Fantastic Fermanagh? Wake Me Up When They Win Ulster
This weekend a few oul lads from both sides of the Fermanagh Donegal border will gather at St Patrick’s purgatory at Lough Derg for a few moments intercession from Man Above. Its pilgrimage season and they combine a trip to Station Island with that other purgatory of supporting the county football team. Some years it goes well, other times its hell on earth crushing disappointment. Of late it hasn’t been too bad for Donegal, but the old timers from Fermanagh are getting to the stage where winning just one Ulster title would do them for their time on earth.
For the men and women from Fermanagh, faithful, brave and bathed in optimism, that first Ulster title is still the Holy grail, not as elusive but you get the feeling that the whole county can move on with their lives if they can just bring the Anglo Celt that short journey back across the border in through Newtownbutler and up through Lisnaskea. Maybe they would go by Roslea. Sure in fact who cares so long as the thing just crosses the border. In other years it may have seemed fanciful but when your management teams plots the successful downfall of Monaghan those seeds of optimism start to germinate having been dormant for years.
They remember the exhilaration of 2004 when the Fermanagh bandwagon caroomed through Ulster and on to Croke Park taking out a much fancied Armagh team along the way, an Armagh side that was undermined by complacency with an eye on a final they wouldn’t reach again. A draw for Fermanagh with Mayo only to fall heartbreakingly short in the replay. The same year Liam McBarron helicoptered away from Croke Park to his wedding in Waterford. Roll forward a few seasons, Barry Owens rises to fist a high ball to the Derry net in Healy Park and send Fermanagh to an Ulster Final. It was like a scene from 2001, A Space Odyssey, imagine it set to that soundtrack. Epic stuff. Owens was an All Star in that stellar 2004 campaign and repeated the award in 2006 before taking time out for a heart procedure. Again they fall short but the fans love still reigns supreme.
Roll it forward there to 2015, and you have the sight of big Séan Quigley bundling Stephen Cluxton over the line at Croke Park for a goal in their 2-23 to 2-15 defeat to the Dublin. Morale boosting, spirited, full of derring-do. Mighty stuff.
And what if, what if they can get the Anglo Celt up the road? There’ll be some song and dance. As a Fermanagh man maybe wrote once, every journey starts with the first step. The off pitch antics are great craic as you’d expect, the Erne supporters have a great reputation for enjoying the craic win lose or draw.
On the pitch their achievements beat scrutiny and applause. For the current crew of Erne county players, they have proved they can tough it with the best in Ulster. Rory Gallagher knows Donegal like the back of his hand. Rory Gallagher was of course instrumental in the Genesis of this Donegal team having served for a total of six different years across to spells. Nicholas Walsh the former Cavan and AFL player has been helping to direct the team’s fitness program from his base in Sydney, whilst Ricey has been added to the backroom staff and is already said to be some serious help to the Erne men. Ricey pointed out acerbically that he personally had played in more Ulster finals than Fermanagh had in their history. The oul fellas on pilgrimage are well aware of that and the team can surely only benefit. There’s no doubt that between Rory and Rickey there’s an edge and a bite and a tactical nous to Fermanagh that has been missing.
For the men and women from Fermanagh, faithful, brave and bathed in optimism, that first Ulster title is still the Holy grail, not as elusive but you get the feeling that the whole county can move on with their lives if they can just bring the Anglo Celt that short journey back across the border in through Newtownbutler and up through Lisnaskea. Maybe they would go by Roslea. Sure in fact who cares so long as the thing just crosses the border. In other years it may have seemed fanciful but when your management teams plots the successful downfall of Monaghan those seeds of optimism start to germinate having been dormant for years.
Walking quietly around the stones of Lough Derg, alone with their thoughts, the older generation reflects on great days from the past. The exploits of All Star Peter McGinnity when Fermanagh’s famous O’Neills green jersey was trimmed with red, the shorts worn in that Ulster Final against an Armagh team featuring Joe Kernan. Some have advocated a return to that colour combo.
They remember the exhilaration of 2004 when the Fermanagh bandwagon caroomed through Ulster and on to Croke Park taking out a much fancied Armagh team along the way, an Armagh side that was undermined by complacency with an eye on a final they wouldn’t reach again. A draw for Fermanagh with Mayo only to fall heartbreakingly short in the replay. The same year Liam McBarron helicoptered away from Croke Park to his wedding in Waterford. Roll forward a few seasons, Barry Owens rises to fist a high ball to the Derry net in Healy Park and send Fermanagh to an Ulster Final. It was like a scene from 2001, A Space Odyssey, imagine it set to that soundtrack. Epic stuff. Owens was an All Star in that stellar 2004 campaign and repeated the award in 2006 before taking time out for a heart procedure. Again they fall short but the fans love still reigns supreme.
Roll it forward there to 2015, and you have the sight of big Séan Quigley bundling Stephen Cluxton over the line at Croke Park for a goal in their 2-23 to 2-15 defeat to the Dublin. Morale boosting, spirited, full of derring-do. Mighty stuff.
The worry is with Fermanagh what they might do if the actually did win something. Some folk think Lough Erne would freeze over first. But consider the omens, that proud daughter of Fermanagh Arlene Foster is said to be pondering going to the game, she’ll surely be on fire if Fermanagh catch light; there’s also the indefatigable Fr Brian Darcy who in addition to his spiritual direction makes a cameo in the latest Fermanagh fan video. Singer John Slowey Sings Wake Me up when we win Ulster. We certainly will John. He name checks Arlene and Fr Brian along the way, even Ricey's teeth get a line. The Fermanagh fans love their championship tunes! Anyone remember Fantastic Fermanagh in the style of Sweet Home Alabama?
And what if, what if they can get the Anglo Celt up the road? There’ll be some song and dance. As a Fermanagh man maybe wrote once, every journey starts with the first step. The off pitch antics are great craic as you’d expect, the Erne supporters have a great reputation for enjoying the craic win lose or draw.
On the pitch their achievements beat scrutiny and applause. For the current crew of Erne county players, they have proved they can tough it with the best in Ulster. Rory Gallagher knows Donegal like the back of his hand. Rory Gallagher was of course instrumental in the Genesis of this Donegal team having served for a total of six different years across to spells. Nicholas Walsh the former Cavan and AFL player has been helping to direct the team’s fitness program from his base in Sydney, whilst Ricey has been added to the backroom staff and is already said to be some serious help to the Erne men. Ricey pointed out acerbically that he personally had played in more Ulster finals than Fermanagh had in their history. The oul fellas on pilgrimage are well aware of that and the team can surely only benefit. There’s no doubt that between Rory and Rickey there’s an edge and a bite and a tactical nous to Fermanagh that has been missing.
So what of Fantastic Fermanagh? Can they do it? No-one would begrudge them a title, and if they do win? Wake Me up When they Win Ulster!