OLD FERM Erne up against former boss at scene of famous win

TEN years on from their last Ulster semi-final win, Fermanagh are back at Healy Park and Malachy O’rourke is on the line.

This time, however, the mastermind of that famous Erne victory over Derry a decade ago is plotting Monaghan’s path to another provincial decider – at his native county’s expense.

Fermanagh ultimately lost the 2008 Ulster final to Armagh after a replay and, by the end of 2010, O’rourke moved on.

He took the reins in Monaghan more than five years ago, bringing them from Division Three to the top flight, while winning two Ulster titles.

Former star Marty Mcgrath was one of his key players with Fermanagh and explains why O’rourke is one of the brightest managerial talents in the game.

“He gains the respect of the players and seems to get a balance between playing to the game plan but also letting them play, giving them freedom to express themselves,” says Mcgrath.

“Getting that balance is the thing but he seems to be able to get the best out of the players by maybe setting down the game plan but also saying, ‘Look, I’m not curtailing you from doing something off the cuff ’.

“When you have a talented player like Conor Mcmanus in your panel, you’re going to have that anyway.

“Definitely Malachy was a big influence on my career from school level to county so I’d rate him right highly now.”

Some expected O’rourke to leave Monaghan last year but he appears to have taken the team to another level if their win over Tyrone is anything to go by.

But Mcgrath doesn’t rule out the prospect of him taking the Fermanagh reins again.

“If the door is open for picking a manager and Malachy was available, I’m sure Fermanagh would be approaching him.

“It’s his home county after all. You’d always want to see your home county doing well.

“I know he’s managing Monaghan against Fermanagh and he has a job to do and he’ll do that but outside of that he’s a proud Fermanagh man.”

Tomorrow’s Ulster semi-final won’t be the first time O’rourke (above) has been charged with dispatching Fermanagh, with last year’s preliminary round tie in the province a particularly galling defeat for the Erne County. Once Armagh beat them in the qualifiers, the players moved to ensure Pete Mcgrath didn’t continue as manager, with Rory Gallagher eventually replacing him.

“Fermanagh have moved on from last year,” Mcgrath insists. “They’re more organised injury-wise and they’ve more players available to them than they had last year.

“Monaghan might possibly be moved on as well from last year so I do expect Fermanagh to set up and make it very difficult for Monaghan to score.

“You’d be wanting Fermanagh to win but your head would say Monaghan probably have the forwards that will find the scores.

Fermanagh mightn’t score enough.”