​​​​​​Hurlers get their hands on Lory Meagher

2024 couldn’t have gone much better for the Fermanagh Senior hurlers. They finished top of the group in Division 3B early in the year, though there was some disappointment in the league final when they narrowly lost to Warwickshire (both teams will play in the new Division Four next year regardless). They made amends in the heat of championship, plotting a path to the Lory Meagher final, overcoming Longford in a high-scoring game to win the title for the third time, following their previous successes in 2015 and 2021. After their latest championship triumph, captain Ryan Bogue remarked that Erne hurling is in as good a place as it’s ever been.

Fermanagh footballers faced league relegation

FERMANAGH’s stay in Division Two proved a short-lived one. Under the tutelage of returning manager Kieran Donnelly, pictured right, – who has committed to the 2025 season and recently managed the Ulster Interprovincial team – they finished second-from-bottom in the league, suffering relegation as a result. They played second fiddle to Armagh in their only Ulster outing but they did pretty well in the Tailteann Cup, finishing top of their groups with a perfect winning record after their three rounds of matches. That meant they received a bye into the quarter-finals, but they lost by a few points to Antrim. It was a disappointing end to the year – leading by six points, 0-8 to 0-2, everything looked to be going to script for Kieran Donnelly’s men, but the roles were reversed after the break so it’s back to the drawing board for 2025.

Erne Gaels have

their moment

ERNE Gaels ended a 43-year wait for the New York Cup with a deserving victory over Enniskillen in a Fermanagh Senior Championship replay in early November, making amends for last year’s final defeat to Derrygonnelly. They won’t forget their long-awaited title triumph in a hurry around the Belleek club, but the celebrations were sadly cut short only days after the game itself, as the club mourned the death of former Erne Gaels player Mark Lyons, brother of their captain Ryan. That scuppered their preparations for Ulster and they produced a flat display against Monaghan side Scotstown, who themselves failed to show up against Kilcoo at the semi-final juncture. At Intermediate level, Lisnaskea came out on top while Junior counterparts Aghadrumsee won their final against Newtownbutler.

Eimear leads the way for
the Ladies

EIMEAR Smyth scored a remarkable 1-9 as Fermanagh ladies clinched their third ever All-Ireland Junior Championship title with a hard-fought 1-11 to 0-12 victory over Louth at Croke Park. And it was certainly no one-off from the Derrygonnelly star. Eimear also won the Golden Boot award — awarded to the top-scorer across all three grades of the All-Ireland championship — with something to spare with an incredible haul of 8-48. Not surprisingly, the team as a whole filled their boots at the All-Stars: they claimed six slots on the selection while Smyth was named as Footballer of the Year. On the club front, Kinawley won a seventh successive title at senior level, a superb achievement, Tempo were crowned intermediate winners, while Knockninny have an up and coming team and landed junior honours with victory over Devenish.

Ultán is
staying put

IT was almost expected that Ultán Kelm would enlist with AFL side Freemantle, but as it happened, the Erne Gaels man didn’t end up with a contract. In a recent interview, he acknowledged his disappointment, saying that “After the trial and during the summer I was very hopeful because I thought it went well. I am disappointed, it was something that I had my heart set on and I really wanted to do but I wasn’t getting my hopes up at the same time.” While it was bad news for Ultán, it’s certainly good news for Fermanagh football, and we’re sure his disappointment was eased somewhat by his club’s long-awaited Fermanagh Senior Championship success.

CHAMPIONS…Ryan Bogue skippered Fermanagh to the Lory Meagher title

STICK AT IT…Fermanagh boss Kieran Donnelly has committed to another year

WE DID IT…Erne Gaels had their day in the sun

TALENT… Eimear Smyth scored 1-9 in the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Junior Football Championship Final win over Louth.