Pete McGrath believes Fermanagh ready to rule Ulster

Fermanagh boss Pete McGrath insists his side are on a par with any county in Ulster and have never been better placed to win their first provincial title.

The closest the Erne men came to taking that first crown came in 2008 when they lost a replay to Armagh, but now in his third season in charge, McGrath thinks their time to strike could be 2017.

If they are to end their provincial drought — only Fermanagh and Wicklow have yet to win their home provincial titles — they will have to do it the hard way though, with a preliminary round clash against Monaghan before the winners meet Cavan in the quarter-finals.

But according to the man who managed Down to All- Ireland glory in 1991 and 1994, the talent and hunger is there for Fermanagh to have a chance of glory.

“I feel we have got the players and we are now gathering the experience and know-how to put ourselves as very serious challengers for Ulster in 2017,” said McGrath.

“There are many teams in Ulster who have legitimate claims to say we could win Ulster, and Fermanagh are one of those.

“People will look and say Donegal, Tyrone, Monaghan, and maybe then there is a few coming behind that. But we know that every game in Ulster is a massive challenge. There is no such thing as an easy game. But if we come out of the league with the same benefits that we did in 2016, I would be going into the championship feeling very very positive about what Fermanagh can do.

“They are as good (as anyone), if they just have that belief and get the exposure and get some good games under their belts, which they now have done over the last couple of years.

“This is the question that I have asked the Fermanagh players many times.

“I asked them particularly a number of years ago when they came first, can they give me any reason why they aren’t as good as the players in Tyrone, Donegal, Down etc? And they couldn’t.

“Now I honestly think that we are up there neck and neck with the so-called top teams in Ulster. Time will tell but it is my belief that we are.

“And we are there on merit, next year we have got every bit as much of a chance of winning Ulster as any other of the counties, I firmly believe that.”