By Katrina Brennan

FERMANAGH manager CJ McGourty insists they need everyone putting their shoulder to the wheel as they head to Croke Park for Sunday’s All-Ireland showdown with Louth.

“It’s an All-Ireland Final ahead and we don’t get above ourselves or beyond ourselves,” warned the Erne boss.

“Louth is a massive challenge. Don’t get me wrong, we’re going to back ourselves, we’re going to trust the girls to go out and do the job we’re going to ask them to go out and do.

“Louth are a Division Three team. They’re definitely going to go into the match as slight favourites but we’ll give them the respect but we also know that our girls, if they produce can beat anyone in junior or intermediate.”

Playing at Croke is something McGourty has done and done well and he knows it’ll be a factor in the game;

“We hope the girls enjoy it, embrace Croke Park because it’s a big stadium. You can get flustered with nerves etc.

“That’ll be a focus, first 10 or 15 minutes, get settled into the game and take it to Louth and see where it takes us.”

Fermanagh’s last game there was the 2022 drawn final with Antrim, which they then lost in the replay.

McGourty, who now lives in Ardboe, watched Fermanagh walk the line but not cross it and that was one of the reasons he made his first managerial job the Fermanagh one.

“I know they’ve always been challenging and hopefully with my wee bit of experience at this level, where you’ve been to Croke Park (they can win it). The advice is to go and enjoy it. Not to get too nervous, just go out and enjoy it and play your own game.

“It’s another match. Yes, there’s massive stands around it, it’s a slightly bigger pitch than normal but I think that’ll suit us to be quite honest with you.”

In his pack, McGourty holds a real ace in Eimear Smyth. The Derrygonnelly player is streets ahead in the championship scoring stakes and will take the ‘Golden Boot’ award this season.

As a fellow forward, McGourty appreciates her talent but he knows she’ll be a key focus for Louth this weekend.

“She’s an incredible talent, an incredible girl to work with – they all are,” he added.

“(But) All-Ireland’s are won around the fringes and what I mean by that is your wing backs, your wing forwards, your corner forwards, your corner backs.

“Eimear’s probably going to be tied down for bits of the final, hopefully not, it would be absolutely brilliant if she wasn’t,” he smiled, “but the likes of Lisa (Maguire) and Danny (Maguire), Blaíthín (Bogue) have stepped up, Courteney (Murphy), Molly (McGloin), you could name any amount…Megan (Maguire) made an unbelievable save the last day.

“So, as good as Eimear is, we’re all about the collective in the squad and we’re going to need absolutely everybody to play well on All-Ireland Final Day if we’re going to win.”