Sporting Advent Calendar #12: Fermanagh’s footballing fairytale, but not for all

Fermanagh’s footballing fairytale proved to be one of last summer’s championship’s most divisive moments.

Jim McGuinness led the ‘if you’re not first you’re last’ brigade - the GAA fans left irked by the images of Fermanagh players and fans celebrating deliriously as their team crashed out of the championship.

Their team’s late efforts and scores in the All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Dublin may not have offered much of a threat to the final score, the two teams appeared as if from different age-groups for much of it, but still, their never say die attitude has become a rare occurrence along Dublin’s trail of late. And one they obviously felt fit to celebrate.

Pete McGrath once more proved his credentials as a top quality manager this year by first guiding the Erne county to league promotion, they’ll play in Division Two next year, he then masterminded Ulster championship and qualifier wins over Antrim with another very spirited defeat to Monaghan sandwiched in between. They then caused an upset in beating Roscommon, and then Westmeath to earn themselves a place in the last eight and a fixture with the eventual champions. It’s been a great year for Fermanagh football, and that too no doubt played its part in the overall sense of positivity which greeted their eventual exit.

Clear underdogs, they were expected to appear in Croke Park with every bus in the county parked in front of their goals - but instead they took on the Dubs, as best they could.Trailing by 13 points in the second period, and with Jim Gavin introducing some fresh and hungry legs off the bench, Fermanagh then forgot that this was the stage in the game where they were supposed to wilt.

Two goals in the final quarter had the travelling fans on their feet, the second of which a present for their efforts from the referee as the Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton was quite clearly pushed over the goal line by Sean Quigley.

Dublin would still win by eight points, some said the late concessions would concern them moving forward although the players and management couldn’t but break out a wry smile as the Fermanagh players celebrated their act of defiance, and their eight point defeat.

And so, ‘Brave Fermanagh’ led the headlines, yet the critics asked just how diverse have our games become that such a defeat would be celebrated as a victory?