I thought it was an entertaining game despite the result never being in doubt; whereas the Kildare horror-show was painful to watch. I think Fermanagh fans having a bit of crack has to be seen in context, especially in context of what had happened in the previous game. Unlike Kildare though, Fermanagh never threw in the towel and put up a far better show than Kildare did against comparable opposition. Whether or not you're disappointed by a defeat depends on where your team is at. If you're a team with realistic expectations of winning and you get well beaten, obviously you'll be very disappointed. However, if your realistic expectation is to be beaten out of sight and to have stopped being in the game long before it finishes, then to play right to the end is commendable and I see no harm in expressing appreciation for an honest effort in impossible circumstances.

Also, the Fermanagh psyche is droll, light-hearted and positive - maybe Fermanagh people don't take themselves seriously enough - but the flip side is that some of our dour-faced winners could perhaps retain their inner resolve without being so publicly grim-faced about it. Fermanagh fans know well that the real value of the game was to give them a chance to play against top opposition and that will stand to them in their preparations for a good run in Div II next year and a possible tilt at the provincial in the next year or so and in that realistic context, a decent show against massively superior opposition is still a small step in the right direction, regardless of the defeat.

PS: It also shows how unused to facing the Dubs Fermanagh are when a Fermanagh fan takes exception to Dublin fans booing - the Dubs fans, behind all the noise and cheek, are cheerful and well-wishing and in fact wouldn't be that slow to turn on their own team if they weren't up to the mark - a Dublin fan's booing has to be taken with a pinch of salt, there's little or no malice behind it.

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 05/08/2015 10:30:07    1764150

Mc Guinness etc continue to suck the joy out of football. The GAA is about more than just the pursuit of an All Ireland medal and if that sounds like an amateur statement then so be it.

Fermanagh have achieved this year. Pete McGrath didn't hide his pride and joy after the game and I value the opinion of this truly great manager ahead of JMG.

Jim mc Guinness, we'll sing when we want!!!

class101 (Sligo) - Posts: 58 - 05/08/2015 12:49:02    1764284

As a Fermananagh man it also embarrasses me to see the fans celebrating wildly at being stuffed - game being over as a contest almost as soon as it began, and a couple of calamitous goals giving the final scoreboard a false gloss. It's this celebration of failure which illustrates why we are one of only two counties in Ireland to have not won a provincial title. Beating Antrim a couple of times, Roscommon and a depleted Westmeath team hardly sets us up for a tilt at Ulster next year.
Consolidating our position in Div 2 would be progress. However we will never have as handy a draw for the Ulster c'ship or in the qualifiers again for a long time so the chances of reaching another quarterfinal any time soon are very remote and even if we did it would only be another abject failure for our easily pleased fans to celebrate!

Saoirse2016 (Fermanagh) - Posts: 2 - 05/08/2015 13:08:17    1764316

I wonder how long Jim can stay away from the GAA, he loves the game and his county,I can see him getting back into Gaelic football management at some stage,it would be great to have back in the Donegal camp,or maybe he'll do a stint with some other county first.
I was delighted for Fermanagh to be in the quarters and I would support them 100%, great people down there, just thought the celebrating was a bit odd,saluting the teams efforts this year was good to see though, at least they put up a fight.

TirChonaillabu2 (Donegal) - Posts: 344 - 05/08/2015 13:09:41    1764319

I think it is a bit hard on Fermanagh to be chastised for celebrating losing a game. They were celebrating the fact that they had a good season and that they were in croke park in the quarters. I think also that there have been very close games this year in which the teams were not given any support by their supporters. THe ulster final was like being at a big wake. It was a one point game, and there was hardly a whisper in the game from the crowd bar the scores, and of course the late rally.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 05/08/2015 13:34:09    1764348

essmac - hit the nail on the head on all counts! you obviously know a lot of fermanagh people with your description. i think most of us are happy go lucky and dont take life too seriously. if that's a crime, then lock us up!! see article below

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/fermanagh-is-the-happiest-place-to-live-in-the-uk-29695805.html

Erne4ulster15 (Fermanagh) - Posts: 23 - 05/08/2015 14:13:49    1764382

befair
County: Down
Posts: 124

1764029 For a county with such limited resources Fermanagh put up a magnificent performance. Victory on the football field is only a small oart of being a footballer, but the process of getting there, overcoming obstacles, trying your very best is more important. As Ursula Le Guin said "It matters that every journey has an end, but in the end what matters is the journey." Victory is but a fleeting satisfaction

Here , you probably have a shrine at home at home with all your participation medals, fifth and sixth place certificates in Irish dancing and feis poetry. Get a grip, winning is everything, second best is last.

Tell that to the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae

befair (Down) - Posts: 237 - 05/08/2015 16:13:52    1764529

Thought Mcguinness was dead right. Martin Carney said during the game that 'we have never lost interest in this as a contest'. It was the complete opposite. the game was never a contest. Dublin cruised through in 1st gear, and it wasnt even a moral victory for Fermanagh imo.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 05/08/2015 18:38:33    1764654

Good for you JC, good for you.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 05/08/2015 19:22:17    1764674

Saoirse well said.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 05/08/2015 20:23:34    1764705

But we beat the side who took down the mighty and wonderful Meath. We also defeated a divison 1 side. Not the handiest draw in the world.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 05/08/2015 21:10:51    1764730

McGuinness has lost the plot as he has forgot that the ethos of the GAA game is everyone to enjoy whatever level or standard they play at. I was among the Fermanagh fans that celebrated Fermanagh's sporting effort on Sunday and I'm proud of that fact. McGuiness is so out of touch with the people on the ground and his interview on the Miriam Tv Show illustrated that he was out of touch as the audience laughed when Miriam had to tell she understood!!!

IrvinestownMkII (Fermanagh) - Posts: 1401 - 05/08/2015 22:00:48    1764774

I think Fermanagh are not a good example of teams getting a hammering as they showed great spirit & I admired the way they played. However, I don't think there is any enjoyment to be got from your team getting a thrashing. I remember Donegal getting some awful hammerings and it was a truly awful experience, beat out the gate after about 10 minutes in a game against Cork in 2009. JMcG turned Donegal into a competitive team and we haven't looked back since. If you ask any Donegal supporter would they like to go back to the pre-McGuinness era, I think I know what the answer would be.

JimTheLegend (Donegal) - Posts: 247 - 06/08/2015 09:31:52    1764800

JimTheLegend - agree with that, there is no comparison between the pre and post JMcG eras in Donegal. Similarly ask Fermanagh supporters would they rather take Sunday's result, or the results from Longford, Kildare, Westmeath (this year) or Laois, Wexford and Meath (last year) and I know which they would take. Each of those 6 Leinster counties would undoubtedly argue they are bigger/better teams/counties than Fermanagh. I don't think Sunday was a case of Fermanagh supporters celebrating a defeat, more an expression from them towards the effort and commitment their players/management gave over the 70mins and season in general (promotion and AI QF achieved).

EnolaGay (Tyrone) - Posts: 653 - 06/08/2015 10:05:21    1764821

I can only speak for myself but when I clapped the boys off on Sunday it wasn't to say well done on only losing by 8 it was to say thank you. Thank you for putting pride back in the jersey and thank you for a great year. 4 years ago Fermanagh were knocked out of the championship by London. This year we gave Dublin their closest game this year. How times have changed. They boys put in great effort this year and I was thanking them for the effort they put in to make me feel proud of my county. I can't speak for the other fans but thats why i applauded them off the field.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 06/08/2015 11:23:09    1764919

I totally agree with jim mcguinness, we wouldnt be celebrating getting well beaten in an all ireland quarter final. Look some lads here are happy with making a quarter final and getting well beaten and thats why they were celebrating if that is the height of their ambition then fair play to them. let them celebrate..

diceyreilly (Donegal) - Posts: 9 - 06/08/2015 17:04:06    1765229

I think Jim's comments are being out of context, the article states he found it strange to see Fermanagh fans celebrating loudly at the scores late in the game. He said nothing about clapping the players off the pitch.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 06/08/2015 17:28:29    1765252

The more I think about it, the less I feel that I agree with Jim. There is a bit of double standards here, 'fearing for the game' as he says. All you have to do is look at the spl, and how one sided it is, and then consider where he is suddenly coming from. I think in a perfect world, there would be a few more pretenders to the all ireland title, but in fairness, there will always be also rans, and I salute the Fermanagh people for being such good sports.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 06/08/2015 17:43:19    1765262

Mcguinesses irish tines article this week is quite ironic.... he had a' bit if a moment' in croke park on Sunday when the done gal team beaten by 8 points were clapped off the pitch by every single done gal supporter in the stadium ....yet he slated the fermanagh supporters the previous week defeated by a similar margin for doing something similar .....so its fine for his Co to celebrate achievement in defeat but not fermanagh ......

rossy15 (Roscommon) - Posts: 620 - 11/08/2015 10:44:19    1767834

Just read that Rossy. I can't see what the difference is.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 11/08/2015 19:08:50    1768327