By Shaun Casey

CONSECUTIVE defeats at the start of the Nickey Rackard Cup campaign mean Fermanagh are now chasing their tails and skipper Ryan Bogue says his side are in must-win territory when they host Sligo this weekend.

The Erne County, who gained promotion from Division Four in the league, lost to Armagh and Louth in the early rounds of the championship but are back on home soil this Saturday.

Sligo, who on the other hand were relegated from Division Three in the league, are unbeaten in the championship having defeated Louth on the opening day before earning a share of the spoils with Roscommon last weekend.

“Last week (against Louth) was sort of must-win as well to be honest and we didn’t manage to get it so this week is definitely must-win, we need to get points out of somewhere over the next three games so they’re all do or die now,” said Bogue.

“Sligo are on three points, they beat Louth and drew with Roscommon so they’ll be targeting a Nickey Rackard Cup final.

“They’re in as good a position as anyone now but we’re at home and we’ll be given ourselves every chance at the same time.

“We know it’s not going to be easy and it’s going to be a step up again.

“They played in the division above us in the league as well which is a big help for them so we just have to give it as good a go as we can.”

Fermanagh are back competing in the Nickey Rackard Cup this season after their Lory Meagher Cup success in 2024, when Bogue led Joe Baldwin’s men up the steps of the Hogan Stand at Croke Park.

Sligo were battling it out in the Christy Ring Cup this time last year, but found the going too tough and they dropped out of that competition having lost all five of their games.

“We wouldn’t have played them recently, we beat them in a Lory Meagher Cup final back in 2015 and then Sligo took off after then,” said Bogue of their recent history. “They climbed as far as the Christy Ring Cup so we haven’t really met them much since.

“We don’t really have much recent history with them. Over the years, back maybe 10 or 12 years ago, we would have played them regularly and it was also tit for tat but not so much in more recent years.”