Tailteann Cup success "would be massive" for Fermanagh - McCusker

Fermanagh captain Declan McCusker says winning the Tailteann Cup this summer “would be massive” for the Ernesiders.

The second tier football championship gets underway tomorrow afternoon with five games down for decision while Sunday sees three on the schedule, including Fermanagh’s home tie with Carlow at Brewster Park (2pm).

Speaking to GAA.ie this week, the Fermanagh skipper said he’s a huge supporter of the competition and outlined what winning it would mean to the county.

“For say, 90% of the counties that are in the competition, this is probably the level that they're at and the challenge for a Sam Maguire is a long way away for all the teams, maybe bar one or two,” said McCusker who made his championship debut against London back in 2011.

“There's definitely teams in this competition who are good enough to be in the Sam Maguire competition but to actually challenge to win it, yeah, it's a process maybe for a couple of teams, Kildare maybe Offaly down the line maybe but it's going to take a while before any of the teams in this competition are challenging for it so to go into a championship and have a competition that you can actually win, I think it's very important.

“And for the teams in Division 3 and Division 4, it makes this time of the year massive whereas a few years back those teams were maybe putting everything into the league and once the league was over, you're not going to win Leinster, you're not going to win Sam Maguire so you might get a run of a couple of games but you're not really challenging for anything worthy.

“I can remember the year Carlow got promoted, I think a few boys left before the championship to go and travel and stuff because they were happy with their year that they got promoted from Division 4 and they weren't going to win Leinster and whatever.

“So it is important and I think the teams here all appreciate it and see that but it's just making sure that it stays important outside of the group here and that it's promoted well and the spotlight sort of stays on it during the summer.”

On what winning the Tailteann Cup would mean for Fermanagh, he added: “It would be unreal. It would just be...to lift any trophy for Fermanagh, especially to lift one in Croke Park, it would be unbelievable, it would be massive. A dream come through.”