Sunday is another big day for messrs MAHON & McCANN Few among the thousands now weekly thronging to provincial Championship games, will surely ever stop to think of the hectic preparatory work which must go on behind the scenes to ensure that optimum balance is struck between safety, comfort and presentation of the big occasion. Equally so, few players ever get the opportunity to play for their County in a provincial Championship game on their own club pitch. Come Sunday 31st May though, both these elements will perfectly coalesce as Fermanagh bid to repeat last year's Ulster Senior Championship first round success over Antrim. For St. Molaise Park, Irvinestown will be most assuredly cast in all its usual verdant splendour when local hero, Fergal McCann, lines out at MIdfield for the Erne County. One of the stars of that 1991 Casement Park Triumph which bridged on eight year Championship abyss for the men in green, Fergal, now in his eight year on the county scene, can therefore be ideally combined with energetic fellow St. Molaise clubman, Tiernach Mahon, to epitomise the dual elements of ant major Gaelic team, hosting preparations just a diligent and thoroughly undertaken as those of the competing teams. Indeed, according to Tiernach, who, in his capacity as Club Chairman, is mainly responsible for co-ordinating the off the fields efforts, preparations for Sunday's game began as far back as last December when, at a special Club Meeting, it was decided to install 30 new turnstiles and 40 new pay boxes as well as extending the famous "Hill" to accommodate an extra two thousand patrons. Undertaken by a local contractor with club connections, the entire scheme was completed by St. Patricks Day", in ample time not only for the championship but also for National League quarter-final between ultimate champions, Derry and Ulster rivals, Cavan. A somewhat unexpected occasion, which in the words of the Tiernach, "provided and invaluable dry run for the Championship identifying several potential hitches." Needless to say, all the later have been eliminated in the interim and the St. Molaise effort is concentrated now on putting the finishing touches to playing pitch itself. Uniquely located on the Fermanagh-Tyrone border, one set of goal posts reputed to be actually sited within the Red Hand territory, the pitch is regarded as having one of the best playing surface anywhere as Irish Independent correspondent, Tom O'Riordan, reported in 1983 after witnessing Fermanagh's dramatic Championship eclipse of the then newly crowned National League Champions Down. "Here was the best playing surface I've seen for Gaelic Football for many years. Perhaps the grass was not of the same lush texture one would find in Augusta, but it was cut trim and tight with hardly a blade out of place. It was also well marked and the lines were clearly visible for all to see. Indeed, it provided former Down star, Sean O'Neill, to remark before the game if you could not play football on such an inviting surface then there was not much hope for you." Fulsome praise indeed and not surprisingly, despite superb ground developments at Enniskillen, Lisnaskea, Derrygonnelly, Kinawley and Donagh among other places in the country, Irvinestown is still seen as the jewel in Fermanagh's crown, being honoured on numerous occasions by both Croke Park and Ulster Council as venue for major National League and Provincial Championship games. By a remarkable coincidence just as the St. Molaise Park work improvements were nearing completion, the seemingly interminable search for a county Senior team manager to fill the spot left vacant by P.J. McGowan's much regretted resignation last August, was also concluding. Talking to Fergal McCann earlier this week, one gets the firm impression that the county board's choice was a particularly inspired one. "Hugh McCabe," he explains with relish, "has a great way with players, and still playing club football himself he is fully attuned to players' needs and acutely aware of the pressures and problems they face." Continuing by emphasising the high degree of respect the Belcoo O'Rahilly's clubman and former county defender has engendered from the panel in the two months since taking up the managerial reins, Fergal has nothing but praise for "the highly professional approach" adopted by Hugh and his assistant, Benny Burns, "a continuation of the pattern established by P.J. McGowan during his tenure in charge." Morale is therefore sky high in the Erne camp with all the systems at go for the big day at Fergal, who invariably produces a faultless performance in county colours on his home sod, will be aiming to again lead a Fermanagh victory charge as he did in such scintillating style last year when his memorable surge up the Casement Park right wing was instrumental in fashioning Mark Gallagher's "Goal of the Championship." Having sampled success at a high level, a Sigerson Cup medal holding pride of place in the McCann trophy cabinet, Fergal, who lives just the proverbial "stones throw" from St. Molaise Park, and teaches in the local St. Paul's Primary School, is also anxious to help his club side to achieve like glory on the home front. Citing past lack of proper management structures as a major contributory factor in the club's frustrating failure to fulfil the occasional flash of promise, the 25 year old six footer, who also doubles up as team trainer, feels that this year's appointment of former Trillick Stalwart, Seamus Gormley, as Senior Manager represents a positive step in the right direction. Stressing caution, in that the present emphasis is on the team re-building, Fergal reveals that the immediate objective is the relatively modest one of achieving promotion from the second to the first division but is realistic enough to warn - "on our day we are capable of beating any side in the country and just as likely losers to anyone on an off day." Intriguing challenges ahead at the club and county level then for the towering midfielder who, through his utterly sporting play and warmly unassuming personality has won the respect and admiration of opponents wherever he plays, attributes which will surely be further enhanced at this summer of promise unfolds. As Fergal strides out on the lush St. Molaise sward to face Antrim, the innovative utilisation of a newly introduced grass-sweeping machine ensuring particularly "green, green grass of home," Tiernach Mahon will be busily engaged behind the scenes attending to the myriad of details which any occasion invariably entails. With a back up task force of over twenty club stewards augmented by the Ulster Council's regular battalion, the St. Molaise Chairman will be well geared to deal with whatever contingencies might arise, not least geared to deal with whatever contingencies might arise, not least perhaps those concerning the media representative. Two television commentating teams and up to thirty humble and up to thirty humble scribes, simply reflects the ever increasing media interest in the Ulster Championship, a most welcome manifestation further exemplified by BBC Television's installation of no less than outside Broadcast cameras for their much acclaimed sunday evening "Championship" coverage. All grist to Tiernach's mill, such exposure rendering the presentation efforts even more worthwhile and rewarding and just as Fergal McCann is blessed with all the necessary physical and footballing attributes for a top class midfielder, so too Tiernach Mahon can draw an unequalled family lineage in the administration field. The first ever Fermanagh man to serve as President of the Ulster Council and County Secretary from 1969 to 1975, his father, Malachy, carved out his own special niche in the G.A.A. history annals, while Tiernach's uncle, John McElholm, Fermanagh's longest serving County Chairman (1957-1984) and current St. Molaise Club Honourary life President is still a revered figure in the G.A.A. circles everywhere. Recent health problems may cause John to miss Sunday's game but he will, of course, be present in spirit on what should be a truly memorable occasion for Club and Country. Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 29th May 1992 Tweet

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