Joe Baldwin is hoping hurling supporters around Fermanagh will get to Brewster Park this weekend and see where hurling is at in the county as Fermanagh take on Monaghan in a “do or die” Lory Meagher clash.

Having lost to Cavan, Fermanagh have a second chance to make it to the next round of the competition and the Fermanagh boss has full belief his side can overcome the Monaghan task.

“I honestly believe we can win this game,” said Baldwin. “We can sort of feel it after training last night (Monday) that we can go forward and we’re just really looking forward to the challenge.

“There are a few matchups that have to be got right now. Monaghan have some very good players there but look it is a game that everybody in our squad believes we can win.”

Should have won

After the disappointment of the defeat to Cavan, a game Fermanagh dominated and should have won, Baldwin called for a reaction from his players because he knows if they make the same mistakes on Saturday it could be curtains for his team.

“Last week to be honest with you, the boys were pretty down at training. We went in last night (Monday) and tried to emphasise all the positives that we have been through as a group.

“We know the mistakes that we’ve made and we know how to rectify them. So, you know the atmosphere was very good at training last night.

“There’s a lot of positivity and the boys are relishing the challenge. We know it’s last chance saloon and if we don’t perform on Saturday we’ll be gone.”

Baldwin and his management team had the chance to look at Monaghan in their game against Longford last weekend and he knows they will cause plenty of problems if allowed to: “All six forwards scored from play and I felt that they started the game at a phenomenal pace and were very disciplined in the tackle.

“But I do think that they tired a little and there are areas we can get at them,”

Fermanagh will be without JP McGarry and Thomas Cleary, two of the standout performers against Cavan. But Baldwin has the services of Danny Teague to call upon while Kevin McGarry and John Duffy showed up well when introduced against Cavan and are pushing for starting berths as well as Mark Slevin”

‘Massive plus’

“Danny Teague is a massive plus. The man’s a natural athlete and is in good shape.

“The two boys [Kevin and John] came on as impact subs and both performed very well. The likelihood it being in Brewster both boys will probably start this week and they are well capable of it.

“The likes of Mark Slevin who played all through the league and didn’t play anything in the championship. But of all the players he’s the one who has really dug in and he trained hard and he’s got experience so to bring him in would be fantastic to have a player like that.”

Baldwin has been impressed by the players’ reaction since the Cavan game and how they have shouldered the responsibility for that game and he said they are chomping at the bit to put in a big performance on Saturday.

“It’s do or die hurling now. I mean, the reality is at half-past three somebody is out of the hurling business.

“And it comes down to who wants this most. I have every faith in the players and I know there is a massive performance in us.”

And he hopes that if they do overcome Monaghan on Saturday, it will be the start of another run in the Lory Meagher: “We’re still in the championship, we’re still very much up for it. We’ve got a home game and God willing if we can get through Monaghan momentum is a great thing in sport, and we’d be in a good position,” Baldwin concluded.