McGinnity revels in minor miracle that is Fermanagh

PETER McGINNITY is his county’s only Allstar, one of the outstanding midfielders of his generation and an award-winner (at right half-forward) in 1982.

But, he suspects he won't enjoy that distinction long more after Fermanagh's latest giant-killing act saw them claim the scalp of All-Ireland favourites Armagh in Saturday's absorbing contest in Croke Park. One of only two counties never to win a provincial title, they can look forward to a meeting against Mayo in a fortnight, knowing that they are no longer without hope of reaching the heady heights of an All-Ireland final appearance.

McGinnity, an Irish selector in the international series for the last two years but best known as co-commentator with former Armagh captain Jimmy Smyth on BBC Ulster television admits to being just as surprised as everybody else by the team's quite remarkable progression through the qualifier series. Remember that last year they suffered humiliating defeats in Croke Park at the hands of Tyrone, in the League semi-final and then the All-Ireland quarter-final. Earlier this year I saw them hammered by Kerry in the League in Killarney and they looked like a bad junior team.

However, Charlie Mulgrew has achieved a minor miracle, re-building his team with only a minority of the players five started in the game against Cork who lined out in the championship 12 months ago.

Charting the team's development over the last two months, McGinnity first focused on the Ulster championship game with Tyrone: "We were beaten that day in Clones, but there were definite signs of progress for maybe three-quarters of the game. I was wondering where that performance had come from," he commented. "During the League there was still the aftermath of what had happened last year, with Dominick Corrigan going, various players unavailable for a lot of reasons. We were relegated, but then after that game against Tyrone you saw some signs."

What has been forgotten is that Fermanagh never got to play their first-round qualifier game. "We didn't play Tipperary, remember! At that stage, you'd be saying, 'thank God, Declan Brown and the Tipperary team didn't turn up.'

"We really had a good win against a Meath team which last year didn't have an interest at all; they played for 20 minutes and went home. This was a different Meath team that Saturday night in Enniskillen: Fermanagh won in extra time.

Beating Cork marked a further, important stage in their development with a first win in Croke Park. McGinnity agreed that, while Cork didn't give a good account of themselves, they still looked good enough to a lot of people: "Fermanagh ran at them in the second half and scored five unanswered points having gone three down. You'd be saying, there's something in this team. And, then the Donegal match ... After the euphoria following the Cork win, we didn't play well. Fortunately for us Donegal didn't play well either.

"I said to somebody at that match, 'I think we're in free fall, God knows where we're going to end up.'"

His explanation for such a dramatic turn-around in fortunes is that the team play has changed radically from last year in the sense that they 'play to their strengths.' And, that strength is pace. "Among the young players who have come in, Mark Little and Eamon Maguire have real pace as quick as Stephen Kelly from Limerick. That sort of pace.

"They have revolutionised the way Fermanagh can play in attack. It's not slow or laboured. They take off, they beat people and suddenly they have an extra man. There are quality players in the team like, Barry Owens, Marty McGrath, James Sherry, Shane McDermott, and Stephen Maguire. These boys would get on any county team. A radio reporter met me recently and said, 'ah, Fermanagh's only Allstar.' I said, 'not for long.'

Whatever about their chances of winning the semi-final, he is pleased that they will be meeting fresh opposition. After playing Donegal, Tyrone and Armagh, he says that 'it's nice' to get away from the Ulster teams. But, there's no question of underestimating Mayo, he stresses, crediting them with having had 'a fine' Connacht championship.

From a Fermanagh perspective, it poses the obvious question, where were these 'quality' players last year. He admits to being unsure, but suggests that it marked the end of an era for some players. They moved on and were replaced by younger players, hungrier and fresher. "But, to tell you the truth, I don't want to look back. I want to look forward.

"I have seen days when Armagh won their first All-Ireland and Tyrone and there was an outpouring of emotion and people took to the field. Have you ever seen such an outpouring of emotion between two matches, where the Fermanagh people just descended en mass on to the pitch. I think it said it all. I'm not going to condone it, but it was beautiful."