A Cupid’s arrow from Fermanagh hit the heart of a young Tipperary medical student some years ago and the Erne hurlers have been rejoicing ever since.

For it was real romance that brought Moneygall native Brian Teehan to the banks of the Erne and he has proved to be just what the doctor ordered for this young Erne team who are teetering on the edge of greatness as they face Longford in the Lory Meagher Cup final in Croke Park on Sunday.

But it would not have happened had Brian not met a fellow female medical student.

“I met my wife when we were both in college on a class trip and she is Zara Clarke from Lisnarick. I was in UCD from 2014 to 2020,” said the remarkably youthful Teehan (30) who has proven to be a dark arrow of destruction for Fermanagh’s adversaries in the Lory Meagher Cup.

“Yeah I suppose it was 'The Power Of Love' that brought me to Fermanagh,” he quipped.

“We got married during Covid in 2021 out in Crom Castle near Newtownbutler.

“It was a lovely wedding and we had close family and friends in a beautiful part of the world.

"And we are both working in the SWAH. I am working in the Stroke Department, and she is working in Obsterics and doing GP training at the moment.”

Brian has an excellent hurling pedigree that he has brought to Fermanagh: “I had plenty of hurling in Roscrea and David Buckley who plays for Longford was a few years ahead of me and I have been hurling with Moneygall.”

And he knows Longford dangerman Cian D’Arcy who is from a neighbouring club called Kilruane McDonagh’s a top club in Tipp.

“He is very handy and very physically strong, and you saw what he did to us last week.”

So how did he start with Fermanagh hurlers?

“I was talking to a lad in the hospital called Ruairi Maguire who is also a doctor, and he was in with the footballers, and I told him I was a hurler so he put me in contact with the hurlers.

“I came into the squad in 2022 and Ruairi contacted Joe Baldwin and I started coming out to the training.

“The lads are mighty and it is a great way to get to know people when you come to a new area and Fermanagh GAA is very supportive and you can see that the hurling is definitely going places.”

And he has been impressed with the standard of hurling in his adopted county.

“It is great to see the pockets of hurling in Fermanagh and with the exception of a few of us everyone is under 24 so that is a great sign for the future.

“It is a very young team apart from Ryan Bogue, John Duffy, Sean Corrigan, Danny Teague, JP McGarry and myself, so there is a very good mix.

“These lads can only get better and the future is bright.”

Brian has lined out at midfield for his club and is a great runner with a superb first touch and has been given a roving commission for his adopted county.

When asked about the notorious slow start of Fermanagh where they were 13 points down to Longford at one stage, he said: “I supposed it will be a different setting on Sunday as Croke Park is bigger and wide and maybe suits our running game with the quick ball.

“We need to go out with the attitude that we settle sooner.”

He added: “D’Arcy and Buckley are two fine players, and we will need to be tighter in closing them down or in cutting off the supply of ball into their forward line.

“They have a good spread of players and I suppose when they are in the Midlands, they can get them handy enough.”

So, what must Fermanagh do to curb the deadly D’Arcy?

“I suppose we need to focus on not having such a slow start ourselves.

“He scored 1-12 and we need to keep a close eye on him but I think we should just focus on our own game and try and outscore them.

“We have a very good forward line with loads of skill and Danann McKeogh is in fine form from frees and Sean Corrigan is scoring a huge amount from play and is a very skilful player.

“And we have good subs as JP McGarry, Danny Teague and Cahir McManus came on all made a difference and there is great competition for places.

“It would be great if we could win it and there is no point going down just to be there.”