By Pauric McGurn

THE Fermanagh hurlers get their Nickey Rackard Cup campaign underway this Sunday in Brewster Park with the visit of Armagh and Joe Baldwin’s men will be hoping to really challenge this season, after dropping down from it in 2023.

The Erne men won the Lory Meagher Cup last year and built on that with league promotion a couple of weeks ago. Despite losing the Division Four final to Louth, there’s been good progression and this is an opportunity for the team to build on that.

“The league final result against Louth was disappointing but we have parked it immediately after leaving the dressing room at Truagh that day,” Baldwin said.

“We have been focusing solely on Armagh and we won’t be looking at anyone else but them. We are in a good place at the moment thankfully, we played Cavan last Thursday night in a challenge game at Kingspan Breffni Park and the runout did us the world of good.

“We have put in ten really good days now of training since the league final defeat and things are improving all the time. Danann McKeogh got 30 minutes against Cavan, Luca McCusker is inching closer to a return while Caolan Duffy’s groin has him at about 50-50 for the Armagh game.

“The squad was severely being tested throughout the league but players have really stepped up and we are really looking forward to Sunday.”

The Orchard County competed in Division Three this season and had a mixed bag of results with just two wins from six games.

They beat the two relegated sides, Sligo and Cavan, giving Armagh four points, level with Cavan, but Armagh stayed up on the head-to-head rule.

Karl McKeegan, in his third season with Armagh, saw his side put in some spirited performances in the league this year. They were superb in the opening half against Wicklow and ran Mayo very close only for the Connacht side to pull clear in the last ten minutes.

The Orchard are backboned by the likes of Derrynoose’s Peter McKearney, while Keady youngsters Daire Harvey and Niall Dale have impressed to date. Offaly native Joseph Burke has joined the panel, while ex-Kilkenny underage star Aaron Cullinane has also come on board.

The scoring threat of Shea Harvey and Pauric McNaughton will certainly be something Baldwin’s side will have to try and minimize.

“They are a very well organised team and have some really exceptional players who will hurt you on the scoreboard.

“The Lisbellaw players have met a number of them throughout the Club League campaign, while it will be a big challenge it’s a game that Fermanagh hurling deserves to be in.

“It’s a big day and with the weather really good I would certainly hope Brewster Park gets a good turnout and all Gaels throughout the county can come out and cheer on the players.

“The GAA family are a close knit bunch and this Fermanagh hurling side is really making great strides, we have secured promotion for next year and now we set our sights on a strong run in the Nickey Rackard Cup, we firmly believe we can do something starting on Sunday.”