Fermanagh football fans facing yet another fretful day out at Croke Park

A man from Roslea, one of Fermanagh's most southern colonies sticking into the Republic, summed it up yesterday evening after…

A man from Roslea, one of Fermanagh's most southern colonies sticking into the Republic, summed it up yesterday evening after the drawn game with Mayo.

"It's like sitting up with an old person who may or may not die. You don't know whether to go home or stay. It's exhausting," he said as he leaned on the bar in Mulligans pub, in Poolbeg Street, Dublin, following the game. Beside him were Mayo supporters who felt the same way, except they believed that Mayo had got out of gaol and would benefit from another run at the Northerners on Saturday next.

Drawn games are a delight to the people who run the GAA, a second chance for players but a nightmare for supporters.

One Kerry-based Fermanagh man, bravely sporting his county's jersey, pledged to head straight for Fermanagh last evening if the Ernesiders won the game. I met him after the game. He was confused and irritated at my suggestion that he should head North, go half way to somewhere around Virginia, Co Cavan, and lurk there until next Saturday when the two sides meet again.

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Yesterday was that kind of day where the dark clouds, spilling rain on to Croke Park, created the kind of wetland habitat that both sides would have preferred to avoid.

But water aside, they got stuck in and provided a wonderful afternoon of clean, exciting football which both sets of supporters believe Fermanagh should have won.

Fermanagh, the youngsters the pundits believed should not go any further, shocked the Mayomen by going straight into the lead from the throw-in and staying there for nearly half of the first half.

It was nip and tuck over the second half, but Fermanagh failed to capitalise on the fact that the Mayomen had lost James Gill for a high tackle.

In the end, two dissatisfied sets of wet fans left Croke Park to arrange yet another day out when, hopefully, the patient will either die gracefully or recover, and be hearty enough to contest his first All-Ireland final.