O’Neill blasts ‘engineered’ stories
The Lisnaskea Emmets man remains defiant despite several prominent players walking off the panel in protest at his management. Speaking to the Fermanagh Herald yesterday, O’Neill said: “The Fermanagh county chairman (Peter Carty) is fully aware of the circumstances surrounding certain players leaving. He is also aware of stories being engineered in the media.”
O’Neill’s captain Barry Owens yesterday spoke to the local media about the departure of his team-mates.
The two-time All Star full-back expressed regret at the decision of the players to quit the panel.
“There is no point in saying otherwise all the lads are disappointed that some fellas have chosen to leave the panel because they are good players and we don’t want to lose good players,” said Owens.
“Also, some of them would be experienced men and that is something we don’t have too much of.
“But we have to get on with it and work hard, keep training hard and take it from there. We are where we are.”
On Monday a letter signed by four senior players — James McElroy, Niall Bogue and the Sherry brothers, James and Peter — was delivered to the county board’s office explaining their desire to continue playing for Fermanagh — but not under O’Neill. Owens called on Fermanagh fans to stick with the team despite their poor string of results, which see them third from bottom in Division Four with only London and Kilkenny below them.
“Things have not been easy and results have not been good but everyone is working hard to put that right.
“Hopefully, the supporters will stay behind us because we need them.”
O’Neill is now without 10 of his original 2011 panel. Aside from the aforementioned quartet, Mark Little, Seamus Quigley, Shane Lyons, Fergal Murphy, James Connolly and Ciarán Flaherty have withdrawn from the Erne squad.
Despite their departures, Owens insists the mood in the camp has been positive and is confident of improvement.
“Training has been hard but enjoyable and (the) buzz around the squad has been good in the last week,” stated the Teemore man. “Obviously, after the loss on Sunday fellas were down but we picked ourselves up because the effort was there and we know there is improvement to come.”
However, with just over eight weeks to go until their Ulster SFC quarter-final against Derry, Fermanagh’s chances of emulating their 2008 provincial final appearance look slim.
“We will have nothing to lose, that is for sure,” said Owens about the tie against the Division 2 team in Celtic Park on May 22.
“We will be the biggest underdogs ever but look we have been in this position before. There was Fermanagh football long before any of us pulled on a jersey and there will be Fermanagh football long after we have gone. There will always be Fermanagh football.”
O’Neill, who has already denied player unrest in the camp, was full of praise for his team after Sunday’s one-point defeat to Leitrim, even though they led by six at half-time.
“I have nothing but admiration for the effort, honesty and integrity of the panel that played against Leitrim on Sunday.”
J Flynn; P Higgins, A Byrne, C Hyland; P Dalton, B McGrath, D Hayden; J Stafford, R Finn; T Hannon, P Cunningham, JP Dalton; A O’Malley, S Furlong, L Glynn.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
