Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/1302727
www.ladiesgaelic.ie | AUTUMN 2020 | 35 In 2018 I didn't play either when I had my first baby, so I think I'll be used to it for this year. It was hard to watch but I really wish the girls all the best with it. I'll be with them the whole way. As I said to them 'I'm building for the future of Fermanagh ladies football' so it's all good." back to the All-Ireland Final after the disappointment of 2018 was great. Louth had been around the year before and reached the final and lost it, so they were hungry for the win. This year our aim is to get back to the All-Ireland Final, but we know that'll not be easy." A big plus this year for Fermanagh was their victory in the 2019 Lidl Division 4 final against Antrim. That win gave them promotion to Division 3 this season, and although they only managed to play five games, McGovern thinks it will stand to them in this year's championship. "In the end up we lost four games in Division 3 and we won one. The step up from Division 4 - we did notice the difference, but it wasn't a gap that we couldn't get over. We were competing throughout. "The games that we lost, we were in them all until the last ten minutes and they could have went either way. It's great that we will be back in Division 3 next year and I think we can push on a bit and challenge the top of the table there now. "I think as a whole in last year's All- Ireland Final, it was just on the day it didn't work out. I know the girls and the team can play better than that. We just didn't turn up, it didn't happen for us. It wasn't our day. "I know you can't say that for every game, but the hurt from the year before for Louth pushed them over the line. Louth were outstanding on the day, we just didn't show our full potential. It's hard to see that, after all the work the girls had put in all year. "We had such a good season, and when you reach an All-Ireland final that goes without saying, but it just didn't happen for us a group. But I think that will push the girls on a bit more for this year." MCGOVERN ON THEIR GROUP 1 CHALLENGERS It is nice not to have an Ulster team in our group. We have played Antrim and Derry so much in recent years, so playing a couple of Leinster teams will be a nice change. Playing a different opposition will be a nice variety, but when you play a team regularly you know them inside out too. Playing Wicklow and Carlow now will be different. We played Carlow last year in the league and they were going really well at that stage. That game was a bit of a turning point for us in our season. We played an unbelievable game against them that day. It's probably three years since we played Wicklow. We were due to play them in Division 3 earlier this year but the game was one of those called off. The same goes from their point of view too, they won't know too much about us either. It will be a bit strange in the preparation. The lack of games for the last six months means no one will be perfectly up to date. Usually some of the girls will have gone to college with someone from the opposition, but this year there will be very little of that information around. McGOVERN's GROUP 2 VIEW We'd know more about Limerick, Antrim and Derry than the teams in our own group. That will be a real tough battle with a few real hard games in it. But it all depends on how good everyone has worked over the lockdown. Limerick will be strong after winning the competition in 2018 and playing Intermediate last season. Antrim really pushed us a lot last season and over the years we have had some great battles with Derry. Antrim are a strong team. Last year in the Division 4 league final we beat them before they beat us in the Ulster final. Thankfully we got past them when we played again in the All- Ireland Series. They are a tough team and there is only ever a few points in the difference between us. This will be a really tight group. OTHER THAN FERMANAGH, WHO'LL WIN IT? It's awful hard to say who'd win it. It could be anyone. It's such an open competition. We don't know how anyone is playing since they got back training. Any of the six counties could win it. If you get one good win, it set you on the road. All the teams will believe they can beat everyone and can go all the way this year. TG4 JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP