It’s been a busy week for myself as I was confirmed as the new Fermanagh manager and I’m looking forward to that challenge.

I’ve been working with Erne Gaels over the last two seasons and have really enjoyed that.

It was a different type of challenge going into a new area where you don’t know a huge amount of people.

However, I have really seen over my time in Belleek just how passionate GAA folk are in Fermanagh.

I’ve been enjoying club management and I can’t say I had ever given much thought about a return to intercounty management over the last few years.

Kieran Donnelly has been in with Fermanagh for the last few years and I expected that he would do at least another season or two.

It was a surprise when Kieran stepped away and then I got a phone call about six or seven weeks ago and discussions have been ongoing since.

I’m not going in with my eyes closed and I know there’s a big challenge ahead.

There are a lot fewer clubs in Fermanagh than there are in Donegal and it’s a much smaller county obviously.

But there are a lot of good clubs in the county who are doing things the right way, and I’ve seen that over the club championship in the last couple of weeks.

Somebody said to me that I must be mad and maybe there is a bit of madness there alright.

But I feel I have that energy and drive back now and I think I can help Fermanagh to move forward.

When I finished up with Donegal in 2022, I was mentally and physically drained to be quite honest.

I was happy to step away but then I was chairman of Na Rossa in 2023 and we couldn’t get a manager and I went back in and we had a brilliant run to win the Junior title.

I went in then with Erne Gaels and it was a good fit for me.

There have been other offers but when you consider where I live, you have to be able to make it work from a travel perspective, and Fermanagh works for me.

I haven’t spoken to the full group yet but I have been in touch with some of the players and I’m impressed with their ambition.

We will be in Division 3 of the National League next season and that will be highly competitive.

Down, Westmeath and Sligo will all be there and they will all have new managers.

There’s definitely the nucleus of a good squad there. I would say there will be one or two stepping away and then there are young lads who we want to have a look at.

The Senior Championship in Fermanagh is very open. Erne Gaels won it last year but we have drawn our first two group games this season and we have a must-win match with Teemore this week.

Enniskillen Gaels are the biggest club in the county but they have ended up in the relegation play-offs this year.

Paul Brennan will be coming in as our Head Coach

I got to know Paul very well when I managed him for five years.

I always thought to myself if I ever was going to take a job again that he was the type of character that you’d want involved. He brings an edge but he’s always very smart and a good reader of the game.

I’ll be looking for a few more men to form the rest of the backroom team and it will take another couple of weeks to finalise all that.

As I mentioned, we have a big game with Erne Gaels this weekend and that’s the primary focus but there will be work going on in the background in the coming weeks to get our plans in place.

It’s going to be a massive challenge but one I’m looking forward to.

Senior Championship

It’s been a dramatic week in the Donegal Club Championship.

First of all, there was the surprise of Termon defeating St Eunan’s and then we had the controversy after it as the Burn Road men had 16 players on the field when they got their final point.

There was talk of an appeal, and it created quite a bit of debate over the week.

St Eunan’s decided ultimately that they weren’t going to go down that road.

People in general don’t like to see objections and feel that when a game is over, that’s it and it should be left on the pitch.

But within that, there are rights and wrongs. How did it happen, and how was play allowed to restart.

That’s an issue for the officials that will have to be looked at, and somebody will have to be held accountable.

Action from the Termon v St Eunan’s match on Saturday.

You have to hand it to Termon. They were beaten by St Eunan’s the previous week on a day when they conceded two bad goals.

But they came back strongly the next week and they’ll take a lot of heart from winning after extra-time.

It’s been a solid season for Termon, and now they are down to the last eight after winning the Intermediate last year.

Termon face Naomh Conaill now and that won’t be easy.

We’ve been saying over the last few weeks that Naomh Conaill weren’t clicking but they moved through the gears against Killybegs which is ominous for everyone else.

A number of teams including Naomh Conaill will see a huge chance now that ‘Eunan’s are gone.

St Eunan’s will be disappointed. You felt after that defeat to Errigal Ciaran last year that they would come back like men on a mission but it just didn’t play out in that way.

Termon have beaten Naomh Conaill twice already this season but this is championship and with Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí back, I think Martin Regan’s men will get over the line.

Kilcar

Kilcar against Gaoth Dobhair is the big one of the weekend for me.

I didn’t really know where Kilcar was going in the first few weeks but the outlook is much brighter now.

They demolished Glenswilly, and in terms of their top eight or nine players, Kilcar have probably got the best in the county.

They are very dependent on that and sometimes it’s the players on the fringes that can let them down.

There’s no doubt Kilcar are dangerous now but Gaoth Dobhair won’t be backing down.

When things are going well, Ethan Harkin is as good of a striker as anyone. Micheal Roarty is impressing and he will take Ryan McHugh.

Peter McGee is battling hard in the middle and Gaoth Dobhair will feel they can get on top of the Kilcar kick-outs.

This match will go down to the wire but I just think Kilcar might have that wee bit more about them.

Dungloe and Four Masters should be a tasty one in Ballyshannon.

They drew two weeks ago and Masters then went and got a good win against Glenswilly.

As I’ve said before, Dungloe lacks that man in attack that will cause havoc and score 1-4 or 1-5.

Four Masters are playing a lot of young players but the Carr brothers – Seanan and Turlough – Kevin Muldoon, and Conor McCahill are all adapting well.

However, Dungloe are strong at the back and I think they will have the markers they need.

Four Masters’ time is coming but I think Dungloe will take this one.

Sean MacCumhaills v St Michael’s is another close-looking match.

Much will depend on whether or not Oisin Gallen is fit to play any part.

MacCumhaills have had a good championship and they defeated St Michael’s on the opening weekend.

But Michael Langan didn’t play that day and he makes a huge difference.

St Michael’s are a seasoned team and they will see this as a huge opportunity.

If Oisin is fit then MacCumhaills might take it but if he’s not, St Michael’s should advance to the last four.

Intermediate

The Intermediate is always tight and there were some cracking quarter-finals last week, even if they were played out in bad weather.

The semi-finals should be lively as well.

I’ve said from the start of the year that Naomh Muire is one of the favourites.

It’s all been a bit stop-start for them but maybe they are getting that momentum now.

Malin have a young, fresh team and they had a great victory over Muff.

I think that will have given them confidence and I wouldn’t be surprised if we had an upset in this one. Malin by the minimum.

Red Hughs are feeling good about themselves and by all accounts Stephen McMenamin scored a cracking goal last weekend.

He’s not known for that but he is a warrior and he will do whatever it takes to win this week.

But I just don’t think they will have enough to see off Naomh Columba, who are the form team in the championship.

In the Junior quarter-finals, Letterkenny Gaels should be too strong for Robert Emmets, and Convoy should shade their match with Naomh Ultan.