Enniskillen Gaels started their league campaign with a dominant 7-19 to 1-2 victory over Derrylin, showcasing impressive performances from Conor Love (3-5) and Callum Jones (2-9).Enniskillen Gaels started their league campaign with a dominant 7-19 to 1-2 victory over Derrylin, showcasing impressive performances from Conor Love (3-5) and Callum Jones (2-9). Manager Simon Bradley acknowledged the resounding win but remained cautious, recognizing that Derrylin was short-staffed. The Gaels had previously participated in the Club Players Competition, earning one point, which Bradley viewed as a positive exercise to evaluate younger players. Bradley expressed uncertainty in predicting the league’s outcome due to the lack of a fixed holiday period for the Fermanagh football team, which affects player availability. He clarified that clubs can arrange alternative agreements with each other, citing their upcoming match against Belnaleck during the “Sevens” tournament.
By Niall Gartland
ENNISKILLEN Gaels fired a warning shot at the rest of the county when they dismantled Derrylin in their first league match last Friday evening by – listen to this – a score of 7-19 to 1-2.
Among the players who impressed were duo Conor Love (3-5) and Callum Jones (2-9), but manager Simon Bradley will not get too carried away this early in the season.
Bradley led Enniskillen to Senior Championship honors in 2006 and returned for a second spell in charge two years ago. He wasted no time in getting going and bridged their 16-year gap without a senior title with victory over Erne Gaels on the county finals day. .
Last year was not as fruitful but they have a strong team, backed by county players and former county players, and he acknowledged that their resounding win over Derrylin was an impressive way to start their league campaign.
Bradley said: “To be fair, Derrylin had a fair few players away on holiday so they were well short but it was still fun, everything we hit went under or over the bar, it was one of those days. The likes of Conor Love, Conor McShea, Callum Jones, they all looked really sharp, it’s the first time they’ve been back with us.
It was not the Gaels’ first competitive appearance of the new season, however. They also took part in the Club Players Competition, a precursor to the actual competition that is not without significance.
Reigning champions Derrygonnelly came out on top in the top-place play-offs with a win over Ederney to take three points into the league. Enniskillen didn’t fare as well, but it was a useful exercise overall, says Bradley.
“The winners get three points, but there are a few different play-offs and we finished with one point ourselves.
“It’s not the end of the world to go into the top flight two points behind the leaders. It also gave us the chance to look at young lads who might not otherwise be ready for senior football for another year or two.
“You can view the Club Players Competition through rose-colored glasses or through negative glasses. We try to look at it positively. It does put a bit of pressure on our reserve team because some of them have to double up with the senior team, but we are lucky that we have a big enough squad.”
As for the riders and riders, Bradley says it is difficult to make concrete predictions about how the competition will proceed, especially due to the lack of a fixed holiday period in the Fermanagh football team.
“It’s going to be a real mix. I think it depends on which players teams have available from week to week. Players are often missing at different stages because we don’t have a holiday period, so it’s very balanced.
“There are five or six teams who want to take their chances against whoever they want every day, so you can’t really look at the games and say this or that is guaranteed. That day has passed, but it’s good that it’s very competitive.”
That said, Bradley does not blame the county board for not having a holiday period, and there is scope to agree alternative arrangements with individual clubs.
“Because of the way the inter-county season is going we don’t know when Fermanagh are out and they could have reached the Tailteann Cup final. It’s difficult for the county board because they don’t know when the county team is playing or not playing .
“We have the freedom to connect with each other in the field of games. For example, we play against Belnaleck in the week of the ‘Sevens’.
“They won last year and probably want to defend their title. We would also like to go to the ‘Sevens’ again, so we will contact them.”
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70897942/89750431.0.jpg)
