niall Cassidy (both retired) while Ruairi Corrigan (shoulder operation) is expected to miss most of the Division Two campaign.

“Richard is travelling and we’re not sure when he’ll be back,” McGrath said.

“I’m hoping it’s sooner rather than later. Conall Jones is definitely gone for the year. Marty O’Brien is still a young man but Marty’s knee is so bad that he had to retire. His is an enforced, premature retirement. Niall Cassidy is 35-years-of-age and has served us very well. He stayed an extra year last year and he’s simply reached the end of the line.

“On the plus side, we’ve Lee Cullen back – Che’s twin brother – who wasn’t able to play last year because he was based in Galway.

“We have Tiarnan Daly back who has recovered from a cruciate injury. We have Daryl Keenan back who hasn’t played in a number of years because of injury and he was working in England. Daryl has worked exceptionally hard and could possibly get McKenna Cup time. He’s a talented player and I’m delighted he’s back.

“Ruairi Corrigan is unfortunately out for three or four months. He had to have a shoulder operation. I would say Ruairi, quite possibly, could see the tail end of the League. He’ll be certainly okay for Championship."

McGrath added: “So we’ve lost a couple but we’ve got a couple back. I’m very happy with what’s there at the moment.”

Ryan Jones and Sean Quigley are rehabbing with the pair aiming to be fit for the start of the National League.

Monaghan probably have more new players to run the rule over as boss Malachy O’Rourke hopes to harvest the best of last season’s Ulster-winning U21 squad.

Aaron Lynch, Mikey Murnaghan, James Mealiff, Dessie Ward and Conor Forde have been called up.

College Allstar winner James Wilson of Toome, former minor captain Michael Brannigan, Emyvale’s David McAllister and Latton’s Stephen McCabe are also on O’Rourke’s radar as the Farneymen begin life after Paul Finlay, Owen Lennon, Dick Clerkin and possibly Stephen Gollogly.