by Jackie Cahill

Ruairi Corrigan is set to pull on the Fermanagh shirt for the first time in almost a year when the Ernesiders tackle Ulster rivals Armagh in next Sunday's All-Ireland senior football qualifier at the Athletic Grounds.

Corrigan last played for Fermanagh in last July's All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Mayo and has been out of action since sustaining a serious shoulder injury in the county intermediate final victory over Tempo last September. 

Corrigan had scored 3-3 before being forced off in that club fixture and has missed all of Fermanagh's 2017 campaign to date.

But his return is a huge boost for manager Pete McGrath, who's also set to welcome back wing-back Declan McCusker.

Corrigan and McCusker, who was nursing a broken hand, were big misses for Fermanagh as they lost out to Monaghan in the preliminary round of the Ulster championship.

But McGrath confirmed that he's managed to keep his entire panel together since then, and has Corrigan and McCusker back ahead of what he's described as a "critical" fixture with Armagh.

Fermanagh embarked on a memorable back door run in 2015 which took them all the way to an All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Dublin. 

Last year, they were knocked out by Mayo in round 2 but McGrath is hopeful of another extended run.

He said: "The squad stayed intact and has worked hard since the Monaghan game.

"We're looking forward to Sunday's game and hopefully getting a run in the qualifiers.

"In any qualifier situation, the first game is a critical one. Get the win and it gives you a bit of momentum, extra energy and enthusiasm. Sunday's game is critical for both teams."

Confirming Corrigan's return, McGrath added: "Ruairi got a bad shoulder break in the intermediate final in Fermanagh in September of last year.

"He was out completely for the entire season but has been back now for the past five or six weeks in training.

"He was nowhere near ready for the Monaghan match but he's in a situation now where he could contribute something, either starting or coming on. We have to make that final decision."

McGrath is expected to announce his starting line-up tomorrow (FRI) evening and he's expecting another close encounter with Armagh, who lost out to Down in the provincial championship.

He said: "We played Armagh three times in the last few years in League football.

"They beat us the 2015 Division 3 final and we drew with them in the regulation group game. Last year, they beat us by a point at the Athletic Grounds so there's been very little between us in recent seasons, and there's nothing to suggest that anything will be different on Sunday evening."

McGrath, mastermind of Down's All-Ireland wins in 1991 and 1994, has also warned Tyrone's Ulster final opponents Monaghan or Down that the Red Hands will take some stopping in the provincial decider - and has marked them out as strong All-Ireland contenders following last Sunday's impressive victory over Donegal.

McGrath said: "Tyrone played exceptionally well on Sunday, they were very slick, very well organised as always.

"Obviously, their shooting was out of the top drawer, if you put aside the fact that Donegal played well below standard.

"But Donegal have a very young team at the moment and maybe that youthfulness was exposed by Tyrone.

"But they did look very impressive and I think whoever get to the Ulster final with them, Down or Monaghan, if they produce like that again, they'll be very difficult to stop.

"If you were to pick, prior to last Sunday, four or five potential All-Ireland contenders, Tyrone were in that group and they cemented that case.

"There's still a long way to go and a lot of capable teams out there every bit as competent and capable as Tyrone but they're a real, strong possibility."

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